12 Best Ice Packs in 2023 [Tested and Reviewed]

Below Zero's Pre-filled Ice Pack is primarily available online and comes in a set of 10 with a strong nylon-aluminum exterior. During testing, this ice pack demonstrated its impressive cooling capabilities by bringing room temperature water of 73 degrees Fahrenheit down to 52.2 degrees in a 90-degree room. It effectively reduces the risk of bacterial growth and ensures you'll have a cold beverage on even the hottest days.

It keeps water below 59 degrees for seven hours and 20 minutes, too. Even when preparing lunches early in the morning, and it will keep your lunch and beverages chilled until lunchtime. Though there was some condensation, the ice pack's contents didn't leak. With no initial setup required, just toss it in the freezer and it's ready for use the next day. Refreezing takes at least 24 hours, but the set of 10 ice packs allows for easy rotation.

This easy-to-use ice pack keeps your lunch and drinks chilled, even on hot days. It is highly recommended for anyone who uses a lunch bag with ice packs daily.

Cooler Shock's Premium Ice Pack comes in various types and sizes. Made with durable nylon material, it is available in Lunch Box Size, Cooler Size, and All-Purpose options. This review focuses on the Lunch Box Size. With its impressive cooling ability, it cooled room temperature water down to 51.1 degrees Fahrenheit, making it ideal for keeping lunch cool during hot summer days and reducing the risk of food poisoning. With the ability to cool down to almost 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it is also suitable for chilling alcoholic beverages.

The ice pack maintained a water temperature below 59 degrees Fahrenheit for just over six hours, showcasing its lasting power. Prepare your lunch in the early morning, and it will keep your food and drinks chilled until lunchtime. However, there is some preparation required, as you need to add water to the pack and let it gel before freezing. Refreezing takes 12 hours, but it comes as a set of five ice packs, so you can use them in rotation.

This ice pack excels in cooling power and keeps your lunch chilled until mealtime. It is highly recommended for those who desire a cold drink even on the hottest summer days.

This ice pack by YETI comes in one-, two-, and four-pound sizes. For this review, we tested the two-pound size. During testing, the ice pack cooled room temperature water down to 56.5 degrees Fahrenheit. While it didn't cool the water to near 50 degrees, it can effectively suppress bacteria growth during summer. For better cooling of larger quantities of food and beverages, consider using multiple ice packs.

It maintained water temperatures below 59 degrees Fahrenheit for six hours and 20 minutes, showcasing its long-lasting cooling capabilities. Not only will it last until lunchtime, but when used with ice, it keeps food and drinks chilled for extended periods during outdoor activities. Condensation will occur, but there’s no leakage, and no preparation is required. Just place it in the freezer upon arrival, and it's ready to use the next day.

This ice pack offers long-lasting cooling and high durability, making it ideal for those who use it with ice during camping trips or road trips.

Tourit's gel-based ice pack comes in Lunch Size, Large Size, and Normal Size options. We tested the Lunch Size for this review. The ice pack cooled room temperature water down to 56.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it didn't cool the water to near 50 degrees, it still provides adequately chilled beverages even on hot summer days. For colder temperatures, consider using more ice packs.

Additionally, it maintained water temperatures below 59 degrees Fahrenheit for five hours and 40 minutes. This demonstrates its lasting power, as it can keep food and beverages chilled from morning preparation until nearly noon. In terms of convenience, you will need to add water to the pack and allow it to gel before freezing. However, its non-toxic gel is safe for food and human contact, and with a refreezing time of less than eight hours, it's an appealing option for daily use.

The Fit + Fresh XL Cool Coolers are a set of four hard case ice packs. In testing, these ice packs cooled water to 57.7 degrees Fahrenheit, providing only moderate cooling. While they did lower water temperature below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, they might not be sufficient for those who prefer ice-cold drinks. To enhance cooling, consider using more ice packs or sandwiching food and drinks between them.

In addition, these ice packs only maintained water temperatures below 59 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours and 20 minutes, which might not be enough to keep items cool from morning until lunchtime. On a positive note, these ice packs were rated highly for their ease of use. They require no preparation, so you can simply place them in the freezer and start using them the next day. The ice packs don’t leak and are made from non-toxic, BPA-free materials, ensuring food safety and human health.

The Igloo Ice Block is available in small, medium, large, and extra large sizes. This review focuses on the medium size. During testing, the ice pack only cooled water to 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a disappointing evaluation. It may not be suitable for hot summer days, as it struggles to chill food and beverages adequately. For better cooling, try using more ice packs or sandwiching items between them.

The ice pack also failed to maintain water temperatures below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, earning a low rating for cooling duration. It is recommended to use multiple ice packs not only in lunch bags but also when used with ice for outdoor leisure activities. As for positives, the ice pack doesn’t leak and is made from non-toxic materials. There is no need for preparation, just place it in the freezer, and it is ready for use the next day.

Thrive Ice Packs come in a set of four uniquely designed ice packs and are primarily sold online. During cooling power testing, the ice packs could only cool room temperature water down to 64.9 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a low rating. They might not provide adequate cooling for food and beverages, especially during hot summer days. For better cooling, even in moderate temperatures, you may need to increase the number of ice packs used.

Furthermore, the ice packs failed to maintain water temperatures below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a disappointing evaluation for lasting power. To reduce foodborne illness risk, consider using multiple ice packs and placing them strategically around your food and drinks. On the other hand, the ice packs scored highly in ease-of-use testing. They require no initial preparation, so you can simply place them in the freezer and use them the next day. They don’t leak during use and are made of BPA-free materials, ensuring food safety and human health.

Lifoam Industries' Freeze Pak is a hard-case type cold pack that comes in three sizes. We used the large size for our tests. In the cooling power test, room temperature water could only be cooled to 71 degrees Fahrenheit. It might be necessary to increase the number of ice packs used, not only on hot summer days but also on days with comfortable temperatures, to prevent food from spoiling.

Because the ice pack could not lower the water temperature below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, it could not maintain drinking water at recommended safe temperatures. To enjoy your drinks at optimal cool temperatures, it might be necessary to increase the number of ice packs or use them with ice. On the other hand, the Freeze Pak received high ratings for ease of handling. There's no need for initial preparation, and it can be used immediately after freezing. In addition, the use of BPA-free material for the container shows consideration for health and food safety.

Blue Ele specializes in lunch boxes and cold packs with the aim of making meals exciting and imaginative for kids. Their Blue Ele BE01 is a set of four cold packs featuring a distinctive colorful design. In our cooling power tests, these packs could only cool room-temperature water down to 73 degrees Fahrenheit. A single pack may not be enough, so you may need to use multiple packs to ensure food and beverages are sufficiently cooled even on days when the weather is not hot.

In our cooling duration test, the water temperature did not drop below 59 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need to use more packs or employ other strategies, such as storing food in the shade until lunchtime, to maintain desired temperatures inside the lunchbox. Nevertheless, the BE01 scored well for ease of preparation and leak prevention, which are certainly beneficial features. The packs require a somewhat lengthy refreezing time of 12 hours, but with a set of four packs, they can be used in rotation.

Bentgo, known for their BPA-free, environmentally-conscious plastic and glass lunch boxes, offers the Buddies Reusable Ice Pack. This pack features a unique unicorn design and comes in a set of four. In cooling power tests, these packs only managed to bring room-temperature water down to 74 degrees Fahrenheit, showing little change from the starting temperature. This may result in suboptimal cooling of food and beverages, particularly on hotter days. 

For those who prefer their drinks cold, it’s probably best to use more packs or arrange them creatively for optimal cooling. These packs were unable to keep beverages at a healthy, ideal temperature below 59 degrees Fahrenheit. To maintain coolness until lunchtime, it is recommended to increase the number of packs used and to store your lunch in a place with minimal exposure to sunlight. On a positive note, there was no leakage, and the packs are made of non-toxic materials. They are easy to prepare, needing only to be placed in the freezer before use.

Medport offers the Cool Coolers Soft Ice Packs in sets of two and a choice of 10 designs. In our cooling power tests, the packs were unable to significantly lower the temperature of room-temperature water, which remained at a constant 73 degrees Fahrenheit. This could result in inadequately chilled food and beverages on hot days, increasing the risk of bacterial growth. To reach cooler temperatures, it might be necessary to increase the number of packs used or position them strategically.

In our cooling duration test, the water temperature failed to dip below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in less than stellar performance. To maintain a cool temperature until lunchtime, it is recommended to use more packs and store them in as cool a place as possible. On the upside, the packs scored highly in terms of ease of use. They require no special preparation and can be used immediately after freezing. Furthermore, the non-toxic material used for the packs is a benefit for both health and food safety. Additionally, the packs did not leak during usage, making them easy to keep clean.

Medport's Cool Coolers are thin, hard-case ice packs sold in a set of four. Our cooling power tests revealed that these packs could only bring room-temperature water down to 73 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting they would struggle to chill food and beverages on hot days. For better cooling, it might be a good idea to use more packs, arranging them above and below, or on the sides of the items you wish to cool, even on days when outside temperatures are comfortable.

In our cooling duration test, the temperature did not go below 59 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning these packs may struggle to keep beverages at a healthy, ideal temperature. To reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses, it is recommended to store your food and drinks in as cool a place as possible, avoiding direct sunlight. While there was some condensation, the ice packs did not leak during use. They scored high marks for convenience, requiring no special preparation. You simply need to place them in the freezer before use. Another nice feature is the use of BPA-free material for the containers, reflecting a thoughtful consideration for both food safety and human health.