I buy the more affordable coolers and then just wrap the thing with an old sleeping bag when it's really hot out and keep the thing in the shade, keeping any cooler in the shade and how much you open and close it will make all the difference in the world on how long it will keep things cool. Food items should be kept in a cooler that won't get opened and closed much and use a separate cooler for the more frequent use items such as drinks and or snacks. Keep both in the shade and wrapped during hot weather and you'll be fine and have less money going out of your pocket. My .02
