How Well Does Ryobi's Smart Cooler Work? Here's What Users Say

If you're planning to enjoy the endless sunshine season, Ryobi sells a ton of gadgets that are perfect additions to your summer adventures. Powered by the 18V ONE+ battery system, Ryobi offers things like LED area lights, speakers, digital inflators, and multi-tools. But, one gadget that you should definitely consider adding to your list? The 18V ONE+ 24Q Hybrid Power Cooler.

Priced at $499, the Ryobi electric cooler doesn't need ice to keep your food, drinks, and other perishables cool. With the ability to maintain temperatures that range from -4° F to 68° F, it can work as both a refrigerator or a freezer. With just a pair of 8 Ah batteries, Ryobi says that it can go up to 35 hours. But if you need more cooling time, it can also be plugged into a wall socket or your car's 12V adaptor. Unlike many other coolers, it even has an LCD screen that tells you all the important bits, like the battery levels and temperature. Apart from this, it has a few unique features that make it ideal for long days out of sight, like a USB-A charging port, bottle opener, and for the canned beverage fans out there, you'll be relieved to know it can hold up to 40 12oz. cans, which is more than enough for a party. With all these cool features, it's no wonder that it joins our list of recommended Ryobi Tools for RV owners. But, what do buyers actually have to say about it?

On the official Ryobi website, over 60 reviewers have given Ryobi's smart electric cooler an average rating of 4.5 stars. Among them, several users have mentioned bringing their coolers along on everything from fishing trips, road trips, to pool parties. In particular, a lot of people mentioned how they liked how easy it is to travel with it because of its wheels and telescopic handle. 

For people who have a very mobile lifestyle, Ryobi's electric cooler also got a lot of compliments on its multiple power options, which can be a godsend in an emergency or when your battery suddenly runs out. Several users have also mentioned it cools down quickly and had no problem maintaining the temperature even when exposed to direct sunlight. While it is not officially tested and rated for it, one person even mentioned using it for continuous long-term use as their fridge and freezer, wherein they claimed it performs splendidly.

If you're curious about what people don't like about it, some users have mentioned that they thought it could do with a larger capacity. In addition, while its quick cool down features were praised, others did raise a concern regarding battery drain when this happens. Not to mention, some users also said they thought it was expensive considering you need to buy the batteries separately. However, this isn't really a big problem if you're already invested in the Ryobi 18V ONE+ battery system already.

Alternatively, there are plenty of other electric coolers from other brands that may be a better fit for your needs. Previously, we've shared some of the best electric coolers for camping trips, which have a slew of additional features designed to fit anyone's cooling needs, such as varying storage capacities and compatibility with solar-powered charging systems. Among them, we've also listed several popular brands that have a more established history manufacturing coolers in particular, like Igloo and Alpicool.

For people who generally find themselves on the road, like tradesmen or salespeople, we've also rounded up some of the best coolers for your car. Unlike the Ryobi cooler, some of these are better suited for seasoned drivers because of how they slot into your car's interior and have features to monitor your car's battery to avoid any damage that prevents you from starting your car. Unfortunately, Ryobi has not yet released a smaller-sized cooler for people who just want space for a lunchtime snack or a few beers for themselves at the end of a long day at work.

Apart from Ryobi's electric cooler, the power tool brand has a ton of fan options in their portfolio that can keep you cool, from clip-on fans, bucket misting fans, to its relatively quiet, but powerful, Whisper series. One of the great things about this is that many of them are already compatible with your 18V ONE+ battery, so you can just switch them around devices.