Igloo’s marketing team decided on a bold slogan for its new ICF line of electric coolers: “The Future of Cooling.” That sounds impressive — even if it’s not exactly accurate. Ice-less coolers have been around for many years now, and they’re still just mobile versions of the electric refrigerator (which we’ve enjoyed for over 100 years). So, Igloo’s new electric coolers aren’t exactly a revolution from the brand, so much as a late arrival to its own surprise party.
But there’s no denying the impact of a mainstream product design, and Igloo’s ICF Series has the makings of a hit. It’s on the cheaper and lighter end of the spectrum for electric coolers and comes in five different sizes.
There’s a large, 83-quart dual-zone version ($1,000) suitable for long-term nomads and comparable to heavyweight brands like Anker Everfrost ($850) or Dometic CFX3 ($900-1,400). Igloo also made smaller sizes of its electric cooler down to 20 quarts ($400), for those just looking for a way to keep groceries cold on the way home — without the hassle of ice.
“A lot of the options for electric coolers right now are expensive and meant for overlanding,” a company spokesperson told GearJunkie. “If you want to keep food cold while running errands or you live in a rural area, these will work great.”
Igloo ICF Series: Details
The basic design of Igloo’s electric coolers should be familiar to anyone who has used something similar. You simply plug it in (both AC and DC cables included), set a temperature between 0 and 68 degrees, and an orange light tells you when it’s fully chilled.
Igloo says they can be plugged into a power outlet in your home or a vehicle’s DC input. Built-in programming prevents draining the car battery by shutting off the cooler when low voltage is detected (’cause nobody wants their electric cooler stranding them in the middle of Death Valley National Park).
Like most electric coolers, the ICFs only work while continuously receiving electricity. As soon as they’re unplugged, they’re just a normal Igloo cooler again. But in our modern world of portable batteries, that’s less of a problem. The brand has plans to eventually release an Igloo battery as well, according to a spokesperson.
The ICF series comes in five sizes, though only the largest has a dual-zone for a freezer/fridge combination. From the smallest size (20 quarts) to the largest (83 quarts), the coolers offer lots of space at a decent price.
Last year, GearJunkie’s pick for Best Budget Electric Cooler went to the Worx 20V Electric & Battery Powered Cooler. At $500, it’s the same price as Igloo’s second-smallest cooler. The Igloo, however, offers more space and weighs at least 2 pounds less (at least according to company specs).
Igloo’s largest electric cooler, the ICF 80DZ, costs $1,000 and offers an impressive 83 quarts of space, as well as two separate chambers. It’s about the same weight as the Dometic CFX3, but offers significantly more storage — and it costs $200 less.
Igloo ICF Series: Availability & Options
The ICF series dropped on Tuesday, Jan. 30. For the moment, all five models are only available in a classic Igloo dark blue. When asked about other possible designs, a spokesperson said that’s “in the plans.”
Igloo has plenty of brand partnerships, and it releases new ones all the time. My guess? If Igloo can bring its Disney/Star Wars/sports collaborations to electric coolers, they could sell even faster than hot-pink Stanley cups.
So maybe they will become “The Future of Cooling.” Or at least maybe they’ll become ubiquitous among teenagers, tailgate obsessives, and soccer moms. Only time — and TikTok — will tell.
Learn more on Igloo’s website.
