We researched and tested the most popular coolers outside at our facility in Des Moines, Iowa, on 80 and 90-degree days, and evaluated them on capacity, effectiveness, and value. We left them sitting packed with ice and beverage cans overnight to determine their exact cooling capacities. On top of these insulation tests, we also pushed coolers off of tables and carried them around to understand their durability and portability. Our top pick, the RTIC Ultra-Light 52 Quart Ice Chest, has 3-inches of closed-cell foam insulation, does not leak when tipped over, and stays at 32 degrees Fahrenheit consistently for 24 hours. Here are the best coolers, backed by our testing. This cooler’s impressive 52-quart capacity means it can easily hold 78 12-ounce soda or beer cans. To test this cooler’s chilling power, we filled it two-thirds full with ice and 26 12-ounce cans. After two hours on a 90-degree day outside, this cooler was still holding at 32.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it will easily keep beverages cold through an afternoon football game or tailgate. After sitting for 24 hours with ice and cans inside of it, the cooler’s inside temperature read 32.4 degrees Fahrenheit and it still had about 20 pounds of unmelted ice in it. This cooler’s incredible temperature performance can be attributed to its 3-inches of closed-cell insulation and its heavy-duty rubber T-latches, which hold the top firmly in place even when pushed off a table. The marine-grade rope handles are a great feature if you’re carrying this cooler with someone else, but they make maneuvering this cooler solo a bit tricky. We also appreciate the removable divider—which doubles as an ice pack— and basket to keep snacks and food dry. With the ice and cans loaded into this cooler, it weighed over 40 pounds, which isn’t incredibly heavy but may be difficult for some people to carry on their own—especially with the loose straps. Overall, this cooler easily handled every test we put it through and exceeded our testers’ expectations. Price at time of publish: $220 Under the lid of this cooler, you’ll find enough room to store 39 12-ounce cans without any ice. For our testing, we loaded it up with 36.2 pounds of ice and 13 cans and found that the internal temperature only increased 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit over a 24-hour period. Although 17.2 pounds of ice melted, we were still surprised by how well this cooler functioned. Keep in mind that the lid does not have any latches to secure it in place, so the contents can be spilled if it’s knocked over. Our testers also found this cooler’s handle design slightly confusing. They thought the handles lifted up, which resulted in one of the handles coming out of its joint, but that was easily fixed and did not affect the integrity of the cooler. The handles in fact slide up, which makes for a comfortable grip whether you’re carrying it solo or with someone. Overall, this Coleman cooler is a great option, if you’re not looking to break the bank. Price at time of publish: $60 The double closure at the top—MagShield magnets and clips—keeps this backpack completely secure and cold. With 15 pounds of ice in the cooler, we fit 9 12-ounce cans, but YETI says this backpack can hold up to 18 cans. This backpack stayed consistent at around 32 degrees for 24 hours, and only half the ice had melted. Our tester did note that this backpack cooler might be slightly more comfortable to carry if it had more padding in the straps, but overall they were satisfied with the adjustable straps and the feel of the bag while wearing it. Although this is certainly an expensive option, if you’re an avid camper, hiker, or beachgoer, this backpack cooler can certainly be a justified splurge purchase. Price at time of publish: $325 Aside from its intuitive features, this cooler also boasts a 2-day cooling duration. Although we didn’t test it for two days, it was still holding at 32 degrees Fahrenheit after 24 hours and more than half the ice had melted. This cooler can hold up to 26 12-ounce cans with no ice in it, and it is also tall enough to hold 4 standard wine bottles. Even though this cooler doesn’t have a drain plug, our tester said it would still be easy to empty while holding onto the handle. It also did not leak or break during our drop test, which means it’s durable enough to survive just about any rowdy tailgate or boat ride. Price at time of publish: $253 One of our testers pointed out that soft-sided coolers often don’t keep their contents as cold as hard-sided coolers, but our test results argue differently. This cooler not only kept drinks in a steady 33-32 degree Fahrenheit range but also only half of the ice had melted after a 24-hour period. Keep in mind that testing was conducted on a 93-degree Fahrenheit day with 37 percent humidity. Although all of YETI’s products come with a hefty price tag, you can’t knock their performance and thoughtful designs. We do recognize that this cooler’s use is limited, as it cannot double as seating, and snacks or other food may not fare well unless placed in a dry goods pouch, but its capacity and cooling performance set it apart from competing designs. Price at time of publish: $350 However, this cooler’s size does lead to some complications. It’s incredibly heavy—64 pounds to be exact—without anything inside of it, and when we loaded it up with ice and drinks, it weighed over 100 pounds. Its size alone requires two people to carry it and it doesn’t have wheels to aid the transport process. The top also does not stay open on its own, so you’ll need to use both hands to prevent it from closing on you while loading and unloading its contents. We’d be remiss though to address the positive aspects of this cooler’s size, other than its capacity. Our push test proved that this cooler is not top heavy and is hard to knock over, and two people could easily sit on it for additional seating. This cooler is also an investment, so we recommend considering your cooling needs before splurging on it. The cost is definitely justified based on this cooler’s capacity and cooling duration alone, though. Price at time of publish: $600
An engraved scale is even included on the top of this cooler so that avid fishermen can easily measure their catches. We also appreciate that the drain plug on this cooler is connected by a chain, so it won’t be misplaced. Only four pounds of ice melted during our 24-hour cooling test period, and this cooler only leaked slightly when knocked on its side (handle side, not hinge or latch side). It also barely showed any scratches during our drop test. It’s hard to point out any downsides to this cooler, which is also reasonably priced compared to similar models and capacities. Price at time of publish: $240 The waterproof zipper passed our drop and leak tests with flying colors, and our tester noted the padded straps and back support were very comfortable while wearing this cooler. Keep in mind that the waterproof zipper may be slightly difficult to pull over time, but you can purchase a wax lubricant stick separately to loosen it. The extra mesh pockets also make it easy to store dry snacks that may not need to be chilled. Price at time of publish: $140 Although most of the ice from our test had melted after 24 hours, the 12 cans we placed in this cooler were chilling at a cool 39.7 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cooler’s inner temperature had only changed by one degree. This cooler did not leak at all during our drop test, and the bottom also did not become wet during any part of our testing period. Our tester also noted that both carrying options—the backpack handles and side handles—were both comfortable to use and much easier to navigate than a hard-sided cooler. Although the front pocket is rather flat to really serve any true purpose, a fishing license or koozie could easily be stored in it. Price at time of publish: $250
This cooler is surprisingly lightweight at only 29 pounds with nothing inside of it. We loaded it with 22 cans and 37 pounds of ice during testing, which weighed it down to 84 pounds. We recommend having an additional person to help transport this to your tailgate destination. About 18 pounds of ice melted in this cooler over a 24 hour period, but its interior was still resting at a chilly 32 degrees. All in all, YETI has yet again proven that their price tags are backed by quality goods and thoughtful design practices. Price at time of publish: $375 This cooler is large enough to hold 42 12-ounce cans, plus ice, and would definitely keep your food and drinks cold for a short weekend trip. During our 24 hour test, none of the ice we added had melted and the internal temperature only increased by 1.7 degrees. Although this cooler isn’t innately heavy, when loaded down with supplies, it may be difficult to carry solo, so we recommend having a buddy nearby to help. The carrying strap also may not be comfortable, if you’re carrying it for a longer period of time. Overall, it’s a great cooler that competes with other major brands in the market at a slightly lower price. Our durability test consisted of knocking each cooler on its side off a table and noting any damage such as scratches or cracks and any leaking that occurred. Testers also carried or wore the coolers to judge their portability and lifted them onto tables to see whether it was comfortable to hold solo. Coolers with wheels were rolled along pavement and grass to test their portability. After all of our physical tests were conducted, we revealed the retail value of each cooler to the testers and asked them to consider their value based on performance. We also asked them to add any notes on where each cooler might perform best and if they’d consider purchasing the cooler themselves.
What to Look for in a Cooler
Capacity
Coolers come in a wide range of sizes. Based on the primary use of the cooler, determine the right size for you. Are you using it for camping? If so the cooler needs to hold food and drink for an entire weekend. Our best for camping pick, the ROAM Adventure Co. Rugged Cooler, has one of the largest capacities of the coolers we tested. Plus, it also comes with a divider and dry goods rack to keep your food separated from drinks. If you plan on using a cooler primarily to bring home perishables from the grocery store in the trunk of your car, then you might not need a very large cooler, so an option like our best soft-sided pick, the YETI Hopper Soft-Sided M30, may be your best bet. While certainly expensive, this cooler does not leak and has just enough space to keep your dairy, eggs, and other perishable items cool while running multiple errands throughout the day. This is also a great option if you’re bringing a bottle or two of chilled wine to a party or want to keep sandwiches cool for a sporting event.
Insulation
The better the insulation, the longer the cooler will keep things chilled. When you go on a trip, it is crucial that that the food you bring along stays cool as long as possible. Check the product information for how many days food will stay at FDA-recommended food safe temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below even in hot weather. While all of the picks in this roundup offered impressive insulation during our 24-hour test, our best overall pick, the RTIC Ultra-Light 52-Quart Ice Chest, had a consistent inner temperature of around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which is well under the 40 degrees FDA-recommended temperature.
Movability
A fully packed cooler can be a bear to carry so if you know you will be moving more than a few feet, having a cooler with sturdy wheels is important. For rugged terrain, the wheels should be puncture- and impact-resistant. Our best with wheels pick, the XSpec Roto Molded Wheeled Hard Cooler, rolled over grass and concrete with no issues, and the large tires also should handle sand with ease.
Special Purpose
For uses where a standard cooler is out of the question, consider getting one with a special design, such as a backpack cooler for hiking and biking, or a floating cooler for your pool. Our best backpack pick, the Bluu Softside Leakproof 35 Quart Backpack Cooler, has padded straps and extra pockets to store other essentials you may need like a bottle opener or napkins. The waterproof zipper also ensures that none of the cooler’s ice will leak on you as you carry it.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Emma Phelps is an updates writer for The Spruce, specializing in converting testing data from a variety of subjects into comprehensible buying roundups on the site. She’s written about everything from the best outdoor solar lights to the best vacuums for pet hair—truly nothing is off limits under her byline. For this roundup, Emma consulted testing data from the coolers test and researched reasonable price points for coolers on the market. She also researched common features in coolers such as dividers, cold packs, cup holders, and more to consider which options from our tests stood out as going above and beyond on design.
What Is Spruce Approved?
Here at The Spruce we want to ensure we fully stand behind every product we recommend, and that when we say something is the best, we mean it. You might have noticed The Spruce Approved badge next to the products on this list. Every product with this badge has been rigorously tested in person and carefully selected by our expert team of lab testers and editors. In most cases, we buy all these products ourselves, though occasionally we get samples provided to us directly by companies. No matter how we procure products, they all go through the same tests and must meet the same strict criteria to make the best-of cut. We also pride ourselves on transparency and will always let you know if we received a product for free.
