This is the Dewalt DWST08404 ToughSystem cooler. It has a storage capacity of 25.5 liters, spec’ed to 5 days of ice retention, and is waterproof to IP65 standards.
Dewalt says that their ToughSystem cooler can “keep your beverages ice-cold and refreshing, no matter the external conditions.”
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It is fully compatible with other ToughSystem accessories, such as their trolley, van racking system, or workshop racking system. And yes, it will latch to other ToughSystem tool storage boxes and organizers.
The ToughSystem cooler is rated for loads of up to 88 lbs. There’s a built-in bottle opener, and 2 can-sized holders built into the lid.
It also comes with a small removable tray. Correction: The information has changed, and a tray is not currently included.
It’s equipped with a top carrying handle, and the typical 2 side handles.
Price: $149
ETA: July 1st, 2018
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First Thoughts
One question keeps coming to mind. Would you buy one?
Roto-molded coolers are pricier. Sometimes much pricier. Blow-molded coolers of the same capacity are far less expensive.
This cooler seems to be a yellow-plastic ToughSystem box, with a special insulating liner. It weighs nearly 20 pounds, empty.
Realistically, will this be used with any other ToughSystem accessories? Tool boxes?
Don’t get me wrong, it looks cool, and I love the idea of the tried-and-true ToughSystem form factor, but who will buy one?
Then again, since it’s a ToughSystem box, it should be extremely strong and tough. Dewalt claims it can keep ice cold for 5 days, which would be incredibly cooling performance at a fraction of the price of hyped-up roto-molded coolers.
Hilton
Seems about $80 too expensive.
matty d
Cheaper then Yeti
Jim Felt
“Five days of ice retention” is kinda marketing/lawyer speak for some possibility of a single ice cube like residue at the five day mark “under ideal conditions”.
Okay. No sweat in sub freezing ambient temps but come on…
As for Yeti… Ahahahaha.
Don Thompson
“Roto-molded/blow-molded/we promise 5 day ice retention” — Only three things matter: (1.) Will it fit in my load space? (2.) 5 day ice retention? Seriously? If it doesn’t, can I beat them over the head with it AND still get my money back? (3.) Is it actually affordable? $149 seems to be a good compromise price, but is it gonna crack the first time someone tries to pile brick on it?
Brian Tapp
My thoughts as well
Adam g
Maybe for car camping stacked on the rolling tough system box that has the dry goods in it?
alex
Bingo! This is exactly why I wanted one 🙂 I use the l-cart to reach my site when I’m car camping and it’s great. But I didn’t expect it was going to be that expensive.
Jeff
Ozark at Walmart was 85. Holds ice maybe 3 days. But for an equal size 149 has the bump in price for name brand.
Joe
No ,it’s part of a stackable system.made for construction guys utilizing the system.
Benjamen
I’m bringing my tough system rolling toolbox camping again, If this was available now and under $100 I would seriously consider it.
The fact that it would lock into the top of the rolling toolbox would mean less sliding around in the back of the vehicle and make it easier to carry to the campsite.
Ernie
I bought mine for 100 on amazon
Lonnie Ruybal
Camping yes with a power station the cooler and the tough system radio ??
Nathan
I’d consider it. what’s a yeti cost of that size? If I recall correctly they are what 300ish. so I’m ahead that and this thing will cart easier. Now – I have to buy a cart as I don’t have any toughsystem crap. If I did – this would start off a win win.
Stack on a basic toughsystem box on top so as to have storage for other items. then top it off as someone said with the powerstation and some batteries – I’m good to go for a day at the beach. OR a day maybe a day on the boat. The campsite,
or – what makes the most sense – next wednesday building my neighbors 7 acre fence. See now I have some gatorades and waters on the bottom – some tool bits in the middle – the power station on top with extra batteries. ON a cart – in the back 40 while screwing in rails of cedar while it’s 94 outside with no shade and 85% humidity. Cause work still has to get done. Again if you have the tough system cart this is a solid win win. without it – it’s still mostly a win.
I’d have to paint it probably.
Evadman
I like that it fits with the toughsystem stack, but it is way too expensive. Knock about $90 off the price and I would possibly be interested. Otherwise, I’m just going to keep using my $20 igloo cooler that is slightly larger than this dewalt one.
This dewalt cooler though looks like it has a lip all the way around the lid, which means it would be good for keeping junk out (like sand at the beach or sawdust), which is missing from some coolers. It isn’t worth the cost difference of $130 though.
This screams status symbol or for a very specific usage case that I haven’t been able to think of yet.
Pete
Would i buy one? No… i’m not a dewalt guy. Would i buy one if it was a ridgid? If it was priced better sure. But being that it would be ridgid i would assume that it wouldn’t be as expensive. I do use my ridgid boxes as dry storage when i’m camping so it would be perfect. Mainly i use it to store my bread and chips so they don’t get smashed and/or wet. On that same topic i sure wish ridgid would make some drawer units for their modular system. Or even some stacking organizers. I know they have their own organizer unit but…. it only has 6 cups- or it is 8? Either was too little.
Fm2176
The Ridgid organizer has six removeable bins. I find it less than ideal for hardware storage but perfect for a grab and go box with a drill and/or impact along with various lengths and types of screws.
Framer joe
So all non DeWalt users here, no framers,builders, construction guys ? Really…it’s half the price of yeti and it does hold ice for 4 days ,I use the smaller one for myself and we will get this for the crew..
Companies supply water for crews. …not to mention perfect for camping..80$ bucks to much , seriously. Igloo coolers suck and melt.by lunchtime….
Buying quality tools, containers isn’t a status symbol it’s smart business….. keeping guys hydrated is smart business..
This cooler is a perfect compromise of quality and price,it’s functional,and part.of a system….
Chris
If I was in construction, I’d buy 1 right away!
Kent
There are coolers that are better than regular Igloo coolers that cost well under $150.
Any of the “extreme” or “marine” coolers will last days on the same ice (I’m a desert camper) – something that really isn;’t needed on a construction site.
Go get one if it makes you happy, but it’s not a decision based on solid financials.
Joe
Yo, not being in construction shows where you diy guys come from…no clue what builders do or what’s financially smart..stick to igloo at Walmart
Randy
It’ll be the only way I will get my wife to buy me something from Dewalt come my birthday at the end of the summer. She understands the need for cold drinks.
Jon
You can clip the toughsysyem radio right on to the top(which has awesome sound) fill it with beer…I don’t know why you wouldn’t buy this
Rock Hound - (J.Sutter)
I carry a cooler (old metal Coleman) and one of the flatter Dewalt Tough Systems toolboxes with some basic tools, in my truck every day anyways. Being able to stack one on the other is a pretty nice feature. I have been buying the Tough Systems boxes when they go on sale for ~25-40% off on Amazon, so if I can snag this one in the $100 is range, I would probably be pretty pleased.
MtnRanch
This will be used as a chair, usually by the largest guy in the crew. Will it hold the weight?
Fm2176
If it’s like the DS450, then no. My original 450 was warrantied after a side handle snapped off, fracturing the box. Prior to that, I noticed signs of stress on the top that culminated in a small crack–a friend that weighed around 250 had been using it for a seat and the box obviously wasn’t designed with that in mind.
Pete
Thats exactly what i was thinking- Those handles look flimsy. 250lbs is heavy enough to crack the box… thats crazy! I can sit and stand on my ridgid boxes all day long and haven’t had a problem. And i’m 250lbs myself
Tem
Im about 200-210 and have used a TSTAK deep box as a ladder and chair a number of times.
If you couldnt stand on a Toughsystem box, I’d be both amazed and disappointed.
Not to mention seated vs standing is way different weight wise. Unless one dropped down in a heap on top of the box.
Thats just asking for damage though, dont care what system or brand 250lb on a deadfall of 1-2 feet is probably doing some damage.
Sharon
Actually these coolers have been thrown by catapults and dropped by cranes. I don’t know how they would stand up against being a seat, but dropping it is no problem.
Rob
I would probably buy one. Maybe it will go on sale. I have a lot of DeWalt products. Never let me down.
skfarmer
it fits in a price point pretty well. way better than a shitty 20-40 dollar cooler and far cheaper than some of the premium coolers that run 250+ dollars. it still may be a little rich for some but eventually this thing will go on sale and if it hits 120 or better yet 99 bucks. look out, those babies will fly of the shelf and i bet one finds it’s way to my place……….if i can wait that long.
they missed the boat on this for father’s day. i could see lots of happy fathers after getting one of these.
Eric
I am considering this cooler, I missed $20 off at Acme a couple weeks ago and will probably bite next time. If I was ever going to spend the money on a silly-for-my-use rotomolded cooler it would be this one. I love the Tough System, and I hope they keep coming out with more and more parts.
I have been spending a lot of money on DeWalt products lately, including some things I never knew I needed (portable power station, cordless angle grinder, cordless miter saw, battery powered outdoor tools that keep up with my needs).
jayne
IF it keeps my beer cold at a day on the beach I’m in….
Ed
If it holds up to jobsite abuse and holds ice good it’s cheap I just spent 150 on a rtic soft cooler works great glad I got it
Ray
DeWalt is a marketing machine, I will never forget the first time I saw the jobsite radio and I knew they had the market pegged. That said, some hits and misses over the years, the resale on DeWalt is good. The ice chest is a maybe, who would need 5 days of ice on a daily jobsite at 5-7 times the price of a playmate? I am waiting for the DeWalt 20v gambling table with 6 deck shoe, and the DeWalt line of sex toys for him and her, I am not sure how many volts this system would need, maybe corded?
Joe
You have some issues with DeWalt being the best construction brand . And need to work with tools for a living to understand what your saying is pure junk.
Kent
I’m shocked at the number of people who think there are two coolers in the world – garbage ones that don’t hold ice very long and Yeti.
There’s a HUGE middle ground on coolers. A 62 qt Coleman Extreme, with wheels and the same “5 day” ice rating is available on Amazon for under $45. I use a smaller version of these for desert camping. Placed in the shade (under my truck) they will last a few days full of food or drinks. An even more insulated cooler is the “marine” version. It’s a bit more expensive, and the marketing is toned down (for one, it’s just white), but they hold ice even better.
Go get the DeWalt cooler, but don’t pretend that you need 5 days of ice on a construction site. You’re paying a lot for the yellow color.
Jared
Interesting. I would really like a better cooler than I have now – read this article with enthusiasm thinking this might be the answer.
The Coleman you mentioned is certainly better value. A 60-quart extreme wheeled cooler on Amazon.ca (I’m Canadian) is ~$65. After a little googling, I found this 27-quart cooler from Dewalt for $189. That’s half the size and not even the same ballpark.
This Dewalt cooler looks cool, has the advantage of working with the ToughSystem (so you could load it up like others mentioned), appears significantly more rugged – but it just seems too expensive in comparison.
My answer: Would I want one? Yes. Would I buy one? No.
Jesse
Yes I would buy it
Jonathan
I think that all these x-days of ice, they start with an airless block of molded to fit perfectly into said cooler with no gaps. Then are only opened toward end of test period.
Which is far from a real world test.
Considering that you can pick up a Coleman 12V thermoelectric (Peltier) cooler for half the price. If job site has AC power that can be used.
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine using these for hydrating work crews.
The Coleman Gatorade jugs from our HS/College sports days with a bag of ice and water are inexpensive enough and hydrate crews inexpensively.
But I doubt that I would buy it even at an $80 price point.
glenn
Thermoelectric coolers, at best, can reduce temperatures by up to 25c max, which makes them fairly useless out side of an air conditioned car in high temps.
Where I live it can be as low as 5c during the day in winter but can reach 38+-40c in summer.
Frank D
Too pricey for a cooler … pass.
Arif
So I would buy it…but only if it had this…
What would make it perfect would be If it were thermoelectric! You could use your flexvolt battery to run it or plug it in.
SOLD!!
They already make Coleman and Koolatron ac/dc thermoelectric coolers…
Add the continued use of the batteries I own.
Sweet!
Altan
Why not a normal Toughsystem tool box in yellow colour or other colours ?!!! It would be easy to differentiate the boxes and the contents
Todd
I’d wanna black one so I can bring it to work without anyone knowing .
glenn
Just as an aside for anyone that uses Makita Makpac boxes they have 2 different size cooler boxes available, at least in Aus/NZ.
https://www.gettoolsdirect.com.au/search/go?w=makpac%20cooler
I believe the cooler Bluetooth shown in the link is a combo kit to help unload the older DMR200 which is being replace by the DMR202.
Just a medic
I wheel a Tough System stack onto the firing line whenever I visit the public outdoor range. Ammo, mags, targets, eyes, ears, tools, etc. You better believe this cooler will come with me next time.
ToolOfTheTrade
Would I pay $150 for this cooler? No. I’d pay $85 for it. Is it better than having a yeti sticker on your vehicle and feeling like a dumbass or having people think you’re a dumbass for buying a yeti cooler? Yes. Would I choose this instead of a yeti if both cost $150? Yes. There’s a good vid on what’s inside the shell of a yeti cooler. Besides the thicker plastic, the yeti cooler and the $50 cooler are nearly identical. The vid clearly shows that the yeti is not worth what they cost. 5 days ice retention sounds good if it can handle the Georgia summer weather. And isn’t every plastic cooler made waterproof ? They’re meant to hold ice which melts into water eventually and the water stays inside the cooler until you drain or dump it out. So what is the IP65 rating for? I was in Walmart today and they had a few displays of their high end coolers for $137.
Evadman
Most coolers are not waterproof; if you flip them over or tilt them enough, water from the melted ice will run out of the top.
Since this cooler is made to be part of a toughsystem stack, it needs to be waterproof and handle being tipped on accident. If it is in a stack and you hit a rock while porting it to the job site and you drop the stack, you don’t want the water in the cooler to have the chance of going into all the other cases. Same thing if it tips in your work truck, you won’t want to be cleaning up a gallon or two of water at the end of the day.
A big question is if this cooler is waterproof from the inside or the outside? IP65 means the cooler was tested against pressure from the outside; such as being sprayed by a garden hose. I care a lot more about the other way, water leaking from the inside to outside if it is flipped upside down.
Vaughn
I’m as big as a dewalt fan as the rest but I like the cooler but I wouldn’t purchase it due to the fact if I left it in the back of my truck and it was stolen it would really hurt my feelings but $49 igloo would just piss me off. Big and yellow is a huge target.
Cliff
I’m getting one because it will fit better in my work trailer, which has Dewalt tough system shelving and containers installed. This will free up prescious floor space, that my Yeti takes up. I know it’s probably not as tough nor insulated as my Yeti, but the organizational aspects make this a must buy for my business.
Tim
I was gonna buy into the tough system cases until I actually went out looking for them and found every retailer (except for one I found after the fact) was pretty scarce in their options and wound up buying the Ridgid cases instead.
That being said… Ridgid/Keter needs to step up their creativity game. I see these cases everywhere I go including bowlers at my bowling center using them to transport their bowling balls but we still only have 4 options for cases. No sweet coolers or drawer boxes or anything.
The variety of the Dewalt system makes me wish I had jumped in.
The packout is too expensive and rare in store to be a viable option.
James R.
As much as this would be a convenience (I use a ToughSystem tool box for tools / other small things when off-roading/camping…
I’d rather just purchase the Ozark Trail (Walmart Brand) version of the Yeti for $87.00.
This is far too expensive.
Tony Davis
I love the idea and with car camping in mind, will probably buy one to use with my existing cart. However, $150 is too steep. I see some other online retailers are charging $130. That’s better, but not tempting enough to be a first adopter. I’ll wait for the reviews to come out.
do
Durability Check this out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrnKxFfSbgM
Copy and paste into browser!
Stuart
Those aren’t ToughSystem coolers, those are the imported rotomolded coolers.
Altan
We can not really say it was the same tool box they threw.
Robin
I have one of these for a few weeks now and it holds 24 of the 16oz cans or a 30 rack of 12oz cans with room for ice. I have had no durability issues with the handles or box not holding up with a full load, I use it as a step all the time and it lives a rough life in the back of my truck. It has taken all the use and abuse I’ve thrown at it, and working with the Tough System carrier is a huge plus. You may not need it to hold ice for 5 days on a work site, but I’ll take an ice cold water over lukewarm all summer long. The price isn’t terrible when everything is factored in.
Joe
Exactly….