what's going on w/cooler prices?

[Gaelen]

A friend is getting married today, second marriage.
For her first marriage (to another dog trainer), they requested 'practical presents' and I joked that I was going to get them a cooler. This was '85 or so, and I got them a blue 56qt steel belted Coleman for a wedding gift. A couple other people also thought that was a great idea, so they ended up with my gift, plus a 100qt marine cooler and another steel-belted cooler.

Fast-forward to now...they've divorced, and Jill didn't get custody of *any* of the coolers. We found this out two weeks ago when we catered a two-day obedience trial and she didn't have a single cooler to her name bigger than 32qt. I started joking that it was a good thing she was getting married again, so we could give her another cooler.

Went to price Coleman steel belted 56qt coolers and WTH?!? $139 + shipping was the best price I could find online; locally, $150 was the best I could do. Checked ebay and craigslist...nothing under $75 and most well over that price.

Looks like I'll end up getting her a maxCold 56qt (injection molded plastic), for about $40...not my first choice, but it'll do.

But seriously, when did the prices for new steel belted coolers crack the $100 barrier?

[starleen2]

But seriously, when did the prices for new steel belted coolers crack the $100 barrier?

When they knew we would pay it!

[hiker chick]

Cabela's has their version of the Coleman steel-belted on sale right now.

Looks like Coleman made it and it's just re-badged.

[Gaelen]

Thanks for the pointer, hiker-chick...unfortunately, no local Cabelas so I'd have to add shipping to that.

I decided to dig up a serious plot of my black eyed susans for their garden, and put them into a growers' flat so they're all ready to plant.
I'll still get them a cooler, but I may ask Jill how she'd feel about a 2nd hand one. A good steel-belted cooler will last forever, so I'd like to be sure that's what she really wants.

[len19070]

The Cabelas one is on sale now. Less than half the price of the Coleman...looks the same.



http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... stid=80555

Happy Trails

Len

[doug hodder]

I've got a green and a stainless Coleman version. I really like them, got them on sale though, what I can't figure out is that some of the coolers, like Igloo, used to have a lift out tray that fit in a lip near the top edge, not any more or I'm not finding them. That was nice to keep lunchmeat and cheese out of the ice. Still hang onto my ancient Igloo with that feature, 15 years now. Drain plug is torn up and lid is warped though. Good price on the Cabelas one! Doug

[35thAV]

Went to price Coleman steel belted 56qt coolers and WTH?!? $139 + shipping was the best price I could find online; locally, $150 was the best I could do. Checked ebay and craigslist...nothing under $75 and most well over that price.

But seriously, when did the prices for new steel belted coolers crack the $100 barrier?

I talked to my buyers at my office about this a bit (no names...but it starts with a "C" and ends with "ostco")

we came up with two reasons here....
1. "you get what you pay for" idea so if you want a "good one" it will cost more even if it doesn't cost any more to manufacturer - these are " the good ones"

2. as petroleum prices rise so does the cost of plastics, foam and insualtion - the price of most foam products has doubled over the last 24 months - all the good things these are made from

Good news is I got the one my inlaws bought in the 70's and its still chillin' the beers like it's 1974!

[xrover]

But seriously, when did the prices for new steel belted coolers crack the $100 barrier?

When they knew we would pay it!

Guilty!

[Gaelen]

...what I can't figure out is that some of the coolers, like Igloo, used to have a lift out tray that fit in a lip near the top edge, not any more or I'm not finding them. That was nice to keep lunchmeat and cheese out of the ice. Still hang onto my ancient Igloo with that feature, 15 years now.

Doug, I have some of those trays (although the coolers may be gone...)
I've also discovered that, for the sizes of coolers I own, sometimes those ventilated plastic baskets from the Dollar Store are just the right width to rest on the tray edges that were molded into the older coolers--so I used one of them to replace the missing tray in an older cooler. They do help with the foods you'd like to keep cold but dry.

[S. Heisley]

Gaelen:

If you can hold out until around or after July 4th, things like coolers usually go on sale in most stores then.

[Gaelen]

Sharon, actually the flat of black-eyed susans ready to plant went over really well. I've asked Jill if she truly wants a cooler, and if she does, I'll show her the pix of both the MaxCold and the Cabela's Coleman and see which way she goes.

For now, I'm just surprised they are sooo much more expensive. When I bought her the 56qt for her first wedding (late 80s), I am pretty sure I got a steel-belted Coleman for around $50. In June.

[Dark Horse]

Coleman killed the steel belted cooler a few years ago- due to "lack of sales" Brought it back about 18mo later due to demand, at 2x the previous price. and they have been selling well so I doubt the price is ever going to drop. 2 years ago we found ours for $99 at and end of season sale. We want another but only if we can find it for a reasonable price. I'd much prefer the 70s/80s steel cooler, even If I had to do some work to it. Those were tanks!

[dmb90260]

My SB Coleman is already dinged up from too many trips. It does work very well but the design artist left out one more item, aside from the tray.
What the H### is the bottle opener that used to be in the handle?
I did get mine at Costco when they were $99. Hard to find that price any where these days.

[35thAV]

What the H### is the bottle opener that used to be in the handle?

Thats the biggest reason I haven't replaced mine with a newer one yet!

[FireLion]

Here's a pic of my near new 70's something cooler (with bottle openers on the handles). $10.00 or $15.00 at an estate sale.