ACOPOWER LiON Pro Cooler Review: You Can Power it with a Solar Panel!
When you think of powered coolers and portable fridges, ACOPOWER might not be the first name that comes to mind, but they’ve actually built a pretty strong reputation off the back of their Tesla console and trunk fridges.
However, this brand does a lot more than just make products for Teslas. As it turns out, one of their standout products is actually the ACOPOWER LiON Pro Cooler, a 12V portable fridge that offers more than just cold drinks on a hot day. Not only do you have the option to buy it with a built-in battery, you can even get it with a highly-portable folding solar panel, so you can keep it running even if you don’t have an outlet anywhere near you.
So, let's dive into this review and see what makes this cooler unique and, more importantly, see how it stacks up against the competition.
Quick Breakdown of the Specs and Features
The ACOPOWER LiON Pro Cooler is a relatively lightweight, portable 12-volt fridge-freezer. Weighing in at just 32.8 pounds for the 40L model, it’s surprisingly easy to carry for an electric cooler. It even passed the always-popular “Tiny Baby Lift Test” with flying colors, so you’re not going to be struggling with this thing when you go to lift it in and out of your vehicle.
The LiON Pro is a single-zone unit, meaning there aren’t internal compartments with differing temperatures. With that said, the temperature range goes from 58°F to -4°F, so you have plenty of flexibility for different cooling needs.
It’s available in three capacity sizes—a 30L model, a 40L, and, the big poppa, a 50L version. We tested out the 40L version, which can hold an impressive 53 cans of your favorite drinks. Since, unlike traditional coolers, you can remove ice from the equation, you get a huge amount of interior space.
Whether you’re heading out on a camping trip with food and drinks, need cold storage for a remote business, like a food truck, or you just need to fill a cooler for your kid’s soccer practice, you get more than enough interior space for your needs.
If you go with the battery version of the LiON Pro Cooler, you get a removable 192.4W lithium battery, which can be charged in three different ways: via a standard 120V AC wall outlet, a 12V car charging cable, or directly with solar power from the optional 90W foldable solar panel. The battery itself is really cool. It has input and output ports, meaning you can use it to charge your devices. While it doesn’t have a huge storage capacity, it’s nice to know you could give your phone or Bluetooth speaker a quick charge if you were low on battery.
If you do opt for the solar panel, it is capable of charging the battery in about 2 hours, so it makes for a nifty addition. As you can imagine, having a completely self-sufficient cooler is incredibly useful for off-grid adventures. This means no more leaving your campsite to get more ice—you can just sit back and enjoy ice-cold drinks no matter where you are.
In terms of the cost, the cooler is priced at $538 without the battery, and $758 for the battery version, which brings it close to the price of the Anker EverFrost, which we’ll compare it to in more detail later.
The Design and Functionality
After playing around with it for a while, we came to realize that the thing that really makes the LiON Pro Cooler stand out is how simple the design is. It’s really intuitive and straightforward, while still retaining a lot of functionality.
Unlike some of the larger and bulkier competitors, like the Anker EverFrost, this cooler looks and feels like a standard icebox-style cooler, but with some extra weight and a lot of added perks. The compact size makes it easy to lift, carry, and fit into a trunk or truck bed. Plus, it comes with a suitcase-style retractable handle and a pair of cup holders for added convenience. The battery compartment is easily accessible, allowing you to swap out batteries when needed, something that is ideal for longer trips. You can also pull it out to function as a basic powerblock, which is really handy.
Another cool feature is the removable lid, which makes loading and cleaning it a total breeze. Inside the LiON Pro, ACOPOWER made the most of the available space, providing ample storage despite the relatively small footprint. There’s even a built-in bottle opener attached to the front, so you’ll never be caught struggling to crack a cold one on your camping trips, tailgate parties, or your backyard BBQs.
Another great feature is the cooler’s compatibility with a smartphone app. While it doesn’t offer anything overly ground-breaking, the app does allow you to adjust the temperature settings and monitor battery life from your phone—a nice touch for those who like to keep an eye on their gear from a distance. It’s also a huge plus if you’re driving, as you can start to cool down your drinks as you get close to your destination, allowing you to use less of the stored power.
Real-World Testing: How Does it Hold Up?
After spending some time testing out the LiON Pro’s basic features, we wanted to see how it would actually hold up to real-world scenarios, so we ran a few different tests that we felt replicated the typical demands of a powered cooler.
The Cool Down Testing:
So, how does the LiON Pro Cooler actually stand up to real-world testing? ACOPOWER claims the internal temperature can drop from 68°F to -4°F in about 20 minutes. But when we tested that out, we found some pretty different results.
From a starting temperature of 62°F, it took about 1 hour and 58 minutes to reach just 5°F, which isn’t horrible, but far from the type of performance that was advertised. Another performance issue was the fact it really struggled to dip below 5°F. The truth is, we just gave up after waiting nearly two full hours.
If you’re heading out to the beach or a campsite and forget to cool it beforehand, you won’t be able to see ice-cold temperatures in a flash. Instead, you’ll have to remember to prepare in advance, which is where the app could come in handy.
Insulation Testing:
One area where it really did shine was how capable it is of staying cool once it gets down to those icy temperatures. It just holds its chill really effectively. A good cooler should be able to hold in the cold, even if it is a powered cooler. If you run out of battery power, don’t have access to an outlet, or you don’t have any solar panels available, it should still be able to keep the food and drink items inside of it cold for at least a few hours.
Basically, we wanted to test the insulation and see how well it performed over time. To do so, we decided to leave a bag of ice inside of it for 18 hours, then checked to see how the ice looked after nearly an entire day. The LiON Pro Cooler passed with flying colors—the ice was still intact. Sure, it had melted a bit, but there was still plenty of solid ice left in the bag, which is a great sign, especially given that we ran this test while the cooler wasn’t running.
As a control, we ran the same test using a standard plastic Coleman cooler and an identical bag of ice—the results with the Coleman were terrible. After 18 hours, the bag of ice was pretty much just a bag of slushy water.
Testing Power Consumption:
When we tested the cooler’s power consumption, we found it uses about 85-90 watts when charging the battery and 35 watts when running directly off a power source, which is awesome. It’s impressively efficient, which is great news for anyone looking to pair it with a portable power station for long-lasting off-grid performance
Comparisons: ACOPOWER LiON Pro vs. Anker EverFrost
We mentioned earlier that we previously tested out the Anker EverFrost, so we wanted to see how the two powered coolers stacked up when pitted against each other.
The Anker EverFrost is a direct competitor to the LiON Pro Cooler, and it sets a high bar. Priced at $849 for the 40L version, it’s more expensive than the ACOPOWER 40L, which will run you $758. However, the EverFrost offers a 299Wh battery compared to the LiON Pro’s smaller 192.4Wh. This means you get a much longer run time with the Anker cooler.
The Anker EverFrost also has a more premium feel that’s also backed up with sturdier components, including wheels that don’t feel wobbly. It also comes with a pretty handy fold-up side prep tray, which we feel is a really practical feature. In our opinion, the EverFrost is bulkier and more expensive, but we think it also comes out on top when it comes to the design, durability, and overall sense of quality.
On the other hand, the LiON Pro Cooler is no slouch. It definitely scores points for its lighter, more compact design, as well as its cheaper price point.
The decision ultimately comes down to personal preference—if you want more power and premium features, go with the Anker EverFrost. But if you’re looking to save some cash and you have space limitations, the ACOPOWER LiON Pro Cooler is also a really solid choice. They both work really well, have the same charging options, and for what you get, they’re reasonably priced.
What We Didn't Like
As you know by now, we almost always find some sort of issue with just about every product we test. Since transparency is huge for us, we think it’s really important that we share that information with you.
So, while the LiON Pro Cooler has a lot going for it, we did find a few drawbacks. For starters, the wheels were a big disappointment. They’re wobbly, poorly aligned, and don’t roll smoothly at all. In fact, they rub against the unit when you’re pulling it. This just seems like a really sloppy design oversight. It’s far from a total deal breaker, but we wish they put a bit more time into nailing the design.
Another downside is the black color scheme. For a cooler meant to be used in the sun with solar panels, the dark color will absorb heat, which has to impact the internal temperature and reduce the efficiency. Lighter colors, like those on the ICECO GO20 (another cooler in the same category), would help keep the interior at colder temperatures for longer.
Finally, the 192.4Wh battery feels underpowered, especially when you’re talking about the bigger 50L version, which uses the exact same battery. A larger battery would be nice, and it really would have been helpful if they at least offered it for the bigger models.
Our Final Thoughts: Should You Buy the LiON Pro Cooler?
If you’re currently using a cheap, non-powered cooler and are looking for an upgrade, or you’re just sick of constantly buying ice, the ACOPOWER LiON Pro Cooler is definitely well-worth consideration. It offers solid performance, efficient cooling, and has the added benefit of solar compatibility. The removable battery is also pretty slick, and allows you to charge devices in scenarios where you might not have access to an outlet, like when you’re at the beach, or camping off-grid.
While it has a few flaws—like the wobbly wheels and questionable color choice—it still delivers where it counts. Overall, it gets a thumbs up from us, and we feel pretty comfortable recommending it.
If you’re torn between this and a competitor, like the Anker EverFrost, the decision really comes down to personal preference and your budget. They’re both great products, so you can’t really go wrong.
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