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There are certain situations when a (good!) cooler is a must-have. Like, when you\u2019re camping and need to keep food cold, when you\u2019re headed to the beach<\/a> and want to bring sandwich supplies and drinks for the day, and when you\u2019re on a road trip<\/a> and require sustenance and seltzers to make it through the long drive (just me?). Yup, you need a cooler for that, that, and that.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But, of course, you can\u2019t have a cooler<\/a> that doesn\u2019t work. You want a cooler that keeps things cold<\/em>, is easy to pick up and transport, and is durable. And for that, you need me. Because I\u2019m here to tell you what cooler to get.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n To find the best of the best, I rounded up enough coolers to fill up half of my garage and set to work: seeing how long they could hold ice, loading them with groceries and ice packs<\/a> and carrying them around, and pushing the coolers out of the back of a car to test their durability. Here are my top picks \u2014 with more detail of what separated the good from the bad below.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Simply put: If a cooler doesn\u2019t keep things cold, it\u2019s not worth it. To test the ice retention abilities of the coolers, I loaded the large coolers with 30 pounds of ice and the small ones with 15 pounds of ice and set them outside in full sun on my back patio. Each day I drained water from the coolers, recording the amount. (Note: I tested the coolers when it was pretty hot outside, with highs between 80 and 90 degrees each day.)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The best coolers retained ice for five to seven days, while the worst had very little ice in them after about two-and-a-half days. Coincidently, the top models are also much<\/em> heavier, which means they have thick insulation all-around \u2014 including their lids \u2014 and tight seals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Another factor that impacts performance is interior space. Good, large coolers should be able to hold a lot and not have big wheel wells or other factors that cut down on usable room. The best models are spacious and easy to pack full of groceries.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A heavier cooler, I find, is a trade-off for a better-performing one. The top non-wheeled coolers weigh between 20 to 30 pounds while empty<\/em>, which makes them pretty tough for just one person to lift (I asked my sister to help me out). I prefer models with padded handles that are comfortable to hold. Flimsy, plastic handles dig into my palms, making them a recipe for discomfort.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But for those who require wheels on their coolers, I get it! My favorite wheeled cooler<\/a> weighs 40 pounds empty (so you\u2019ll probably have to recruit someone to help lift it in and out of the car), but it has a secure, telescopic handle with comfortable, grippy handle bars. Its rugged wheels easily glide across a variety of surfaces (gravel, pavement, grass, sand). And, even when full of food, it feels easy to pull.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The coolers\u2019 latches and drainage systems also affect usability. Most of the coolers have heavy-duty rubber latches. Some are stiffer, thicker, and harder to use than others. And I don\u2019t know about you, but I prefer to not have to wrestle to open and close a cooler! Their drainage spouts should also be easily accessible and efficient.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Those latches were all key, though, when it came to durability. Coolers without latches popped right open, spilling their contents when they fell out of the car. For something as rugged as a cooler that\u2019s meant to go camping, in cars, and to the beach, you want it to be durable \u2014 because accidents happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I focused mostly on coolers that are around 45 quarts, which is big enough to hold supplies for four people for a couple of days or two people for a longer period of time. Below you can find which coolers come in smaller and larger sizes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I judged all of the coolers on the following criteria, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst and 5 being the best):\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The hype is justified with the YETI coolers<\/a>. There was still a significant amount of ice left in this cooler after seven days in the blazing-hot sun. It\u2019s easy to use, with YETI\u2019s patented heavy-duty, rubber \u201cT-REX lid latches\u201d that are a cinch to pull out and put in and don\u2019t budge even when pushed out of a car. It has a spacious capacity, grippy feet on the bottom to keep it from budging, an efficient drain system, and long, polyester rope handles with comfortable grips. It is heavy, at 23 pounds when empty, and, on my own, I cannot lift it easily and for very long when full. However, if you want a rugged cooler that works unbelievably well, the YETI Tundra<\/a> is for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I am seriously impressed with this cooler<\/a>, which costs a bit more than $100 and offers a huge bang for your buck. It easily retained ice for four days. On day five, there was a little ice left in the cooler, but keep in mind it costs hundreds of dollars less than the ones that out-performed it. With a 52-quart capacity, it has a spacious interior. It also has rugged T-shaped latches that prevent the cooler from opening when pushed out of the car and a threaded drain plug and efficient drainage, and it\u2019s much lighter than other top-performing coolers, making it easier to lift. While the cooler\u2019s handles are made from plastic and feel flimsier than the YETI<\/a>\u2019s, they are padded and very comfortable to hold. If you want a budget-friendly cooler that still delivers on cold retention and durability, the Igloo BMX<\/a> can\u2019t be beat.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Who it\u2019s best for<\/strong>: Anyone who wants an excellent cooler at a budget-friendly price point. Again, it doesn\u2019t have the\u00a0best\u00a0<\/em>cold retention, so keep that in mind if you\u2019re a serious camper or want a cooler for an extended trip. That being said, it\u2019s still excellent!\u00a0\u00a0 This brand made both the best and coolest wheeled cooler<\/a> I\u2019ve ever tried. Truly! It has rugged wheels that easily glide across all sorts of terrain (be it gravel, concrete, sand, grass, dirt), incredible cold retention (seven days!), an efficient drainage system, and a telescopic handle that has comfortable handlebars that make wheeling the cooler around a cinch. It has a few cons: Its latches have to be pulled down to be secured and opened, which require a little finesse, and it weighs nearly 40 pounds empty. And while the cooler\u2019s interior space is smaller than others, it comes with a sizable, removable dry bin so you can keep food on one side and drinks and ice on the other. It\u2019s also bear-resistant (although RovR sells these locks<\/a> for further bear proofing). And you can buy fun accessories that attach onto the cooler like cup holders<\/a>, a prep board<\/a>, an umbrella holder<\/a>, and a BikR Kit<\/a> that allows you to pull the cooler behind you on a bike.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Who it\u2019s best for<\/strong>: Anyone who wants a wheeled cooler or a cooler with tons of extra useful accessories. This cooler from ORCA<\/a> was another top-performer. It has a roomier interior than the YETI<\/a>, but is equal in terms of ice retention, with ice lasting seven days. The cooler has an efficient drainage spout, super comfortable handles, and fun-looking latches shaped like whale tails. The latches are a bit stiff and require a little tugging to remove, and the cooler was the heaviest of the non-wheeled models I tried. However, it\u2019s incredibly durable and comes in tons of fun colors. You can also buy a fishing rod holder<\/a> that attaches onto the cooler.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Who it\u2019s best for<\/strong>: Anyone who wants top-notch cold retention and a little extra interior space. Ideally, you\u2019re strong because it\u2019s heavy and the latches require some finesse. If you want a cooler for day trips, road trips, and beach days, the YETI Roadie<\/a> is a top-notch option. Because it\u2019s smaller and therefore has less insulation, it only holds ice for about four days, but that\u2019s still really impressive \u2014 especially when compared to other small coolers! It\u2019s super portable, with a lengthy carrying strap, and has easy-to-use latches that can be operated with one hand. It\u2019s also durable and didn\u2019t show any damage when I pushed it out of a car. And while it is smaller, it can <\/em>fit most wine bottles (upright!), which is a very fun bonus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Who it\u2019s best for<\/strong>: Anyone who wants a portable cooler that offers incredible performance. We will do our homework, going wildly in depth with our testing. But we\u2019ll condense the info into easy, breezy summaries so that you can see what we picked and why, and then move on your life. Because we know you\u2019re busy!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Do you have a question about coolers? Ask us in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat to Consider When Buying a Cooler<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
How Easy Is It to Carry and Use?\u00a0<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
What We Look for in a Cooler<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Best Overall: YETI Tundra 45 Cooler<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Good to know<\/strong>: This cooler also comes in 25-quart<\/a> and 72-quart<\/a> sizes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Wheeled: RovR Products RollR 45 Cooler<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Good to know<\/strong>: This cooler is also available in 60-quart<\/a> and 80-quart<\/a> sizes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMost Spacious: ORCA 40-Quart Cooler<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Good to know<\/strong>: This cooler is also available in several other sizes, including 20<\/a>, 26<\/a>, 58<\/a>, and 75<\/a> quarts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Small: YETI Roadie 24 Hard Cooler<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Good to know<\/strong>: The compatible dry goods basket<\/a> and seat cushion<\/a> are sold separately.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Kitchn\u2019s Best List Promise<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n