YOU ARE HERE >> AmazingRibs » Ratings & Reviews » Ratings Reviews And Buying Guides » AmazingRibs.com Gift Guide for BBQ and Grilling » BBQ Gifts Under $500 » Kong 50 Quart Cooler Review
In the market for a quality high-end cooler? The Kong 50-quart cooler is a great option.
A relatively new player in the cooler field, Elkhart Products only began making and distributing Kong rotomolded coolers in early summer 2017. Elkhart, one of America’s largest custom rotational molding companies has over 30 years’ experience manufacturing custom and on-the-shelf plastic water and holding tanks and other molded products. Like the Cabela’s cooler we reviewed here, when the lid closes you hear a noticeable hiss as the interior is pressurized.
These coolers feature multiple tie-down points, multiple rotomolded pass-throughs, a clever system of multiple watertight compartments separated by dividers which double as cutting boards, molded lock eyelets,and a dual breather, rapid drain system. They are BPA free and include multiple holes for locking.
The Kong is available in four color schemes, and are IGBC (Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee) certified against destruction by grizzly bears.
Test Details:
Ice retention. Ice lasted for 12.5 days.
Heat retention. Ham temperature dropped to 145˚F in 4 hrs.
Leakage/Dropped Damage. Did not leak when turned over on its side or top, or dropped from pickup truck, with only light abrasions on two corners and one side.
Hinges, latches and lid. Features top down pressure applying latches, and the lid is comfortable and safe to either sit or stand on.
Drain efficiency and speed. :50 seconds, with no water remaining. Drain plug has no attaching lanyard and could be misplaced.
Handles. Rigid, padded molded Bearpaw™ handles fold out of the way.
Dimensions. 30.5”L x 17.2”W x 17”H
Weight. 32 lbs.
Extras. “Krush Guards” (rubber devices to prevent a dropped lid from smashing fingers). Cooler can be divided into three compartments. When placed against a wall, the Kong lid still can open to 45˚ without moving the base.
Cost. Approx. $269.
Warranty. Limited lifetime warranty.
Manufacturer:
Kong Coolers are a USA based manufacturer. That means they own and operate the factories our premium hardsided KONG Coolers get crafted in.
Since the 1980’s, Kong been working on products that have to retain rigidity, durability, and most importantly – temperature. It started with massive containers used to store the catch on frigid Alaskan crabbing vessels. According to Kong that’s pretty much the toughest environment on earth. Since then, we’ve worked in countless industries that require precision design, engineering, and manufacturing.
Published On: 3/20/2018 Last Modified: 3/5/2021
Rick Browne does product testing and recipes. A renowned TV cooking show host, photojournalist, and author of 16 barbecue books, he was the creator, host, and executive producer of public television’s popular Barbecue America TV series, a cooking and travelogue highlighting the world’s outdoor culinary landscape. It has aired on more than 230 stations.
Browne has [...]
All of the products below have been tested and are highly recommended. Click here to read more about our review process.
Many merchants pay us a small referral fee when you click our “buy now” links. This has zero impact on the price you pay but helps support the site.
When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first then the herbs and spices because salt penetrates deep and the other stuff remains on the surface. So thick cuts need more salt. We put salt in these bottled rubs because all commercial rubs have salt and consumers expect it. You can still use these as a dry brine, just sprinkle the rub on well in advance to give the salt time to penetrate. For very thick cuts of meat, we recommend adding a bit more salt. Salt appears first in the ingredients list because the law says the order is by weight, not volume, and salt is a heavy rock.
Sprinkle on one tablespoon per pound of meat two hours or more before cooking if you can. Called “dry brining,” the salt gets wet, ionizes, becomes a brine, and slowly penetrates deep, enhancing flavor and juiciness while building a nice crusty “bark” on the surface. Sprinkle some on at the table too!
Are they hot? No! You can always add hot pepper flakes or Chipotle powder (my fave) in advance or at the table. But we left them mild so you can serve them to kids and Aunt Matilda
From TBoneJack, the unofficial Poet Laureate of The Pitmaster Club:
AmazingRibs is where you go,
To get the best advice,
You’ll find out how, to smoke a cow,
And it will turn out nice.
Smokers, gadgets, recipes,
Charcoal, gas, or wood?
The how, the why, and what to try,
When things arn’t going good.
Selection, prep, and cook techniques,
Marinades and such,
Rubs and brines and temps and times,
And how to use the Crutch.
Brisket secrets are revealed,
For moist and tender meat,
The point, the flat, the rendered fat,
The proper mix of heat.
I found out how to smoke spare ribs,
Great bark and taste and worth,
I want some more, I’ll have them for,
My last meal on this Earth.
Memphis Dust did suit them well,
I served them without sauce,
Not 3-2-1, not overdone,
No precious flavor loss.
Jambo, Lang, or Meadow Creek,
It’s hard to make the call,
Almost a crime, so little time,
I’d like to try them all.
I’m not ashamed, I’m not alone,
‘Cause many have this lot,
But I’ll admit, here in the Pit,
My wife said Not! Not! Not!
Weber, Brinkman, PBC,
No need for budget breach,
They cook great food, just ask me dude,
‘Cause I have one of each.
Obsessed I am, I know it’s true,
They call it MCS,
I saw the doc, he was in shock,
He too is in this mess.
Myron Mixon, Johnny Trigg,
Cool Smoke’s Tuffy Stone,
Harry Soo, Chris Lilly too,
And Moe who cooks alone.
They’re all good, I like them fine,
I’m sure they cook good Q,
They’ve earned the right, I see the light,
I’ll give them their fair due,
But I have learned, thru many cooks,
This web site is da bomb,
For what to do, browse over to,
AmazingRibs dot com.
Tired of seeing popup ads?
No need to throw a fit,
Don’t you know, just spend some dough,
And join us in the Pit.
And if you travel, don’t despair,
No further should you look,
The answer’s clear, put down your beer,
And order Meathead’s book.
High quality websites are expensive to run. If you help us, we’ll pay you back bigtime with an ad-free experience and a lot of freebies!
Millions come to AmazingRibs.com every month for high quality tested recipes, tips on technique, science, mythbusting, product reviews, and inspiration. But it is expensive to run a website with more than 2,000 pages and we don’t have a big corporate partner to subsidize us.
Our most important source of sustenance is people who join our Pitmaster Club. But please don’t think of it as a donation. Members get MANY great benefits. We block all third-party ads, we give members free ebooks, magazines, interviews, webinars, more recipes, a monthly sweepstakes with prizes worth up to $2,000, discounts on products, and best of all a community of like-minded cooks free of flame wars. Click below to see all the benefits, take a free 30 day trial, and help keep this site alive.
Post comments and questions below
1) Please try the search box at the top of every page before you ask for help.
2) Try to post your question to the appropriate page.
3) Tell us everything we need to know to help such as the type of cooker and thermometer. Dial thermometers are often off by as much as 50°F so if you are not using a good digital thermometer we probably can’t help you with time and temp questions. Please read this article about thermometers.
4) If you are a member of the Pitmaster Club, your comments login is probably different.
5) Posts with links in them may not appear immediately.
Moderators