32 Best Coolers [Tested and Reviewed]

The Igloo BMX 52 Qt Cooler is a versatile blow-molded hard cooler with excellent insulation and durability. During our cooling power tests, the interior maintained a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for three days and 10 hours. The seamless blow-molded design prevents cold air from escaping, contributing to its high cooling capacity. This makes it suitable for extended activities like weekend camping or road trips.

The cooler's insulation is about two inches thick, allowing it to withstand compression tests up to 13 kilonewtons, or approximately 3,000 pounds. The thick rubber latch is shock-absorbent, while the metal hinges provide additional strength. The cooler's lid features a stopper to prevent it from opening too wide, improving durability. Additionally, it has swing-up side handles that provide stability and reduce wobbling during transport. It's easy to maintain balance, resulting in less strain on the arm. The rubber coating on the handle ensures a non-slip grip even when hands are sweaty or wet.

Weighing just 15 pounds seven ounces, this lightweight cooler is easy to maneuver, and cleaning the bottom and exterior surfaces is a breeze. The sloped drain is also a nice feature. Although some water remains due to the slightly elevated position of the drainage hole, it doesn't require much effort to wipe clean.

The lid can be easily opened by pulling the rubber latches downwards. The top surface features a 20-inch and 52-centimeter ruler, which is convenient when using it as a fishing cooler. However, the usability rating is not the highest due to the absence of drink holders or compartments. Overall, this hard cooler received high ratings for its well-balanced performance in most categories. It is a recommended product for anyone looking to purchase a hard cooler.

Founded in 2006 by brothers Roy and Ryan Seiders, YETI focuses on developing outdoor gear, including this wheeled hard cooler that uses a rotomolded construction and features puncture-resistant, integrated wheels for added durability. In cooling performance tests, the cooler’s interior maintained a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for three days and 14 hours, earning it a high rating. The seamless design and thick insulation help to minimize cold air leakage.

The unique T-Rex rubber latch is strong and shock-absorbent, ensuring the lid stays securely closed. The puncture-proof wheels and shaft-type hinges are also impressive features. In compression tests, the cooler withstood forces up to 23 kilonewtons, or approximately 5,100 pounds. The cooler's wheels eliminate the need for lifting, making it easy to transport when heavily loaded, regardless of strength. The built-in side handles are an ideal thickness, allowing for easy maneuverability without the cooler bumping into you.

The cooler's drain plug is recessed, allowing for easy drainage by simply opening the plug and leaving it to drain. However, the drain is positioned slightly above the bottom, which can cause some water to remain. At 28 pounds, the cooler is quite heavy, making maintenance more difficult. Although rubber latches require a bit of force, you can easily open the lid by simply pulling them down. The two slots on either side for padlocks is a plus for protection against bears.

However, since it doesn’t come with compartments or bottle openers, the cooler receives only an average rating in terms of usability. In addition to high cooling performance and durability, this hard cooler can be easily carried like a wheeled suitcase. It is a recommended product for those who want to use it in places with many paved roads, such as parks and stadiums.

ROAM's rotomolded hard cooler is available in four colors: slate, green, desert tan, and white-black marble. In cooling tests, it demonstrated the best performance among products we tested. The inside kept a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for an impressive four days, five and a half hours, making it suitable for four-day camping trips or road trips with no issues keeping food and beverages cold.

The Rugged Cooler also earned high marks for its durability. In compression tests, it withstood forces up to 25 kilonewtons, or approximately 5,600 pounds, meaning it could survive being stepped on by a relatively large bear. The high-density rope handle is double-stitched to the body, and the metal hinges are thick and resistant to bending, showing that the cooler is built strong down to the smallest parts. However, the rope handle type may wobble and lack stability. The handle is not fixed, making it difficult to balance the cooler evenly.

The angled drain makes it easy to drain water, but the 34-pound weight makes it difficult to move, which may cause challenges when cleaning the bottom or exterior. On the other hand, the rubber and plastic latch requires minimal effort and can be easily opened and closed. The compartment prevents food from getting wet as ice melts, and additional features like a dual-scale ruler, pressure-release valve, and bottle opener make this cooler convenient for outdoor use.

Overall, the Rugged Cooler 45Qt offers high cooling power and durability, making it an excellent hard cooler for those who frequently participate in extended outdoor activities or prioritize both cooling power and durability.

Founded in 2006 by brothers Roy and Ryan Seiders, YETI has become a top brand for coolers and other outdoor gear. The HOPPER M30 soft cooler is made of waterproof TPU. Its magnetic closure makes it a great choice for everything from watersports to camping to outdoor festivals.

It has thick insulation that uses patented technology. In our tests, we measured an ice retention rate of about 49 percent.

It can be carried with one hand using the top handles, with two handles on either side or slung over the shoulder. The shoulder strap is soft and comfortably padded. However, it doesn't fold up easily, so make sure you have a place for it in your storage area.

Having a magnetic closure instead of a zipper makes it easy to access. But the inner lining is blousy and it's hard to wipe down all the surfaces. It didn't score above average in our usability test.

On the other hand, the magnet seal is so tight it's unlikely that anything will spill out, even if it tips over in your car.

With three layers of TPU, it's tough and fully waterproof. It also has thick handles and rugged stitching. The seams connecting the handles to the bag are reinforced, so it'll hold up even if it's chock-full of beverages. The magnet is also impressively strong right out of the box.

This offering from YETI boasts rugged construction, solid waterproofing, and great cold retention. It's a fantastic soft cooler for the beach, day trips, overnight camping, and road trips.

The Icemule Pro XL 33-liter cooler is a backpack type with a roll-down closure designed to keep cold in and heat out. After 24 hours, we found 38.79 percent of the original ice remaining, which is a good result. It may have something to do with the air valve. Although this is designed to allow the cooler to float, blowing air into it also creates an extra layer of insulation.

The only carrying option is as a backpack, but it sits snugly and weight is distributed evenly. The shoulder padding is very comfortable and it should fit a variety of body types. And you'll have both hands free to carry other gear.

The inner lining is loose and the interior is deep, so it might be tricky to wipe it down thoroughly when needed. It also doesn't have extra features like a bottle opener, side pockets, or hanging loops. If it's really full, it may leak melted ice if you tip it over, so keep this in mind when moving it around.

The outer fabric is coated and the stitching is tight, so we found it seemed durable overall. But since the shoulder straps have mesh, that part seems a bit weaker. The shoulder straps and body are joined by triangular stitches. We give it a passing score in durability.

All in all, this soft cooler fits well and is easy to carry around. It's a great choice for times when you need both hands free, such as during outdoor activities.

Known for their smartphone cases, Colorado-based Otterbox brings us the Trooper 20 soft cooler in two colors. With 38.04 percent of the original ice remaining after 24 hours, we gave it a good score for cold retention. It has a thick layer of polyurethane for insulation.

The construction and materials are stiff, so it's a bit awkward to carry. Although the shoulder strap has padding, it's not very cushioning. It bangs against your body as well, so it may be uncomfortable to carry long distances when full. But the interior is smooth and easy to wipe down. Features like side pockets and loops allow you to bring small items. But you won't need to pack a bottle opener, since it has one built-in!

The lid also opens with very little force. But it locks and seals tightly, so you don't have to worry about spills. The outer fabric is tough and coated with waterproofing. The shoulder strap is thick and wide and has tight stitching attaching it to the cooler shell. However, since the locking part of the lid is plastic, it could crack over time, with rough or frequent use.

But overall, we think this cooler is well-designed, with plenty of versatility built in. It's easy to care for and use not only for casual activities but also for more demanding situations.

This cooler got high marks during our chilling capacity test, given that it preserved an outstanding 67 percent of the ice we put inside after three days. Thanks to its thick insulation, you can bring this cooler on long fishing trips without losing the freshness of your catch.

Our testers liked the handle's nonslip grip that was easy to hold onto. Moreover, the cooler hardly sways even if the contents move around since the handle is solidly built, making it feel stable. Although it's a little large, you shouldn't find it difficult to carry.

All you have to do to open the cooler is pull down on the silicone latch. The top has a fish ruler that measures 20 inches or 52 centimeters. This is a feature that will be useful for making a comparison to previous records. However, the bottom only has a cover instead of anti-slip pads, so it might slide around a little on a slippery boat deck.

Draining water went smoothly because of the recessed drain hole. The drain plug is attached to the cooler with a metal wire, so there's no chance you'll lose it after cleaning. This cooler is highly recommended for people who want something easy to carry that's well-insulated and will keep your catch fresh for as long as possible.

The Haul is a wheeled cooler from Yeti's popular Tundra series. You can pull this cooler along with you to your favorite fishing spot.

49 percent of the ice remained intact after three days in our cold retention test. It's not only a rotomolded cooler but also includes thick insulation, which our testers believe is what was able to keep the internal temperature low.

On the one hand, this cooler can be comfortably moved around thanks to the wheels and handle, but because it weighs 37 pounds, our testers struggled to lift it. Loading this cooler into your car will require some strength.

It's easy to open just by pulling down on the silicone latch. The bottom of the cooler has rubber anti-skid pads that'll prevent the wheels from moving around. Aside from that, there aren't any features specialized for fishing.

It drains pretty quickly with the recessed drain hole. But, because it's heavy, it might be quite a task when you want to wash the entire thing. This cooler with very effective insulation is best for those who won't mind pulling a wheeled cooler with them, even if it's pretty heavy.

The TUNDRA 35 Hard Cooler by Yeti is a rotomolded cooler with high chilling capacity and is durable enough to keep a nosy bear from getting inside.

After three days, 29 percent of ice remained intact, likely because this cooler is rotomolded. Your catch should have no trouble maintaining its freshness on a weekend fishing trip.

At only 35 quarts, it's easy to hold with both hands using the rubber handle grips. However, since this cooler is made with a rope-type handle, it's a little unstable, and our testers felt that the rope twisted when the cooler's contents shifted.

Thanks to the silicone latches, the cooler is easy to open. The bottom comes equipped with rubber non-slip pads, so it should be able to grip the slippery surface of a boat deck. It also comes with a metal mesh tray that you can use to separate your drinks from your catch or bait.

It's on the heavier side at 19 pounds, 11 ounces, making it difficult to handle, but because of the recessed drain hole, you won't have any issue getting every drop of water out. But the drain plug is not attached to the cooler, so don't lose it. Since this cooler is easy to carry onto a boat and comes with anti-skid pads, it's an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys boat fishing.