Overall and Final Verdict
The Anker EverFrost Powered Cooler 40 is a departure from what I normally check out and in some ways a big departure for Anker as well. But it does revolve around large-capacity battery backups which is something that Anker is known for. Their upcoming cooler lineup that they are calling the EverFrost Powered Cooler is available in three different sizes but except for the largest model which has dual zones, they are all very similar in design. They take a traditional cooler design and integrate a refrigeration system in it capable of keeping everything inside cool or even frozen and then add in a large battery backup to power it all making the entire setup completely portable and off-grid. The battery alone depending on the cooler size, outside temperature, and the temp you set the cooler to can keep things cold or frozen between 1 and 2 days, our 43L model can do 35.8 hours for example. That is with just one included battery you will be able to get more than one and without utilizing its multiple charging possibilities. The cooler comes with both a car charger and an AC power adapter that can power the cooler and charge the battery. You can also use a standard USB Type-C charger like Anker sells or one of their 100-watt solar panels. Depending on how you are planning on using the cooler, one of the many options should do the trick. The battery also has USB Type-A and Type-C outputs as well so you can keep other devices charged as well.
Because of the refrigeration, you don’t have to worry about the downsides of using ice including having to find and buy ice, draining it all, having trouble finding things buried in the cooler, and all of the space in the cooler that ice takes up. Without the ice inside I was very surprised at how much I could fit in the EverFrost Powered Cooler 40.
This is Ankers's first time in this market and I did notice a few areas that leave room for improvement in the future with the design. For complete off-grid camping which is one of the many uses I picture the cooler coming in handy you have wheels that aren’t going to clear much off the trail and the plastic wheels themselves could be a little less durable than I would like in that situation. While I wouldn’t call it loud by any means, our preproduction sample was loud when starting up. The cooler is also large and heavy even before you load it up. I hope in the future, like with Ankers portable power stations, that we see a smaller more compact option that might be better suited for day trips in a car, picnics, and other situations where you don’t need the capacity to take 4+ 12 packs of canned drinks with you.
I’m not putting the price down as a con in this situation even though the $849 price tag for our 43L mid-sized model hits the pocketbook extremely hard. While expensive, once you compare it with some of the other battery-powered coolers out there like the LiONCooler’s, Dometic, or the Makita you are getting a LOT more battery capacity and life than the competition, and the EverFrost isn’t much more expensive for what you are getting. It’s far too early to know for sure, but Anker is also well known for having great sale prices pop up from time to time as well. Right now I’ve heard these will hit the market potentially near the end of June but no firm date has been set just yet. But hopefully, they don’t wait too long as the summertime is when they will be the most useful. Overall if you only need a cooler in situations where you will be able to keep it plugged in there are both AC and DC options out there that will be significantly cheaper. But when it comes to completely off-grid use from time to time, that is where the EverFrost Powered Cooler is going to shine.
Live Pricing: HERE
