Review: Yeti Rambler Beverage Bucket
Coolers. Those bulky, heavy, unattractive things that get loaded into and out of trunks and boats and backyards everywhere this time of year. We love them and yet we hate them. Sometimes our party is so popular or our thirst so insatiable that only a big cooler, or multiple big coolers, will do. Yeti has become a household name by having some of the best coolers on the market. They’re rugged (bearproof, apparently) and some models can hold ice for days; nearly four according to some less-than-academic studies I found online. Similarly durable and efficient, their insulated Rambler tumblers have become a go-to cup for personal beverages of all types and sizes. But what about the in-between, the small outdoor get-together? Well, now it looks like they’ve got a solution for that, too.
The Yeti Rambler Beverage Bucket is essentially an oversized Rambler tumbler, made from the same sweat-proof, dishwasher safe kitchen grade stainless steel and double-wall vacuum insulated for maximum ice retention. It’s a bit wider than your typical ice bucket, capable of chilling three standard bottles, six cans, or some combination of the two. I don’t know about you, but that’s about what my small deck parties call for, at least until the bonfire gets going. On a recent, mild evening with a few friends, the Rambler Beverage Bucket received lots of compliments and, more importantly, kept our beer and wine perfectly chilled for at least five hours. And that was without the transparent lid, a feature that works like the Magslider tumbler lids to maximize insulation. You just can’t drink from it, which would really only be useful for frat parties.
Like everything Yeti, the Rambler Beverage Bucket feels impressively over-engineered, from the sleek, rubber grip handle to the non-slip bottom. It’s those appealing excesses that make it a little easier to stomach the eye-watering price tag for something you might otherwise buy on the cheap at a gas station or a Walmart. But unlike those ice buckets, you may never need to replace this one.
A- / $150 / yeti.com [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Yeti Rambler Beverage Bucket
$150
