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The Engel 65 is a solid performer that frequently costs less than much of the competition. Though not a knock-out in any single category, this model offers good insulation, excellent durability, and some built-in bottle openers, making it a worthy contender amid a tough crowd. Its latches are slightly different than most of its peers and don't require the tug-and-pull dance they require. While a bit smaller than advertised, we think its a convenient size while still being portable by a single person. Despite this coolers' lack of knocking our socks off, we're pretty impressed by the all-around good performance of this cooler in the face of some intense — and more expensive — competition.
REASONS TO BUY
Pretty good insulation
Convenient size
Comparatively lightweight
Good price
REASONS TO AVOID
Handles uncomfortable
Not our favorite latches
Variable Pricing
As the demand for high-performing coolers has increased over the past several years, many manufacturers have hiked their prices to match that demand. This Engel cooler is one of several models we tested that have followed this trend of upward-moving list prices, but can still be found for better prices and better deals with careful shopping around. That said, it often retails below its list price at a price point that reinforces its value.
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Engel is a rotomolded cooler with dual handles and an indented lid that fits most standard wine bottles. It features tie-downs, a non-skid lid, and latches that double as bottle openers.
Performance Comparison
The Engel 65 has a unique latch system unseen on any other model in our lineup.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Insulation
The Engel is one of several rotomolded coolers we tested with an airtight rubber gasket sealing it shut. This impressive construction likely contributes to its above-average performance in our torturous insulation tests. Compared to the average of just 4.5 days at or below 40º, the Engel lasted five days and continued to keep that interior below 50º (think refreshing beer) for a full six days — also above average. This ice chest has no problem keeping things cold for a long weekend of camping with your friends, with two inches of high-performance insulation and an interlocking hinge to hold that rubber gasket sealed tight. However, it doesn't live up to Engel's claims of 10-day ice retention under real-world conditions — but neither did any of the other coolers we tested, so we didn't hold it against the Engel too much.
Packing in lots of goodies into our Engel 65.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Durability
One of several coolers we tested that received an official grizzly-resistant stamp of approval from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, the Engel is a pretty durable cooler. We also filled it with water and flipped it on every side and saw no leaks from its silicone gasket that Engel claims “will never lose its shape”. The interlocking hinge is impressively sturdy against all of the abuse we threw at it and is also one of the least noisy hinges we tested. As we transported it around, we had no water splash out thanks to its watertight gasket.
The large Engel 65 is deep enough to hold upright wine bottles and lots of other snacks.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Engel shares a lot of similarities in design to several of its competitors, like its beefy rotomolded construction, interlocking hinge, and double-carry handles. However, Engel didn't follow suit with the rubberized T-grip pull latches used by many of its competitors. While we feel that this could be an asset to the cooler, as its design requires much less muscling around than the T-grip latches, we aren't impressed by the performance of the latches. We found them to be a rather long, skinny shape with too small of a maneuvering space to quickly and easily clasp closed. They tended to wobble a bit side to side as well, meaning more precise movements were needed to close the cooler. We feel that using this latch over the T-grips essentially traded muscle power for concentration.
The Engel is easy to dig around in thanks to its low, wide shape.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Engel has an easy to use drain with two sizing options for water removal. We also measured its capacity at 48 quarts, which is 10 quarts shy of the 58-quart claimed capacity. While this is a bit smaller than some of the other models we tested, we think it's a really good size that compromises the ability to take a ton of food and drinks with the ability to still have a single person lug it around. It also has one of the most textured lids of any option we tested, making it easier than most to set items on top without losing them off the edge when the cooler gets bumped.
The lid of the Engel stays open and won't accidentally shut on your hand when loading or unloading the cooler.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Portability
At just 26.2 pounds, the Engel is one of the lightest rotomolded coolers of its size class that we tested, and it shows when you try to carry it around by yourself. The slightly more narrow size of this cooler also facilitates the lone adventurer being able to move this ice chest around solo. Of course, it will become increasingly more difficult for one-person mobility the more you pack into it, but we love its light starting weight and capacity that won't let you overstuff it. It also has the classic double handle set that so many coolers of this general build have, letting you partner-carry it instead if you've got a buddy willing to help.
Reach in for the good stuff! The Engel is the perfect size for the whole group.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
That said, we think the dual carry rope handles of this chest leave something to be desired. These handles feature stiff, clunky plastic grips with molded finger grooves on one side. While at first glance, we didn't think this would be a problem, we quickly discovered that these grips are a bit narrow and too rigid to be as comfortable. On a hot day, the slick plastic also easily becomes uncomfortably slippery with hand sweat. At the end of the day though, as long as you're not carrying this box a mile to the beach, those handles will be more of an asset than a liability - after all, two people carrying one cooler is always easier than you carrying it by yourself!
The hard plastic handle on the Engel wasn't our favorite to use, especially when the cooler was weighed down.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Additional Features
A fairly simple design, the Engel is hiding one pretty nifty feature - the metal hooks that the latches attach to double as bottle openers. The Engel can also be tied down into place and still opened, has non-skid feet, is dry ice compatible, and, at the time of publishing, is backed by a whopping 10-year guarantee, which is seriously impressive among its peers. Our only real complaint with the Engel's features is what so many other models also share — the lack of an included dry basket or other organizational features, though many are available at an extra cost. It also has no drain plug leash, making it important to remember where you put said plug if you take it all the way out.
Be careful not to misplace the drain plug! It doesn't have a lanyard to keep it attached to the cooler.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Engel 65?
The Engel 65 is a pretty impressive, above-average cooler for a just-below-average price. With decent insulation, pretty good longevity, and some incognito bottle openers, this cooler might be the right accessory for your life and your wallet.
What Other Coolers Should You Consider?
The Yeti Tundra 65 is a classic when it comes to rotomolded coolers. Its performance is comparable to the Engel, though it has excellent additional features. If you're not in the market for an expensive cooler, the Coleman 316 Series 52 is sure to keep your wallet happy.
—Genaveve Bradshaw, Maggie Nichols, and Becca Glades
