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This Cooler Is Better—and Cheaper—Than Your YETI

It’s the ultimate party hack

By
Brigitt Earley
Brigitt Earley
Brigitt Earley
Brigitt Earley is a lifestyle writer with a culinary degree and a master's in journalism. Her writing has been published on OprahMag.com and Good Housekeeping.
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Published on 09/7/23
Brumate 55 quart rolling cooler tout

The Spruce Eats/Brigitt Earley

This post is part of our 'This Is Fire' series, where our editors and writers tell you about the products they can't live without in the kitchen.

I’ve long been a YETI devotee. I drink my coffee from the Stackable Mug, cocktails or wine from the Wine Tumbler, and send my kids to school with the Rambler Jr. Water Bottle. Even the dog drinks from the Boomer Dog Bowl. So it’s no surprise that for parties and day-long outings, our family relied on the YETI Tundra 45, a hardworking cooler that can fit up to 54 cans or 37 pounds of ice at once. 

That is… until I discovered the BrüTank 55-Quart Rolling Cooler. I was planning a big birthday party for my husband and looking for a second cooler to add to our arsenal. Though I originally had my eye on a second YETI, a promotional email from Brümate diverted my attention. The rugged yet elevated aesthetic really caught my eye, and after reading hundreds of positive reviews, I decided to give it a try

Our Top Picks
Brumate Brutank 55 Quart Cooler

Brumate
What We Like

  • Has an array of accessories and fun colors

  • Retains ice and keeps drinks cold for more than a week

  • Rugged wheels for portability

  • Cheaper than YETI wheeled coolers

What We Don’t Like

  • Heavy and bulky

  • More expensive than some YETI hard coolers

At the time, the white was sold out, so I opted for a fun shade of pink. I think I audibly squealed when I opened the package. It’s such a fun color and makes the most perfect backyard accessory. But the aesthetic alone wasn’t the only thing that ultimately sold me on this cooler—after all, the YETI comes in a host of great colors too.

Brumate 55 quart rolling cooler outside next to couch

The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley

What I love most about the BrüTank 55-Quart Rolling Cooler is how functional it is. It’s the Denali to my base model YETI. The BrüTank has solid ice retention—there were still cubes in my cooler about a week after the party I hosted. What’s more, I couldn’t believe it when the beer and water I had stashed inside was still cold more than two weeks later, even after the majority of the ice had melted.

One of my favorite features, though, is the fact that the cooler comes with a removable 2.8-gallon drink tank with a built-in tap. I’ve used it to fill enough water for the family during a day at the beach, to house lemonade for my son’s lemonade stand, and margaritas for a party with friends. It’s completely separate from the rest of the cooler, so you can fill up a drink without opening the main compartment to help keep whatever food and beverages you’re storing in the main tank fresher and colder for longer.

Brumate 55 quart rolling cooler sput filling up water in a glass

The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley

The cooler also comes with a dry rack—perfect for sandwiches or other provisions you want to keep cool but moisture-free. There’s also a built-in bottle opener (never be caught without!), plus a foam seat top that you can use as a table for eating. It’s nice and grippy, so nothing will slide off and onto the ground. Trust me: This is key… we once had our entire dinner slide right off the YETI and into the grass, and it was a huge bummer! 

Though the entire unit is relatively heavy and bulky—it weighs a whopping 50 pounds when not full—it has rugged wheels that glide effortlessly through all kinds of terrain, including grass, crushed stones, and even soft sand. Combined with the fold down handle, you get plenty of leverage without having to tug too hard. In fact, my 4- and 5-year-olds can pull the cooler without any issue.

Brumate 55 quart rolling cooler with food and drinks in it

The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley

Overall, I love this cooler so much that my poor YETI has sat in the garage virtually untouched this summer and has a new supporting role as my backup. I’m slowly converting everyone around me, too. My mom not only got herself one, but also bought a second as a wedding present for one of her friends’ kids. Durable, spacious, convenient, and pretty, to boot? What more could you want?

Brumate 55 quart rolling cooler sitting on grass

The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley

Capacity: 55 quarts | Dimensions: 19.5 x 32.5 x 19.5 inches | Weight: 50 pounds | Colors: Charcoal, aqua, ocean swirl, denim, red and black swirl, ice white

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Brigitt Earley is a freelance lifestyle writer who covers food and kitchen-related content for The Spruce Eats. She is a former RealSimple.com editor whose work has also appeared on Oprah Daily, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, Reviewed, and more. She also holds a certificate in culinary arts from the French Culinary Institute (now the Institute of Culinary Education).