Rubbermaid Gott Marine Cooler Review – An Affordable Ice Chest From The Pioneers

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Today, we’re going to look at a real pioneer of the industry with our Gott cooler review. If you were around before 1985, then you’ve heard of the Gott brand. They used to make very nice coolers with excellent features and guaranteed durability for people on a budget.

They eventually got acquired by Rubbermaid in 1985, which we’ll be talking about in a moment. However, their coolers are still a marvel.

The Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler is actually an advancement on the conventional Rubbermaid marine cooler. Yes, there are two of them: one is simply the Rubbermaid marine cooler, and the other is the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler. Don’t worry about the conventional one; everything it has, the Gott version has it better. And it’s affordable too!


History Lesson

Gott saw its inception in 1916. Henry P. Gott manufactured a water cooler made out of metal that could endure the harsh conditions of oil fields. The company itself got incorporated in 1963.

In 1985, this company was acquired by Rubbermaid Inc. Perhaps Rubbermaid’s story is even more interesting. It started as a dustpan manufacturing company in 1933 under the auspices of James R. Caldwell.

They started out by making rubber dustpans in the midst of The Great Depression and selling them at a dollar each. The product, along with 29 other products they came up with at the same time, saw massive success.

It was in 1934 that Caldwell’s company merged with The Wooster Rubber Company in Cleveland, Ohio. The group still adopted the name ‘The Wooster Rubber Company,’ however, and didn’t change its name to ‘Rubbermaid Inc.’ until 1957.

Rubbermaid gained a knack for acquiring other companies in markets it had an interest in both locally and internationally, starting in the 1970s. Rubbermaid went on to acquire Gott in 1985, soon changing the name of their coolers into Rubbermaid Gott coolers.

They basically kept the design and engineering of the coolers and only slightly extended the options by adding extra colors and sizes. That way, their customer base could enjoy the coolers they had grown to love.

Today, we’ll be looking at the Rubbermaid Gott cooler. We’ll see what sets this cooler apart.


Gott Cooler Review


Build and Construction

When you’re making a 100+ quart cooler, structural stability is your greatest priority. It’s not just about the plastic used to make the body; the handles need to be strong to carry the weight as well. The 102-quart Gott Marine Cooler can carry 170 pounds of fish with 30 pounds of ice. This is the equivalent of 156 cans and ice. That is a heavy load!

Rubbermaid has tried to make it work. They didn’t put conventional handles on this cooler. They fit in molded handles that are extra wide. Now, despite that, the handles are still made out of plastic, which makes them something of a weak point in the long run.

However, they are still stronger than most. We also wish a cooler this large could have wheels. It would make the difficult task of transportation much easier.

The liner is easy to clean and both stain and odor resistant. Since this is a marine cooler (more of them here), we expect a lot of people will use it when they go out fishing. The last thing you need in your cooler is the odor of last week’s fish, so kudos to them for that. The plastic is also BPA free, and FDA approved, which basically just means it’s safe for your food.

The lid is perfectly sturdy and comes with stainless steel hinges. This is expected, considering a cooler of this size is likely to be a makeshift seat. In fact, the lid of the 150 quarts Rubbermaid Gott Marine Cooler can hold two adults.

The lid also has a strong stainless still lid latch and a strap for added durability. For quality, we’ll give it a rating of 4.5.

Standard vs. Gott Marine Coolers

What makes the difference here are the freezer packs for the lid slots – Gott option has them included. Gott coolers also have stainless steel hinges and a stainless steel lid latch instead of standard plastic hinges and a plastic lid latch.

Gott Cooler Features

  • Extra thick insulation keeps ice up to 7 days at 90° F
  • Rugged built-in extra wide handles allow for two handled access
  • Stain and odor resistant, easy-to-clean liner and threaded drain plug
  • Sturdy lid can provide extra seating
  • Built-in cup holders fit 12-oz cans and 20-oz bottles
  • Latchable, hinged lid for secure close
  • Works with Rubbermaid Refreeze and Iceolater bottles
  • Made in USA

rubbermaid gott marine cooler

gott ice chest

gott cooler

gott coolers sale

 


Ice Chest and Ice Retention

The insulation on the Gott ice chest is something else. It’s extra thick and, according to the Rubbermaid website, can retain ice for up to 7.5 days in 90-degree conditions. Well, in good sportsmanlike fashion, we decided to test these claims and see for ourselves.

We took the 102-quart Gott Marine Cooler fishing and packed in as much fish as we could, plus some ice. We were out there for 4 days, frequently opening and closing the lid to take stuff out and put more stuff in.

When the four days were over, we had a look inside and, sure enough, there was some ice left. The bottom line: it's good, not the best but still very good. Based on that, we’re giving it an ice retention rating of 4.5.

4 half stars

There’s another aspect of the ice chest’s design that we loved in particular: The 3 refreeze bottles fitted into the lid as well as the 2 Iceolator bottles in the ice chest. These ones really enhance the ice retention time of the cooler when they’re full, so be sure to use them. The lid also needs a bit of pressure to make sure it’s properly sealed.

TIP: To maximize ice retention get some extra ice packs. Here are top 5 cooler ice packs we recommend.


Features

The main features included in this cooler have already been mentioned in the sections above. The extra wide handles are something we really liked. Each handle is wide enough that you can carry it with 2 hands. That makes carrying the wheelless cooler much easier.

We also love the extra Iceolator bottles that can be filled with water and freeze. The 102-qt option has three of them to divide contents within cooler and the 150-qt option gets two plus three extra Refreeze bottles that fitted into the lid. They make it much easier to pack ice in and help keep the contents cooler for longer.

The cooler also comes with built-in cup holders. They will easily fit 12-pound cans and 20-pound bottles. You can, ideally, throw in both your fish and your drinks into this cooler. Though, for us, it would have to be one or the other.

For the features, we’ll give this cooler an easy 4.5.


Available Sizes and Colors

There are only two size options for the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler series. These are the 102-quart Gott cooler and the 150-quart Gott cooler. They are very special purpose coolers for those who are likely to be away, ideally on a large water body, for a long time. As for the colors, they only come in white. They are visually appealing, however.


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102 Quart Gott Marine Cooler

Accommodate either 170 lbs of fish with 30 lbs of ice or 156 cans plus ice. The cooler includes 3 Rubbermaid Iceolator bottles that you can fill with water and refreeze.


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150 Quart Gott Marine Cooler

Accommodate either 250 lbs of fish with 30 lbs of ice or 252 cans plus ice. It includes three Refreeze bottles that screw into the lid of the cooler and two Iceolator bottles that divide contents within the cooler.


Rubbermaid Gott Marine Cooler vs. Yeti

The best Yeti to make a comparison within this case would be the Yeti Tundra Series: the Tundra 110 (which is 96qt) vs 102 qt Gott Cooler and the Tundra 160 (150 qt in fact) vs 150 qt Gott option.

gott cooler vs yeti tundra

The biggest and most important difference between Yeti and Rubbermaid's Gott ice chest is the type of insulation used. YETIs are high-end coolers made using the rotational molding technology, which ensures the best thermal insulation and allows cooler to enjoy a sturdy, bear-proof construction.

Better insulation directly translates into (way) better ice retention capabilities. Rubbermaid uses extra-thick walls, but it is not the same, Yeti-like level of insulation.

Yeti is superior with its PermaFrost insulation. Yeti doesn’t specify how long their ice retention times are, but we know from past tests that it averages about 11 days. That’s far superior to Rubbermaid’s claimed 7.5 days.

In terms of design, the Yeti and the Rubbermaid both have a lot to offer. Where the Rubbermaid cooler features its single stainless steel latch, the Yeti features two T-Rex lid latches. Both have wide handles, but Yeti’s handles seem more durable and robust.

In terms of price, Rubbermaid clearly wins, which is why we gave it a price rating of 5. In fact, every Yeti Tundra is far more expensive than the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler.

Gott Marine Cooler vs. Yeti Tundra – The Verdict

As we always say, Yeti is Yeti. It is an industry giant that is well-known for delivering premium quality products. If your budget allows, or you’re a die-hard fan of Yeti or both, then you should get yourself the Yeti Tundra. However, if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll appreciate the value the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler offers for the price.


Top 3 Gott Cooler Competitors


Coleman Extreme 6

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The Coleman Extreme 6 has a capacity of 120 quarts, which puts it within the range of the Rubbermaid Gott marine coolers. It comes with stainless steel hardware, for the most part, to make it more durable. It also has sun protection in the form of UVGuard technology. It also comes with a leak-resistant threaded drain that allows you to empty water from the cooler without having to tilt it.

This cooler comes with two side handles that are made of stainless steel, making them much more durable than the handles on the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler. It also has a tow handle for easy pulling. The best part for us is that it comes with all-terrain wheels.

The ice retention lags behind that of the Rubbermaid Gott marine coolers. IT will retain ice for up to 6 days in 90-degree weather. Again, whether this is good or not depends on what your needs are.

Check Coleman Xtreme cooler review or check its Amazon price here.


Igloo Super Tough STX

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The Igloo Super Tough STX Sportsman cooler has a capacity of 120 quarts, putting it well within the range of the Rubbermaid Got marine coolers. One of the things we loved about it was the combination of gasketed heavy duty backup plates. These keep it stable, preventing it from pulling out under heavy loads. It also comes with bolt-through-body side handles that make for firm carrying.

The lid latches on the Sportsman are hybrid. They are a mix of stainless steel in the hinge and plastic in the snap, which makes them very durable. The drain plug is also pretty handy. It’s a triple-snap drain plug that makes it easy to clean.

The insulation on this cooler gives it an ice retention time of 5 days. Here the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler wins, but it depends on your needs, really. 5 days is still respectable. 

Check our Igloo Sportsman review or get it at Amazon.


Grizzly 100 Quart

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Grizzly 100 quart is a premium roto-molded cooler that comes at a price intermediate between that of the Yeti Tundra and the Rubbermaid Gott marine cooler. It comes with pretty much everything you might expect from a premium cooler, including high-quality T latches (3 of them), wide side handles ice retention of over a week, bear-resistant lid, roto-molded construction, and a lifetime warranty.

Grizzly is well known for making premium products at a price that beats Yeti. So if you want a 100-quart cooler that won’t cost you as much as a Yeti but will offer you pretty much the same qualities, then this is the cooler for you.

Read our Grizzly cooler review and check the current price at Amazon.


Where to buy Rubbermaid Gott Coolers

There are lots of places to buy Rubbermaid Gott Marine Coolers, but we recommend making your purchase at Amazon for a variety of reasons:

  • You get buyer protection, which means a full return and refund if you’re not satisfied with your purchase
  • You get free shipping in some cases, such as when you’re a Prime member
  • You can read real reviews written by other customers before you make your purchasing decision

Rubbermaid's Gott Coolers – Bottom Line

And that concludes out Gott cooler review. We really enjoy Rubbermaid’s products and have even done a previous review of their coolers. With their Gott Marine Coolers, we think they’re providing a proper solution to the needs of a substantial segment of the market. We hope you enjoy your Gott marine cooler as much as we enjoyed ours.

 

Rubbermaid Gott Cooler Rating

Rubbermaid Gott Marine Cooler Rating
  • Ice Retention
  • Quality
  • Features
  • Price
4.5

Summary

We enjoy Rubbermaid’s products. They are good yet affordable. With their Gott marine coolers, we think they’re providing a proper solution to the needs of a substantial segment of the market.

Sending
User Review
2.5 (2 votes)

 


Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Greg

Greg’s a co-founder of bestcooler.reviews and author of 100+ product reviews and comparisons on this website. When not at work, Greg’s an avid sportsman who enjoys running marathons, loves snowboarding, hiking and discovering new single tracks on his bike.

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One comment

  1. Hi Greg,

    Thanks for the review about Rubbermaid Gott Marine Cooler. With 4,5 stars it seems to be a perfect cooler.

    Cheers and stay safe!

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