Icey Tek owners: do you still highly recommend them?

[Quenelle]

I'm weighing up the benefits of Icey Teks vs electric coolboxes. We're going to the South of France in early July so we need something decent that's going to be up to the job. DH wants an electric coolbox, I think a decent passive one will be more effective and value for money.

I've been reading on here about the wonders of Icey Teks for over a year now and am very tempted by a 25l one (family of 3, two of whom like to drink large amounts of white/rose wine and beer).

Do all you Icey Tek owners still recommend them above all else?

I have a yeti (that I got for my birthday!)from the same people. It's massive, and white, but fab. The handles at the sides help with carrying it between people, but you wouldn't want to carry it very far. Perfect 'by the tent' box. Also good for sitting on. My OH also wanted electric, but is happy with this one.

Thanks badger. I think DH is coming round to the idea. A 25ltr one would probably do us.

We've got the IceyTek 25L and it's great, loads of space, keeps cool really well as long as you change over ice packs daily.

Thanks Meg. I think my mind is made up now. Just have to choose a colour...

I was converted to ours when we used it in the Vendée 2 summers ago, but last year we went to Corsica and just rented a fridge, which fitted more in and was lower maintenance.

Where will you be camping?

Duh, South of France!

To elaborate, in the Vendée it was pretty coolish (the weather) and the Icey-tek did well for the first week or so (I pre-cooled it etc.)

By the end of the week the ice bottles needed changing every day.

I also found repacking it (to fill up airholes) a bit of a fiddle and was happy to rent a fridge (lots of French campsites do or can put you in touch with agencies who do) and just open it to get something out.

Thanks jamais. I'd like a passive coolbox because we don't camp with EHU. DH only enjoys camping when we keep it simple.

If it manages to keep my sausages and bacon cool enough to have a 'proper' breakfast for the first few days it'll be worth it.

Ours kept going pretty much but did have to top up with ice every few days I. Warmer weAther we don't do ehu either and best tried so far...hardest thing keeping it full! We had to keep drinking the wine...
We have 25l as well for 3 and plenty big enough...

Very happy with mine .

I'm not quite sure about all this 'kept stuff frozen for 10 days' stuff that some people have claimed - and I haven't taken ours to anywhere hotter than SE England (but it was hot on one day...). But it performed much better than our old Woolworths coolbox, and with careful use our beers were still ice cold after 3 days. I banned the kids from opening the box, and was scrupulous about not leaving the lid open.

I have always thought that electric boxes meerely kept things a certain number of degrees below the ambient temp, so not necessarily ice cold?

Thanks both. If last year's customers are still satisfied I'm happier about shelling out for one.

Will order one next month, I've just bought my third tent in 12 months so need to let finances recover a bit first.