Plenty of soft coolers are fairly comfortable to use and reliable (as long as it’s not too sunny or scorching hot out) in the less-than-$100 category. Those choice designs include a range of designs such as the Mountainsmith Takeout ($30), REI Co-op Pack-Away Soft Cooler ($50), and Arctic Zone Titan Bucket Tote ($53). The price of a soft cooler is reflected by the size, durability, quality of materials, design features, and ice retention. The prices of soft coolers in our guide range from the $30 Mountainsmith Takeout, which is the smallest cooler, to the OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler ($250) with top-shelf ice retention. Most soft coolers are simple with a central insulated compartment for food and beverages.
You should never consider these numbers as performance guarantees, but as a crude spec to gauge where a cooler stands within the category, I find the estimates useful. While the Boss is very durable and comfy to carry, it didn’t do as well in ice and cold retention compared to Yeti’s Hopper BackFlip backpack cooler. Some 24 hours after we put ice in the coolers, the inside temperature of the Boss increased by 19 degrees compared to just 7 degrees in the Yeti. igloo soft cooler And where the Yeti still had about half of its ice frozen, our testers reported only about 20 percent of the ice placed in the Icemule stayed frozen. While the KeepR is an excellent drinks caddy, it’s also a perfect picnic option as you can still tote ice for cold drinks but use the compartments for utensils, dishes, and food for two or a small group. RovR even sells small SnackR food containers that fit neatly into the IceR, which can keep food hot or cold.
Alec Scherma is the test engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where he tests products across categories, including home and tech. He has conducted evaluation and testing for more than 35 coolers, buying and packing hundreds of cans of soda and weighing and carrying each cooler. This rotomolded cooler (made from one piece of material), is strong and durable. At the end of this guide, igloo water cooler you can read more about how we test and choose the best coolers, plus everything you need to know about when shopping for the perfect cooler for your needs. Check out our guides to the best water bottles and the best adult lunch boxes. You also want to consider things like build-quality, durability, design, portability, weight and extra features like pockets and bottle openers.
Others are fully collapsible and pliable, and we celebrate the space-saving option for storage. The REI Cool Haul features several webbing loops, two exterior pockets, and an internal zippered pocket to keep you organized. It has a bottle opener (that works) attached to it, so you’ll never have to worry about forgetting one again. The interior insulation also slides out of the cooler’s main body, making it even easier to load on the counter or clean in the sink after a spill. Both the Otterbox Trooper and Arctic Zone Titan Zipperless also come with bottle openers on the outsides of the bag, though we struggled to effectively use the one on the Titan.
It steadily maintained the temperature of soda cans for 36 hours — and even kept most of the ice intact. It was easy to move around when full and is designed to handle all kinds of terrain with its oversize wheels. The company states that the cooler is made with postconsumer recycled materials — specifically, 98% of the lid and body plastic and 48% of the liner — one of the first coolers to use recycled materials.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). The RTIC 65 weighs 36.5 pounds and measures 32 by 17 by 18 inches on the outside. Unlike several other competitors, the RTIC 65 has two drainage ports for quick cleaning and draining. This roto-molded cooler costs far less than the Yeti Tundra 65 but performs just as well in nearly every way.
While we liked the size, capacity, and shape of the TravelR, the hand straps are not cushioned or wide enough to comfortably carry this cooler when it’s loaded with all the eats, drinks, and ice. While adventuring, this cooler did a noteworthy job of preserving ice in sunny conditions and exceeded the capabilities of other coolers we tested. A two-way zipper provides easy top access, and the cube shape nicely slides into tight spaces on a boat or in the truck bed. According to the ice retention test, the Takeout can retain ice for 21 hours.
“It feels like a large tote bag and carries like one,” is how one tester put it. Some 24 hours after we put ice into the Titan, the inside temperature only raised 5 degrees—better than both Yeti coolers we tested. There’s no zipper on the lid—just a Velcro-like closure—so be sure the cooler stays upright in transportation. And while it claims to hold 30 cans with ice, we found it much easier to fit 20 cans with adequate ice. Still, we didn’t find a much better option for your picnic outings.
It has taken us a few years to recommend a wheeled cooler simply because none have seemed built to last longer than a season or two—especially in the handle. Once loaded with ice, drinks, and food, a 37-pound cooler can more than double in weight. When someone then tilts the cooler up, all that weight goes into the wheelbase or leans into the handle hinge. Many companies have spent an astronomical amount of money and time to convince people that they need to spend ridiculous sums just to keep a drink cold. Coolers aren’t complicated, which is a good thing to remember in the face of all that advertising. After spending many years evaluating more than 40 cooler models, we’ve chosen eight that are well made, well insulated, and well suited for a range of outings.
Like their name implies, hard coolers are made from rigid plastic materials with thick walls, which makes them sturdier and better insulated for extreme environments than soft coolers, according to our experts. “They also typically have a higher capacity, which is worth the extra weight for space,” says Newar. Some can support up to 250 pounds, so they even double as impromptu seats. This cooler backpack, which has a 4.7-average star rating from over 22,000 reviews, has a 30-can capacity and a leakproof design. Its high-density foam helps keep contents cold (or hot) for up to 16 hours, according to the brand. It weighs just over 1 pound and has padded, adjustable straps, so it’s one of the most portable options on our list.