Oyster Tempo Cooler review: Is it worth $500?

While rotomolded options have been the face of high-performance coolers for a while, a new challenger has entered the market: the vacuum-insulated Oyster Tempo Cooler. Norwegian-based Oyster spent six years developing this unique design, which, instead of thick plastic and dense foam, uses a double-walled, vacuum-sealed aluminum body to maintain its internal temperature.

This design not only makes the Oyster Tempo lighter and less bulky than traditional coolers but Oyster claims that it’s so effective that you don’t even need to use ice. After hearing about this innovative insulation technology and Oyster’s attention-grabbing “ice-free” claim, I decided to test it against our pool of 14 rotomolded and injection-molded coolers. Here’s how it stacked up.

What we liked about it

First of all, any review of the Oyster Tempo has to address its appearance. The sleek, matte finish of its aluminum body gives it an unmistakable high-end look, and the interchangeable carrying options — a full-length top-mounted aluminum handle or bright red shoulder strap — both add to the upscale look. With the majority of top-of-the-line coolers these days adopting a “beefier is better” attitude, the streamlined Oyster Tempo feels like a breath of fresh air.

FahrenheitWhen it comes to actual cooling performance, it turns out those six years were well spent, as the Oyster Tempo seriously impressed during all our tests. The aluminum walls and vacuum insulation of the Oyster allows it to rapidly cool down and stay cool. This works so well that you can throw cold cans from the fridge into the Oyster and they’ll actually stay cold for a long time. When we filled the Oyster Tempo with just chilled cans — no ice or other cooling elements —the temperature inside quickly dropped to 35.5 degrees Fahrenheit and rose to just 47 Fahrenheit degrees after 24 hours, proving Oyster’s “ice-free” claim. However, since you’ll probably want to keep the cooler’s contents colder for longer, Oyster includes two flat freezer packs with the cooler that are meant to be frozen and placed on the floor of the cooler before filling it up.

These freezer packs are less than an inch tall, so they barely take up any room in the 10.5-inch-high cooler, which is obviously much less room than loose bagged ice would take up. Thanks to the Oyster’s cooling process, these packs do a great job at keeping your drinks and food cold, but the concept of a freezer pack isn’t exactly revolutionary. In fact, other cooler brands have freezer packs too. However, since the Oyster Tempo is such an effective insulator, it can work surprisingly well with just these ice packs. So while technically it is in fact “ice-free,” you’ll still need to use the brand’s freezer packs to keep your contents cool for an extended period of time.

Considering the minimal size of these freezer packs, I was really impressed with how the Oyster Tempo performed in our testing. After tightly packing the cooler with 36 cans of seltzer and sealing the lid, the Oyster Tempo maintained its temperature surprisingly well, reaching only 36.5 degrees Fahrenheit after 24 hours, and 44.4 degrees Fahrenheit after 48 hours. This is on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of temperature retention performance — our top cooler choice overall, the Yeti Tundra 45, was still at 35.4 degrees Fahrenheit after 48 hours — but the lighter weight and convenience of not dealing with loose ice could be worth it to those who aren’t as interested in long-term cooling.

To accurately compare the Oyster Tempo against the other coolers, I also performed the same test with traditional bagged ice. As expected, the Oyster performed even better than the first test, reaching just 33.3 degrees Fahrenheit after 48 hours. It’s up to you if you think that 10-degree difference after 48 hours is worth the convenience and lighter weight of using the Oyster Tempo’s ice packs (we certainly do!).

This impressive temperature retention makes the Oyster a bit more versatile than a traditional rotomolded model like the Yeti Tundra 45 and well suited for both short- and long-term storage. If you need to keep your contents colder for longer, you can still use regular ice, and although you lose some interior space, the Oyster will perform as well if not better than the Yeti. Or if you’re just going out for a beach day or tailgate, using the ice packs gives you drastically more room inside (36 cans fit into the Oyster Tempo with the ice packs, while the Yeti Tundra 45 could only hold 28 when using the recommended 2:1 ice-to-contents ratio). These ice packs also help to reduce the overall weight of the Oyster Tempo, which weighed in at 44.6 pounds fully loaded with cans versus the Yeti Tundra 45’s 72.2-pound weight with bagged ice and cans.

Although its temperature regulation is certainly impressive, my favorite aspect of the Oyster Tempo is its focus on user-friendliness. The multifunctional lid design has latches on either side, so you can open it in whichever direction you like, or remove it altogether. To aid in repair and cleaning, these latches can also be disassembled without any tools. I appreciated this feature after a long beach day when I was able to disassemble, clear out any lingering sand, and reassemble the latches in less than a minute. The end caps that allow you to switch out the handles are easy to use as well, and twist off and lock on securely. The Oyster Tempo is also 100% recyclable, and Oyster claims to be able to remake and resell used Tempo coolers. If your Tempo cooler is damaged beyond repair, Oyster will “melt its remains and make a new one.”

What we didn’t like about it

The main issue I had with the Oyster Tempo was the design of its carrying options, specifically the lack of cushioning on the shoulder strap. Considering the fact that you can really load up the Oyster Tempo with a lot of weight (no ice means more cans), this unpadded strap is just not very comfortable. The optional carrying handle works fine for one-handed use, but unlike the majority of hard-sided coolers, the Oyster Tempo doesn’t offer an option for two-handed carrying, which would allow you to achieve a more balanced, ergonomic hold. It also lacks a drain, but since it doesn’t rely on ice as much as other coolers, this is less of an issue.

Also, although the aluminum body is attractive, it’s not exactly built for durability, especially when compared to the rotomolded Yeti’s. The thin walls that make the Oyster so lightweight aren’t going to be able to take the punishment that the heavy-duty Yeti Tundra 45 would, for example, and is a factor that should definitely be taken into account when considering if it’s worth the $500 price tag.

CNN Underscored’s outdoor editor, Kai Burkhardt, also tested the Oyster Tempo, and after a 10-day camping trip, the cooler had a decent amount of scratches and scuffs. The insulation wasn’t affected, and Burkhardt says it worked amazingly well keeping food and drinks cold, but even just moving the cooler in and out of the car and around the campsite resulted in some physical wear. The Oyster is undeniably good-looking, just know that it won’t be shiny and brand-new for years to come.

Bottom line

The Oyster Tempo does a great job of keeping things cool without requiring the bulk and weight of a rotomolded cooler and delivers an ideal combination of small overall size and large storage space. It’s not the most durable, though, and regular wear and tear will scuff up that smooth exterior. Also, without a two-handed grip option, it isn’t ideal for carrying long distances fully loaded. So, it’s probably not the right choice for those who need an ultra-mobile cooler that’s rugged enough to be tossed around like the Yeti Tundra 45. But if you want a hassle-free, incredibly versatile and lightweight cooler that retains temperature really well, and you’re willing to spend on the $500 price tag, you won’t be disappointed with the Oyster Tempo.