It took more than two years but the Pebble smartwatch has been dethroned as the most funded project in Kickstarter history. The honor now goes to the Coolest Cooler, a drink cooler described by creator Ryan Grepper as a portable party disguised as a cooler.
Grepper initially sought just $50,000 to bring his jack of all trades creation to the masses. Yet with around 53 hours remaining as of writing, the campaign has raised more than $10.6 million from over 50,000 backers. So, what's all the fuss about?
The Coolest Cooler has a capacity of 60 quarts but that's where the similarities to other coolers end. It also features a built-in 18v battery-powered rechargeable blender should you want to whip up some margaritas or smoothies on your next outing.
There's also a removable waterproof Bluetooth speaker, a built-in USB charger for your phone, LED lighting under the lid, a cooler divider that doubles as a cutting board, locking tie-down bungee cables to help haul extra gear, extra wide easy rolling tires designed to tackle sandy beaches, integrated storage for plates and a ceramic knife and last but not least, a bottle opener.
The idea for the Coolest isn't entirely new as Grepper built a prototype with speakers and a blender roughly 10 years ago. Last year, he reexamined his creation and realized how much room for improvement there was.
A pledge of $185 is needed if you're interested in one by the estimated delivery date of February 2015.
