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Welcome to The Esquire Endorsement. Heavily researched. Thoroughly vetted. These picks are the best way to spend your hard-earned cash.
Let me lay out a few scenarios. 1) You've planned a picnic. You and some friends are gonna grab some bottles and go violate your local open-container law. Sick, very European of you. 2) You've planned a barbecue. You're gonna grill, drink beer, and have a good time. Very American of you, love that. 3) You're out camping and you want to mix some fireside cocktails. Amazing. Thank God you got out of the city.
What does every one of these scenarios need? Ice. Like, ice for serving, ice for chilling, and ice that's not from the bottom of the cooler. Ice that hasn't been contaminated by grimy hands reaching in for a union-made beer or another pour of skin-contact wine from Slovenia.
But if you've ever used an ice bucket outside for more that two hours or in the scorching summer sun, you know, it doesn't end well. Real quick your beverages are floating in dirty water. It sucks, but now we have the solution: The Yeti Rambler Ice Bucket.
The cold hard truth
Yeti ice bucket? Do I really need that?
Yes, absolutely you need it. I fucking love this bucket.
At first, I too was not convinced. I thought that in some boardroom a bunch of suits and marketers got together and devised a targeted plan to "Sell Luke a new drinking product he doesn't need." There was no way I would actually use this thing. Turns out, I was wrong. I'm not being stalked by Big Ice. Yeti just made one of its best products in a while, and my algorithm wanted to tell me about it.
This thing is great for the same reason other Yeti coolers are great: It keeps ice chilled for a ridiculously long time. It's modest in size, not meant to replace your cooler, but to accompany it. It holds three bottles or wine or a six pack of cans, plus ice.
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It really chills
During the week, my girlfriend and I use it to hold the ingredients for NASCAR spritzes (Aperol, lite bottled beer, and lime juice) while we sit outside to watch the sun set. On the weekend, we invite friends over, and use it for cocktail ice. For picnics, we use it to pack our perishables and chill wines once we set up. Every time we're done, there's always plenty of ice left. And if you put the top back on, that ice is still there the next day. It's not as reliable as a true Yeti cooler, but you're never going look in and find your drinks in a puddle of cool water.
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Take it everywhere
All that to say: Functionally, it's incredible. It's got more space than any ice bucket I've ever used, and it keeps ice longer than a lot of actual coolers. As far as form goes, I really love the design. I've got the stainless steel, which gives it the look of an old-school ice bucket. Along with the stainless steel, there's a classic white and a navy option that Yeti stocks yearround. But for something more out there, the brand just launched a seasonal color in a vibrant orange shade.
At this point, I don't really know how else to sell you on this thing. Every time I've found myself drinking anything, I've been using my Yeti bucket and toting it literally anywhere that makes sense. It's my Accessory of The Summer for 2023. No regrets.
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