Cool box
A cool box is an insulated box that keeps food and drink cold on a trip. Some are cooled with ice or ice packs, while electric types also need a power supply.
Where you'll see it
Cool boxes appear on camping kit lists, product pages and campsite pages about food storage and hook-up. The product page should say whether the box is ice-only or electric, and what power an electric one needs. Check this before you buy, because the two types suit different pitches.
What to check
- Whether it's ice-only or electric, and what the maker says about its power supply.
- How much ice or how many ice packs the maker suggests for the length of your trip. The ice estimator can help you plan.
- Whether the lid seals well, and whether the maker suggests chilling the box before you pack it.
- Where it sits: in the shade or the car, out of direct sun, as the maker recommends.
- For electric types, the site's stated supply and the appliance's label, with kit made for outdoor hook-up.
Related terms
- Thermoelectric cool box: an electric box that cools a limited amount below the air around it.
- Compressor cool box: an electric box that works like a small fridge.
- Hook-up: the campsite electricity supply that some electric boxes use.
Read more: How to keep a cool box cold (UK) and the cool box ice estimator.