This Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer is a product from the renowned electronics company Wagan. The aim of this article is to provide all the information you would need to make an informed decision about this particular personal cooler in one place. We would, however, start with a brief history of the brand Wagan and all the values the brand represents.
Wagan Has been in business for over 35 years and in that time they have gotten a lot of acclaim for their many achievements. With their innovative designs, they have made life easier for thousands of people by creating durable and practical products. Their goods are, however, have a unique fingerprint offering a blend of practicality and style. Their location in Silicon Valley keeps them at the center of innovation and design.
There are a lot of products manufactured by this brand including 12V Refrigerators, Solar products, electronics, and even products for health and fitness. With this brand having branches all over the world, its high-quality products can easily be distributed.
Continue reading this review to learn more about this Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer.
Table of Contents
Who Needs the Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer?
If you are looking for a cooler to keep your drink cold without the mess that ice packs come with. Or perhaps you just need a warmer that can keep your lunch warm and toasty. You’ve definitely come to the right place because this cooler combines both of these amazing features. This means it allows you cool food and drink or heat the same up depending on your personal preferences.
The Wagan 14-Liter 12V cooler has a lot of amazing features that would suit your various needs as diverse as they may be. This cooler is an ideal travel companion whether in the hot summers when you need to quench your thirst with cold drinks. It would also come in handy during the cold winters when you need to keep your food and drink piping hot.
This cooler’s functions are not limited to these and it could also be used to keep medicine or vaccines cool. It can also be used by nursing mothers to preserve milk and heat it up when necessary. The many uses can’t be exhausted and users can get as creative as possible with this cooler.
Its large capacity allows you to put as much food as you want but at the same time, its practical design and the fact that it doesn’t need additional ice means it is not bulky. There is also the carry-on strap that makes moving the cooler around very easy.
If you are looking for the perfect gift for your loved one or you want to start saving money and time by carrying around your drinks and lunches instead of constantly buying out, then this is the perfect cooler for you. This is because this cooler allows you to do both keeping the food and drink at your desired temperatures.
Read on to learn more about the cool feature of this cooler and decide whether or not it’s what you have been looking for.
Features of the Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer
Efficient Cooling and Heating
One of the features we love so much about this cooler is that it functions excellently and is able to cool or heat your food and drink just as advertised. It also does this making minimal noises which we feel is a huge plus.
By plugging your cooler to a power source either AC or DC and powering the cooler you can begin using your portable cooling unit. Being a thermoelectric cooler, its cooling is dependent on the ambient temperature (the temperature of the environment). That being said, your cooler can still cool food and drink as low as which is enough to make your food and drink cold. We do advise that you pre-cool your items before placing them in the cooler for a better cooling experience.
This cooler can also be used to heat up lunches, or soups, or tea and coffee or keep food hot depending on your particular needs. It is able to heat food and drink up to 140 F . This means you get to enjoy food and drink as hot as you desire. This is very important when it is cold outside and you really need the added warmth.
You can switch between the two modes i.e cooling and heating, easily just by flipping a switch. Luckily, there are also indicator lights to let you know which mode your cooler is in and so you can avoid unpleasant surprises. It would be really horrible to open your cooler expecting a cold drink but finding all your beer or soda very hot. That would be a really disappointing and saddening situation which is why we are happy about the indicator lights even though it seems like a trivial feature.
Practical Design
This cooler was designed to be as practicable as possible and this is definitely evident in how all the features complement each other to give the best user experience.
The cooler’s exterior has a short and wide design this gives the cooler balance and makes it steady. At the same time, is clearly practicable exterior design doesn’t compromise its interior. And it still offers a generous capacity while being stable and portable enough to fit almost anywhere in your vehicle while occupying as little space as possible.
It can be placed either on the floor of your vehicle or buckled down on your car seat. So you can go on your trip without worrying about your cooler tipping over and its contents spilling. This unit also comes with two cup holders on the lid which can be used to keep your bottles or open cans and more while you are on the road in such a way that you can easily access them.
Generous Capacity
This functional cooling and heating unit offers a great amount of space and is able to hold quite an amount of food and drink. Its 14-Liter capacity, allows it to fit up to 12 cans of soda in it which is essentially two six-packs.
Thanks to its practical design, it can also hold larger bottles and cans. Therefore, wine bottles and 2-Liter bottles can fit inside this cooler. We are surprised and thrilled to hear this as one would guess this was possible from just looking at the exterior of the cooler.
Versatile Cooler
This portable cooler comes with a long DC power cable which can be used to connect your cooler to your cars power source and this cable is long enough to extend to the back seat of your vehicle and perhaps even your trunk depending on the vehicle.
You could also purchase the AC adapter which sadly, doesn’t come together with the portable cooler. With the AC adapter, you have the option of powering your cooler in your hotel or motel rooms while you are on trips. It can also be used in your home, office, or dorm rooms, essentially anywhere that has an AC power source.
There is a built-in storage area at the rear of the cooler which can be opened and closed to store your power cables when they are not in use. This is really awesome because the power cord which is detachable could easily be misplaced or worse, forgotten at home when you go on a trip.
Environment –Friendly
One of the things we look out for in a cooler is if it contains chemicals and refrigerants that may be harmful to the environment. This cooler checks out on our test as it contains zero harmful substances and its parts do not wear out easily meaning this cooler is durable and long-lasting
It doesn’t consume a lot of energy which we think is a really cool feature. But don’t take our word for it because your vehicle’s battery and your electricity bill will definitely thank you for this purchase.
This cooler is a thermoelectric model, meaning it is not as noisy as other coolers that use compressor technology. It, however, is not the quietest cooler out there and still makes a low hum which will be drowned out almost completely when your engine is running. It would, however, be quite noticeable if you are running it in a quiet place and it may not be an ideal refrigerator for your bedroom if you are a light sleeper.
Style and Convenience
One thing we love about this cooler is that it combines style, practicality, and durability. It is also easy to operate and it has a number of accessories that make its use better.
Its adjustable shoulder strap allows you easily carry your personal cooler from one place to another even when it is full. It also comes with a seat belt strap which is great news because you don’t have to worry about your cooler moving around on your seat or toppling over after every bump on the road.
Pros of the Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer
i. Environment-friendly
ii. Dual function
iii. Efficient cooling and heating
iv. Compact and portable Unit
v. Practical design
vi. It comes with a seatbelt strap so it can be safely placed and strapped to the seat
vii. Style and Convenience
viii. Lightweight Cooler
Cons of the Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer
i. It doesn’t come with an AC power cable; it has to be bought separately.
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Alternatives to the Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer
Smaller Capacity
Wagan 6-Quart 12V Personal Cooler/Warmer
This Wagan 7-liter cooler just like other products from this great brand is durable and functional. It is also a personal cooler thus, it is compact portable, and lightweight. This Wagan cooler also comes with an adjustable shoulder strap which makes it very easy to move it around.
It is worthy of note that this cooler is less expensive than the aforementioned Wagan 14 cooler. This doesn’t really come as a surprise to us, because it nearly half its size.
Larger Capacity
Wagan 24-Liter Portable 12V Cooler and Warmer
There were a few complaints about the Wagan 14-liter personal cooler’s size especially pertaining to the size of bottles that could conveniently fit in it. This Wagan 24- Liter Portable 12V Cooler and warmer is the perfect solution to this problem.
It is a product from the Wagan brand which means it has the same quality as the other Wagan cooler as well as additional space and other features. This cooker is easy to use and comes with an AC adapter, so you can use your cooler in your home, office, hotel, etc. It is more expensive than the Wagan personal cooler which is expected due to its larger size.
More High-End Option
Dometic Tropicool 35-Quart 12V Cooler/ Warmer
If you are looking for a cooler with a larger capacity with high tech features from a reputable brand, This Dometic cooler is an ideal alternative. This powerful thermoelectric cooler functions so well that it is often compared with some compressor models.
It is energy-efficient and environment-friendly with a lid that is detachable. What we love most about this cooler, is its seven-stage temperature regulation not only for cooling but for heating as well. It is really cool that you can monitor and determine the temperature in your cooler. You should keep in mind that it is a bit heavy and that might be a deal-breaker for some.
Quick Comparison
| Featured Product | More affordable | Larger Capacity | More High-End | |
| Product |
Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer
|
Wagan 6-Quart 12V Personal Cooler/Warmer
|
Wagan 24-Liter Portable 12V Cooler and Warmer
|
Dometic Tropicool 35-Quart 12V Cooler/ Warmer
|
| Capacity | 14-Liters/ | 7-Liters/ 9cans | 27cans/ 24-Liters | 33-Liters |
| Dimensions | 12 inches x 8.25 inches x 5.5 inches | 24.5 inches x 15.6 inches x 16.8 inches | 11 inches x 8 inches x 12 inches | 22.4 inches x 20.3 inches x 15.3 inches |
| Features | Adjustable shoulder strap
Dual cup-holder |
Adjustable Carry-On strap, Dual cup holder | Heavy-duty single handle | Magnetic lock and Seven stage temperature regulator |
| Function | Cooler/ Warmer | Fridge/Warmer | Cooler/Warmer | Fridge/ Warmer |
| Available Sizes | 14-Liters | 7-Liters | 24-Liters | 14-Liters,
20-Liters, 33-Liters |
| Available Colors | Grey | Black | Blue | Grey, Green |
What Users are Saying About the Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer
The general consensus around this Wagan portable cooler is that it is excellent with its functions exceeding many of the users’ expectations. There was a lot of talk about its size being perfect. It is large enough to contain a whole lot of food and drink and can even contain bottles and. At the same time, its large interior did not compromise its portability and compactness. And being able to fit easily in the middle of your back seat, it also served as an armrest for some of the users.
Another great feature this cooler has it its ability to cool food and drink really quickly to low temperatures. Its efficient cooling is also done quietly and only minimal operation noises are audible. It also has a heating function that can be used to warm food, soups, and drinks.
On the flip side, just like every other thing in life, this cooler has a number of drawbacks. A lot of the users were not too thrilled about having to purchase an additional AC power cord. The cup holders while very useful, are a bit small and can’t contain larger cups or bottles which was a bummer for some of the users. They also felt it would be better if the cooler had an interior light, to make it easier to use the cooler at night.
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Our Verdict
The judges have brought in the results and when it comes to portable thermoelectric coolers this Wagan cooling unit is definitely a winner. Its cooling, stylish exterior, size, and accessories all come together to give an effect.
This unit’s cooling is quite impressive and even though it is a thermoelectric cooler, its cooling is almost at par with compressor models. Its powerful cooling is also done quietly and this cooler only makes a low hum that wouldn’t be noticeable in a car. However, if you plan to run it in your bedroom or office it wouldn’t be advisable if you have a low noise tolerance.
This cooler is definitely a game-changer and the perfect companion for road trips. Whether you’re a breastfeeding mother, a truck driver, a vet or doctor, or even just a constant traveler, this cooler has something for you and at an affordable price too.
All in all, we believe it’s a good buy which is why we recommend this Wagan 14-Liter Portable 12V Cooler/ Warmer to you.
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