Igloo
Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler
$174.99Cheaper
Best Hard Coolers · head-to-head
Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler is cheaper at $174.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Pelican
Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler
$310.95
Which is better: the Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler or Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler?
The Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler is the cheaper at $174.99. The Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler | Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $174.99 | $310.95 |
| Brand | Igloo | Pelican |
| Released | — | — |
| Capacity qt | 52 | 50 |
| Can capacity | 83 | 38 |
| Ice retention days | 5 | 8 |
| Rotomolded | No | Yes |
| Empty weight (lb) | 16.34 | 26.39 |
| Bear resistant certified | No | Yes |
| Drain plug | Yes | Yes |
Sources — Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler: target.com (verified 2026-06-20). Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler: pelican.com (verified 2026-06-20).
What's the difference between the Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler and Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (6 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Capacity qt: Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler 52 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 50
- Can capacity: Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler 83 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 38
- Ice retention days: Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler 5 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 8
- Rotomolded: Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler false vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler true
- Empty weight (lb): Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler 16.34 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 26.39
- Bear resistant certified: Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler false vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler true
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Igloo BMX 52-Quart Heavy-Duty Cooler
No sourced tester review yet.
Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler
Only one whitelisted tester—Reviewed (USA Today)—lab-tested this exact Pelican 50QT Elite model. Reviewed measured 135 hours of cold retention (interior to exceed 40°F, filled halfway with ice in a 72°F / 50% RH lab) and praised the feature set and sturdy build, but flagged the cooler as heavy (26.4 lb empty), bulky to move for its capacity, and relatively expensive. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Strong cold/temperature retention (135 hours to exceed 40°F in controlled lab); Feature-rich: ruler on top, cupholders, bottle opener, one-hand press-and-pull latches, skid-resistant feet, easy sloped drain; Beefy, sturdy heavy-duty build.
Flagged: Heavy (26.4 lb empty) and bulky to move for its capacity; Relatively expensive / high price point.