Best Cooler For Resting Meat (My Top 5 Picks)

Probably the best cooler for resting meat has no substitute for a perfect resting or even smartly transporting your freshly smoked meat to friends or a party.

The cooler keeps your meat more heated than usual. In addition to this, when keeping chunks in the cooler, a very slow temperature drops down and makes all stored meat a bit more tender than ever before.

5 Best Coolers For Resting Meat You Can Choose

Based on the latches, space, weight, drain plugs and of course considering the price against their overall performance, these are the top-notch coolers in my own opinion. But, it would be completely your judgment on which one you would love to go for.

In a hurry? Here’s the quick decision making chart –

Key Features	YETI Tundra 45 Cooler	Coleman Portable Cooler	Pelican Elite Cooler
Material	Cotton & Polyurethane Foam	Low CO2 insulation	Blend & Polyurethane Foam
Weight	24 Pounds	0.04 Kilograms	33.29 Pounds
Chamber Size	18.37 Inch Depth, 9.87 Inch Height, 9.5 Inch Width	9 Inches Width	12 Inch Depth, 14.3 Inch Height, 24.75 Inch Width
Capacity	45 Quarts	12 Quarts	70 Quarts
The Hallmarks	Versatility, Durability, Huge Capacity, Portability, Latest Technology & Great Engineering	Sturdiness, Molded Handles, Easy Carrying, Perfect Sizing & Great Insulating Properties	Extreme Ice Retention, Large Capacity, Versatility, Value For Money,   Portability & More
Special Feature	PermaFrost Insulation, FatWall design & Bear-Resistant	Good Looking Design, Controlled Lifting & Wide Base Fits	Life Time of Excellence Non-skid Rubber Feet & Bottle Opener
Price	Check on Amazon	Check on Amazon	Check on Amazon

YETI Tundra Fat-Wall Design 45 Cooler

If you’ve got a healthy budget to spend on coolers, I would love to suggest you go for a Yeti. It’s not overpriced if you compare the feature that comes in with it. The YETI Tundra 45 Cooler consists of a fat-wall design.

The walls are made of a special pressure-injected commercial-grade polyurethane foam that always makes sure your ice stays ice, as well as validates that your meats have rested properly. 

Also, amongst many dimensions, the YETI Tundra 45 has attracted users in a big pasture, and it’s very efficient in terms of use. It holds temperature for up to 7 hours. The cooler also has many more special features that I have elaborated downwards. 

Top Features

• Durability
• Lightweight
• FatWall Design
• Permafrost Insulation
• Rotomolded Construction

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Specifications	Parameters
Brand	YETI
Item Dimensions	25.5 x 16 x 15.5 inches
Item Weight	24 Pounds
Capacity	45 Quarts
Material	Cotton
Insulation Material	Polyurethane Foam
Chamber Depth	18.37 Inches
Chamber Height	9.87 Inches
Chamber Width	9.5 Inches

I am going to elaborate on all the features now. I hope you will find your coveted information out of the piece. 

Ultra-Durable

For any coolers, durability is a massive issue. If you want to receive a tender and juicy brisket by keeping it in a cooler, you must use a cooler made of durable materials. 

In terms of the Yeti Tundra 45, it’s made of heavy-duty cotton fabric that will surely render you with the versatility of using the cooler and seizing the maximum yield out of it. Also, the insulation material used inside the cooler is made of polyurethane foam. 

Large Dimensions

For any cooler, dimension plays the most vital role of all. Because first, you have to measure the dimension properly before planning to keep your chunks in it.

In connection with YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, it comes in with an exquisitely upright dimension that is perfect for resting a good amount of meat.

Permafrost Insulation

This feature basically refers to the material used for insulation inside the cooler. As I already talked about it, an immensely durable commercial-grade polyurethane makes the wall cooler, and it helps to rest meats more perfectly. 

Point to be noted, as it’s durable, it won’t get wrecked over time, nor would it stop working. In a nutshell, purchasing this won’t disappoint you anyway. You will get what you pay for. Worth it. 

Very Lightweight 

The following feature will be a savior to you if you love to travel or want your cooler with you all the time. Even the lightweight feature helps you to keep meat warm after smoking anywhere you are. 

No matter where you are going, you should take the cooler along with you. Because it is very lightweight and portable. The empty weight of this cooler is 23lbs. Sounds fascinating, right? Yes, it’s fascinating all the way.

Rotomolded Construction 

The technology that has made Yeti great is nothing but this one. By using this following technology, Yeti Roadie or Tundra, all the Yeti coolers have got a larger fanbase. Apparently, this special technology makes the entire cooler fully armored to the core and makes sure that the cooler is virtually indestructible. 

Whether you take it along to you or preserve it in your backyard, you will be able to get the maximum out of it. No doubt.

You must expect distinguished excellence from the product you have invested in. Your joy gets no bound when it provides you with the best outcomes. I can assure you; the Yeti Tundra 45 Cooler won’t disappoint you in any matter. 

Along with omitting your purposes, you would be able to get much out of it and rely on it completely. Trust me; it will give you the best services. Give it a shot yourself, and don’t forget to thank me later.

Related: Yeti Lunch Box Vs Bag – Which Suits You The Best

Igloo Rust-resistant BMX Versatile Cooler

The Igloo BMX Cooler is lightweight compared to Yeti. Alright, it’s heavy but way lighter than the Yeti. And, compared with the price, the following one provides much more efficient output than the previous one we talked about. 

However, the cooler comes with a capacity of 52 quarts and 51 liters, which is undeniably a good deal and it can hold ice for straight five days.

If you’re trying to save some bucks yet want to buy a cooler for yourself, I would definitely recommend you to go for Igloo. 

Top Features

• Lightweight
• UV Inhibitor 
• Ice Retention
• Rust-resistant
• Extremely Durable

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Specifications	Parameters
Brand	Igloo
Item Dimensions	26.2 x 16.41 x 16.06 inches
Item Weight	16.34 Pounds
Capacity	52 Quarts
Duration	5 Days
Material	Polypropylene
Color	White/Blue

Ice Retention

Any cooler, no matter how expensive one you’re using, is literally inefficacious if it fails to hold ice. Because it’s the prerequisite for coolers. It must hold ice for long enough. In terms of this cooler, it can hold ice for precisely five days. 

Though, under several circumstances, the count might rise and fall. But, the embellished one is the standard value of ice retention in terms of Igloo Rust-resistant BMX Versatile Cooler. 

Perfect Dimension 

This is arguably the most important feature of all considering a cooler. You must have known about the capacity of your cooler before making a purchase, ain’t it? Well, in connection with the Igloo BMX, it comes with a dimension of 26.2 x 16.44 x 16.06 inches that is also good enough for keeping the hot dog warm for a medium-large party. 

You will be able to preserve 52 liters of a liquid substance into it, or, 51 quarts of space are there for providing you with the facility of conserving your smoked meat. 

Durability

The following cooler is extremely durable, I must say. It’s made of polypropylene and consists of heavy-duty blow-molded construction. Over and above that, a reinforced base is used for increasing strength and protection to the maximum. 

Implies, no matter how roughly you’re planning to use it, it won’t degrade by any means and would render you with everything you want out of it. 

Rust-resistant

Normally, a few metals and stainless steel prevents rusts. But, in terms of plastic-based materials, they don’t get affected by rust in no time. 

Nonetheless, you would never want your eyes to see that a range of extremely vague rust has covered your entire cooler. Neither do i. 

The irony is, the Igloo BMX won’t let you see that. It has the ability to prevent rust and minimize it to the lowest. So, don’t freak out. You will be able to use the cooler for resting meat with a solid lifespan. 

Rubberized T-Grip Latches

A bunch of rubber-made latch makes sure that the lids inside of the cooler are safe and sound. No matter how shabbily you shake the cooler, the lids inside of it won’t break.

In addition to this, the latches provide a spare safety to the meats you’ve stored for rest as well. 

In the end, I would say that the cooler is worth every penny. In terms of resting meat, it would be going to provide you with the utmost vibe of juiciness along with delicacy that you won’t forget. If you feel like you can’t manage yourself to the Yeti, go for this one then.

If you want to smoke meat you must need butcher paper. Here are some of the top quality butcher paper for smoking meat.

Coleman Large Party Stacker Cooler – 24-Can

Coleman cooler comes with a big choice of sizes and dimensions. But, in this very portion, I will only talk about the 24-can party stacker portable cooler. As it’s portable, you can get away wherever you want with it. 

The cooler weighs too little as well as the dimension is minimal. Also, it uses insulation material for special end uses and doesn’t emit intoxicating substances to nature. In a nutshell, the following cooler could be your desired one and will provide you with an all-in-one performance.

Top Features

• Perfect Size 
• Lightweight
• Easy to Carry
• Environment-friendly
• Minimal Chamber Width

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Specifications	Parameters
Brand	Coleman
Item Dimensions	13.41 x 22.05 x 8.35 inches
Item Weight	0.04 Kilograms
Chamber Width	9 Inches
Capacity	12 Quarts
Color	Gray

Let’s get right into the details of these features- 

Portability

The cooler has an awesome feature of carrying ability. As it weighs extremely little, you will be able to carry it anywhere you want. The empty weight for this cooler is 0.04 kilograms. 

If you want to rest meat in it, all you have to do is keep a towel covering the chunks inside of the chamber and close the lid. That’s all. Then, carry it along to you. Its’ portability will astonish you. 

Perfect Size

In terms of dimension, the Coleman 24-can comes with the dimension of 13.41 x 22.05 x 8.35 inches. You will easily manage yourself to rest 12 quarts of meat at a time, using the cooler. If you want to cool the bottle of something, it would help you to keep 24 cans at once. 

If you want to rest fish in it, you can keep 3-4 mid-sized fish into it. In every way, the output would be maximum as it has a perfect size. 

Less Emission

The walls inside of the cooler coated with a durable material have been used inside of the cooler that emits less CO2 in the environment. It renders an effective environment-friendliness. Using it won’t harm the environment and provide you with the best possible outcomes, surely. 

Chamber Width

The Coleman 24-can cooler comes with a miniature chamber width that is measured precisely 9-inch. In this 9-inch space, you would be able to rest much more meat than you can ever think. 

Specifically, if I had to say about brisket chunks, you can keep 12 to 14 quarts at a time. 

You could store more than this but as the resting process requires an additional cover (towel or aluminum foil), some space will get occupied eventually. However, the space allocated by default is a good deal, indeed. 

Lightweight

Even though I have talked about it, then again- the cooler is extremely light. It only weighs 0.04 kilograms. As it weighs less, it’s exquisitely portable. You will be able to carry it wherever you want. along with the “easy-to-carry” facility, the cooler also stacks well.

Nonetheless, considering the price and the size, you have to be satisfied with its default performance. Firstly, it won’t render you with its top-notch performance like other expensive coolers. 

Furthermore, as the temperature retention rate for this cooler is not that high, think twice before using it in the long run. Otherwise, everything is considerable and all set. You’re good to go, homie!

Also Read: Best Electric Smoker For Brisket (Top 5 Picks)

Pelican Bear-Resistant 70 Quart Elite Cooler

The following cooler is the largest one I talked about till now. It has precisely a 70-quart volume. It’s not just superior in terms of space; rather, the press and pull latches, bottle opener, rubber feet combined made this cooler a perfect one. 

The ice retention extent for this cooler is so good. It can hold ice for unending nine days. If you want to rest meats using a cooler, this would be the nicest option of all. 

Top Features

• Durable 
• Drain Plug 
• Large Dimension
• Press and Pull Latches
• Temperature Retention

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Specifications	Parameters
Brand	Pelican
Item Dimensions	36 x 20.3 x 21 inches
Material	Blend
Item Weight	33.29 Pounds
Capacity	70 Quarts
Insulation Material	Polyurethane Foam
Chamber Depth	12 Inches
Chamber Height	14.3 Inches
Chamber Width	24.75 Inches

Let’s elaborate on all these features- 

Ice Retention

You won’t use ice for resting meat. That’s unusual. However, for coolers, the capacity of grasping temperature is normally measured by how long it can capture ices in a solid state. In terms of Pelican 70 Quart Elite Cooler, the cooler can hold ice for nine days long, precisely. 

Implies that it would surely provide you with a good chunk of rested meat because the temperature won’t fall in now and then. 

Durable

The cooler we are discussing right now is made of polyurethane foam. Apparently, the inner portion of the cooler consists of the following material.

Apart from this, the outer body of the cooler is made of high-grade plastic, which will definitely provide you with transcendent durability. 

Press and Pull Latches

For closing the cooler lid, latches have been used broadly. In many cliche coolers, they used to use manual latches. It takes a considerable amount of time to open and close the latches. But, the cooler we are talking about has truly special press and pull latches. 

If you feel like opening the cooler lid, pull the latches and do the same if you feel like conducting vice versa. It will increase your efficiency and save time as well. 

Best for Camping 

If you’re a person who loves to hang out with friends and often get out of your home for camping, this certain feature is for you then. 

No matter where you’re planning to go and what purpose you need to omit, this specific cooler you can take it away with wherever you want. Because of its extreme durability and high-grade material built outer shell, it won’t get wrecked and indeed provide you with extensive versatility. 

Perfect Size 

Last but not least, the cooler comes in with a dimension of 36 x 20.3 x 21 inches which is much more convenient than any other cooler existing in the market. 

You would be able to put roughly 70 quarts of meat chunks in real-time use. Also, you can use this cooler for keeping rotisserie chicken warm after cooking. 

This is a huge quantity. I highly recommend this to you if you rest meats in a bulk amount and still want a pseudo perfection in it. Try out Pelican Beer; you won’t be disappointed.

Nonetheless, the cooler is huge in terms of dimension and top-notch in quality for resting brisket or any other meat. So, the contact of both of these cancels out the negative part. 

I can assure you that this cooler will give you what you are craving right now from a user’s perspective. Indeed, you won’t be disappointed by its performances at all. Give it a shot, then?

BISON Rotomolded Premium Long-lasting Cooler

Till now, I have been talking about mostly plastic-made coolers and illustrated their features and stuff upwards. But the cooler I’m going to talk about now is completely rubber-made. It’s nothing but the BISON Cooler.

It can grasp 50 quarts of meat chunk altogether at a time, and the temperature retention in terms of the cooler is also very rich. To be precise, it consists of literally everything you might need for resting meat or even cooling down any bottle of drinks. 

In addition to this, the cooler also comes in with a double-wall silicone gasket, heavy-duty rubber latches, and whatnot?

Top Features

• Drain Plugs
• Large Space
• Rubber-made
• Silicone Gasket
• Rubber Cantilever Latches

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Specifications	Parameters
Brand	BISON COOLERS
Item Weight	33.9 pounds
Color	Green
Capacity	12 Ounces

Hold still to it and concentrate fully. I’m going to describe all the features now.

Drain Plug 

Whether you rest meat or store your drinks in the cooler, some liquids will always be there as wastages. Now, you have two options: remove wastage using a manual method or find something effective. 

The BISON Cooler comes in with several drain plugs at random. They will automatically omit wastages out of your cooler and help immensely to keep a healthy environment.

Dimension 

In terms of this BISON model, the interior dimension of this cooler is 22.25 × 11.3 × 11 inches. And it weighs only 32 pounds when the cooler is empty. The most exciting part lies down here. 

You will be able to rest more or less 65 pounds of meat in this cooler in real-time use. No matter if it sounds ironic to you; it’s real from all the way out.

Silicone Gasket

To be precise, gaskets have been used to get rid of leakages. Sometimes, either the interior or the outer part of the cooler gets wrecked, and water starts leaking out of nowhere. 

If it sounds less intense to you, I would suggest you go on trips with a mediocre low-grade material made cooler. You could relate to my statement only after then.

However, the gasket is nothing but a silicone coating that covers the upper part of the cooler and ensures no leakage exists in the cooler.

Cantilever Latches 

As I mentioned earlier, latches help open the cooler and close the door. Many of the coolers still use backdated latches that take time to open and drastically reduce productivity, whether the BISON cooler comes in with some special rubber-coated latch that provides the utmost vibe of safety and comfort. As well as, it’s efficient enough to open the lids and consumes much less time.

Ice Retention

Again, based on its size and dimension. It should have stored ice or held temperature for more than the average coolers. But mate, it does not hold that much. 

Instead, the cooler holds temperature for only a short time and afterward goes down to the maximum in a blink of an eye, and this feature makes it the best cooler for resting meat. 

Though, if you’re a lite user, I recommend you go for this. Because lite users won’t require many features, as a starter, this could be your trusted homie for ages, I must say.

We have come to the last part of this product. So, to end up, the product is very efficient for resting meats and cooling down the bottle of your favorite drinks. No matter what you intend to do, the cooler will always be with you. It’s worth it, I must say.

How To Select The Best Cooler For Resting Meat According To Your Needs

Selecting the best cooler for resting meat isn’t that easy task. You have to consider many things at random before making a purchase. You have to look forward to its weight, durability, and many other pseudo things. Only after then, you can make decisions about purchasing a cooler. 

As it’s a complicated process, I have written down the key consideration for buying a cooler. If you’re getting confused about whether you buy or not, kindly go through the following portion. It will help you to decide. 

Ice Retention

To be precise, the duration of temperature retention AKA ice retention. This term refers to the duration of how long the cooler can hold ice at a solid state. The longer it can hold, the superior the cooler it is. 

More or less, a cooler that can hold ice for 3-5 days is good enough for resting meat. So, if you’re a newbie user, you can select one randomly that has 3-5 days of ice retention ability. 

Weight

It’s another consideration, I might say. You may be wondering why I have to think of weight, right? The Point is that less weight creates an extreme versatility in terms of use and provides good enough portability to the user. 

If you’re planning to make a trip taking the cooler with you, then you must have to think of its weight. Portability would be a significant issue then. But, coolers that weigh less consist of small space. Otherwise, everything is pretty much well. 

Drain Plugs

In present times, most of the coolers have drains along with them. However, drain plugs are useful for removing wastes out of the cooler, and it helps keep the environment inside of the cooler. Make sure that your cooler has some drain plugs before you purchase it.

Latches 

No matter which one you’re buying for resting meats, having a good-grade set of latch along with the cooler is nearly a must. Now, most of the cooler comes in with rubber-made latches. It creates an ultimate verge of comfort to the user and boosts efficiency. 

So, look forward to the latches and make sure that they are rubber made, to get the optimum performance. 

Space

Before purchasing a cooler, look forward to its dimension first and how much space it occupies. If you can manage to buy a cooler with a large interior, it would undeniably be good for you. But at the same time, a cooler with a large exterior will also occupy a big amount of space. 

You’re welcome to use big coolers if you can arrange that space. But, if your answer is no, I would suggest you go for small-sized coolers. 

Do You Need To Preheat The Cooler Before Resting Meat

While resting meats like brisket, adding some hot water after getting done with the cooking would give you the best performance and the juiciest chunks of meat. 

But, you have to add water shortly before the meat is cooked. And, it has to be hot water. The amount of water will depend on the quantity of meat you’re resting on. 

In a nutshell, yes. You need to preheat the cooler before you’re resting meat. If you don’t perform this very step, the cooler will initially lose some temperature, heating the whole function. This may take time. 

So, for being on the safe side, preheat or add water to the cooler before you’re resting meats.

Is Using a Cooler for Resting Meat Make It Smell Funky

From a normal sense, the above question might arise in your head. Because all coolers we have discussed in this piece, and others that exist in the market usually rest meats in a closed system. Now, as the system remains closed most of the time, it’s not peculiar to receive a funky smell out of the cooler. 

The answer is affirmative. Yes, using a cooler will make rested meat smell funky only if you use it impatiently. Following some of the steps will surely give you a massive rid to get out of this trauma. 

Let’s look forward to the steps-

• First of all, if anything (brisket juice most of the time) comes out of the cooler, take time and clean it. Otherwise, if that leaked substance stunk inside of the cooler, it will smell really absurd. 
• Wrap the chunks using a towel. A faint aroma will cover the entire system by going for the exact method and won’t smell funky at all. 
• Lastly, sprinkle some baking soda inside of your cooler while you’re done with resting meats. 

There it is. The rested meat won’t give you a funky and absurd smell by following the above methods. And you will be able to get the maximum and most aromatic meat chunks out of your cooler. 

What Is The Better Way For Resting Meat- Cooler Or Oven

If I had to answer the question with one word, I would chatter ‘cooler’ every time. Because, no matter in which perception you’re thinking, for resting meats, a cooler is way much better and more convenient than the oven. 

As a matter of fact, while using an oven, the temperature drops down drastically, and it gets upward out of nowhere. You won’t be able to keep track of temperature because the process will happen in a blink of an eye. 

Whether using a cooler will render you with the facility of controlling temperature. Control refers to monitoring. You will be able to monitor temperature all the time. And, the temperature won’t drop down or get upwards rapidly in cooler weather. 

Instead, it will drop the temperature down very slowly, and the rested meat will cook perfectly over the time being. 

So, to sum up, it would be better to go for coolers rather than heating up by the oven, if you want to achieve the maximum upshot. 

Conclusion

Coolers have been made for cooling down drinks for those who get into camping most often. But, over the time being, it’s getting used for resting meat rather than the actual purpose. And, it gives really good assistance in terms of resting meat. Though, you have to follow some precautions before using it. 

However, I know you won’t mind following the safeguards. Do it, and go beyond.