Otterbox originally started out making phone cases and now have a range of soft and hard sided coolers. If you want good quality ice retention and best-in-class build quality as well as best-in-class branding then Yeti is going to be the cooler for you. The interior is leak proof and it can hold ice about the same length of time as a similar sized Yeti Hopper cooler, maybe even slightly longer than the Yeti – but its really close. The coolers come in 12, 24 and 48-can sizes with the larger size keeping ice the longest if filled to capacity. The Igloo Playmate Cooler is another classic and among the highest-rated budget coolers that we have ever tested. This can be attributed to their ergonomic design and easy-access lid.
You can have a cooler with good ice retention but poor quality and I personally wouldn’t recommend you buy it. Unfortunately this is one of the coolers I was unable to find any direct ice test comparisons on comparing the performance of this cooler to other similar brands. Hydro Flask coolers are high-end expensive coolers that can keep ice for 1-1.5+ days. 2 days would be pushing it with these coolers despite them being almost as expensive as Yeti. So this cooler has good ice retention but I don’t know enough about the brand to be able to confidently recommend it. It is super durable and made from heavy duty nylon that is TPU laminated to make the exterior waterproof and also abrasion and puncture resistant.
The IceMule Pro is relatively durable and resistant to our abuse, though the straps’ attachment points seemed perhaps not quite as reliable or as robust as we’d like them to be. Not surprisingly, some of the coolers that performed the lowest in this category also have the weakest material. However, these coolers (the igloo soft cooler Coleman 16-Can and Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze) are also some of the least expensive we tested, so you might not be so upset about replacing them when they bite the dust. For more information on choosing the right soft cooler for you click here to read about the BEST SOFT SIDED COOLERS on the market today.
The shape and weight feel easy to move around, and the handles are comfortable. We appreciate all of the pockets to help us keep odds and ends organized. There are two zippered pockets, including one that fits a phone, and two huge, broad mesh pockets. We were surprised at how well the cooler retained ice despite being out in the elements, due to the premium thermal insulation. The heavy-duty base also increased the chill factor while stabilizing the cooler during transport and beneath items. The staunch base also allowed us to set the cooler on variable surfaces and was easy to clean.
That said, even the cheapest options on our list are reasonably well built and will get the job done for days at the beach or packing a lunch on the road, which will be enough to sway many. Since they’re often made from foam and fabric, they’re lightweight and easy to carry over your shoulder or on your back. They’re also usually more affordable than hard coolers, though they’re not as effective when it comes to retaining temperature, according to our experts.
Ace Rewards members are eligible to receive free delivery on orders of $50 or more. “Higher cost does not always mean higher quality,” says Krikorian, who uses a Coleman ice chest that’s several years old. They aren’t as robust as igloo soft cooler something like the Yeti or the Pelican but they are build well and I can really see these coolers appealing to a younger audience. Most other brands are a copy of Yeti in some way or heavily take inspiration from this cooler.