Pelican
Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler
$310.95
Best Hard Coolers · head-to-head
Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler vs Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler is cheaper at $189. Every spec and price links to its source.
Lifetime
Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler
$189Cheaper
Which is better: the Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler or Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler?
The Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler is the cheaper at $189. The Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
See Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler on Amazon See Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler | Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $310.95 | $189 |
| Brand | Pelican | Lifetime |
| Released | — | — |
| Capacity qt | 50 | 55 |
| Can capacity | 38 | 60 |
| Ice retention days | 8 | 7 |
| Rotomolded | Yes | No |
| Empty weight (lb) | 26.39 | 23.4 |
| Bear resistant certified | Yes | Yes |
| Drain plug | Yes | Yes |
Sources — Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler: pelican.com (verified 2026-06-20). Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler: lifetime.com (verified 2026-06-20).
What's the difference between the Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler and Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Capacity qt: Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 50 vs Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler 55
- Can capacity: Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 38 vs Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler 60
- Ice retention days: Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 8 vs Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler 7
- Rotomolded: Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler true vs Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler false
- Empty weight (lb): Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 26.39 vs Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler 23.4
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
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.
Lifetime 55-Quart High Performance Cooler
No sourced tester review yet.