The 15 Best Coolers We’ve Tested for Every Kind of Adventure

Yeti Tundra Haul Durable. Multi-day ice melt time. Wheeled and handled. Heavy. 82 cans or 64 pounds of ice (55 quarts) 37 pounds 18.63″ D x 28.25″ W x 19.5″ H 5 (plus more limited-edition) Rotomolded Wheels, handle, drain plug, tie-down slots, replaceable parts. Bear-resistant (and bear-proof with the right locks) 5 years TBD TBD RTIC Ultra-Tough Cooler True-to-size capacity. Padded handles. Heavy. 60 cans (45 quarts) 30 pounds 18.19″ D x 26.35″ W x 15.75″ H 6 Rotomolded Handles, latches, drain plug, bottle opener 5 years TBD TBD Igloo Wheelie Cooler Inexpensive. Wheeled and handled. Handle can break. No drain plug. 53 cans (38 quarts) 9 pounds 22.75″ L x 12.88″ W x 15.88″ H 2 Injection molded Wheels, handle 1 year 16 hours 24 hours Yeti Roadie 32 Locking handle. Long-lasting ice. Portable. Awkward size. 50 cans or 36 pounds of ice (32 quarts) 25 pounds 16.1″ D x 21.3″ W x 18.3″ H 4 (plus more limited-edition) Rotomolded Wheels, handle, drain plug 5 years TBD TBD Pelican Elite 20QT Small footprint. Built-in cup holders. Long ice retention. Heavy. Bulky lid. 15 cans or 19 pounds of ice (20 quarts) 13 pounds 12″ L x 6.7″ W x 14.1″ H 5 Injection molded Cup holders, handle, latches, feet Limited lifetime TBD TBD Bote Kula 5 Fits where others can’t. Tie-down points. Heavy. Can be awkward to maneuver. 5 gallons 13 pounds 16.75″ W × 14.25″ H 6 Rotomolded Wheels, handle, drain plug, tie-downs, bottle opener, magnetic lid compatible with accessories 2 years TBD TBD Igloo MaxCold Evergreen Top Grip Backpack Cooler Comfortable straps. Waterproof interior. Extra pockets. Heavy when full. Water bottle pockets could be bigger. 24 cans 1.3 pounds 12.01″ L x 9.06″ W x 16.93″ H 1 N/A Exterior pockets, bottle holder pockets, chest clip 1 year 14 hours 18 hours Ninja FrostVault Wheeled Cooler Drawer for dry storage. Locking lid. Wheeled and handled. Irksome drain plug. Short handle. 30, 45, or 60 quarts. 30 pounds 28.58″ L x 17.36″ W x 18.89″ H 4 (plus more limited-edition) Injection molded Dry drawer, locking handle, wheels, drain plug 5 years 70 hours 75 hours Oyster Tempo Cooler Uses low (or no!) ice. Lightweight. Recyclable. Pricey. 36 cans (23 liters) 12 pounds 20.1″ W x 11.8″ D x 12.6″ H 1 N/A Carrying strap, handle, replaceable parts Limited lifetime warranty TBD TBD Igloo Party Bar Cooler Looks great. Massive capacity. Easy to clean and wheel around. Below average ice retention. 125 quarts/158 cans 34 pounds 39.1″ L x 21.8″ W x 26.9″ H 4 Injection Dividers, removable base, bottle opener and catch bin, locking wheels, side handles. 1 year 12 hours 14 hours Engle MT17 Fridge-Freezer Works well. Durable. Helpful customer service. Overkill for most people. 16 quarts 39 pounds 21.2″ L x 12″ W x 14.2″ H 1 N/A Electricity! Quiet. Efficient. Can be a fridge or freezer. 3 years TBD TBD Dometic Recon Coolers Stackable and packable. Top can be opened from either side (or taken off). Soft-sided coolers arrived wrinkled. Piecing the handles of the soft-sided coolers back together requires patience. Medium softside: 17L. Large softside: 21L. Medium hardside: 41L. Large hardside: 69L Medium softside: 13 lbs. Large softside: 13 lbs. Medium hardside: 25 lbs. Large hardside: 33 lbs. Medium softside:15″ D x 13″ H x 12″ W Large softside: 15″ D x 16″ H x 12″ W Medium hardside: 17″ D x 18″ H x 22″ W Large hardside: 16″ D x 18″ H x 33″ W 2 (hard-sided); 2 (soft-sided) Injection-molded Soft-sided: magnetic break-apart handles, Moll-E loops, carry straps. Hard-sided: Drain plug, nonskid top, divider/cutting board. 2 years Soft-sided: 64 hours. Hard-sided: 88 hours Soft-sided: 76 hours. Hard-sided: 94 hours Dometic CFX5 55IM Electric Cooler Efficient and powered. Built-in ice maker. Companion app. App isn’t the best. Ice maker takes up valuable real estate. 55 liters 44.5 pounds 17.91″ D x 18.90″ H x 28.35″ W 1 N/A Built-in ice maker. Bluetooth app. AC or DC power (or external batteries). Internal ice maker. Battery protection system. Removable lid. Built-in bottle opener. Removable, included dividers. Built-in light. 5 years 85 hours (unpowered) 90 hours (unpowered) Igloo KoolTunes Bluetooth Boombox Cooler So cute. Built-in speakers. Opening could be easier. Sound quality isn’t great. Some connection issues. 14 quarts 5 pounds 14.57″ L x 10.91″ W x 13.9″ H 5 Injection-molded Built-in speakers! Can sync up with other KoolSync coolers. Tent-top opening can swivel to either side. 90 days (electronic components). One year (cooler components). 32 hours 36 hours Igloo Retro Picnic Basket Cooler Easy to carry. Absolutely adorable. No drain plug. 25 quarts 5.5 pounds 19.79″ L x 12.88″ W x 13.12″ H 5 Injection-molded Clasping handles. 1 year 36 hours 45 hours