Last Updated on July 9, 2023
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We tend to believe that ALDI Finds (Special Buys) are worth waiting for. In fact, we think part of the fun is waiting for them to come around again. It’s a bit like Christmas.
But sometimes you can’t wait. Maybe something important is coming up and you need it now. Maybe what you had broke or otherwise isn’t available. In this case, you need an alternative.
The Aldi Product: Adventuridge Peak Series High Performance Hard Sided Cooler
- Cost: $79.99
- When We See It: Usually May — that’s when it hit stores in 2018 and 2019
- Our Verdict: “Overall, our tester felt like the Adventuridge Peak Series High Performance Hard Sided Cooler was a solid cooler as far as budget coolers go. He was able to get his when it was discounted down to $50, which he felt was a good value. He’s not quite as certain, though, whether this is something he’d want to pay the full $80 for, especially given that there are other budget coolers at that price point that may have more features. Still, he generally felt good about his purchase and felt like, for a budget cooler, it’s worth a look.”
- Full Review: here
Five Alternatives:
For comparison, we looked at five possible alternatives to the Adventuridge cooler. With one specific exception, we focused mostly on budget coolers, and we stuck with coolers sold by major retailers rather than third parties. We’ve ranked them based on our assessment of their price and ratings.
If you have any experience with these — or have suggestions of your own — feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.
1. Igloo BMX 25-Quart Cooler
- Sellers: Target, Amazon
- Current Price: $61.99-$76.99 depending on current sales and other factors
- Current Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5 (46 ratings) on Target.com; 4.2 stars out of 5 (295 ratings) on Amazon
- Thoughts: This is a pretty well-reviewed cooler, earning high marks from most Target shoppers and a 5-star rating from 63% of buyers on Amazon. While there are a few critics — problems with the hinges seem to be one of the most common complaints — the vast majority of users speak in glowing terms about what a good value it is for the money.
2. Lifetime 28 Quart High Performance Cooler
- Seller: Walmart
- Current Price: $76
- Current Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5 (72 ratings) at Walmart.com
- Thoughts: This is the largest of the coolers on the list — impressive given its competitive price — and boasts that it is assembled in the United States (with fine print that notes that some of the parts are imported). The reviews at Walmart are generally good, with 61% of the reviews giving it 5 stars. Among the critics, the biggest claim is that ice doesn’t last as long as it should, and at least one reviewer notes that it lacks a drain plug. Overall, though, most buyers seem happy.
3. Klein Tools 17-Quart Work Cooler
- Seller: Amazon
- Current Price: $51.31
- Current Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (490 ratings) on Amazon
- Thoughts: This cooler is the smallest of our list, and seems aimed more at workers who need their lunch kept cool for long periods of time. It does not come with built-in latches the way the other coolers do, but it does have a hole for a padlock. It also has a shoulder strap rather than a handle. The reviews are very good, with 78% of users giving it 5 stars. The most common complaint among the critics revolves around the strap breaking off of the cooler.
4. Ozark Trail 26-Quart High-Performance Cooler
- Seller: Walmart
- Current Price: $86 (at the time of this post it was discounted to $78)
- Current Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (380 ratings) at Walmart.com
- Thoughts: This is a slightly larger cooler than either the Aldi version or the YETI that it imitates. We actually profiled it in our review of the Aldi cooler. There are some trade-offs compared to the Aldi cooler; while the Adventuridge cooler, for example, has more cup holders, the Ozark Trails cooler is better balanced. Walmart shoppers seem a little polarized over this cooler, as the largest number of reviews are either 5 stars or 1. 5-star reviews make up the largest category overall, though.
5. YETI Roadie 20 Cooler
- Seller: Amazon
- Current Price: $199.99
- Current Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (231 ratings) at Amazon
- Thoughts: This list probably isn’t complete if we don’t mention the cooler that the others are trying to imitate. It’s also by far the most expensive of the alternatives, and when I searched around to other sites, I found that everyone seems to price them the same, probably because they can. The reviews are, overall, pretty good, with some 64% of them giving the cooler 5 stars. There is a vocal minority of critics, though, who complain the cooler doesn’t live up to the price or complain about various problems. We don’t doubt that it’s a good cooler … but if you’re an Aldi shopper, you may or may not be interested in throwing down two hundred dollars for it.
