If you had been fishing a lot you would know that it’s a hard job to keep your live bait alive. Catching minnows or creek chubs itself is a hard task but keeping them alive until you cast them for walleyes is the real job. That’s why I made you land on this Engel Cooler Review.
Earlier I have written a detailed review on the aerators for live bait well. You can check that but having a cooler is also essential to keep your bait alive when you are on a long journey.
If you are also obsessed with catching creek chubs then you must have heard about minnow coolers to keep them alive. If you don’t know about creek chubs then they are little large minnows the walleyes love to chase and attack. The walleyes go crazy for creek chubs that’s why you should read mine through a guide on creek chubs.
People try different techniques to keep their live baits alive. No matter what you do to keep them alive half of the creeks would be dead at the end of the day. That’s so frustrating and a great loss if you have spent dollars to buy your minnows.
Contents
The Engel Hard Cooler
When the Engel cooler was introduced in the market I heard a lot about them. That’s why I decided to come up with a thorough review that would include all pros and cons. I would try to paint an honest review with all pros and cons so that you don’t make a wrong decision.
The Engel cooler Review Pros and Cons
Here are the top benefits and a couple of cons people talk about. Always remember that the list of the pros is larger than the cons.
I know that a bad review can affect the positive position of any product. But you need to understand the benefits the product is offering you. If the pros matter for you more than the cons then shake the cons out of your head. Be confident with your choice.
Pros
Stays Cold: The cooler stays cold in the hot season that’s really important to keep your bait alive in summer. If you are getting ready for a tournament and filling the cooler with river water it would stay cool at the end of the event.
Latches Got Better: The main issue with Engel cooler was their poor Latches that tend to break easily. These tend to freeze up in the winter season which was a huge drawback. But this 30-quart model has better Latches.
Net Inside: There is a net inside the cooler to keep the minnows safe. You don’t need to buy cheap nets to keep your minnows comfortable in the cooler when you have Engel. This net is awesome that allows you to pull and grab your bait with ease.
Aerator Set up: The Engel Cooler has an impressive aerator setup that is mounted on the side of the cooler having a hole to feed the species into the cooler.
Strong Handle: When your cooler is filled with water and minnows you must be scared of carrying it as its handle can break into pieces. But not in the case of the Engel Cooler as it features a heavy-duty handle that allows you to carry it when it is full without fear of breaking its handle.
Cons
The Aerator: You would be thinking that earlier I was admiring the aerator and now it’s a con? Well, I admired its construction and the way it is mounted on the cooler. The on/off switch of the aerator is flimsy. It can turn on and off on its own. People say that’s not an issue but yes, it is dangerous you can lose your bait. So I don’t like its aerator and that’s the reason I would recommend you replace it with any good quality aerator.
Water splashes: While it has all the earmarks of being watertight, it’s not. In addition to the fact that I noticed a touch of water sprinkling out, however, one of my mates had his spill and he lost the majority of the water. I would think at the cost of the Engel Cooler, it would improve in the area of being watertight.
Final Thoughts on Engel Cooler
I tried my best to put my opinion about Engel Cooler. Most people write reviews to sell the items I am just informing you about its working ability. If it works for you go ahead and buy one. But make sure you buy another brand’s aerator so that you don’t lose your bait accidentally.
People are criticizing the Engel Cooler due to its aerator while it’s not a big deal. You can buy another aerator for just 10-15 bucks that’s all. If you want a good quality cooler at a nice price to keep your baits alive then it’s a golden chance don’t waste it for the sake of a 10-15 bucks aerator.
If you want to buy a separate aerator then I would recommend you to buy the plug-in model aerator having a 4.7 starts rating and plenty of positive reviews on amazon.
This is a high-quality aerator that saves you money on buying D batteries. The aerator is durable and allows you to keep your baits overnight alive on a single charge.
After reading this honest and thorough review I hope you would make the right decision and will never let cons overcome the benefits you are getting.