coolers

Should I buy a soft cooler ? Or should I opt for a hard-sided cooler ? Don't worry, you're not the only one asking yourself this question. The answer is simple:

Choosing between a soft cooler and a hard cooler depends on your needs and what you plan to do with it. The soft cooler is lighter and easier to carry, while the hard cooler is a great choice for camping.

However, to help you make the best choice possible, we will break it all down for you. In this article, you will learn

What are the different types of coolers?

There are so many types of coolers on the market today that it can be difficult to choose the right one for your lifestyle, or at least the activities you do. When we walk into a store and head to the refrigeration department, there is literally an ocean of options waiting for us in the aisles. Fortunately, coolers can be divided into two main groups: soft coolers and hard coolers . So how do you know which cooler bag is best for you?

Let's first look at the different types of cooler bags available to you:

• The soft cooler

• The rigid cooler

The soft cooler

A soft-sided cooler is very versatile and can be useful on a day-to-day basis. Not only is it ideal for long road trips and camping trips, but it's also a great option for going to the gym, work or golf. They come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, materials, and capacities. There are also many brands, and you can always find something that suits your needs.

With a vinyl or fabric exterior, soft coolers weigh significantly less than heavy plastic hard coolers . Plus, they're smaller, so the weight comes from the stuff you're carrying. They are therefore easy to transport.

Soft coolers are portable, especially if they have shoulder straps. However, the real benefit of soft coolers is that they are collapsible. As a result, they take up less storage space, unlike hard-sided coolers made of hard plastic. You can roll them up and store them just about anywhere.

The hard-sided cooler

A hard-sided cooler is a better option if you are settling down for several days in a specific location. If you're camping for an extended period of time in varying terrains, a hard-sided cooler will safely keep your produce cool for the long term (for several days!). Hard plastic coolers have better ice retention and much more storage capacity. Most are designed to be lightweight and portable, but you can't compare them to the lightness of soft coolers . If you're camping with the family and need more food and drink, this is a great option.

Hard coolers are also more durable, as they are made from strong plastic materials. They are therefore suitable for transporting heavy items on long trips.

Now that we've seen the different types of cooler bags, let's take a look at what interests us in this article: the benefits of soft coolers and the benefits of hard coolers .

What are the benefits of using a soft cooler ?

Soft coolers have become very popular in recent years. The main reason is that this type of cooler bag has many advantages.

Here are the 11 advantages of soft coolers that we will detail:

• Lighter

• Easy to carry

• Easy to clean

• Easy to store

• Excellent thermal insulation

• A safe cooler

• Affordable price

• Several sizes available

• Eco-friendly

• Universal cooler bag

• A versatile cooler bag

A lighter cooler

The first advantage of a soft cooler is that it is much lighter than a hard cooler . This is a great advantage if you plan to do activities that require a lot of walking, such as an amusement park, a visit to the zoo or a hike. With a soft-sided cooler , you don't have to lug around a heavy plastic cooler . You're already going to be tired and put in a lot of physical effort, so adding another heavy object really isn't ideal for your outings!

Keep in mind that this point will be even more important if you also have children to manage.

Easier to transport

In addition to being lighter, this portable cooler is much easier to transport. Even if you don't walk much, it's an advantage if you go somewhere with a lot of varied terrain. For example, they will make an excellent cooler bag for golf, fishing or the beach. These types of places have terrain that's not that easy to navigate, and if you've ever tried using a large hard-sided cooler , you must have seen how difficult it was to get it where you wanted.

Easier to clean

One of the hardest things to do with a hard-sided portable cooler is to make sure it's always clean. If you have a large plastic one, the only thing you can do is wipe it down or wash it down however you can. It takes a long time and is quite laborious to do. On the other hand, if you have a soft cooler , it will be much easier to clean. In addition to wiping down, most of these items can be washed directly in the washing machine and can even be tumble dried (we recommend air drying, however). This way, cleaning takes much less time and you won't leave any stains!

Easier to store

When you have a large, rigid and bulky cooler , you often ask yourself the following question: where am I going to store it? Not only will you have a hard time finding space, but you will also have a hard time finding a place to store it so that it is sheltered, from humidity for example. A soft cooler is one of the best travel cooler bag options. They are compact and can be folded to fit just about anywhere. If you are looking for the small, easy to store soft cooler that best suits your needs, you will find that there are tons of options and there should be one that is just right for you.

Excellent insulation

With large capacity coolers , it can be difficult to keep all your meals and drinks at the right temperature. Often you will need lots of ice to keep food cool, while hoping that hot food stays hot as long as possible. Most soft-sided coolers are simply a cooler bag. Since it is not plastic, the internal temperature is maintained much better. The soft-sided cooler made with special materials for insulation will have the advantage of keeping the cooler cooler longer and the hot cooler longer. While simple plastic is not the best insulating material.

Keeps your food and drink safe

There are many reasons why you want to have a soft cooler that is safe. Plastic coolers usually close with a clasp, while most coolers offer several security features to ensure the cooler is securely closed, including a clasp combined with a zipper.

If you're taking a cooler bag to work, the last thing you want is to find that your cooler bag has opened up and spilled all of its contents. It has a way of putting you in a very bad mood. It is therefore better to avoid this!

An affordable price

When it comes to hard coolers , most people don't have the option of spending a lot of money. In general, soft coolers are more affordable. Prices vary by company, but the good news is that most of these products won't break your bank. You will be able to get the perfect product for your needs and still feel good about not having to spend an obscene amount of money!

For example, at Ma Lunch Box, you will find soft coolers of different types at mini prices.

Soft coolers of different sizes

What's great about soft cooler bags is that there are so many sizes available. When it comes to hard plastic cooler models, they usually only offer small, medium, and large models. With soft coolers , you'll find everything from the best small soft cooler to the extra large soft cooler . You may have to search for the exact size you need, but you should be able to find something that fits your needs perfectly.

In particular, determine the capacity you need: a soft cooler of 10 liters, 20 liters or more?

An eco-friendly cooler

If you really care about the environment and the impact you have on the planet, buying a soft cooler or cooler bag is a great option. Not only can these types of bags be reused, they are not made from a bunch of plastics. Plastic does not break down, and it can degrade quite easily. On the other hand, by using soft cooler bags, they will last longer and you will be less likely to have to replace them due to cracks or breaks.

Universal use

One of the best things about these types of coolers is that they are extremely universal in their use. Almost anyone can use them, as they are not marketed only for certain people. For example, one person may use it as a cooler for lunch at work, while others will use it as a cooler bag for hiking, or even to buy frozen food. Some kids or parents may even use it for sporting events, so it can be used by almost anyone!