Mid-sized coolers such as the 28 Quart from Coleman are great for day trips, taking to sports events and overnight camping trips.
This model is one of the many hard and soft-sided coolers available from Coleman, who are also well known for their outdoor and camping gear.
At 28 quarts, this a mid-range cooler that is more suited to a single day or overnight usage. These type of coolers are commonly used for picnics, taking food to work and short recreational trips.
This is a value-priced cooler at around the $20 to $30 mark and its competition at this price point is from own-branded bix box store models, rather than the more premium cooler models from brands such as Yeti and Ozark.
So how does the Coleman 28 quart cooler compare?
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Contents
Technology
At this price point, you get get a fairly basic looking cooler box with ThermoZone insulation (basic insulation that keeps your stuff cool). The design of this Coleman cooler doesn’t really stand out from a lot of other generic cooler boxes on the market, but at this price, we don’t expect too much in the way of fancy design features.
In terms of ice retention time, Coleman doesn’t actually quote any figures but this model is designed to be more of a day cooler than larger models, such as the Coleman Xtreme 50 that will keep ice retained for up to 5 days.
The Coleman 28 Quart cooler features a hinged lid which is great if you want to use the cooler single-handedly, just watch out though as the cooler lid is prone to close on its own without any support.
Capacity, dimensions and weight
This is a medium-sized cooler with a capacity of 28 quarts. This equates to around 36 cans – so plenty of storage space for a day trip! This cooler’s external dimensions are 19.7″ (length), 12″ in depth and 14′ in height. These compact dimensions make it easy to transport in smaller vehicles and manoeuvre when you get to your location.
As this is a fairly basic model, there are no intrusions into the cooler interior from handles or wheels. This cooler is also tall enough to hold standard 2 litres bottles in the upright position.
Portability
As this is a smaller cooler it’s really easy to move around, even when full. On this model, you do get a bail-style handle for easier carrying. Other models have telescopic handles and wheels but those features are not needed on a cooler of this size.
If you are looking for more storage space and practically, then the Coleman Xtreme 50 Quart would be worth a look as this features both a telescopic handle and plastic wheels.
Features
For this amount of money, don’t expect too many additional features – you won’t get them.
Models such as the larger Coleman 48 Quart have a drain plug to empty to the melted ice water, but with a cooler this size, it’s really not needed. Simply drain by turning the cooler upside down!
Conclusion
If you are looking for a budget cooler and prefer a trusted outdoor brand, then go for the Coleman 28 quart. It may be lacking in features and it has a fairly generic design, but it has a large capacity, retains ice for as long as you will need on a day trip and is easy to handle.
Definitely worth a look if you are in the market for a budget cooler.
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