Cool box help needed !!!

[northmetking]

We're looking for a coolbox, and now that I know Coleman Xtremes exist, I think I'd find it hard to buy a "normal" one.
BUT, from looking at the dimensions, they are enormous. Even the 36qt "small" one is roughly the size of our ottoman at home, and there's only 2 of us and we've only got a VW Polo!

Can anyone recommend any others that offer better performance than your standard coolbox, but are not quite so humungous? We don't need huge capacity - just enough for the basics - a pint of milk, butter, block of cheese, perhaps a pack of bacon and some sausages.

I'm thinking of festivals really, as we can usually freeze ice blocks at campsites and swap them round every day, that's not a problem. And, I don't want to go down the electric route, as that has no practical use for us, really.

Basically, if a standard coolbox will keep food fresh for maybe 24 hours, and the Coleman Xtreme will last 5 days, what I want is something inbetween. Is there a less massive coolbox out there that will keep food fresh for 2-3 days?

i would love to know aswell! I hope you get some answers!

Not a box, but this Lakeland bag keeps food cold for long periods (see reviews).

Fantastic, thanks Lilymaid, that looks ideal, and not too expensive, so definitely worth a go.

Have just come back from camping for a weekend with a Coleman and it is good. Would say you need to put as much frozen stuff in as you can. We put in frozen milk,juice,bread but a whole lot of just cold stuff eg salad,toms etc too. After 3 days,just 2 cool blocks and repeated opening everything is still cold but not frozen. Milk and butter fine not ice cold but chilled. Things on the bottom colder.It was useful for keeping loads in and away from ants,milk can stand upright if you get the small,wheeled version. We're going to do our food shopping when we get down to Cornwall in Aug to accommodate the size of the beast. We do have a Lucida not a Polo though but there are 5 of us .

tippity toppity coolbox tip I nabbed from ukcs was to take some bubble wrap in your cool box.

Squidge it down over the top of the food and the blocks (blocks on top of food) and then you'll only be chilling the food and not the rest of the space above the food and up into the lid.

No idea what cool box we have, it is small and blue with a white lid. 2 small blocks and the bubble wrap keep your size list of foods chilled for a good 12 hours +

yes that is the other way of ensuring things staying cold, by ramming the coolbox with cold things.

that and not opening the lid.

I have one from Aldi, it is extremely good, and keeps things really cold.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I took the plunge and ordered the Lakeland one. If it performs as well as a standard coolbox, I'm no worse off, and if it really does do the job for 2-3 days as stated, then that's a bonus.

northmetking have you tried the cool bag yet? I was thinking about getting one and wondered how long it kept the food cold for you?