Handy Insulated Lunch Box By Joan Young on Oct 31, 2009 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

Fridge brand insulated six-pack holder has a nice front pocket and attractive colors.

These lunch boxes or six-pack coolers, whichever you call them, seem to generally last for about 4-5 years for me. That seems reasonable, since I refuse to pay more than about $6 for one.

Since the lining of one I had been using for quite a while was ripped I had been looking for another one. I found this at a small private gas station /grocery store. It is made by Lifoam Industries (in China... sorry).

These containers are basically a foam core with heavy nylon fabric on the outside and a lightweight vinyl lining that can be wiped off easily. This one has a couple of nice features.

I was looking for one with a front pocket because I like to keep a set of silverware in there. This one has a flat pocket and there are velcro closures on the pocket. The last one I had didn't have closures, and if it got flipped over the silverware would fall out. So I like that a lot. It also has a small mesh panel. I'm not sure what good that is, but it's decorative.

The strap on this one is very long and adjustable. I don't really use it as a shoulder bag, but that would be possible. The zipper is nylon, and opens from left to right. It doesn't stick at the corners as these containers are sometimes prone to do.

The weakness of these bags is the lightweight lining. They generally stain easily, and will rip before long. But I still think they last long enough to be a good value.

I think the design of this one is very attractive, and I'm really pleased to have found it for $5.99. It was also available in shades of lime green.