20 qt yeti better , or a knock off to keep ice 5 days ?

I recently built out a camper van. After talking to a few people and watching a bunch of “ice challenge” videos on YouTube I decided that for $118 the 52 quart Ozark Trail was worth a try. So far no complaints. When I leave out for a week long trip I start with 3 blocks and 1 bag of ice. Then I have to add 1 bag about every other day. Overall I’m pretty happy with it and I’m not sure a $500 cooler would be much better for what I’m using it for.

 

My first year I had a crappy Coleman iceless cooler. It didn’t work so well, and I was often a bit iffy eating food that had been in it for a few days.

One hot summer day, I ended up having a few root beers with a fellow from Florida. His little Coleman cooler had the cans so cold they were sweating, even in the air conditioning. I asked him how his cooler kept everything so icy cold when mine was damp and lukewarm.

He showed me. He set up 2 fans with alligator style clips behind his cooler. One was clipped to a nearby AC vent, and the other directed that fan onto the motor of the cooler. The cooler would keep drinks and food cooler to about 15-20 degrees below the air hitting the motor, so his rootbeers were frosty while mine were more like the difference between sitting in the shade vs the sun on a hot day.

I rigged my little cooler up similar to his that day, and stretched my grocery dollars much farther until I got a truck with a proper fridge.

 

It comes down to the temperature of the air around the fan and the amount of air the fan can move. They come with cheap fans to keep the cost down.

 

OP, what people are trying to tell you is that Yeti isn't really a trucker's cooler, unless you're storing stuff for the next week on and are going to leave it alone until then.

I have a Coleman I bought in 2000. Back then the fan motors died a lot, but I kept mine going by lubing it. When it did die, like 14-15 years later, I bolted a computer fan on the outside of the Peltier like the modern ones (left the cover off) and used mounting tape to put a little one behind the cover on the inside to move air over the cold side. Works better, uses less power, and lasts longer, and the fans were free, I had them in a parts box.

Re that video, I have my inside fan taped in placed on top of the inside heat-sink, tilted downward so it blows the air in the natural direction (downward) and doesn't take up much interior space.

 

I have a Yeti Roadie.
It’s a really good cooler.
Don’t use it due to having to fool with ice and size. It is kinda big in this truck.
I use a coolatron. Doesn’t take up much room. Cools enough stuff. Fits behind the seat on certain trucks.
I’m getting a new truck. Depending on small spots to put one. I might even get a second coolatron.

 

I keep a small cheap ice chest between the seats to keep my "Yeti style" cup full of ice throughout the day,The mrs. has tried to buy me a high dollar "roto-molded" one for a couple years and I won't let her spend the $$.......I am home daily,and don't see the need to retain ice for long periods. I do have a knock-off "Yeti" that I use for weekend outings and such and it will indeed keep ice for a few days if you keep the lid shut.

 

I have a Yeti. It works good. I keep blue ice things frozen in my stock company truck fridge-freezer and I rotate those into the yet. I use the yeti for cold drinks, apples, carrots, etc. it sits on the passenger seat. It is expensive, quality and I like nice things. I also wear expensive Oakley sunglasses with polarized lenses. I wear nice clothes and expensive boots. I could probably model for Tommy Hilfiger in my spare time..

 

Take a look at lifetime products. They have a few coolers that are lower cost than a yeti, and will perform just as well.

 

Yeah......that's why you drive a truck and hang around with cats.

 

Yeti is WAY overpriced. I was going to go with a Canyon Cooler. Was ready to put my money down at OXW last year. I had a quote from the dessert rat booth for a 55, but they didn’t have one there. Stopped by the canyon cooler booth and threw them the price to see if they’d match. They got real dumb on me, so I just went to the Domatec truck and bought a 65 for 100 bucks more LOL. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.
I tell you this because I would recommend to you to buy a small domatec fridge. You won’t regret it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075...dpPl=1&dpID=4169sD5lygL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1
That said, if your still dead set on a high end cooler, which you probably are, I’d recommend a Canyon Cooler.