- Joined
- Apr 5, 2012
- Location
- Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
Most coolers are simple plastic boxes that use an air gap or a small amount of foam on the sides to keep items insulated. They are cheap, disposable, and can be found at any big box store. Then there are super coolers. These are coolers made from the same rotomolded plastic kayaks are produced with, usually have two or three inches of foam insulation, and can keep ice for several days at a time. The catch? They cost and weigh roughly three to five times as much as a typical cooler.
So what if you need something better than a cheap cooler, but smaller then a super cooler? Engel, a Jupiter Florida based cooler manufacture, thinks they have the answer with their Drybox line of cooler/dry boxes.
Coming in 13, 19, and 30 quart sizes, the Engel Drybox serves as both a water tight drybox (submersible to three feet), and an airtight insulated one-day cooler. Engel markets them as the ultimate lunch box, and they include a number of features often found on the super coolers. Stainless steel hinges lock the lid down tight, while a thick, airtight, EVA gasket keeps cold in and water out. The Drybox has foam insulation on all six sides of approximately three quarters of an inch. While this is a far cry from the two inches of foam found in Engel’s Deep Blue coolers, the Drybox isn’t meant to hold ice for five days, and it’s still more insulation than your typical cooler. Additionally, as the Drybox is water tight, you could use it as a box to keep your cameras, phones, or other electronic gear safe on one day, and pack your lunch in it the next.
For this review, I tested the 19QT Drybox. Coming in at 16.6" x 11" x 13", with internal dimensions of 13.5" x 8" x 10", it had plenty of space for two or three meals worth of food. Included was a small plastic tray to keep a sandwich or similar sized item dry, and a carrying strap which is connected to the Drybox in four points, fully supporting the bottom. The surrounding gasket was impressively thick, and the stainless steel latches locked the Drybox down with ease and security. Four integrated feet at the bottom hold the Drybox about a third of an inch off the ground, which helps keep it cool.
The exterior of the Drybox is made of white injection molded plastic, was flexible to the touch, and not as rigid as a comparably sized Igloo Cube cooler. Additionally, the self-stopping hinge is made of plastic, though held in by stainless steel screws. A plastic handle is located on the lid of the Drybox, which didn’t flex with a 10lb bag of ice in the Drybox. However, where the handle is, there is a slight insulation gap which caused “sweating” on the handle itself. I would have liked to have seen both a stronger plastic outer shell, and stainless steel hinges which are the only two blights against the design.
The Engel Drybox was put through a rigor of tests:
Test 1: Room Temperature Ice retention.
The Engel Drybox was allowed to cool to room temperature (75 degrees Ferinheight), and then a 10 pound bag of ice was placed in it. This ice was also serving as a sacrificial bag for the pre-chilled retention test. The Drybox was left inside (ambient of 72 to 75 degrees), and out of the sun for 24 hours, being opened to check melting every six hours. At the 24 hour mark, the cooler had approximately two-thirds of the a bag of ice left, and about 1 inch of water in the bottom.
Test 2: Pre-chilled Outdoor Ice Retention
The Engel Drybox was chilled for 24 hours with a sacrificial bag of ice from Test 1. The Drybox was then drained, and a fresh 10 pound bag of ice was placed inside. The Drybox was then left outside in Florida’s scorching summer heat. The ambient temp ranged from lower 80’s at night, to high 90’s during the day. The cooler was left in a semi-shaded area, and ice was measured every 6 hours. At the 24 hour mark, most of the ice had melted, however enough was left to cover the entire surface of the water. The water was ice cold. At the 36 hours mark, there were still a few pieces of ice left floating in the water. At the 42 hour mark, the ice had completely melted, and all that remained was very cold water.
For reference, I tested an Igloo cooler and a generic soft cooler with plastic insert in the same manner. The Igloo’s ice was completely melted by 24 hours, but the water was still very cold. The soft side was melted at 18 hours, and the water was warm at the 24 hour mark.
Test 3: Spillage
Engel states that if the Drybox were to fall over, no liquid would leak. I tested the Drybox with the meltwater and remaining ice from Test 1. I knocked the cooler over four times so that each side would be tested. I then completely turned it upside down. A piece of paper was placed underneath to determine leakage. After allowing the cooler to rest for several minutes in each position, not a single drop of water was leaked. An interesting note was that after performing these tests, the seal between the lid and body was actually tighter than normal.
Test 4: Dry Storage.
Engel states that the Drybox is waterproof to three feet, and floats.The Engel Drybox was completely dried and several pieces of paper placed inside. The Drybox was then placed in a tub of water and forcibly submerged so that six inches of water covered the top for one minute. No water leaked in, and all papers inside where dry.
Conclusion
Engel has marketed the Drybox line as the Ultimate lunch box and it succeeds remarkably at that role. It was able to keep ice for nearly twice as long as a comparably sized Igloo hard cooler, and doubled as a dry box for keep items safe. The build quality is excellent, and at $50 to $60 for the 19QT, the price is also excellent. The only caveat is that lack of a stainless steel hinge and a flexible exterior. Engel was smart to include the interior tray, however, the Drybox has room for two of them, and Engel does not sell a second one on their website as of writing this.
While the Drybox would not make a good 3 to 5 day cooler, it does make an excellent one-day cooler which is exactly what it’s marketed as. This can easily replace the typically under insulated coolers included with most bass boats, or make an excellent drybox for gear. The fact the Drybox uses stainless steel parts also allows it to be used in a saltwater environment.
Scores based on a five point scale: 1. Very Poor. 2. Poor. 3. Average. 4. Above Average. 5. Excellent. The overall total score is added and divided by the number of criteria judged to reach the overall score.
Build Quality: Excellent.
- The Drybox had no loose parts or screws, and worked exactly as advertised.
Design: Above Average.
- A very useful double duty design marred only by a slightly weak outer shell and lack of stainless steel hinge.
Function: Excellent
- The Drybox is marketed as a single day cooler, but was able to hold ice for nearly double that amount of time. No water leaked in or out our tests.
Value: Excellent
- At $50 to $60, you get a great amount of value from the Engel Drybox. While a comparable sized generic hard cooler is about half the price, the Drybox provides far better ice retention and also functions as a dry box for equipment.
Overall Rating: Excellent
Product Page: http://www.engel-usa.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=61
Note: This is a user review and not a sponsored review from any manufacture.