The 4 Finest Coolers of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

Unsurprisingly, wheeled coolers had been the best to maneuver over longer distances. I additionally most popular coolers with lengthy, rope handles with massive silicone grips, which prevented them from twisting round or biting into my palms. If you’d like a cooler that is tremendous transportable, you will most likely simply need to go for a soft cooler.

They Have been Hardier Than Anticipated

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee charges among the coolers I examined as bear-resistant (below sure circumstances). I anticipated these to be sturdy, however what concerning the others? Effectively, not one cooler escaped the abrasive amalgam of my driveway with out a minimum of some superficial harm—however that was the extent of it. I anticipated some to lose tops or break handles, however they didn’t. Curiously, each cooler landed the wrong way up on its lid, the place it took scuffing and some deeper scratches. No cooler broke, although. 

Drains Might Be Efficient—or Not

Each cooler I examined had a plugged drain that labored with various levels of success. The Orca and Yeti Tundra 45 had the simplest drains, eradicating water utterly on their very own. Essentially the most infuriating drains had been ones with deep depressions round them that trapped residual liquid, even after turning the coolers over to empty them.

The Standards: What to Search for in a Cooler

The most effective cooler is the one which fits your wants. Would you like a high-capacity cooler or one which holds ice for days? Additionally, take into account how usually you’ll use it. The coolers I examined vary in value from $48 to $400, so you could not need to make a significant funding when you’ll solely use it yearly. My favourite coolers balanced chilly retention and cupboard space, with weight as a tertiary consideration. 

Our Favourite Coolers

What we appreciated: The Roadie 48 has a dice form and a big storage capability. The telescoping deal with has a cushty 6.5-inch grip and the cooler options rugged, seven-inch wheels. Its built-in handles are additionally snug, and I had no points carrying the cooler round. It had nice chilly retention with a tight-latching lid that complemented the thick polyurethane insulation.

What we didn’t like: At 28 kilos, it wasn’t the heaviest cooler I examined, however beginning off at that weight interprets to a heavy cooler when it’s full. Its drain is extra irritating than others. Sure, it drained water, however a few half-inch remained on the backside. I rocked the cooler again on its wheels, and a lot of the remaining water got here out. 

Key Specs:

• Capability: 76 cans/54 kilos ice
• Exterior dimensions: 20.6 x 20.1 x 19.8 inches
• Inside dimensions: 14.5 x 11.4 x 15.8 inches
• Weight: 28 kilos
• Wheels: Sure
• Additional options: Telescoping deal with, dry bin, tie-down factors, non-skid toes

What we appreciated: The Orca has the most effective storage capacities of any cooler I examined. It held ice for over 60 hours and was one in every of two fashions that drained utterly with out the necessity for human intervention. It had robust latches and, although it took some superficial harm after I pushed it repeatedly to the bottom, was fairly sturdy. 

What we didn’t like: The handles, that are curved plastic grips overlaying woven straps, are snug to carry, however the cooler is heavy sufficient that it’d be troublesome for one individual to hold simply.

Key Specs:

• Capability: 46 cans
• Exterior dimensions: 27 x 19.4 x 19.4 inches
• Inside dimensions: 19.9 x 13.4 x 13.1 
• Weight: 36 kilos
• Additional options: Cargo internet for storage, slip-resistant toes

What we appreciated: The RovR held its temperature for over 72 hours and was one in every of solely two coolers that utterly drained by itself. Because of the outsized nine-inch tires and cozy, T-shaped deal with with twin four-inch grips, this cooler rolled down steps and throughout sand, grass, and concrete with nice ease. It’s robust, too. Though it scuffed within the sturdiness testing, this cooler is bear-resistant when taking the right additional steps (like utilizing bear-resistant locks).

What we didn’t like: Whereas this cooler rolled over any floor I examined it on, the wheel association hit my legs after I was carrying it, making motion clumsy. The wheel wells ate into usable cupboard space.

Key Specs:

• Capability: 60 cans plus 10 lbs of ice
• Exterior dimensions: 16.9 x 20.8 x 20 inches
• Inside dimensions: 19.6 x 10.6 x 12 inches
• Weight: 39 kilos
• Wheels: Sure
• Additional options: Tie-down factors, dry bin, non-skid toes

What we appreciated: I’ve had Coleman merchandise in my orbit since I used to be a toddler, together with a tent I’ve owned for about 30 years that protected me from a tropical storm that handed over 3 times. Coleman gear isn’t flashy, however the merchandise are easy and dependable, such because the 316 Sequence. It has not one of the extremely engineered, inches-thick insulation of a lot of its opponents. It gained’t maintain tempo with them, but it surely did maintain a food-safe temperature for over 36 hours. It didn’t take vital harm within the fall checks and is a superb cooler for in a single day journeys that prices lower than $50. 

What we didn’t like: This cooler has no latches, and the lid popped open throughout three of the 5 fall checks. 

Key Specs:

• Capability: 80 cans
• Exterior dimensions: 26 x 16.3 x 16.5 inches
• Inside dimensions: 22 x 12.7 x 12 inches
• Weight: 16.4 kilos
• Wheels: No
• Additional options: Molded cup holders

The Competitors

• Yeti Tundra 45 Hard Cooler: The Tundra carried out effectively in most of my testing however lacked capability. I couldn’t stand a wine bottle up inside, I might solely match two of three ice packs, and I couldn’t shut the lid with out crushing the bread.
• Rtic 52-Quart Ultra-Light Wheeled Hard Cooler: The Rtic held ice for over 48 hours and had cheap cupboard space. It wasn’t notably snug to hold; the molded grips required me to carry it like I used to be doing bicep curls to alleviate stress on my arms. 
• Canyon PRO 45 Quart Cooler The Canyon may be discontinued at this level, which is a disgrace as a result of it rated very extremely in testing. There have been just a few downsides: The cooler weighed 38 kilos empty, and after about two hours within the solar, the deal with grips emitted an oily, sticky substance that coated my arms and was troublesome to clean off. 
• Igloo BMX 52 Quart Hard Cooler: There was nothing mistaken with this cooler; it simply didn’t impress. It held ice for over 48 hours, and if I needed to discover fault with it, the positioning of the fold-up handles induced pressure on my wrists.
• Yeti Roadie 32 Cooler: The Roadie 32 is a smaller-capacity cooler that’s superb for an in a single day journey for 2, but it surely’s not extremely versatile. It held ice for over 72 hours.
• Yeti Roadie 15 Cooler: The Yeti 15 is a more moderen mannequin that was even smaller than the 32 however had equal efficiency. It’s a terrific picnic cooler however not massive sufficient for an in a single day journey.

FAQs

The place are Yeti coolers made? 

Yeti has manufacturing amenities worldwide, together with the USA, Vietnam, the Philippines, Poland, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Why are Yeti coolers so costly?

Yeti coolers have a status for top costs, and a lot of the Yeti fashions I examined ran between $300 to $400. The worth comes from the just about over-engineering of the one-piece molded design and thick insulation. However coolers of an identical caliber and manufacturing fall according to Yeti’s costs, just like the RovR RollR 60 Rolling Cooler (about $400).

Why We’re the Consultants

• Greg Baker is a multi-time James Beard Award-nominated former chef from Tampa, Florida. 
• He’s reviewed knife sharpeners, charcoal starter chimneys, and extra for Critical Eats.
• Greg punished 11 coolers within the Florida summer time warmth for this evaluate and desperately wants hydration.