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Five hard coolers against a pink background Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

The Best Coolers of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Five hard coolers against a pink background Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

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Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

Learn more about our product testing
1
Editor's Choice Product image of Yeti Tundra 45
Best Overall

Yeti Tundra 45

This cooler provides superb insulation and maintained a brisk temperature for over three days. Read More

Pros

  • Good temperature retention
  • Secure lock
  • Easy to carry

Cons

  • High price point
2
Editor's Choice Product image of Rtic 52 Qt Ultra-Light Cooler
Best Value

Rtic 52 Qt Ultra-Light Cooler

The Rtic Ultra Light Cooler lives up to its name and is lightweight so you can haul it to the beach or a campsite. Read More

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Good insulation

Cons

  • No wheels
  • No extra features
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Brumate BruTank 55 Qt Rolling Cooler
Best Features

Brumate BruTank 55 Qt Rolling Cooler

This feature-rich cooler comes with everything you need—including a padded seat—for a day outdoors. Read More

Pros

  • Glides over rough terrain
  • Excellent insulation
  • Lots of added features

Cons

  • Gets dirty quickly
  • Drink dispenser leaks
4
Product image of Pelican 50 Qt Elite Cooler

Pelican 50 Qt Elite Cooler

We found the Pelican Elite to be bulky to move around, however, it offers plenty of features and is good at retaining temperatures Read More

Pros

  • Good temperature retention
  • Feature filled
  • Skid-resistant bottom

Cons

  • Bulky
  • High price point
5
Product image of Orca 40 Qt Cooler

Orca 40 Qt Cooler

While the Orca 40-quart cooler has easy-to-carry handles and secure t-grip locks, it's slow to reach a brisk temperature for proper chilling. Read More

Pros

  • Easy to carry
  • Extra storage

Cons

  • Subpar insulation

When you’re unwinding outdoors, the best cooler makes all the difference. From keeping your catch fresh on a deep sea fishing trip to keeping your cold ones chilly at the beach, coolers are essential. You have a limited amount of leisure time—don’t let a bad cooler ruin it.

After weeks of testing the best coolers available, the Yeti Tundra 45 (available at Yeti) came out on top for its ability to hold brisk temperatures for days at a time and its secure locks to prevent leakage.

For a great option at a lower price, the Rtic Ultra Light Hard Cooler (available at Amazon) offers incredible value.

For the best rolling cooler decked out with fun features like a padded seat and built-in drink tap, check out the BruMate BruTank (available at BruMate).

There are plenty of other winners among the coolers we tested, for all priorities and price points.

A white Yeti cooler against a yellow background.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

The Yeti Tundra 45 showed us why Yeti is a leader in the field.

Best Overall
Yeti Tundra 45

The Yeti Tundra 45 is the best cooler we tested, yielding testing results that showed us why Yeti is such a leader in this field.

During testing, the Tundra’s three-inch insulation kept our temperature sensors under a brisk 40°F for around 97 hours. The thick construction also means that this cooler is bear resistant if you pair it with a bear-proof lock.

However, even if you’re not heading to the woods, the T-shaped lid lock still feels secure. They can be a challenge to open if you don’t have a lot of hand strength, but the trade-off of nothing slipping out is worth it.

We also liked the overall handle placement. The Tundra has both built-in side handles and rope handles made from durable polyester—allowing for easy carry for both a single person or two people.

Finally, the Yeti Tundra 45 cooler has non-slip feet to keep it stable on boats, trackbeds, and car seats.

The major downside of the Yeti Tundra 45 is the price. If you’re not serious about your outdoor food and beverage game, this cooler is not worth it.

Pros

  • Good temperature retention

  • Secure lock

  • Easy to carry

Cons

  • High price point

A blue Rtick cooler against a pink background.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

This lightweight cooler from Rtic is our favorite affordable option.

Best Value
Rtic 52 Qt Ultra-Light Cooler

For a great value, the Rtic 52-quart Ultra Light Hard Cooler is the best you can buy for the money. Based on our calculations, this Rtic cooler about 30% lighter than the average cooler—providing 2.6 quarts of storage space per pound.

This cooler is easy to lift and move around, with added details like the built-in lip and rope handles making this lightweight cooler easy to maneuver.

When filled with ice, the Rtic cooler kept our sensors below 40°F for over three days. While the test was ongoing, we tested the seal, which felt pretty sturdy.

However, when it came time to drain this Rtic cooler, we found a pool of water left inside after pulling the plug, requiring some extra work on our end to remove it.

This Rtic cooler doesn’t come with any extras like cup holders or wheels. Still, we feel that it provided a good value for the money based on how well-insulated it is and the ease with which we carried it around.

Pros

  • Lightweight

  • Good insulation

Cons

  • No wheels

  • No extra features

Two views of a blue BruMate cooler. One with it being wheeled away, another with it opened up.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

The Brumate BruTank cooler has all the bells and whistles.

Best Features
Brumate BruTank 55 Qt Rolling Cooler

Of all the best coolers out there, the Brumate BruTank offers the most features. Starting from the outside, this rolling cooler has all-terrain wheels that easily glide over pavement, including rocks and potholes, and is pulled by wide handlebars. The top of this BruTank cooler includes a padded area for sitting.

On the interior, there’s a 2.8-gallon drink dispenser with a spout on the outside of the cooler. While this is a fun feature, keep in mind that it also cuts into the storage space.

Cooling-wise, our sensors were kept under 40°F for about 120 hours, which is better than our No. 1 pick.

While the BruTank cooler comes with lots of fun features, we did find a few issues. The padded seat on top is a dust magnet and the drink dispenser leaked at one point during our testing. These two issues kept this cooler from a top spot, however, it’s still one of our top-performing picks if you need a feature-filled rolling cooler.

Pros

  • Glides over rough terrain

  • Excellent insulation

  • Lots of added features

Cons

  • Gets dirty quickly

  • Drink dispenser leaks

Other Coolers We Tested

Product image of Pelican 50 Qt Elite Cooler
Pelican 50 Qt Elite Cooler

The Pelican Elite Cooler is the quintessential fisherman’s cooler. It has skid-resistant feet on the bottom and a ruler on top with cupholders and a bottle opener. Its press-and-pull latches mean you can easily open it with one hand.

During our cold retention test, our internal sensor told us that it took 135 hours for the inside of the Pelican cooler to reach a temperature north of 40°F. And when it came time to drain all the melted ice, the sloped drain did its job in making emptying an easy task.

The Pelican cooler is a beefy cooler, sturdy enough to weather just about anything, but that can be a detriment. It tips the scale at 26.4 pounds when it's empty—one of the heavier coolers given its storage capacity. And because it’s relatively expensive, we’d only recommend the Pelican Elite Cooler for serious outdoors people.

Pros

  • Good temperature retention

  • Feature filled

  • Skid-resistant bottom

Cons

  • Bulky

  • High price point

Product image of Orca 40 Qt Cooler
Orca 40 Qt Cooler

We found the Orca 40-quart cooler to be a playful cooler, with details like t-grip fasteners for the lid that are shaped like little orca tails. This Orca cooler also has a mesh bag on the outside for increased storage. Finally, the flexible handles on the side make tandem carry a cinch.

In our cold retention tests, it took 100 hours for the interior of the Orca cooler to pass the 40°F threshold. That puts it behind many of its similarly priced competitors.

Pros

  • Easy to carry

  • Extra storage

Cons

  • Subpar insulation

Product image of Ozark Trail 110 Qt Wheeled Hard Chest Cooler
Ozark Trail 110 Qt Wheeled Hard Chest Cooler

Walmart’s Ozark Trail 110-quart cooler is spacious and heavy, with two wheels that offer adequate movement most of the time, but occasionally got snagged on uneven ground.

The cold retention test results show that the Ozark Trail cooler keeps the temperatures under 40°F for about 102 hours—longer than our best overall.

The reason it didn’t rank higher comes down to usability issues. First, the Ozark Trail cooler is larger than others in our guide, which makes it more difficult to move around.

This cooler is for someone looking for a lot of space. If you’re not, it could result in the cooler being inefficient. If it doesn’t get filled fully with ice, it could be prone to heating up more quickly than a smaller cooler that’s filled to the brim.

We also found the T-grips that keep the lid close are way too stiff, which makes unlocking it difficult. The Ozark Trail cooler is just too tough to open compared to the competition.

Pros

  • Spacious

  • Adequate insulation

Cons

  • Wheels snag

  • Hard to open

Product image of Igloo MaxCold Latitude 90 Qt Roller Cooler
Igloo MaxCold Latitude 90 Qt Roller Cooler

Igloo is a brand that has been around forever, and the Igloo Maxcold follows true to old-school examples. The 90-quart cooler we tested has two giant wheels on the back with a built-in pull handle on the front. The top has four cup holders that fit standard size cans, and a fish ruler.

When we opened the latch-style lid, the smell of hot plastic hit us. Even after a week of testing, the strong plastic smell didn’t dissipate. This was a red flag since we don’t want our beach sandwiches to taste off.

For insulation, it took 70 hours for the interior to reach a temperature north of 40°F. That places the Igloo Maxcold towards the back of the pack.

However, this model was one of the more affordable ones we tested. If you’re looking for an easy-to-move cooler for a day at the beach, this one is perfectly serviceable.

Pros

  • Affordable

  • Easy to move

  • Features cupholders

Cons

  • Strong plastic scent

  • Weaker insulation

Product image of Coleman Reunion 54 Qt Steel Belted Cooler
Coleman Reunion 54 Qt Steel Belted Cooler

The 54-quart Coleman Ice Chest is a simple cooler with old-school style that delivers over 100 hours of interior coolness. While we like the retro look and the temperature performance, our issue with this Coleman cooler has to do with comfort and concerns about sturdiness. The handles are made of steel and wrapped in plastic, and we felt they dug into our palms more than the built-in grooves of other coolers we tested.

We’re also not fans of the locking mechanism on the Coleman cooler’s lid. It’s a latch that you turn into place. In our experience, mechanical latches like this have the potential to rust out or break, and we read a few reviews online that back this up. All in all, the Coleman Ice Chest is a good choice designed for light usage on beach or lake days, but it’s not as heavy-duty as our No. 1 pick.

Pros

  • Retro design

  • Good insulation

Cons

  • Hard to carry

  • Difficult to lock

Product image of Igloo Versatemp 28 Qt Portable Electric Cooler
Igloo Versatemp 28 Qt Portable Electric Cooler

The Igloo Electric Iceless cooler is a bit different than the other best cooler picks in our guide. It’s a cooler with a built-in refrigerating unit on top that plugs into a 12V socket like the ones found in your car. It’s more than just a cooler, but sort of like a portable mini-fridge.

With it plugged in, the compressor kept the interior at a steady 37°F all night. However, this iceless cooler took several hours to get to that temperature.

Running the Igloo iceless cooler will likely drain your battery if your car isn’t in motion. We think this is best suited for people who drive for a living. We could also see a use case for people returning home from a fishing trip—the largest version comes in a 40-quart size, so it’s not ideal for hunting. This iceless cooler is a good option for RVs, road trips, and camping.

Pros

  • Holds temperature overnight

  • Doesn't require ice

Cons

  • Requires charging

  • Drains car battery

How We Tested Coolers

The Testers

Hi, Jon Chan, Beckett Dubay, and Michael Elderbee here! We’re the testing team at Reviewed, which means we design and implement the experiments involved in this article. For the best coolers, we are most concerned about performance, portability, and price.

The Tests

Two people putting a Yeti cooler in the back of a car.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

We tested these coolers for insulation, portability, and durability.

When searching for the best cooler or ice chest to test, we researched the most popular units on the market. We also wanted to include a variety of coolers, from hard to soft, portable to heavy-duty. We also took care to find widely available coolers.

We tested how long each cooler could maintain a temperature by filling each cooler, regardless of size, halfway up with ice. Next, we put the ice coolers into our humidity-controlled lab space to ensure a consistent ambient temperature of 72°F and 50% relative humidity.

To track the temperature of each cooler, we placed two temperature sensors inside to measure when the internal conditions reached over 40°F—the point at which meat becomes unsafe to eat.

We placed one sensor at the bottom of the cooler, wrapped inside a cube of methylcellulose buried in ice. We placed the other sensor on top of the ice and removed it daily to get readings and simulate normal use. The test ended when a cooler visibly contained no ice.

The next tests involved the portability, build quality, and aesthetics of each ice cooler. The portability test was pretty straightforward: Fill the cooler with water and walk around with it. We went up inclines, took sharp turns, and trotted around the lab.

Exhausted and out of breath, we then tested whether they were leakproof by tipping each cooler to determine whether the water would come out. Then, we emptied each model of water to look into the design and features. Finally, we filled each cooler with soda cans to see how many cans they could hold, compared to their stated capacity.

What You Should Know About Coolers

Someone putting a can of seltzer in an ice filled cooler.
Credit: Reviewed / Tim Renzi

Make sure to add the right amount of ice to your cooler to keep everything chilly.

How Much Ice Should I Use?

You should use a 2-to-1 ratio of ice to items being cooled. For example, if you were cooling a gallon jug of milk, you’d need two gallons of ice to keep it cool. However, the more ice the better the food preservation.

How Can I Make My Cooler Last Longer?

Pre-cool your cooler: If you’re storing your cooler in a hot garage, bring it inside so it can get up to room temperature. That way, you’re not wasting energy cooling down a hot plastic box.

Avoid using ice that's already melting: A bag of ice that's dripping water is already too warm to keep a cooler at the correct temperature.

Don't drain out the excess water: Cold water helps insulate any ice you add later.

Can I Use Dry Ice in a Cooler?

Dry ice is okay for use in most coolers. It’s way colder than regular ice and excels at keeping ice cream and meat frozen. When it evaporates, it leaves no puddles to clean up.

However, there are disadvantages. Dry ice melts at an alarming rate, about 5-10 pounds every hour, depending on how often you open the cooler. It’s also somewhat dangerous to store indoors, as it is releases carbon dioxide.

What Should You Look for in a Cooler for Camping?

It all comes down to how long and how far you’re going.

For day trips, a portable soft cooler or a backpack cooler is perfect. (Just keep in mind that backpack coolers work better with ice packs than loose cubes. Once that ice melts, the sloshing will make the backpack more unstable.)

If you’re heading into the backcountry, you'll want a cooler that is more robust. The best coolers that keep hot air out have T-handles and are difficult to open because of the tight seal. You want a well-insulated unit that keeps the scent of your supplies away from bears and other predators.

When packing a cooler to preserve food for more than a day, use a combination of chunks and chips of ice. Chips help with immediate cooling and chunks are for the long haul. Also, store the cooler in the shade, away from direct sunlight.

Meet the testers

Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan

Senior Manager of Lab Operations

@Jonfromthelab1

Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.

See all of Jonathan Chan's reviews
Beckett Dubay

Beckett Dubay

Product Test Technician

Beckett Dubay is a product tester at Reviewed, regularly using science-based protocol to test refrigerators, dishwashers, and laundry large appliances, and photographing the process in the lab from start to finish.

Before Reviewed, working as a lighting designer for several years has left him with strong opinions about overhead lighting.

See all of Beckett Dubay's reviews
Michael Elderbee

Michael Elderbee

Product Test Technician

Born in Seoul and raised in New England, Michael is currently a Product Test Technician at Reviewed and strives to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

In the Reviewed lab, Michael regularly tests refrigerators, dishwashers, and laundry large appliances, as well as all types of science-based activities.

His 5 years as a behavioral technician has given him a strong appreciation for data collection and research. Michael has a variety of different passions outside of testing appliances including volleyball, snowboarding, and video games. You can also find him nerding out about EDC gear, custom keyboards, and Warhammer 40k.

See all of Michael Elderbee's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

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