Dewalt Cooler Review
Last updated by Brandon F. on October 4, 2022
Many of us are likely familiar with the Dewalt brand name. They have been an industry leader in power tools for decades. Quite a few of you reading this probably have a few of their products in your garage or shed!
But did you know that Dewalt also recently came out with their lineup of coolers?
In this review, we will try out Dewalt’s lineup of hard-sided coolers. We will go over their features, put them through an ice test, and ultimately give them a score from 1 to 5.
You can check out the table below for a brief overview of the best Dewalt Coolers as well as where to buy them. And if you want to read our full analysis on Dewalt Coolers, scroll below.
Dewalt Cooler Lineup
When trying to figure out the backstory of Dewalt Coolers, things can be a bit confusing. It appears that their coolers originated under the popular ToughSystem name. The Dewalt ToughSystem is a variety of storage products. And we guess that Dewalt initially lumped their coolers into this category. Specifically, there was a 27-quart storage option.
Since then, they seem to have expanded. Their coolers selection has grown to include 10 quart, 25 quart, 45 quart, and 65-quart options. And these other models don’t seem to have the ToughSystem name connected to them. This may be Dewalt trying to differentiate their hard-sided coolers from the rest of their storage solutions.
These sizes are pretty standard choices that most up-and-coming cooler brands offer. They include a small, portable cooler for an individual or couple, a larger model that can handle the needs of a bigger group, and a couple of much larger ice chests that have the capacity for big gatherings.
You will see pretty strong similarities between the various sizes. The outlier here will be the ToughSystem model. This model is designed to work with existing ToughSystem products including their trolley, van shop, workshop racking, etc. Because of this, it has some design and feature details that make it different from its other ice chests.
Another interesting note is that Dewalt has two models that utilize overhead carrying handles. In most other models that we have tested, this type of carrying feature is usually reserved for only their smallest model.
We will go into more detail about the features of the various Dewalt Coolers in the next section.
Dewalt Cooler Features/Build Quality
Let’s first discuss Dewalt Cooler’s features.
For opening and closing the lid, Dewalt has installed rubber t-latches. These latches operate very similarly to how we have seen other brands do with their latches. However, their overall shape of them is a bit different. There are some open circles located at the bottom of the latch. Initially, we thought that this could be a bottle opener. However, it doesn’t seem to serve this purpose. We aren’t quite sure what the purpose of the openings was (aesthetics perhaps?).
But either way, the latches are easy to open and close. This is helpful because you may only have 1 free hand to deal with the latches.
When you open up the latches, you will be welcome with a standard rubber gasket. This gasket runs along the outer edge of the bottom of the lid and produces a good squeeze when pushed on the extruded area of the body. This is one of the key components for locking in the cold air.
For carrying, the 10-quart and 25-quart models have an overhead carrying handle. This handle doesn’t have any sort of rubber grip on it, unfortunately. A rubber grip can be quite helpful when carrying in slick conditions or when it is cold outside.
The larger models replace the overhead handle with side nylon rope handles. With the rope handles, you will enjoy included rubber grips. The grips can be a little flimsy and aren’t as rigid as we have seen on other models by other brands. But they seem to do the trick alright.
In the above image, you can also see another common feature that is also present on Dewalt Coolers: a drain plug. This drain plug is placed on the side of these coolers. Unfortunately, the smallest sizes (10 and 25 quarts) don’t have a drain plug.
Other notable features include a built-in front bottle opener and 2 molded cup holders on the lid. Cup holders are something that we have been seeing less and less of in recent cooler models. This may be because they have some sort of impact on ice retention. But we are glad that Dewalt decided to include them even if it does cost some small amount of ice life.
The ToughSystem 27-quart cooler has the unique ability to work with the existing ToughSystem tooling system. This allows it to be stacked to any other ToughSystem module. This can be helpful in industrial or manufacturing applications where mobility and modularity are important. But for most casual users that are wanting to find a cooler for the lake or at the tailgate, Dewalt’s other ice chest models would probably make more sense to you.
Some other final accessories worth discussing (but not pictured) include rubber non-skid feet, integrated side railing, and slots inside the cooler for placing ice packs (not included).
But how well-built are Dewalt Coolers?
Overall, we are quite impressed. Dewalt has been a common name in industrial applications so they know what it takes to make a tough product.
All of their coolers are rotomolded. And the rotomolded walls are around 2 to 2.5” thick. This is about the average among premium cooler brands. At this thickness, they have proven to be quite resilient to wear and tear. The plastic that is used for this rotomolding process is extremely resilient to scratches and cracks.
All of the hardware appears to be made of stainless steel. This helps to make them much more resilient to rust. Not only that, but they look great as well.
We tried to find some information on the Dewalt warranty for coolers. However, we couldn’t find much about it. That being said, we are confident that Dewalt will stand behind their coolers no differently than how they do with their power tools.
Dewalt Cooler Ice Life
Dewalt certainly has the build quality to compete and they have enough features to be comparable to other higher-end cooler brands, but how well do they perform when it comes to retaining ice?
To know for sure, the only way to find out is to put the coolers through an ice retention test. This consists of filling the cooler up with a recommended amount of ice, leaving it in a common outdoor setting, and occasionally opening it. This type of testing is more “real-life”. The results won’t be as impressive in terms of how long ice lasts before melting, but they should give you a better idea of what you will be working with when using the ice chest.
From initial observations of Dewalt Coolers, we suspected that they would perform just fine. They have the same thick rotomolded walls, quality gaskets, and strong latching systems that we are used to seeing in ice chests that offer multi-day ice retention.
You can see our actual results in the chart below.
As we suspected, ice life was just fine. Depending on which model you go with, ice retention should be anywhere from 1.5 days up to around a week. This places Dewalt Coolers right in the thick of things when compared to other premium cooler brands. You could boost these numbers a bit more by adding more ice and trying to reduce how often you open the lid and for how long.
We tried to find some stated ice numbers on Dewalt’s website. The only mention that we could find is where Dewalt states that their ToughSystem Cooler has up to 5 days of ice life. While we didn’t personally test this model so we can’t say for certain, we would be quite surprised if it actually can do 5 days of ice life. Being a 27-quart cooler, 5 days of real-life ice retention would make it the best performing cooler in the industry.
Dewalt Cooler Aesthetics
One aspect of Dewalt products that makes them recognizable is their color. Just about every Dewalt product that you have at home likely has some of their trademark bright yellow somewhere on it. So we weren’t at all surprised to learn that Dewalt has followed suit with their coolers. These ice chests are fully covered in the eye-popping yellow color that has made them famous.
On the lid of these coolers, you will also find the Dewalt logo molded directly onto it. This, combined with the tough-looking latches and aggressive curves on the lid and body results in a very attractive and intimidating cooler. This ice chest will fit right at home at any construction site that you come across.
However, what if you are someone that doesn’t want to buy a bright yellow cooler? Well, unfortunately, you will be out of luck! As far as we can tell, the only color choice that you can pick is bright yellow.
While we can appreciate Dewalt’s desire to stick to its roots, they should understand that by only offering a yellow color choice, they could be potentially polarizing their target market.
Not only that but there aren’t any sort of customization options when it comes to custom logos, sports team colors, etc.
We do find the overall shape and design of Dewalt Coolers to be quite nice. But we do wish that they would expand their color selection.
Dewalt Cooler Price
Dewalt is one of the few brands that offer coolers that have name recognition outside of the cooler world. Many people will know of Dewalt from power tools and other products. Because of this, they will already have an established reputation for quality that few other brands will be able to match.
That being said, reputation only goes so far. And a brand that wants to compete in the competitive premium cooler world will need to be at a price point that works.
Dewalt’s current asking prices are in the lower to mid-range of the premium price bracket. In other words, they will be quite a bit cheaper than some of the most expensive high-end cooler brands such as Yeti and Kong. But they will be a little pricier when compared to a few of the ultra-budget high-end coolers on the market.
Considering their performance and features, we are OK with this asking price. There are coolers out there that will offer longer ice life, have more features to enjoy, and have more customization options. But these coolers also tend to cost a bit more.
Dewalt Cooler vs. Yeti
Dewalt is one of the few brands out there that have a reputable name like Yeti. While Yeti is the go-to brand name for many people when it comes to ice chests, Dewalt can say the same thing about other types of products.
The big question is how do Dewalt Coolers compare to Yeti Coolers?
Yeti Coolers seem to have similar (if only slightly better) ice retention than Dewalt. The differences are negligible and most people likely wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in typical real-world applications.
As for build quality, both models are similarly constructed. They both utilize rotomolded construction, thick walls, and quality hardware. Yeti may have a better warranty but we would assume that Dewalt stands behind their products as well.
In regards to features, both models are pretty similar. Dewalt has a slight edge in some areas (we like their latching system more and the built-in top cup holders are a nice touch). However, Yeti has an advantage when it comes to add-ons and accessories that can be purchased.
In the styling department, we have to give the nod to Yeti. They have a much better selection of colors to choose from. If you aren’t a fan of the bright Dewalt yellow, then you may be disappointed.
From a price perspective, Yeti is about as expensive as it gets. While there is no denying that their cooler emits quality, the high asking price may put them out of some people’s budgets. Dewalt Coolers certainly couldn’t be considered a budget option, but they are situated at a lower price than Yeti. So in that regard, Dewalt has an edge.
So which brand is truly better?
It is a close call, but we have to give a slight nod to Dewalt. We love Yeti Coolers but they are just so expensive. Dewalt gives you comparable performance, build quality, and features at a lower price. And they also have name recognition similar to Yeti.
But no matter which brand you go with, you won’t be disappointed.
Dewalt Cooler Review
Pros: Reputable brand name, Great construction, Good ice retention
Cons: Few features than other brands, Only one color option (bright yellow), Unsure about warranty
Features: Easy open latches, Oversized rubber gasket, Side carrying handles/overhead handle, Built-in cup holders, Front bottle opener, High-flow drain plug
Dewalt has been an industry leader in power tools for many years. But with their recent rollout of coolers, they are trying to compete in other industries. The Dewalt Coolers come in 4 sizes: a portable 10 quart, an easy-to-use 25 quart, a capable 45-quart, and a roomy 65-quart. These models come with similar features and build quality that you have seen in other high-end cooler brands. And with the thick walls and quality gasket, ice retention should be competitive as well. But you will have to work with the intense yellow Dewalt color scheme.
Build Quality/Features – 
We are overall content with how well-built Dewalt Coolers are. Their walls are around 2.5” thick and utilize the same rotomolded construction that we are used to seeing in other models. The components are made of stainless steel the entire assembly is quite water-resistant. However, we couldn’t seem to find much information on what type of warranty Dewalt offers.
As for features, many of the ones that you are used to seeing are present, but not much more. There is an overhead carrying handle on the 10 and 25-quart models. This handle is missing a rubber grip which is a bit disappointing. In larger sizes, the overhead handle is replaced with side grip handles. Thankfully, these handles do come with the rubber grip feature.
You will find a built-in bottle opener on the front of all sizes. However, the high-flow drain plug isn’t in the smallest sizes.
We do like that they included molded cup holders. This is something that we are seeing fewer and fewer cooler brands do.
For an added fee, there are a handful of optional accessories that you can buy including special ice packs. And in the case of the ToughSystem model, it is designed to work with the ToughSystem rack system.
Ice Retention –
Ice life is about average for coolers at this price point. Depending on the model you go with and how much ice you put inside, you can anticipate anywhere from a little over a day to nearly a week of ice life. This makes these coolers good for tasks ranging from an afternoon tailgate or BBQ up to a full week of camping.
These numbers are achieved thanks to the thick walls and quality rubber gasket/latch system. This helps to keep cold air in and the ice frozen.
You may be able to get a slight boost in these numbers by stuffing more ice inside or trying to avoid opening the lid unless when necessary.
Aesthetics – 
We do like the shape and curves of Dewalt Coolers. The front face and corners have some clever ridges that certainly make them stand out from the masses. The overall look follows a similar aesthetic that you are used to seeing with Dewalt products: robust and rigid.
However, similar to other Dewalt products, you will be limited to their bright yellow brand color as your only color choice. If you are someone that likes the eye-popping hue of yellow then this may not be a bad thing. But for someone who doesn’t want yellow, then this may be a deterrent.
Price – 
We are content with the asking price. Dewalt Coolers are comfortably in the premium price range, but noticeably cheaper than the most expensive premium coolers on the market. When you consider the lineup of features, build quality, and ice retention, the price is fair. We wouldn’t be surprised if you are paying a bit more than necessary here due to the Dewalt name.
Overall Rating –
We have no major complaints with Dewalt Coolers. While they aren’t going to lead the industry in any of the attributes that we test, they are no slouches in any of them, either. Most of the features that you expect to see in an ice chest are present (but not too many extras). The build quality follows the high level that Dewalt has established in their other products. The ice retention is at a good level which makes them great for an array of applications. And the price point is fair. Our only areas of concern are with the lack of color options and uncertainty about warranty coverage.
