Best Resin Wicker Coolers
Last Updated by Brandon F. on November 15, 2022
While we typically focus on traditional plastic, metal, and fabric coolers here at TheCoolerZone, there are a host of other specialty coolers on the market that might meet your specific needs. An example of this is resin wicker coolers. Finding the best resin wicker cooler can be a daunting task and we are here to help! We hope that our resin wicker cooler reviews will answer any questions that you may have and allow you to find the perfect product.
Below are a few of our top choices for the best resin wicker coolers. We put them on a table for your convenience. To get a more detailed review of each cooler, hop on below the table.
What is Resin Wicker?
Resin Wicker is a very popular outdoor material that you typically find on patio furniture. Also known as all-weather wicker, this material is designed to be able to handle outdoor elements while still having the attractive aesthetics of natural wicker.
It is typically made of a material called polyethylene which is both durable as well as lightweight. Another added benefit of polyethylene is that it is extremely easy to clean. You can typically apply just about any normal home cleaner to the material without concern of damaging it. The resilience and ease of cleaning resin wicker are a big reasons why it is so popular.
Resin Wicker and a Cooler: The Best of Both Worlds?
There has been a recent increased demand for specialized resin wicker coolers. These are coolers that have the attractive looks of resin wicker but also have an embedded cooler shell that can be used to store chilled items. These products are perfect for entertaining guests in your backyard or being used during a neighborhood grill out.
Many resin wicker coolers are designed to be mobile and will come with wheels at the base that allow you to easily move it. This is very important because while resin itself isn’t super heavy, the combination of the added weight from the cooler as well as the sheer size of the resin wicker cooler can make it a bit challenging to carry like you would a traditional cooler. Combine this with a full of ice, and you will be very glad that you have wheels to help you!
Typically, resin wicker coolers aren’t designed to keep items chilled for extremely long periods. Since you wouldn’t take a resin wicker cooler with you to a campsite or out on a boat excursion, they are designed for chilling items for a few hours maximum during an outdoor BBQ or pool party.
Because of this, you won’t find the enormous ice life you would in many coolers. Also, since you won’t be lugging it around, it won’t be nearly as tough as a traditional cooler. This may not be a huge deal if you don’t anticipate putting your cooler in demanding environments. But for others, this may be a dealbreaker.
As for size, there will be a range of sizes to choose from. However, we have found that most resin wicker coolers fall into the medium to large size category. Many of these products will have anywhere from 40 to 90 quarts of storage. This is plenty large enough for a family gathering or pool party.
Now that we have briefly gone over what a resin wicker cooler is, we will give you a few of our top choices.
Suncast DCCW3000 Resin Wicker Cooler
This is an extremely popular resin wicker cooler and for good reason! This simple and relatively large cooler has multiple storage areas and is large enough to hold a decent amount of drinks. On the top, you have an upward-opening lid that you can pour ice in and stick drinks up. There are two locking casters and two non-locking casters that make transporting situating a breeze.
Other helpful features include a side wire basket which is perfect for holding cups, bottle openers, remotes, towels, or anything else that you don’t want to be exposed to the ice.
As for the ice, there is an external drainage tube located at the bottom of the Suncast Resin Wicker Cooler that allows you to release melted ice for easy cleanup. It is worth mentioning that this material is a bit different than the traditional wicker style. It is made of vinyl material and is not a hard tub.
Also, the cooler is not insulated so don’t expect this product to keep ice for long periods. But it does come in at a very reasonable price given the size and its popularity is good evidence that it works. Also, the snap-together assembly is very quick and simple and doesn’t require any sort of exotic or expensive tools.
UPHA 80 Quart Rolling Ice Chest
The UPHA 80 Quart Rolling Ice Chest is another popular resin wicker cooler that has a traditional cooler style combined with the mobility of being elevated and on wheels. As the name suggests, the cooler holds around 80 quarts which are plenty large for most typical outdoor gatherings. At this size, you can expect it to hold around 80 cans. While the manufacturer states that it can hold up to 100, we have found that after adding ice, you may be hard-pressed to fit 100 cans in there.
There is a bottom shelf that provides additional storage for items that you don’t have to keep cooler. This can include things such as yard toys, towels, cookware, and more. It is worth noting that this bottom shelf area is fully exposed so if you plan on keeping food items in there, make sure that they are in a closed container.
Another feature that we like is the lid which is made of stainless steel and is very easy to open. There is a bottle opener and bottle cap catch bin attached to the side to open up the stored beverages as well. When the ice has melted, you can release the water through the drain plug located on the back of the cooler. Speaking of ice, there is a small amount of insulation, and ice life seems to be a few hours.
From a look standpoint, the UPHA 80 is a very attractive product. The resin wicker finish looks authentic and should be a stylish addition to any outdoor residential area. As for assembly, it is quite simple and should only take around half an hour to complete.
Giantex Portable Rattan Cooler Cart
Giantex has another proven Cooler Cart that they have dubbed the Rattan cooler. Rattan is a specific type of wicker and we must say that it looks quite nice!
This is another large wicker cooler with a storage area that is large enough to store nearly 10 cases of soda or beer with ice. There are small locking wheels at the base that allow for mobility.
The inside of the car has a zinc-plated metal sheet that not only helps in retaining cold air but is also rust-proof. It also adds an element of style to the cooler as most people associate metal with quality.
There is a shelf underneath where you can store non-perishable items. Another helpful feature is hooks underneath the base of the cooler itself. This is great for hanging wine glasses and also protects them from potentially falling over or being bumped by other items. In addition, there are extended side counter spaces on both sides of the cooler lid which provide a good place for putting bottle openers, towels, or a small speaker system. For this particular unit, the drain is located directly on the bottom of the built-in bottle opener.
There isn’t much insulation here so the metal material is the only thing that you have that will boost ice life. Expect the ice to last for around 4 hours before needing to be refilled.
Clevr 80 Quart Outdoor Patio Chest Cooler
The Clevr 80 Quart Outdoor Patio Chest Cooler is very similar to the other 80-quart models we have discussed. It comes in an attractive resin rattan material that is made of durable polypropylene plastic. On the interior is polyurethane which is lightweight and does a better job of insulating. You can expect a slight boost in ice life compared to many of the other 80-quart wicker coolers on the market thanks to this layer of insulation.
We like the cooler lid as it is designed to be a dual top. This allows it to be used as a table surface when closed. Also, you can open up half of the lid at a time. This minimizes the exposure that the ice has to warm outside air and likely increases the ice performance.
As is typical of most of the larger wicker coolers, there is a bottom shelf for additional storage of non-perishable items. Other features include a built-in bottle opener and drain plug and locking wheels at the base. The one thing missing from this unit is any side shelving.
Keter 7.5 Gallon Cool Bar Rattan Cooler
For a bit of a change of pace, we have also included a smaller and more mobile resin wicker cooler. The Keter 7.5-gallon cooler bar cooler table utilizes the attractive rattan wicker them but comes in a more table-like shape. This makes it a much better alternative for someone who plans on keeping their wicker cooler in one place.
The unique feature of the Keter Cooler Bar Rattan Cooler is that it is a 3-in-1 package. It is a cocktail table, a cooler, and a coffee table all in one! Thanks to an extendable tabletop feature, you can lift the top of it up or down, allowing you to access ice that is stored inside. There is a built-in drainage plug that helps to make cleanup easier and is made of durable PPS material, you can hose it down if necessary.
You won’t find the mobility of the other coolers (there are no wheels) and non-perishable storage space is limited, but from an aesthetic standpoint, this cooler table can’t be beaten. It is also very reasonably priced. The combination of the semi-thick walls and quality materials allows for around 8 hours of ice life in our experience.
Best Choice Products Wicker Ice Bucket
For those that want something even more simple and small, the Best Choice Products Wicker Ice Bucket might be your answer. It comes in quite a bit smaller than the other products we have discussed (only being large enough to chill around a dozen or so bottles or cans) but what it lacks in size it makes up in convenience and price. These products are very small and can be easily moved and placed in any corner of an outdoor area. Its smaller stature also means that it can be easily moved and stored when not in use.
There is an additional shelve below the top which can be used to hold various additional items that don’t need to be chilled. And the aluminum frame is surprisingly robust and is also waterproof. For those times that you don’t need to utilize the cooler features, an included lid can be placed on the top turning this ice bucket into an attractive table for plants, a stereo, and much more.
Due to its small size and lack of insulation, expect the ice life to only be around 3 hours for this ice bucket.
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