Coleman Classic 52 Qt vs Coleman Xtreme 52 Qt

Quick verdict

Only one available on Amazon

The Coleman Xtreme 52 Qt was out of stock on Amazon at our last check. Check the Coleman Classic 52 Qt listing before buying.

Coleman Classic 52 Qt: Two to four people on a weekend trip with food and drinks.

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Coleman Classic 52-Quart Cooler

amazon.com price: ~$55

Coleman Xtreme 52-Quart Cooler

amazon.com price: ~$50(last checked Jan 30)

Currently unavailable on Amazon

See in-stock alternatives

Coleman Classic 52 Qt review

Best for: Two to four people on a weekend trip with food and drinks

A mid-size 52-quart chest for a weekend, with a 3-day ice claim and a drain; it has no wheels, so a full load is a two-hand or two-person carry.

Coleman's 52-quart Classic Series chest (model 5860) was sold earlier as the 316 Series. Coleman lists 80 cans (40 with 26 lb of ice), up to 3 days of ice, a 250 lb Have-A-Seat lid with four cup holders, a tethered drain plug, a stain-resistant liner and a built-in ruler. It weighs 8.6 lb empty.

Good

  • 80-can capacity at 8.6 lb empty, light for a 52-qt chest
  • Tethered drain plug and stain-resistant liner make cleanup easy
  • Lid seats 250 lb; four cup holders fit a 30-oz tumbler

Watch for

  • 3-day ice claim is short for a long weekend; plan to add ice by day 3
  • No wheels; swing-up side handles mean a two-hand carry when full

Specs from Coleman Classic Series 52-Quart Hard Cooler product page, Amazon.com listing and Canadian Tire product page, checked Oct 26. We compare published specs and design; we have not tested it ourselves.

Check price on Amazon

Coleman Xtreme 52 Qt review

Best for: Two to four people on a long weekend who can lift a full chest

A 52-quart chest with a 5-day ice claim at 90°F for long weekends; it has no wheels, so a full load is a two-person carry by the side handles.

This is the non-wheeled Xtreme 5 chest: 52 quarts, 82 cans, a Have-A-Seat lid rated to 250 lb with cup holders, two-way side handles and a leak-resistant channel drain. Coleman claims up to 5 days of ice at 90°F and it weighs 8.6 lb empty. Unlike the Xtreme 50 wheeled models it has no wheels or tow handle. Coleman no longer lists it.

Good

  • Coleman claims 5 days of ice at 90°F, enough for a long weekend
  • Channel drain empties meltwater without tipping the chest
  • 8.6 lb empty, about 4 lb lighter than the wheeled Xtreme 50

Watch for

  • No wheels; a full 52-qt chest is heavy over a long walk to the site
  • Discontinued on Coleman.com; exterior size is not reliably listed anywhere

Specs from Amazon.com listing, checked Oct 26. We compare published specs and design; we have not tested it ourselves.

Currently unavailable on Amazon

See in-stock alternatives

Side-by-side

Spec Coleman Classic 52-Quart Cooler Coleman Xtreme 52-Quart Cooler
Price (typical) $55 $50 (last checked Jan 30)
Capacity (qt) 52 52
Maker's ice claim 3 days 5 days (at temperatures up to 90°F)
Holds 80 cans 82 cans
Weight (empty) 8.6 lb 8.6 lb
Wheels no no
Drain plug yes yes
Handles swing-up side handles 2-way side handles
Lid Have-A-Seat lid, 250 lb, 4 cup holders Have-A-Seat lid, 250 lb, cup holders
Build hard-sided, TempLock FX insulation, stain-resistant liner, 15% less plastic hard-sided, extra-insulated Xtreme walls and lid, low-CO2 foam; made in USA
Outside size 25.2 L x 14.5 W x 16.75 H in not listed

Green marks the better figure where more (or less) is plainly better. Weights and ice claims are the makers’ own figures.

Common questions

Which one should I buy?

The Coleman Xtreme 52 Qt was out of stock on Amazon at our last check. Check the Coleman Classic 52 Qt listing before buying.

Where do these specs come from?

From each maker’s product page and retailer spec sheets, linked under each review. We compare published specs and design; we have not tested these products. Check the listing for the exact version you are buying.

Where do these prices come from?

These are recorded Amazon prices. Check the listings for current price and availability.

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