Are YETI coolers a rip-off? The outdoor product company, also known as YETI Holdings, Inc. is known for its line of premium coolers noted for quality and durability—as well as for its high ticket prices.
In the seven years since it went public, the company has forged a reputation for producing some of the best coolers in the world. But one Arkansas woman is claiming the products don’t hold water—or at least that they don’t hold ice.
Melissa Kelsey (@melissakelsey71) took to the internet on June 13, with claims that her YETI cooler was not keeping the ice inside it frozen, stating that the ice in the container turned to water within 24 hours.
The video has gone viral, racking up over 2.5 million views and counting since it was first posted.
A regrettable purchase
“I think YETI is ripping us off,” Kelsey claims at the beginning of the video. “This is a YETI cooler and according to what I found on the internet, and this isn’t even indoors, a YETI cooler is supposed to keep ice [frozen] for up to seven days.”
Kelsey does not state where she found the information although it does not seem to appear on YETI’s website. The cooler in question appears to be the company’s Tundra model though Kelsey does not identify it as such.
In the video, Kelsey displays the contents of the open cooler, showing several unopened aluminum cans and several inches of ice leaving roughly two square feet of unused space in the container.
“This has been indoors during the summer because it’s very hot here in South Arkansas,” she claims. “I’m going to come back with y’all tomorrow and show you how much of this ice melts in just over 24 hours.”
Kelsey then returns to the cooler on what she claims is the next day. The cans are now floating in a pool of water in the cooler and there is no solid ice.
“So, here you go folks. The ice is completely melted,” she claims. YETI, you should be ashamed of yourself for ripping the public off.”
@melissakelsey71 #fyp #yeti #yetiripoff #badproducts #ripoff #shameful #yeticooler ♬ original sound – Just Surviving
How do YETI coolers work?
According to Coremoment Outdoors, YETI “employ a proprietary PermaFrost Insulation system, which consists of pressure-injected polyurethane foam. This material fills the walls and the lid of the cooler, ensuring that the cold air stays inside and the warm air stays out.”
“The durability of Yeti coolers surpasses many other brands due to their rotomolded construction, heavy-duty components, and certified bear-resistance, making them an ideal choice for rugged outdoor adventures.”
It is not known if Kelsey’s problems are due to malfunction. The cooler is equipped with a proprietary gasket designed to keep warm air out but it cannot be ascertained that the gasket isn’t sealing properly from the video.
The Daily Dot has reached out to YETI via email for a statement.
Viewers weigh in
Many of the comments on the video attempted to affix blame for the ice melting on Kelsey assuming that she had left the cooler lid open.
Mommabear 3.0 (@mommabear3.0) wrote, “Did you close the lid?”
Another viewer commented, “You have to close the lid,” while another chimed in with, “Pro tip: close the lid.”
Kelsey responded, “Yes it stays closed. It might get opened maybe 2-3 times a day. I opened it to show y’all.”
She also posted two follow-up videos, insisting that she did keep the top closed.
Dylan (@dillydoodles) commented, “Doesn’t matter if it’s a Yeti if you leave that much space in any cooler. Get the size cooler you want for how much you plan to carry, and half of it should be ice. Pre-chill everything.”
A video by The Saltwater Experience fishing vlog on YouTube presents several tips for ensuring your cooler keeps its ice frozen for as long as possible. These include pre-chilling both the cooler (inside or with a “sacrificial” bag of ice) as well as refraining from putting cans or other items into the cooler that have not been prechilled in a refrigerator or freezes.
They also point out that it is ideal to eliminate as much airspace as possible in the cooler. “Fill it up with ice, fill it up with more contents, fill it up with whatever you can, and eliminate all dead air space.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kelsey via TikTok comment.
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