DEWALT Battery Cooler: Air Cooler, Ice Chest or Fridge Adapter?
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DEWALT is best known for its yellow cordless tools and 20V MAX batteries, so when people search for a DEWALT battery cooler they usually imagine an ice chest that keeps drinks cold on battery power. The real lineup is a little different, and it is worth sorting out before you buy a gift for someone on a jobsite or at a tailgate.
The three products here do three different jobs: a DEWALT evaporative air cooler that runs on a 20V battery and blows cool air (and can double as an ice chest), a DEWALT 65 quart hard-sided ice chest with no electronics at all, and a third-party adapter that lets a DeWalt battery power a 12V car refrigerator. We compared their listings, specifications and intended use, and we explain the terms in plain words so you end up with the cooler you actually meant to buy.
DEWALT Coolers Compared
| Product | Made By | What It Cools | Power | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEWALT Evaporative Air Cooler Portable Air (DXACN01B) | DEWALT | Air, plus drinks as an ice chest | DEWALT 20V battery, sold separately | 8 gallons |
| 12V Car Refrigerator Adapter for 18V/20V | T-SUNiceM | Nothing on its own; powers a 12V car fridge | DeWalt 18V/20V battery, not included | Not applicable |
| DEWALT 65 Qt Hard Sided Thick (DXC65QT) | DEWALT brand, manufacturer listed as Metalware | Food and drinks with ice | None | 65 quarts |
Air Cooler, Ice Chest and Car Fridge: The Difference in Plain Words
An ice chest is an insulated box. It has no motor; it simply slows down how fast the ice inside melts, which keeps food and drinks cold. A car refrigerator, sometimes called a 12V fridge or powered cooler, has a small compressor like a kitchen fridge and plugs into your vehicle’s 12V socket so it can keep things cold without ice.
An evaporative air cooler is different again. It blows air across cold water or ice so the air coming out is cooler, a bit like a breeze coming off a lake. It cools people, not a sealed box of drinks, although the DEWALT model’s large tank means it can also be used as an ice chest. Evaporative cooling generally works best in dry heat and outdoors or in open garages, rather than in a sealed, humid room.
DEWALT Evaporative Air Cooler Portable Air for Hot Workdays
Dewalt
DEWALT Evaporative Air Cooler Portable Air Conditioner DXACN01B (Tool Only)
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
DEWALT Evaporative Air Cooler Portable Air
Best for: Hot jobsites, garages and campsites
Pros
- Runs on DEWALT 20V battery
- Turbo Cool and three speeds
- USB port and phone tray
- 3 Year Limited Warranty
Cons
- Battery sold separately
- Needs ice and water refills
The DEWALT Evaporative Air Cooler Portable Air Conditioner (model DXACN01B) is the actual battery-powered DEWALT product in this guide. It has an 8-gallon tank, is powered only by a DEWALT 20V battery sold separately, and is marked “Tool Only,” which means no battery or charger comes in the box. The listing mentions a runtime of up to 120 minutes, although the rest of that sentence is cut off, so it does not say which battery size or speed setting that applies to.
Setup is simple: fill it with ice and water, connect the hoses, install the battery, pick a speed and press the cooling switch. A digital display shows the real-time output air temperature, there are three speed settings, and a Turbo Cool button gives a stronger blast. The listing says it can reach output temperatures as low as 53.6 degrees; the unit is cut off in the listing, though that figure reads like Fahrenheit. The kit includes an air hose connector, three air extension hoses, a 3-way air hose connector and an ice pack, all stored inside the unit. It also has wheels, a heavy-duty handle, a cup holder, a phone tray and a USB port for charging devices.
The listing says it doubles as a high-capacity ice chest for drinks and supplies, and it recommends it for camping, outdoor events, travel, job sites and garages. It carries a 3 Year Limited Warranty. This is the best gift for a tradesperson who already owns DEWALT 20V batteries and works in the heat. If they are building out a cordless kit, our DEWALT battery compressor guide covers another tool that shares the same batteries.
12V Car Refrigerator Adapter for 18V/20V DeWalt Batteries for Off-Grid Fridges
T-SUNiceM
12V Car Refrigerator Adapter for 18V/20V Dewalt Battery Inverter Cooler
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
12V Car Refrigerator Adapter for 18V
Best for: Running a 12V car fridge off DeWalt packs
Pros
- Fits DeWalt 18V/20V batteries
- USB-A and Type-C ports
- Small and light
Cons
- Third-party, not DEWALT
- Not every car fridge supported
The 12V Car Refrigerator Adapter for 18V/20V Dewalt Battery is made by T-SUNiceM, not by DEWALT. It is not a cooler itself. It clips onto a DeWalt 18V or 20V battery, such as the DCB201, DCB202, DCB203, DCB204, DCB205 or DCB206 named in the listing, and turns it into a 12V power source so you can run a 12V car refrigerator away from the vehicle.
The specs list 60 watts of output with 100 watts peak, 12V DC output, and USB-A and Type-C ports for charging phones. It is small: the listing gives a weight of 142 grams (the specs say 4.8 ounces) and a cord about 1.96 feet long. The dimensions appear two ways, 2.75 x 3.74 x 1.37 inches in the features and 2.75 x 2.75 x 1.37 inches in the specs. The listing says it is designed for the maker’s own car refrigerators but works with many other 12V fridges, and it warns that it is not suitable for every car refrigerator or freezer. Check your fridge’s power draw against the 60 watt output before buying. No batteries are included.
This suits someone who already owns a 12V car fridge and a stack of DeWalt batteries and wants to use the fridge at a campsite or jobsite. If you do not own a car fridge, this adapter will not keep anything cold on its own.
DEWALT 65 Qt Hard Sided Thick Ice Chest for Days-Long Cooling
Dewalt
DEWALT 65 Qt Hard Sided Thick Wall Insulated Portable Ice Chest-Cooler
Price and specifications are read from the Amazon product page and can change.
DEWALT 65 Qt Hard Sided Thick
Best for: Keeping food and drinks cold for days
Pros
- Roto-molded build
- Thick insulated walls
- Cam latches and bottle opener
- Metal handle
Cons
- No power features
- No warranty listed
The DEWALT 65 Qt Hard Sided Thick Wall Insulated Portable Ice Chest (model DXC65QT) is a classic cooler with no battery at all. It uses a roto-molded design. Roto-molding is a way of forming the cooler body as one thick piece of plastic, which is why these coolers are known for being tough. The listing describes reinforced pressure-injected insulation for strong ice retention and says it keeps food and drinks cold for days.
It has a heavy-duty metal handle, an easy-open cam latch system for a secure closure, a bottle opener and an integrated ice pack storage area (the ice pack is sold separately). The listing suggests it for job sites, barbecues, campgrounds, the beach and sporting events. The manufacturer is listed as Metalware rather than DEWALT, and the warranty type is listed as “No Warranty.”
This is the right choice if what you really want is a cold drinks box with the DEWALT look. It is a great tailgate or jobsite lunch cooler and needs nothing but ice. For winter-season DEWALT gifts that do run on batteries, see our battery operated snow shovel guide.
How to Choose the Right DEWALT Cooler
Want to cool yourself? The DXACN01B evaporative air cooler blows cooled air using ice, water and a DEWALT 20V battery.
Want to keep drinks cold? The 65 quart ice chest is the simplest answer, with no batteries to charge. The air cooler can also double as an ice chest.
Already own a 12V car fridge? The T-SUNiceM adapter lets a DeWalt battery power it, if your fridge draws no more than the adapter’s output.
Buying as a gift? Check whether the person owns DEWALT 20V batteries. The air cooler and the adapter both ship without one.
Thinking about warranty? The air cooler lists a 3 Year Limited Warranty, the ice chest lists no warranty, and the adapter’s listing does not specify one.
FAQ
Does DEWALT make a battery-powered cooler for drinks?
The DEWALT DXACN01B is battery powered and mainly cools air, but its listing says it doubles as an ice chest using ice. It does not have a refrigerator compressor.
Does the DEWALT air cooler come with a battery?
No. It is sold tool only, and the DEWALT 20V battery is sold separately.
How long does the DEWALT 65 qt cooler keep ice?
The listing says it keeps food and drinks cold for days but does not give an exact number of days.
Is the car refrigerator adapter made by DEWALT?
No. It is made by T-SUNiceM and is designed to fit DeWalt 18V/20V batteries.
Can the adapter run any car fridge?
No. The listing warns it is not suitable for all car refrigerators. Its output is 60 watts, with 100 watts peak.
Which DEWALT cooler is best for a tailgate?
The 65 quart ice chest, because it needs only ice and has a bottle opener built in. The air cooler is better when the goal is keeping people cool on a hot day.
