Metro Picnic Basket / Collapsible Cooler Tote

We got this because other folks at our community pool were using them to bring dinner. It works great for that and for 4th of July picnics where you only need to maintain temperature for a couple of hours. This won't work for camping where you need to keep stuff for a day or more.This basket is easy to load - the top opens wide; and is easy to store - the whole basket collapses into the metal band around the top. The insulation is on par with what's typically available in soft coolers and works well at keeping foods near the intended temp for an hour or two. Make sure you get one with two handles - some models come with a single handle anchored in the center of the metal frame. Having two handles ensures the basket will stay level even when the load isn't balanced. With the single handle, the basket will tip towards the heavy end potentially mashing the goods at that end of the basket and making it unwieldy to carry.This size basket will hold enough hot/cold food for four. If it's a hungry group of four, you may have to carry non-perishables (chips, drinks, plates, utensils etc.) separately to make sure there's enough room for stuff you want to keep hot or cold. There are no barriers built into it - it's just one big compartment - so you may have to get a little creative if you want to store hot and cold foods at the same time.

I often have to take a dish of food someplace - to school or to church or to a sick friend - and I never had a good way to carry it. Regular cloth tote bags aren't wide enough at the bottom, and plastic grocery bags are ugly and don't hold the dish upright.A friend of mine had one of these bags and I had to ask her what it was called so I could find one. I got my "market basket" this week and I love it! It has a sturdy aluminum rim and handles, and the main outer part is canvas strong enough to carry even a heavy lasagna. The base has little rubber feet to prevent slipping, and the handle has a cloth velcro cover to protect your hands and keep the handles together. The inside is insulated and moisture resistant, and the drawstring cover keeps food hot or cold longer. There's also a little zipper compartment on the outside to hold smaller items. The entire bag squishes down almost flat for storage.Several of the other bags I looked at here on Amazon were the same price or even more expensive, even WITHOUT the insulation and cover. Overall, this is exactly what I've been needing and perfect for taking a dish or a whole picnic with you!

The insulation in this basket is much better than I expected! It was toted around Manhattan on a melting summer's day, but four hours later the ice packs inside were still extremely solid. The cheese slices had not melted together and the drinks stayed cold. While the drawstring top will not insulate as long as a cooler, it retains the desired temperature far longer than you'd think.Additionally, this basket is so roomy (thank you, expandable drawstring top). It easily fits a 2-liter bottle of soda with plenty of room to spare for ice packs and the actual meal. It is also easy and comfortable to carry despite its bulk.The "collapsible" part of the advertisement is true, but the basket does not stay collapsed in storage unless it is wedged between two things or something heavy is placed on top of it. It came in the package collapsed, but after expanding and using it, I have not been able to make it stay that way on its own.

I ordered the olive green picnic basket as a gift and the color is awesome better in real life than I could have hoped for after seeing it on my computer screen.I like the look of the basket and how it holds up in functionality only time will tell... I noticed right away that the basket sags a little on the sides not sure if that will be a problem in the long run. I have posted a couple of pictures of the basket showing how it sags. The first one is how I loaded it up at home with a bottle of champagne ready for a picnic and the second picture I received from the recipient after she had taking the basket for a farmers market shopping run.

Great picnic basket.Spacious compartment, the double layer inside keeps foods cold and secure as well. The handles are comfortable on the hands when carrying around. Also, clean up is a breeze seeing as the material inside is plastic-ish and doesn't hold on to strong food smells either. I recommend this item to anyone looking for a great picnic basket on a budget.PLEASE NOTE!!!My basket arrived with a HUGE red State Farm Insurance logo on the side of it. It was really random and bothersome considering the picture posted on the ad for the basket does not have one. Nonetheless, the basket is excellent just be wary to know your basket may arrive with a random logo as well.

I always struggle with coolers because they are bulky to carry and hard to store. I bought this basket after reading some reviews, and I am very happy with it. Given the drawstring top, it certainly would not keep food for really long stretches, but it does the trick for picnics, ballgames, etc. It is also easy to store and can be used for carrying almost anything. Plus, my husband spilled coffee all over the top the first time we used it, and it still came clean easily and looks as good as new. I suspect this will get even more use now that spring and summer are coming.

I just love this basket. It gets so much use. I use it to carry a full meal with casserole over to a friends house, or to visit my parents for the weekend, or for a day at the beach. It is so multi functional. I'm very glad that I purchased the Insulated versions as I can use it as a cooler or just a basket. The fabric/drawstring on top allows you to fit almost double the expected capacity. I've never run out of room. This would be a great gift, you could fill it with picnic items or some wine! So delightful!