REASONS TO BUY
Lid opens fully for easy access
Very stable
Excellent insulation
Comparatively very low cost
REASONS TO AVOID
Boxy construction is less comfortable to carry
Zipper is very hard to pull
Not particularly durable
Homitt 30 Can Review
Though it brings some impressive insulation to the table for a very low price, it managed to come apart rather quickly
Homitt 30 can
Credit: Amazon
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Our Verdict
With strong insulation values, a compact, easy to use design, and a price tag that's about half of some of its competitors, the Homitt 30 Can sounds almost too good to be true. However, its boxy shape isn't our favorite to carry around fully loaded and we ran into some durability concerns. After collecting some water during a rainy camping weekend, the Homitt later busted open at the zipper seam, losing its ability to provide a watertight seal and dropping its ability to insulate well. Though we didn't think it would last forever, we expected to get more than a single season of use from this model.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Homitt 30 is an over-the-shoulder cooler with a rounded box shape. It features a leakproof zipper and low cost, though let us down when it came to durability.
Performance Comparison
A decently performing cooler, the Homitt is a solid choice - as long as you aren't looking for something extremely rugged.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Insulation Value
Just because you want to save a little money doesn't mean you want your beers to get warm or your chocolate covered strawberries to melt. We get that. With the Homitt, you don't have to make that sacrifice. This little cooler is one of the more impressive insulation options we tested. It held a temperature near or below the FDA-recommended 40°F for over two full days! It has thick insulation inside waterproof fabric and a watertight zipper to boot. Even the zippered external pocket managed to stay dry through several summer rainstorms.
Results from our laboratory insulation testing.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Our only real complaint about the insulation afforded by the Homitt is that to retrieve something from this flip-top cooler, you let a fair amount of cold air out and admit hot air. However, this seemed not to make a significant impact during our testing, and the Homitt maintained an excellent insulation value.
The Homitt was one of the top scorers in our insulation tests.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Ease of Use
When loading and unloading the Homitt, we love being able to open the top of the cooler fully. Getting things in and out is so much easier that way than any of the slit-top coolers. The Homitt also has very long side handles, making it easy to use like a tote bag in a pinch. With two exterior pockets - one waterproof and one mesh - you're able to bring along a few necessities like bottle openers, napkins, and cozies. We are also big fans of how stable this cooler is when we set it down. However, the zipper on the Homitt is rather difficult to use and this model, unlike so many others we tested, doesn't come with a zipper lubricant. It also has rather thick insulation under the lid, which takes up more space than we'd expected inside this cooler. This frequently had us accidentally overpacking and repacking to avoid straining the zipper (which actually broke during our testing - more on that in the Durability section).
Long handles and a flip top were much appreciated.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Portability
The Homitt is a decently portable cooler, though perhaps not the most comfortable to carry around. There is an adjustable padded shoulder strap and two long side handles for a quick grab if it's not too heavy. On the flip side, if you've jammed this thing full to the brim with 30 beers, you can also enlist a friend to grab one of the two end handles, and carry it between the two of you. It's rigid top and bottom corners aren't our favorite to cart around though, especially when full. But for its overall size, it's not bad to carry around.
The Homitt is a reasonable size to carry to your favorite spot.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Durability
At first glance, we weren't too sure about the durability of the Homitt. Though it's made of 840D thermoplastic urethane, there are some details that are a bit lacking. The straps are thinner material than many of its competitors and the seams appear a bit less precise, with a few ends sticking out here and there.
Despite supposedly having welded seams, after sitting in on and off rain showers for about a week, a section of the fabric above the top zipper was noticeably taking on some water, causing a little bit of a ripple in the zipper there. While at first, we didn't think any damage had been done, this proved to be the undoing of the Homitt. Several months later, while preparing for another adventure we attempted to zip the top closed around a particularly large load. Much to our dismay, right where the rain damage had happened, the zipper actually came unglued from the rest of the cooler. We are extremely disappointed that a rainstorm stopped us from getting more than one season of use out of this cooler.
Value
For significantly less than much of the competition, the Homitt has a lot to offer. If you want an ultra-rugged option, this definitely isn't your best bet. But if you're on the hunt for a solid insulator that you're willing to baby a little, you may be pleased with what you get from the Homitt.
Less money spent on your cooler means more funds for what you choose to put inside.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Conclusion
This little cooler performed impressively in our insulation testing but falls short when it comes to rugged durability. If you're willing to treat it very gently, this cooler could be right for you - especially with such a low price tag. But if you want something you don't have to think twice about using, we think there are better options available.
Enjoy the Homitt wherever you go!
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
—
Maggie Nichols
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