I’ve got a new travelling companion, one that accompanies me on those trips away from the creature comforts of my home.
She blows a bit hot and cold, but that’s actually a plus point in this instance.
I am, of course, referring to the electric cool box currently sold by Halfords.
If, like me, your food and drink are part and parcel of your fishing, then you’re going to like this….not only does the Halfords Cool Box act in a similar way to a fridge, for when you need those cold beverages, but a simple flick of the switch will see it turn into a food warmer, enabling you to have warm food on those cold winter sessions – perfect!
There are two sizes available, the 28 litre and the 18 litre and each comes with a 12v cigarette lighter adaptor, which will keep your food at the right temperature for at least 8 hours. A separate charger can be purchased for home use.
Both models have been designed to take a standard 2 litre bottle and the 28 litre model can be used either in the conventional format, or upright, like a fridge. For this purpose, it has a handy shelf. The colouring and overall appearance is pretty stylish and the 28 litre model makes a handy table for one, too!
Now for the good bit…Halfords are offering both models at a reduced price until September 2000, with the 28 litre model at £99.99 and the 18 litre model at £69.99. That’s a saving of £25 and £20 respectively on the normal price.
When I went to pick this cool box up, the mountain that had originally been delivered to the store had been well and truly eaten into, as these cool boxes appeal to a multitude of the population. If you want one, we’d advise getting one before the next heatwave, or you may not beat the rush!
The Halfords online store has just gone live at the time of writing. Click on the logo to see it develop. At the moment, the cool box is only available through the stores, but this may well change soon as the website programmers race to get the Halfords product range added to their fast growing site.
Other items that may benefit the (sometimes messy!) angler include Heavy Duty Car Seat Covers, which retail from £24.99 and a Boot Protector, which is guaranteed to make life easier for customers with a muck boot. The non-slip mat retails from £29.99, which could well be worth it just for the decrease in time spent cleaning up after each fishing session!
Elton Murphy
06/08/00
UPDATE: 15/03/03 – We’ve been informed by a site visitor that this cool box is now £129.99
UPDATE(sent in by a visitor): 16/01/04 – “The one you reviewed isn’t actually exactly the same as the one Halfords now sell. How do I know? well I work for them!
The price is also £99.99 at the moment, but went right down to £69.99 last year, and I expect it will this year as well.
There’s also a small 7 litre one in the range now, that is just big enough for a couple of cans of drink, and a bit of lunch. Also has a handy shoulder strap to carry it with.
You can buy the 7 litre one on-line
http://www.halfords.com/opd_product_details.asp?id=17186 ”
