Engel HD30 Review

We tested these coolers climbing over rocks, wandering down to the beach, picnicking outside and just about any other way we could. The HD30 stands out from the pack with its sturdy construction and incredible insulation value. It is surprisingly comfortable to carry for its size and impressively easy to use.

Performance Comparison

Insulation

Insulation is the most important quality of any cooler, and as such, we weigh this metric more heavily than any other. Not only do we test insulation in the field by lugging food and drinks around during our travels and adventures, but we also systematically test each cooler under the same controlled conditions to be able to tease apart the differences between them.

This area is one place where the Engel shines brightly. During our torturous insulation testing, the HD30 held temperatures at or below the FDA-recommended safe temperature of 40° F for just over three full days, hitting 73 hours. It lasted several more hours below the average ideal beer-serving temperature of 50° F, providing 79 hours of refreshing brews. When examining the design of the Engel, it's easy to see why.

The Engel appears to have either one complete, unbroken layer of thick insulation, or a few well-connected pieces of insulation, which act as a unit (we didn't cut it open to see). The top zipper is waterproof, protecting the contents of your cooler from the heat outside. The Engel also features a vacuum valve on the side; you can further insulate your beverages by sucking out excess air from between the insulation and outer, waterproof layers with your household vacuum hose. You can also keep the cooler relatively closed while grabbing a brew for your buddy or snack for yourself by keeping the ends of the top zipper clipped down into place. This helps keep cold air in and warm air out. Overall, we are seriously impressed with how handily the Engel keeps food fresh.

Convenience

The HD30 is fairly easy to use. There are many helpful handles all over the Engel, from an adjustable shoulder strap to side handles that can attach for a more comfortable carry. There are even rounded handles on either end when you require a friend to carry the other side of a heavy load. The detachable bottle opener is also a great touch. Not only does it mean you are never without one when you need it, but the ability to be removed and passed around the group and then reattached is a great asset. And unlike some other competitors, this little feature is included automatically — not just another expensive accessory.

That said, Engel's style of zipper will always be a little harder to get in and out of than a flip-top cooler or a non-watertight zipper. Because of its sturdy material, it's not foldable whatsoever. With this in mind, it won't easily store in tight places and takes up a decent amount of space. Yet, for this beefy zipper and this particular style of opening, the side clips of the Engel make a big difference in putting things in, getting them out, and keeping the cold air contained inside in the meantime. The HD30 is incredibly easy to use and has all the amenities we want in a cooler.

Portability

Portability is the only category where the Engel didn't receive top-notch scores. As the largest cooler in this review, it makes sense that it is a bit more challenging to carry around - especially when full. All things considered though, we are pleasantly surprised with the portability of this model, especially when you take its overall size into account. The shoulder strap makes for a fairly comfortable messenger-style carry. Rather than being attached to the ends of the cooler, like most others with a shoulder strap, the Engel's strap is attached near the ends but on the front and back of the cooler. This arrangement allows the whole thing to sit closer to your body to avoid bashing into the backs of your knees with every step. It can also be reversed to carry just as easily over the opposite shoulder when the first one gets tired. Even better, the shoulder pad attached to the strap has seams sewn across the padding to prevent it from all being squished unhelpfully to the ends after years of use. We also like how the Engel has four hefty plastic D rings near the top that can be used as tie-down points to the rack on the top of your Jeep or back of your quad, making this more than just a carriable cooler.

Compared to other models in this review, the Engel is rather large. When it's packed to the brim with game-side beverages and snacks for you and all your friends, it can be incredibly cumbersome to carry. It's not our first choice on a five-mile hike to a waterfall for a romantic date, as you'll likely be so sweaty and tired when you get there, and you'll have no energy left for your date. However, if you have packed the entire thing to the brim with food and drinks, the end handles will come in handy. Just grab a buddy to help you lug all those delicious delights to the best patch of sand or hottest seat in the house! When you break it down, it's a tad less portable, but what you lose in portability is worth what you gain in insulation value and durability.

Packability

The Engel is one of the largest coolers we tested, fitting a ton of variably shaped items inside. We packed in 48 cans, full gallons of juice, dozens of eggs, a bottle of wine, and all sorts of goodies. The exterior is equipped with a zipper pocket that runs alongside the front of the pack. Here, low-profile items like snacks or a phone could be stored. There's not much you can't pack in this cooler.

Six nylon daisy chains are distributed throughout the bag for clipping on miscellaneous gear like a travel mug or keys. The cooler fell short when it came to loading and unloading. It doesn't have a lid, so all packing is done through its top-side zipper, which doesn't open up wide. Though this is only mildly annoying, our testers with shorter arms found it troublesome to reach items at the bottom of this deep bag. All things considered, the impressive features of this cooler far outweigh these minor concerns.

Durability

Durability is yet another category where our Editors' Choice Award-winner stands out. The Engel is made of thick, abrasion-resistant fabric. Even after a week of sitting out in intermittent spring rain showers, this cooler showed no signs of being waterlogged, beyond some water standing in the exterior pocket. All the carry straps are thick and strong, and we can't find any points of weakness. Even the stitching is doubled and tripled in places of high tension, adding not only to the durability but also the aesthetic value of this fetching soft cooler. The padded section for shoulder carry is well-designed and up to the task of helping you carry your cooler and refreshments around for years to come.

After months of testing, we can't find any complaints about the durability of this hardy cooler. Our only potential concern is the plastic clips holding the shoulder strap to the rest of the bag, but we never experienced any issues with them.

Should you buy the Engel HD30?

We had a hard time finding much not to love about the Engel. As far as soft coolers go, this one is top-notch. It's an excellent choice for packing a family picnic, spending the day tailgating, or bringing along yogurt or brews on your weekend camping trip. If you're looking for a cooler to hike with or something to cart your work to lunch, the Engel is likely not going to be your first choice. But for a large-capacity soft cooler, this one is versatile, durable, easy to use, and has one of the best insulation values available today.

What other soft coolers should you consider?