My cooler is more impressive than the majority. It’s also a speaker system.

My cooler is the $149.99 Igloo KoolTunes Playmate Cooler, a 14-quart hard-shell cooler with integrated speakers. It’s a 2020s revival of a similar cooler-boombox duo Igloo launched in 1989, featuring the same nostalgic design, but now equipped with wireless Bluetooth capabilities.

I first came across the KoolTunes in 2023 while on the hunt for pink gadgets for a Barbiecore gift guide. I’ve often pondered why I’ve never encountered one in person: it merges two summer must-haves into one charming, handy item; it seems ideal for beach outings and tailgates. Is it just poorly advertised, or is it an impractical gimmick?

After using the KoolTunes at a recent lakeside picnic, I’m inclined to think it’s the former. The KoolTunes keeps snacks and drinks chilled while delivering reasonable sound quality (though it lacks some bass). It’s a fun, practical novelty item that I enjoy so much that I believe it merits a Mashable Choice Award. Spread the word.

Igloo KoolTunes review: Design and features

The KoolTunes is a variant of Igloo’s timeless plastic Playmate design available in vaporwave color schemes. It features a built-in handle and a tent-top lid that opens when you press a button on its side. It can conveniently hold a 12-pack of cans alongside a standard seven-pound bag of ice. It’s rated IP56 for protection against dust and larger splashes, making it suitable for outdoor use—just avoid submerging it in water.

For my picnic, I filled the KoolTunes with a charcuterie board for my husband and myself (plus some drinks) on ice. We enjoyed it outside for two hours in humid 80-degree Fahrenheit weather before heading back home. After unpacking our leftover snacks, I left the KoolTunes on the counter, still packed with solid ice, to observe how quickly its contents would melt. A number of ice chunks were still present even after 24 hours. They would have melted quicker if I’d left the KoolTunes out in direct sunlight all day, but I’m confident it can keep drinks cold for at least an entire afternoon in the heat.

There are two saucer-sized 5W speakers located on the front of the KoolTunes. On the back, you’ll discover a control panel featuring physical buttons for power, Bluetooth pairing, and volume; a USB-C port for charging (concealed beneath a rubbery flap); and an indicator light. The light turns blue when the KoolTunes pairs with your smartphone, green when it’s fully charged, and red during charging. It flashes blue when in pairing mode and turns red when the battery is low. (Note: I haven’t yet tested the KoolTunes’ battery life, but Igloo claims it can last up to 10 hours per charge. I’ll update this review once I’ve confirmed it.)

The KoolTunes comes with a three-foot USB-C charging cable, but you’ll need to provide your own USB adapter.

The KoolTunes connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth 5.0. That standard is quite outdated—it was introduced in 2016; in 2025, we’ll be on Bluetooth 6.1—but I doubt most users will mind. (The latest Apple iPhone still uses Bluetooth 5.3 from 2021.) The KoolTunes paired almost instantly with my iPhone 15 Pro at startup and remembered the device the next time I powered it on; re-pairing wasn’t necessary. Additionally, I managed to walk the distance of three Chicago city lots without losing connection, indicating it has a wireless range of at least 100 feet.

The KoolTunes features a “KoolSync” function that allows you to share its audio with a second KoolTunes. (It’s only compatible with its kind, not other portable speakers.) Igloo inadvertently sent me two review units, which gave me the chance to test this mode myself. It’s not groundbreaking, but it works as intended. If you find yourself at the same cookout or pool party as another KoolTunes user, you can create a DIY stereo setup.

Igloo KoolTunes review: Sound quality

Honestly, I mainly expected the KoolTunes to excel at the “cooler” aspect of its description since Igloo isn’t in the audio business. But surprisingly, it actually performs reasonably well as a portable speaker too.

Perhaps it’s due to my daily routine involving testing laptops, which typically sound—if I may be blunt—terrible. However, I genuinely believe the KoolTunes’ audio is refreshingly clear and crisp, not tinny or muffled. Music played through it sounded well-balanced, while voices on podcasts remained distortion-free.

I’ll add three disclaimers. One is that the KoolTunes’ sound primarily projects forward,