Is a cooler good enough for van life?

A decent cooler works for a weekend trip, but for longer van life, you’ll hate it after a week. Ice melts fast in a hot van, requiring draining and restocking every 24-36 hours, and temperature swings make dairy and meat risky by day three. You also lose a ton of space to the ice itself. A proper 12V fridge is a much better investment for full-time living.