Shoppers snap up Ninja’s FrostVault high tech coolbox

One of Ninja’s coolest kitchen gadgets of 2024 is back in stock in the UK just in time for the current heatwave. The much-loved foodie firm unveiled a Yeti-rivalling coolbox that functions like a fridge and can keep ice solid and food cold for up to five days last month – and it sold out online within 12 hours.

But now the Ninja FrostVault is back in stock, with shoppers rushing to purchase this high-spec take on the picnic and barbecue essential and many of the first customers already posting their reviews online. 

Despite the cool box‘s hefty starting price of £199, the response has been largely positive, with people lauding it for everything from keeping food cold on holiday to being ideal for long-haul lorry drivers and even as extra fridge space at home.

The FrostVault comes with a host of the smart features that Ninja is renowned for, with satisfied customers highlighting everything from a plug on the side that allows melted ice to be drained without tilting the box to a separate ‘Dry Zone’ drawer that prevents food from becoming soggy, as well as an integrated bottle opener and a fully lockable lid. It can even serve as an extra seat while camping.

The box is available in two sizes, although currently only the larger one is available on the Ninja site. The 47 Litre box can accommodate up to 80 cans, while the smaller one holds up to 48. While they’ve only just gone on sale so not many UK consumers have got their hands on the new boxes yet, currently the small and large versions of the cool boxes have 4.9 and 4.7 stars out of 5 respectively from customer reviews on the Ninja website.

One satisfied customer couldn’t hide their delight, raving: “We have used it for camping, day trips, barbecue and even to defrost the fridge / freezer. It keeps items frozen for hours and the separate drawer keeps sandwiches and picnic bits from getting wet while the main compartment keeps the GandT well chilled! Great purchase.”, reports the Mirror.

Another buyer enthused: “The FrostVault is super sturdy and can easily hold the weight of an adult when being used as an additional seat. We’ve used it as an additional fridge space when away in the caravan and it’s been so useful – no more playing fridge Jenga! Ice lasted for the full five days we were away for too.”

A third chimed in, commenting: “It’s a very well thought out piece of kit that bridges the gap between a flimsy traditional cool box and an electric cool box which is useless if you don’t have the power hook up to use it. The bonus for me is that I have been able to use it in the home as well to provide extra cool space when my fridge is full.”

While some may baulk at the price tag of such a cool box, one initially sceptical reviewer ended up converted, claiming it’s ‘the cool box of all cool boxes,’ and confessing: “Not sure I needed this in my life but now not sure what I’d do without it! This is a spectacular bit of kit and does exactly what it says on the box, they weren’t exaggerating! “.

Another elated customer raved about its ‘brilliant’ performance: “I have brought this cool box to work as I’m a long distance lorry driver. Very sturdy construction, kept everything cold, absolutely superb product.”

Despite overwhelming praise and high ratings, buyers do warn that the FrostVault’s considerable capacity comes with a catch – when filled to the brim it becomes quite the heavy load, often requiring a team effort to move safely.

The ‘king of cool boxes‘, as dubbed by one satisfied user in their four-star feedback noted: “As impressed as I am, there is a downside and that’s its size. If I filled this with ice and food I would not be able to lift it. The handles are far enough apart that it would take a real stretch of the arms to be able to grab and lift. It’s easy enough for two people but for one person well you may need very long and very strong arms! However, it has to be big enough to be well-enough insulated so there’s not much that could be done to change that. Maybe an optional base on wheels may be helpful.”

Another point to consider, says a reviewer, is the price tag: “It is quite expensive for what is basically a big plastic box but if you think you would use it often enough, it is well worth the investment. It’s very sturdy and well made and would I think, provide you with years of service.”

Ninja is a household name having taken the UK by storm initially with their innovation airfryers. Last year they extended their reach outdoors when they launched a barbecue and smoker. They swiftly followed up with a pizza oven and a Bluetooth-connected, extra-large grill beloved by none other than David Beckham, earlier this summer.

The original Woodfire barbecue, currently discounted by over £100 in the Ninja sale, has become the UK’s top-selling barbecue. Despite recently launching a revolutionary double-height airfryer ideal for small kitchens with limited counter space, the introduction of the FrostVault indicates that Ninja isn’t planning to retreat indoors permanently just yet.

The launch of the FrostVault sees Ninja go head-to-head with premium cooler and camping brand Yeti whose robust and colourful iconic coolers can cost up to £500 depending on size and specifications.

Despite their immense popularity in the US, Ninja’s initial UK launch appears relatively subdued, with only the larger, 47-litre cooler currently available in a single colour – slate grey. A second large option, in frost white, is expected to launch soon, along with smaller 28L versions in both colours.

The launch price is £199.99 for the smaller version and £249.99 for the larger one, but shoppers can receive a 10% discount on these prices by subscribing to Ninja’s newsletter.