Coghlans Contain Alls Review

My Real Take on the Coghlans Contain Alls

For years, I’ve been the go-to person for sorting out the right gear for any situation, from dusty workshops to the windswept backcountry. My arsenal of experience spans over a decade, and when I stumbled upon the Coghlans Contain Alls, I recognized a simple, yet potentially brilliant solution for a common problem: carrying small, pourable essentials. This set of food-safe plastic containers from Coghlans promises versatility, aiming to hold everything from coffee creamer to crucial medications.

The need for such a product arose during a particularly disorganized camping trip. Juggling various tiny ziploc bags for spices, sugar, and even my contact lens solution proved messy and unreliable. I’d also experienced the frustration of bulky original containers taking up precious pack space. I was actively looking for a more robust and organized way to manage these small but vital items.

My initial impression upon unboxing the Contain Alls was one of practical simplicity. The plastic felt sturdy enough for general outdoor use, and the variety of sizes immediately struck me as a thoughtful design choice. I had briefly considered repurposing tiny travel shampoo bottles or small spice jars, but their lack of interchangeability and specific cap designs made them less ideal for liquids or fine powders. This Coghlans offering felt purpose-built. My first reaction was a quiet sense of anticipation, a feeling that this might finally be the answer to my backcountry organizational woes.

Real-World Testing: Putting Coghlans Contain Alls to the Test

First Use Experience

My initial testing ground for the Coghlans Contain Alls was a long weekend of car camping. I packed them with instant coffee granules, sugar, a small amount of cooking oil, and a few essential pills. The campsite environment, with its potential for dust and occasional light dew, provided a good initial test for the sealing capabilities of the various caps.

The containers were remarkably intuitive to use right out of the box. Filling them was straightforward, and the interchangeable caps, each designed for a different type of pour, snapped on securely. I was particularly impressed with how well the oil container sealed; there were no greasy leaks in my gear bag, a common problem with makeshift solutions. The variety of sizes also proved genuinely useful, allowing me to pack just the right amount of each item without excess bulk.

One minor surprise was the slightly different feel of the plastic when handling the smallest .5oz containers compared to the larger ones; they felt a tad more delicate, though not fragile enough to cause immediate concern. This observation became a point of attention as I continued to use them.

Extended Use & Reliability

Over several months, these small containers have become a regular fixture in my outdoor kit and even found a place in my workshop. I’ve refilled them countless times with everything from fine workshop powders to trail mix ingredients. They’ve been jostled in backpacks, sat on dusty workbenches, and exposed to the occasional splash of water.

Durability has been generally good. The larger containers have held up exceptionally well, showing minimal signs of wear. However, the smallest containers, particularly the .5oz ones, have developed minor hairline cracks near the neck after repeated stress from filling and emptying. While they haven’t leaked yet, it’s a point of concern for long-term reliability with liquids. The caps themselves have remained robust, fitting snugly without loosening over time.

Maintenance is refreshingly simple. A quick wash with soap and water is usually sufficient. The wide mouths of the larger containers make them easy to clean, though the narrow opening of the smallest ones can be a bit trickier for thorough cleaning. I’ve found that storing them empty and with caps slightly ajar prevents any lingering odors. Compared to my previous reliance on ziploc bags, which eventually tear and become unusable, these Coghlans bottles offer far superior longevity and reusability.

Breaking Down the Features of Coghlans Contain Alls

Specifications

The Coghlans Contain Alls set is designed for versatility and portability, offering a range of container sizes to accommodate diverse needs. The package includes one 4oz bottle, two 2oz bottles, two 1oz bottles, and two .5oz containers. These are all constructed from food-safe plastic, a crucial detail for anything carrying consumables or personal care items.

Each container comes with interchangeable caps, a key design element that allows for different dispensing methods. This means you can select a cap that’s best suited for pourable liquids like cooking oil or lotions, or for solids like instant coffee, sugar, or pills. The variety of capacities ensures you can pack precisely what you need, minimizing wasted space and weight, which is paramount for any outdoor enthusiast or traveler.

The food-safe plastic specification is vital, ensuring no harmful chemicals leach into your stored items. This is especially important when storing anything from medications to coffee. The interchangeable caps are engineered to provide a secure seal, preventing accidental spills and protecting contents from moisture and dust. The range of sizes, from the generous 4oz down to the pocket-friendly .5oz, offers flexibility for both short trips and extended expeditions, catering to diverse packing strategies.

Performance & Functionality

In its primary role of safely and conveniently carrying small quantities of various substances, the Coghlans Contain Alls perform commendably, albeit with some nuanced limitations. The larger bottles excel at dispensing dry goods like sugar or instant coffee, and the oil bottle with its specific pour spout is excellent for controlled liquid dispensing. Sealing is generally good, and I haven’t experienced any significant leaks from the larger units.

The main strength lies in the versatility offered by the interchangeable caps. Being able to switch from a wide pour for granules to a more controlled stream for oil is a genuinely useful feature. However, for very fine powders like powdered creamer or some medications, the standard pour caps on the smaller units can sometimes dispense more than intended, leading to a slight waste. This is where a more specialized fine-tip cap would have been beneficial for the smallest containers.

Overall, these containers meet and often exceed expectations for casual outdoor use and general organization. They are far superior to plastic bags for many applications. However, for applications requiring absolute precision with very fine powders or sterile liquid transfer, more specialized, higher-cost containers might be necessary.

Design & Ergonomics

The design of the Coghlans Contain Alls leans heavily towards practicality and simplicity, which is largely a positive. The plastic used is lightweight yet offers a reasonable degree of robustness, especially in the larger capacities. The bottles have a simple, cylindrical shape, making them easy to grip and handle, even with slightly damp hands.

Ergonomically, they are straightforward. Filling them is easy due to the wide mouths on most of the units. The caps are designed to be swapped easily; they snap on and off with a satisfying click, indicating a secure fit. The clear plastic allows for easy identification of contents, a small but significant detail when you have multiple bottles of similar appearance.

A minor ergonomic quibble arises with the smallest containers. Their diminutive size can make them a bit fiddly to handle, and the plastic here feels less substantial. While this contributes to their lightweight nature, it also means they require more careful handling to avoid stress or potential damage. The markings for the ounce capacities are molded directly into the plastic, a durable design choice that won’t wear off.

Durability & Maintenance

From a durability standpoint, the Coghlans Contain Alls are best categorized as moderately durable for their intended use. The larger 4oz and 2oz bottles are robust and have shown excellent resilience to being packed tightly and handled frequently. The plastic appears resistant to common camping chemicals and oils.

The smaller .5oz containers, however, are a different story. After about twenty to thirty filling and emptying cycles, I’ve noticed the development of fine cracks at the point where the cap screws on for these units. This suggests that while they are perfectly adequate for occasional use or for solid, non-pressurized contents, their suitability for repeated liquid transport under stress is limited.

Maintenance is as simple as it gets. A quick rinse with warm, soapy water is usually all that’s needed. The wide openings on the larger bottles make scrubbing easy. For the smaller bottles, a bottle brush or even a rolled-up paper towel can help ensure thorough cleaning. There are no complex parts to worry about, making them relatively low-maintenance. Potential failure points are primarily the plastic integrity of the smaller units under repeated strain.

Accessories and Customization Options

The Coghlans Contain Alls come as a self-contained system, with the primary “accessories” being the set of interchangeable caps designed to fit all the included bottles. These caps are the key to the system’s adaptability, allowing users to tailor the dispensing method to their specific needs, whether it’s for pouring oil, sprinkling sugar, or storing pills.

There aren’t any further customization options offered directly by Coghlans for this specific product. However, the bottles themselves are a blank canvas. For instance, a user could easily apply custom labels to clearly mark contents, which is particularly helpful when storing multiple similar-looking bottles. Some users might also explore attaching small carabiners to a cap or bottle for external pack attachment, though this would require modification.

The system’s design doesn’t integrate with standard threaded pharmaceutical or laboratory closures, meaning you’re generally limited to the caps provided. While this keeps the system simple, it also restricts the potential for highly specialized use cases that might require, for example, Luer-Lok connections or sterile syringe tips.

Pros and Cons of Coghlans Contain Alls

Who Should Buy Coghlans Contain Alls?

The Coghlans Contain Alls are an excellent choice for casual campers, hikers, and backpackers who need a reliable and organized way to carry small amounts of essentials like coffee, sugar, spices, or personal medications. They are also well-suited for travelers looking to downsize toiletries or medication bottles, and for DIY enthusiasts or hobbyists who need to store small quantities of powders, glues, or lubricants in their workshop. Anyone seeking a step up from flimsy ziploc bags for organization would find value here.

However, individuals requiring sterile pharmaceutical-grade containers, precise volumetric dispensing, or extremely robust containers for harsh industrial environments might need to look at more specialized and expensive options. This set is not designed for laboratory use requiring sterile environments or for carrying highly corrosive chemicals. For campers, it would be wise to consider pairing these with a small brush for cleaning and perhaps custom labels for clear content identification.

Conclusion on Coghlans Contain Alls

The Coghlans Contain Alls offer a practical and affordable solution for organizing and transporting small quantities of liquids and solids in various settings. Their real strength lies in the thoughtful inclusion of multiple sizes and versatile, interchangeable caps, making them adaptable for everything from your morning coffee to essential trailside pills. While the larger bottles prove quite durable for general outdoor use, the smaller units show some vulnerability to cracking over time.

For the price of $10.49, this set provides significant value, especially when compared to the cost and inefficiency of using multiple single-purpose containers or less reliable alternatives. They are easy to use, easy to clean, and significantly improve gear organization. I would readily recommend the Coghlans Contain Alls to any outdoor enthusiast or traveler looking for a simple, effective way to manage their small essentials, with the caveat to handle the smallest containers with a bit more care. They’re a solid, budget-friendly choice that delivers on its promise of versatile containment.