Homitt Cooler Review
Updated by Brandon F. on August 31, 2022
In terms of the diversity of products, Homitt is near the top. Their product lineup spans many different categories including personal care, lawn & garden, home improvement, kitchen, and more. So you shouldn’t be surprised that we were a bit skeptical when we decided to try out their small (but popular) lineup of soft coolers. Because what could a brand that sells hair straighteners and makeup mirrors possibly know about high-end soft coolers?
However, this brand has one of the top-selling soft coolers on various online marketplaces right now, so we couldn’t ignore them. Their very reasonable asking prices and ability to offer many of the features that you are used to seeing on much more expensive soft coolers play a bit role in their increasing popularity.
In this Homitt Cooler Review, we try out Homitt’s various soft coolers and determine if they are worthy of your hard-earned cash. We will discuss their features, build quality, test their ice life, and ultimately give you an overall rating.
So let’s get started!
Homitt Cooler Lineup
As we mentioned above, Homitt is currently focusing on just soft-sided coolers. At the time of this review, they have 3 different sizes to choose from: 10 can, 20 can, and 30 can models. The actual number of cans that you will be able to store will be dictated by how much ice you put inside, but we found their assumptions to be reasonable.
The smallest size, the Homitt 10 Can Cooler, has dimensions of approximately 14.9” x 10.8” x 9.4”. The Homitt 20 Can Cooler increases this size to 16.5” x 12.6” x 7.6”. And the largest size, the Homitt 30 Can Cooler, comes in with overall dimensions of approximately 18.1” x 13.5” x 10.2”.
At this size, all models can easily be carried by an individual. The largest size, the 30 can, will be a bit bulky, but you shouldn’t have any major difficulties in transporting it (because what good is a soft cooler if it isn’t portable?).
You will find a lot of similarities with the larger two models. However, the 10-can model is laid out a bit differently. Due to the way that Homitt is marketing their smallest cooler, we wonder if it is a previous generation model that they are phasing out.
Homitt Cooler Features/Build Quality
If Homitt hopes to compete in the premium soft cooler market then it needs to have a solid list of features to go along with durable construction. In this section, we will discuss some of the features that you will find on a Homitt Soft Cooler and also discuss how well made they are.
First, let’s talk about layering. You will find 3 layers of insulation on Homitt Coolers. The outside layer is comprised of a strong and leak-proof 840D TPU fabric. This is a very popular material that is used on various high-end soft coolers thanks to its ability to resist tearing and scratching. You may have seen very similar material used on soft coolers made by Yeti, RTIC, Engel, Cordova, etc.
Inside the 840D Fabric is the layer of insulation. This is the main component that boosts ice life. The insulation is a high-density foam that is around an inch thick. This is a nice, thick piece of foam and the high-density variety has been proven to be very effective in retaining ice for long periods.
Finally, on the inside of the cooler, you will find a leak-proof 420 TPU interior. This is a less resilient material compared to the 840D outer material. However, it is much easier to keep clean and isn’t nearly as abrasive. Again, this is a pretty normal offering on many higher-end soft coolers thanks to its proven track record. And if it isn’t broken, why try to fix it?
The lid is an easy flip lid that allows you full access to stored contents inside. We like these types of lids as you can easily reach into the cooler from any direction and have plenty of room to dig around to find the can or food item that you are looking for.
Another important feature of any soft cooler is the zipper. Since the opening between the lid and the body is the main escape route for cold air, having a strong zipper is essential. And you will find just that with the Homitt Soft Cooler. The robust zipper has a ton of bite and has some nice overlap between the two sides of the zipper.
This produces a water-resistant seal that does a great job of making a protective barrier between inside contents and the outside environment. Our one complaint is that the zipper is pretty firm and will require a lot of force to open and close when new. As you break the zipper in, it will become easier to operate (in addition, you can also put some lubrication on it as necessary).
For additional storage outside of the main compartment, there is a small zippered pocket on the front of the soft cooler in addition to a small mesh pocket on the back of the soft cooler. It is worth mentioning that these additional storage pockets are only on the 20 and 30-can models. We wish that they would have included these pockets in all models.
Unfortunately, the 10-can model has no additional storage compartments. We always appreciate it when companies include additional storage compartments outside of the primary one. This helps put items that you don’t want to be cold and/or exposed to ice. This can include things such as your cell phone, keys, wallet, etc. However, don’t expect to be able to put very many large items (if any) in these pockets.
Homitt Soft Coolers come with a variety of ways to carry them. On the 20 and 30 can models, you have three different carrying methods. The first is the removable shoulder strap. This strap comes with a decently wide pad to help distribute the load on your shoulder (because when full, these coolers can be quite heavy).
Second, there are overhead carrying straps that allow you to transport the soft cooler as you would a briefcase. Finally, there are small handles located on each end lengthwise. This is good for when the cooler is quite heavy and you want to team up in carrying it.
The 10-can model, due to a combination of smaller size and the fact that it won’t be nearly as heavy when full, only has two methods to transport it. These include a padded carrying handle and an adjustable shoulder strap.
Now, let’s briefly discuss build quality. Overall, we feel that Homitt Soft Coolers are on par with the other premium soft coolers that we have tested. They utilize eerily similar materials along with very similar assembly methods. For instance, instead of using stitching to attach many of the panels, Homitt has used heat welds. This is the go-to method for ensuring a longer life of the soft cooler, but it does mean higher manufacturing costs.
Our only cause for concern is with the warranty. We couldn’t find any sort of specific warranty information associated with these soft coolers. This is always a concern for us because we feel that if a company is confident in their product, they should be shouting their impressive warranty to the world!
Homitt Cooler Ice Life
Having long ice retention is essential for any cooler that hopes to compete in today’s competitive outdoor marketplace. And Homitt is confident that its products have what it takes to compete with the very best.
And on paper, it is easy to see why. Their tri-layer insulation is built around an approximately 1” thick piece of closed cell foam. And the lid and body are kept shut thanks to a very robust zipper that does an excellent job of keeping cold air in and hot air out.
However, how does this translate to actual ice life?
To get to the bottom of this, we decided to run some of our in-house tests. This consisted of filling the soft coolers up with a recommended amount of ice, leaving them in a typical outdoor environment, and opening them up regularly. This gives you better “real life” results than simply filling it up with ice and never opening it.
It is worth mentioning that when we filled these up with an acceptable amount of ice, you may be hard-pressed to get the advertised 10, 20, or 30 cans inside. We felt that to have a suitable amount of ice, you will have to sacrifice some of the storage volume. The result is maybe 2 to 8 cans less than what is advertised.
You can check out our results in the chart below.
As is expected, you see noticeable improvements as you go to larger sizes. In addition, the typical ice range also becomes larger for a given size.
Overall, we are very impressed with these ice numbers. They are right up there with the other heavy-hitters of the premium soft-sided cooler worlds (Yeti, RTIC, Engel, Cordova, etc.).
One aspect of soft coolers (and something that Homitt explicitly mentions in their ads) is that soft coolers perform best when they are pre-chilled the night before use. This consists of filling the cooler up with ice just to bring its overall temperature down. In the morning, you would then refill the cooler with new ice.
Another option is to put the cooler in the refrigerator overnight. You can expect doing this to add several additional hours to the overall ice life (just keep in mind that the cooler will be quite cold when you are carrying it!).
Homitt Cooler Aesthetics
We always appreciate a cooler that performs well. However, a nice bonus is a cooler that looks good while doing it!
We are seeing more and more examples of cooler brands expanding when it comes to color options. They are including multi-color schemes, custom designs, specialized emblems, and more.
Unfortunately, you won’t get any of that with Homitt. As far as we can tell, there is only one color available in the 20 and 30 can options: gray. And also, there is only one color available for the 10 can: a rather ostentatious black and white camo style.
While the overall shape and design of the coolers are fine, where are the color choices? If you don’t happen to enjoy gray then you will be out of luck on the larger sizes. And quite frankly, we are rather turned off by the only color choice available on the smaller 10-can size. We hope that this is an aspect that Homitt is aiming to improve upon in 2019 and beyond.
Homitt Cooler Cost
A big reason why Homitt is enjoying the success that it has with its soft coolers can be attributed to being able to capture the “magic” of many of the other premium coolers available today but for a fraction of the cost.
While these definitely can’t be considered “cheap”, they are a great value when you consider their performance features. Even compared to RTIC which is known as being the go-to “budget premium” option, Homitt manages to be cheaper in many cases.
Being able to sell at this price point opens up their audience. People who scoff at the high prices of Yeti Coolers will see this brand and feel that they can budget for it.
And we are all for it! These coolers are one of the best bargains in the industry right now.
Homitt Cooler vs. Yeti
These days, many of the cooler companies out there strive to have even half of the success that Yeti has had over the years. Due to great marketing and media coverage, Yeti has become a household name and synonymous with “quality”.
However, Homitt thinks that they have a product that can keep up with Yeti but at a fraction of the price. Specifically, Homitt’s lineup of soft coolers is intended to compete against Yeti’s popular soft-sided coolers: the Yeti Hopper Series.
On paper, both brands utilize some very similar features. The build quality of both products is very good. And ice retention is impressive no matter which company you go with.
However, there are some notable differences. First, Yeti has a much larger selection of sizes, colors, and configurations. While Homitt only has 3 models and 2 color options, Yeti has produced over a dozen different sizes of soft coolers over the years. And these coolers come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and color schemes. This allows Yeti to cover a much larger target audience.
In addition, Yeti has a much more established reputation and a better laid-out warranty plan.
However, Homitt isn’t without some of its own merits. The biggest of these is the price. You can enjoy a Homitt cooler for a fraction of the price of a comparably-sized Yeti. And you aren’t sacrificing that much in the way of build quality and ice retention in doing so.
So if your main concern is getting a quality cooler at the cheapest price possible, Homitt is the clear leader. However, if you value more color and size options as well as a more established cooler company, then Yeti’s products may be justified in their high price tag.
But no matter which brand you decide to go with, you will not be disappointed.
Homitt Cooler Review
Pros: Great value, Very good ice life, Nice construction
Cons: Very limited in color options, Questions about warranty coverage
Features: 840D outer material, 420D inner material, Front zippered pocket, Rear mesh pocket, 3 carrying methods, heat sealed welds
Insulation Ability – 
We are quite content with the overall ice performance of Homitt Coolers. All these models come with three layers of protection. The middle layer is comprised of high-density foam and will be the main driver in prolonging ice life. The thickness of this layer hovers around an inch which finds a nice balance between performance while not sacrificing too much in the way of storage.
Depending on how many ice/ice packs you put in and which model you go with, you can anticipate anywhere from around a day of ice life up to 4 days. And for an added boost, consider pre-chilling the cooler.
Mobility and Durability – 
For such an affordable soft cooler, their build quality is surprisingly good. We didn’t see any noticeable shortcuts in the construction of material selection. The fabric used is very high quality and the heat welds are a welcome addition. As for features, there are two additional storage compartments outside of the primary large insulation one. The front zippered pocket and rear mesh pocket are nice for storing items that you don’t want to keep stored with the ice. There are also three different carrying methods on the larger two models. The only thing noticeably missing is built-in bottle openers and more padding on the strap (neither of which are deal-breakers by any means).
Visual Appeal – 
Our biggest issue with Homitt Soft Coolers has to do with the severe lack of color options. You are essentially forced to go with a gray color on the larger two models. And on the smallest 10-can model, you have to go with what we feel is a pretty ostentatious blue/white camouflage color scheme. While the overall design of the coolers is fine, Homitt needs to expand its color choices. Furthermore, there is nothing in the way of customization options such as decals or team logos.
Cost –
For those on a tight budget but do not want to sacrifice quality or performance, Homitt will be right down your alley. These coolers perform very similarly to the traditional heavy hitters of the premium world but at a fraction of the price.
Overall Rating –
Homitt Coolers are a solid choice for those budget-minded individuals who want a taste of the high-end cooler life but without having to break the bank to do so. These coolers have many of the same construction attributes and features that you are used to seeing with Yeti, Orca, etc. but at a much cheaper price point. There are some negatives, however. We are quite underwhelmed with the current color choices. And the warranty information is a bit foggy as well. But if you can overlook those issues, Homitt makes a strong case.
