Anker has innovated the portable power market since the company’s creation. Starting with mobile phone cables and power banks, its brand is well-known for its quality products. As with any tech company, Anker has added more powerful devices as it’s grown.
The latest to enter Anker’s portfolio is the EverFrost powered cooler. This battery-powered chest cooler marks another entry into the company’s evolution of camping and RV-tuned gear. We’ve been testing a pre-production edition of this cooler for around a month and I’ve come away genuinely impressed.
Design
I’ve been testing the 43L, or medium-sized, model of the Anker EverFrost cooler. Walking by at a campsite, you could easily mistake this for just another cooler most likely full of ice. However, the internals are much different powering a refrigeration system running off a 299Wh battery pack.
Inside the EverFrost is a spacious storage area. A step-up portion to one side was a great “shelf” for storing things like meat or veggies away from my Daddy Sodas. I assume this also works around the housing for the battery pack and cooling systems.
There’s an integrated handle on each side for when you need to manhandle the cooler in and out of your vehicle or tent. To one side is also a pull-up cutting board that doubles as a towing handle when paired with the all-terrain wheels on the opposite end of the EverFrost. Think of it like a luggage handle for your carry-on.
This towing handle served as one of the few negatives of my review period. It’s made out of plastic all the way to the hinge which allows it to fold away. When the cooler is fully loaded with items it screamed in pain that it couldn’t handle the weight and I chose not to find out if it would actually break, but I’m afraid it certainly would judging by the noises and “give” that happens when trying to lift with the handle fully extended.
Controls
The top of the EverFrost has a digital backlit display showing battery life, modes, and temperature. In the modes section, you set the intended internal temp of the cooler. This allows you to set the controls to as low as 26 degrees.
The buttons and display are well laid out and easy to interact with. The buttons offer a nice clickiness feedback when pressed. The LCD display is also easy to read even in outdoor lighting with a quirky throwback digital design in the UI.
You can also interact with the EverFrost via the Anker mobile app. This allows you to set the temperature, see the battery life, and see the charging rate while plugged in. It’s a nice touch to be able to access the cooler remotely to pre-cool or drop the temp before you get back to camp.
Power and runtime
The magic inside the EverFrost is a 299Wh battery pack. This paired with a complete refrigerant system makes this the perfect device for days away from your home. From around 77 degrees, the cooler can plummet the internal temp to a crisp 34 degrees in approximately 30 minutes. It’s impressive every time I fire up the EverFrost to see it go to work.
You might say, that’s cool and all, but how long does it last. Well, usage will obviously vary based on how low you set the temperature, but I’ve used this on two long weekends now and got an average of 41 hours at 34 degrees.
That’s over the estimated 36 hours that Anker includes in all the materials surrounding the EverFrost cooler. I was giving it a slight boost by freezing a gallon jug of water at home and placing it in the cooler as we left the house, but I’d argue you can make it 48 hours if you simply upped the temp to around 36 degrees for those days.
These are impressive times for a cooler designed to not need ice. This should make a weekend warrior trip to the lake or a soccer tournament a non-issue. If you need to be away from a charger longer you have options. You can top off the battery pack in just four hours using the 12v car charger with ease.
The EverFrost also supports a four-hour recharge time from a wall outlet, six hours from USB-C at 60 watts, and around four hours on a 100 watts solar panel. This should cover almost any way you need to charge the cooler at a campsite.
If that’s still not enough, you can always just add emergency ice to extend your trip. While not ideal for the $799 retail price, it’s still there when you absolutely need it. There’s a traditional drain plug in the bottom of the EverFrost just like any other cooler.
Another cool feature of the battery pack is it’s removable. So you can even take it inside your vehicle or home to recharge while not having to lug the entire cooler around. The airtight seal of the EverFrost holds the temperature well enough that in most instances you should be fine by the time you return the pack.
Conclusion
Anker has built a champion of the RV camp with the EverFrost cooler. This PowerHouse wrapped in a cooler is an exceptional combination for those looking to get away. Being able to enjoy chilled beverages or keep your food safe without the need for ice is a game-changer.
As the Anker brand has grown, the company has continued to expand into more categories. The EverFrost cooler is yet another growth spurt to enter the off-grid, outdoorsy crowd. Whether a casual camping trip or RV living, the EverFrost would be an effective addition to the road gear.
The EverFrost will be available in limited quantities on June 20, but you can hit the link below to get an invite to early access.
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