Igloo Marine Elite Cooler Reviewed

From the renowned ice chest maker, Igloo comes the Igloo Marine Elite line of coolers. Made from high quality polyethylene, these latest incarnations of coolers by Igloo are specially designed for harsh and rigorous use expected from any equipment found in boats.

Sporting an all-white colorway, the Marine has ultraviolet inhibitors that protects it against damage from the sun. Employing advanced infrared properties, the coolers are given a performance boost as surfaces are kept from becoming excessively hot. Contents are all the more secure with antimicrobial liners that minimize odors and stains. Special sir-tight, rubber lid gaskets on the larger versions of the Marine also keeps ice and frozen items for much longer periods.

The Igloo Marine Elite comes in four models and sizes. The smallest 5-day cooler retails for a little over $80 and the largest offering, the 9-day, 162 quart version may be purchased for about $360.

Upon closer inspection of the Marine coolers, they share the same basic design as the original Igloo cooler. The obvious upgrades of the Marine are the stainless steel latches (rubber on the original Igloo), rubber padded handles and a more streamlined lid stopper. And since coolers make for a rudimentary bench no matter where you are, for an additional purchase, seat cushions make it a more comfortable experience.

While the Igloo Marine Elite may seem an excellent choice there are a few issues and problems. To begin with, seating may well be a problem on anything less than a 162 quart cooler. The largest model does sit two people comfortably but smaller editions are only good for one. Those hoping to maximize real estate on their boats by having a cooler that doubles as a bench really have only one choice. At $360, the 162 quart may be rather too pricey.

A more serious issue is the safety recall by Igloo on their Marine Elite line sold through one of their distributors. The company says that the stainless steel latches on their products may cause some lacerations. In all fairness, the defective batch was relatively small in number and the recall was totally voluntary. Igloo is working with their distributor, to replace the latches. Replacement kits with instructions are also available free of charge for those who have already purchased a cooler from the batch in question.

Although it is an outstanding product from one of the best manufacturers of quality coolers, the relatively high price tag and safety issues pushed its rating down a tad lower. With these factors in mind, I can only give the Igloo Marine Elite line of coolers a three out of five.