It only takes seeing the black and yellow trade mark with CAT written on it to know that you’re somewhere trusted. Caterpillar is a 90 years old brand that became a leading name when it comes to construction industries, resource industries and energy & transportation.
Now from gigantic mining equipment and excavators to portable ice chests; Caterpillar has one thing to say; they’re here to get work done, and that includes outdoor activities because think about it; CAT builds all kinds of different gear and equipment to make work faster and easier for people who are on heavy duty missions and work places; a cooler is an essential item for anyone who spends hours working outside or far from home.
Consequently; Caterpillar decided to make their own coolers that can take the beating of a harsh working environment to match the strength of all their other products.
In this CAT cooler review, we’ll identify the ways in which Caterpillar’s cooler is different and unique and compare it to other leading brands to see what they have or don’t have in common.
Caterpillar Cat Coolers Compared
| Coolers | Capacity (Gallons) | Dimensions (L x W x H) |
|---|---|---|
 Cat® 27qt Cooler | 27 | • External 23”L x 15-1/2”W x 15”H • Internal 15” L x 12-1/2” W x 10”H |
 Cat® 55qt Cooler | 55 | • External 34-1/4”L x 17”W x 19"H • Internal 24-1/4" L x 12” W x 12-3/4”H |
 Cat® 88qt Cooler | 88 | • External 36-3/4" x 12" x 13-1/2 • Internal 47" x 21" x 18" |
Available Sizes & Dimensions
Cat coolers come in 3 different sizes which makes the brand’s choices pretty limited compared to older pioneering companies. However, these 3 sizes are what any basic or regular cooler could be except for the fact that they’re extremely rugged and durable.
Cat® 27qt Cooler
Just like the number suggests, this Cat cooler can handle a solid 27 qt which can be translated into 24 cans plus ice which is more than enough for a whole day of beverages with friends or colleagues. The 27qt, however, is not on the big boys’ list because a cooler that’s around the 20’s qt is what you could call personal.
This can cooler can be kept in the back of your truck for all the times you need to grab a cool or fresh snack.
Cat® 55qt Cooler
Now this one can hold up to 60 cans which is a huge step towards party mode. According to Cat coolers; work should be fun too.
Having a cooler in a rough work place or environment will only make it a lot less daunting with enough food and drinks for everyone.
If not that, then a camper is definitely going to appreciate such a large capacity cooler for a good camping trip.
Cat® 88qt Cooler
This is Cat’s largest cooler and the look of it is something really impressive. With the ability to hold up to 96 cans and 2 bags of ice; this cooler can compete with the industry’s monsters.
Nevertheless; let’s not get it too cocky because there are coolers that are 300 qt or more but that’s something extreme while not everyone is looking for a gigantic cooler.
Design & Build Quality
This is where Caterpillar could easily win. Cat coolers are the toughest thing we’ve happened to witness in a very long time. Spotting a cat cooler for the first time you’d be able to hear it screaming “roughness!”I mean I know this is too figurative but these coolers seriously reminded us of Cat’s monstrous trucks.
Let’s start with the fact that Cat coolers are roto-molded which makes them up to any competition in the way. Also, they are designed and made by Taiga; an American manufacturer that’s owned by Veterans which was not a random choice; Caterpillar wanted to make sure their coolers are as great as their name. Thus, Taiga made sense given their reliability and hard work.
Moreover, these coolers are made of and injected with polypropylene which is the strongest plastic known to withstanding UV rays, natural circumstances and harsh work environments.
Polypropylene is also FDA approved and that means that all of your food is safe and healthy inside of any of Cat coolers.
The thing now is that Cat coolers lean to be minimalistic with only enough features to get the necessary work done which is not bad at all; it only reflects how serious and to the point Caterpillar is.
Ice Retention & Insulation Ability
Cat coolers offer quality insulation with thick polypropylene plastic walls that are injected with 2.5” of R5 insulated foam. This is as far as any of the pioneering brands that you might think of can go.
This amount of foam is enough to keep any cooler going for days of ice retention, still, we ran our little test on Cat coolers and we weren’t disappointed at all; the Cat 55qt managed to keep the ice action going for a solid 5 days and only after the 6th day that ice started to melt.
That being said, you can’t really go wrong with a cooler that’s built specifically to beat any harsh situation with quality insulation that’ll keep the whole stuff hydrated and happy with protected and fresh drinks.
Features
In this part of Caterpillar Cat cooler review, we won’t pretend to have so much to say because Cat found it’s only realer and bolder to make a cooler that can do the cooling job as it should while it’s also rugged and durable to match their other products and the working locations they have to be at.
Without any further ado, these are the most prominent features of Cat coolers:
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- The lid; it’s Polypropylene and R5 foam injected to both; seal the cooler and keep everything as it is and also serve as a solid chair when needed.
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- The very same lid is featured with a foam gasket that goes around the whole lid to prevent the tiniest breeze from going out or in; that way, the cooler maintains a stable temperature for as long as possible.
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- Next, the lid comes with awesome rubber T-rex latches to firmly secure it once done using the cooler. They’re very much similar to Yeti’s, and to be honest, after the booming of coolers’ industry, seeing these T-rex latches is quite common now.
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- Now when you open the lid, you can let go of it and it won’t fall back and close itself. Cat coolers are featured with a hinge that can keep the lid in place when it opened for easy, practical and safe access.
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- To make the lid even sturdier, Cat featured it with lock-holes for maximum security which comes really handy when driving with the cooler in the back of your truck or simply carrying it around.
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- Moving further, these coolers come with two sets of super durable handles; the molded ones and then the nylon handles. Both of them are comfortable to use according to your cooler’s content and weight, plus, we see no way in which these handles could ever get damaged.
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- To make sure the cooler stays in place, Cat built it with bottom rubber feet that’ll prevent it from swiping around on soft or slippery surfaces, and this is how we end the features’ section. Cat coolers have everything they need to function as expected from a good cooler.
Who is it for?
Well, given the name, the rugged design, and the available sizes; Cat coolers are designed specifically for hard working people in harsh working circumstances. However, being this hard and rigid, a Cat cooler can go anywhere, anytime and still do as good.
It’s nearly impossible to damage a Cat cooler; they have a dense and solid body that can take any beating but that’s not what only matters; Cat coolers come with great ice retention ability to perform exactly as good for camping, fishing or hunting.
So, basically, even though Cat coolers highly suggest that they’re meant for challenging outdoor work sites; anyone really can use a Cat cooler for the sake of their durability and maybe sharp design.
Caterpillar Cat Vs. Yeti: Which Is Better?
Let’s state the facts; comparing Cat coolers to Yeti’s is a little tricky here because both names are giants with quite a discrepancy to them. In other words; Yeti might be the super hero of coolers’ industry, but if you look at; Caterpillar is the number one leading brand worldwide in 3 other different industries (construction industries, resource industries and energy & transportation).
Yeti offers a very large platform of options when it comes to sizes and colors while Cat coolers presented us with only 3 sizes. We definitely do not hate on this fact because those 3 sizes are practical and could be suitable for many of you out there.
Other than that, Cat coolers delivered a great performance in terms of insulation and ice retention ability. However, when compared to YETIs, Caterpillar coolers are a bit lagging behind.
As for build quality, and even though Yeti coolers are bear proof, Cat coolers can be as tough if not tougher given where they came from.
Caterpillar Cat Coolers – Bottom Line:
One of the most satisfying views we’ve come across is seeing a Caterpillar cooler; the name alone is enough to bring relief to your head and soul. Without any exaggeration; this brand does outstanding things that we might fail to imagine, and having a cooler that carries their name is something quite special.
The Cat coolers are here to make a statement and that is getting the work done. There is no way anyone could regret having a Caterpillar Cat cooler; all there is to it is whether or not you are interested in the sizes they offer. After that, all you’ll be left with is a tough, reliable and an awesome sharp looking cooler.
