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Aug 15, 2023

6 Best Coolers of 2023, Tested & Reviewed by Experts

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Hard and soft options for camping, entertaining and chilling out.

FYI: We included more details about our picks and added the IceMule Pro after recent backpack cooler tests.

The best coolers will keep your food and drinks cold for hours, whether you're entertaining friends in the backyard, spending a day by the water in your beach chair or enjoying the great outdoors with your favorite camping gear in tow.

Some coolers hold ice or ice packs to cool food and beverages down, some provide insulation to help retain the temperature of chilled items — and some do both. They come in an assortment of styles, including hard coolers and soft coolers, with both small and large capacities, and can be narrowed down even further into more specific categories. For example, there are coolers with wheels for transporting lots of snacks and beverages to the beach, backpack-style versions for going on outdoor hikes and small soft versions with a strap attached for day trips in the car.

Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab have tested more than 85 coolers in the past decade. In our most recent side-by-side cooler test, we assessed the coolers' ice and temperature retention, how well they resisted odors and how easy they were to use and clean. Here's what we found.

At the end of this guide, 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. Looking for more ways to keep your food and beverages insulated? Check out our guides to the best water bottles and the best adult lunch boxes.

The Igloo ECOCOOL Trailmate scored highest overall in our most recent cooler testing. 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. It has a sturdy base and remains steady when parked. 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.

This hard cooler is packed with useful features, such as a telescoping handle and a removable container for storing dry goods. It also includes a ridged tray — with two built-in drink holders — that stores inside the lid and is designed to be placed directly on top of the cooler's sturdy handle after it's been extended outward. The lid comes equipped with four built-in drink cups, and it even has detachable umbrella holders. In addition to all of these handy features, it opens easily (and to the right, versus up and to the back like most coolers) and seals without any pesky latches.The one downside is the location of the cooler's drain plug, which makes it tricky to empty and clean. Instead of the drain plug being positioned on the very bottom of the cooler, it's located just above it, so fully emptying the cooler was a challenge. It's also a little more expensive than the regular Igloo Trailmate Journey 70-Quart Cooler.

This small soft cooler with a hard interior — yes, you read that right; it's a combo that's lightweight but still holds its shape — had extremely good temperature control. After 36 hours, the soda cans dropped only 6 degrees from when they were first placed inside the cooler. However, 90% of the ice had melted when testing was complete. It can hold up to 48 cans without ice, and it weighs about 44 pounds when fully packed with just cans. The hard liner is removable for easy cleaning.

It has a zipper-free design for easy access and opens and closes with the help of a Velcro-style hook-and-loop connection. It's equipped with a strap, which makes it easier to carry, as well as two handles on either side — helpful if you want two people to carry it when it's full. There's no user manual included, but additional features include a perforated tray that spans the length of the cooler to keep some goods separated, several pockets on the outside and bungees on top to help control loose items like napkins.

This rotomolded cooler (made from one piece of material), is strong and durable. It can hold up to 64 cans with ice and comes with a food bin that latches with rubber hooks, which is key when you're camping and cooking in the wilderness so you can keep your dry goods out of the ice in the bottom of the cooler.

It's thick and durable with large handles for carrying, though we recommend that two people carry it together when moving it on your campsite — or that you opt to leave it in your car, since it doesn't have wheels and can weigh around 110 pounds when filled with the maximum capacity of cans, according to testing.

In our tests, it had great temperature retention, and plenty of ice was left over after 36 hours. Our testers also liked that it has two drains that allow you to release melted ice from either side, depending on how the cooler is sloped and where it's placed.

The Tundra Haul is YETI's first cooler with wheels, which many will appreciate, since it can exceed 100 pounds when full. You can pack it up to its capacity and still be able to move it around your backyard or your favorite park for a family barbecue.

It boasts 65 quarts and can fit 83 cans without ice. In our tests, it had excellent temperature control and was able to maintain a temperature of 33˚F for 36 hours. (The cans were put in the cooler at a starting temperature of around 40˚F.) That's pretty much perfect for ensuring that your drinks and burger toppings stay cool on a hot summer day.

The Tundra Haul is rotomolded, which means it's made from one piece of material, a design that contributes to high quality and durability. It's easy to open, thanks to its rubber latches, versus traditional plastic ones or buckles. Plus, it has a food crate to help keep the inside organized. The handle is oversize, and it can be operated with one hand or two. When it's not extended and ready for use, it folds flat against the cooler.

The cooler is a breeze to clean, partly because the drain plug is located in between the wheels. Just tip the cooler up and pour out excess liquids. It comes with a user maintenance manual that provides instructions on first use and includes directions for cleaning and care.

Of all the soft coolers we tested, this one, from Polar Bear Coolers, performed the best. It even performed just as well as some of the hard coolers we tested, which typically do better than soft coolers. The soda cans got seven degrees colder over 36 hours and maintained a temperature of 33˚F. It's easy to pack and can fit 30 soda cans without ice. When filled with cans and no ice, its maximum weight is less than 30 pounds. The handle on top (hence the name Topper) makes it relatively easy to carry; plus, it comes with a detachable shoulder strap, though we didn't find it that comfortable.

We appreciate the included instructions that describe how to prep the cooler and subsequently care for it. And the zipper comes with zipper lubricant that you apply to help maintain smooth opening and closing. It's radio frequency–welded (a.k.a. the plastic pieces are essentially melted together to create a better seal), which helps prevent leaks inside and out and it even floats if you need it to. Even though we noticed a slight odor after cleaning, we found the cleanup process to be simple.

IceMule's Pro Large Collapsible Backpack Cooler is comfortable to wear and can fit up to 18 cans of soda with ice. This backpack is uniquely designed: There isn't a zipper; you just fold down the opening and use a buckle to keep it fastened. There's also an air valve that you breathe into, which creates extra insulation. In fact, in our Lab tests, the interior temperature went up only 1.98 degrees and stayed under 40˚F during the entire 14-hour testing period.

When you're ready to store this backpack cooler, you simply reverse the bag to empty out the air and fold up the bag. According to the brand, it's 100% waterproof and can even float, but we haven't tested that claim yet. There are also bungee cords on the front to help control loose items, such as a water bottle.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab tests coolers by recording how long each model stays cold in a controlled setting that mimics real-life use:

According to our testing, the RTIC 65-Quart Hard Cooler held the largest amount of ice after two days of testing. It had some water, but ice probably could have lasted another day or two with the amount that was left.

However, most of our picks, like the Igloo ECOCOOL Trailmate and the YETI Tundra Haul, retained a good amount of ice. If this is important to you, we recommend purchasing a hard cooler, which retained ice the best in our tests. We did find that the Polar Bear Coolers Topper 20 retained ice better than any other soft cooler we tested.

Keep these pointers in mind as you start to narrow down your search for the best cooler for your needs:

✔️ Style and temperature retention: Take note of the differences between these two options:

✔️ Capacity: Coolers are available in a range of sizes, from a five-quart cooler to carry your lunch to a 125-quart cooler that's large enough to hold more than 200 cans. Because a large-capacity cooler can get quite heavy, consider buying one on wheels — or even two smaller coolers (one for drinks and one for food) for easier transport.

✔️ Portability: These days, cooler companies are starting to attach wheels to their hard coolers. This allows individuals to take these big, heavy coolers and maneuver and manipulate them easily and safely. Look for soft coolers with padded shoulder straps or backpack-style attachments, both of which can make carrying easier.

✔️ Construction: If you're a more experienced cooler shopper or someone who's really done their homework, you've likely seen the term "rotomolded," which means a hard cooler has been built from one continuous piece of plastic. This type of construction makes it more durable, with fewer places for the cooler to potentially leak over time. When shopping for soft coolers, look for watertight seals around the zippers.

✔️ Accessories: Many large hard coolers come equipped with dry bins for keeping goods dry and away from ice. Other features to look for include dividers that work within the ice to create individual sections, drink holders on the lid, umbrella holders and can openers. For soft coolers, we like to have at least a couple of carrying options: short handles and a long strap, plus pockets.

It depends on which activities you'd like to use your cooler for . Here's a quick guide:

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.

Nicole Papantoniou runs the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab, where she oversees all content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear, including this cooler test. Nicole is constantly testing new coolers in real-life situations, whether she's at the beach or in her backyard (and also probably testing grills at the same time).

Alec Scherma (he/him) is the Good Housekeeping Institute's test engineer, where he helps to create and implement new product testing methodology across home, cooking and cleaning appliances, wellness, tech products and more. He graduated from Drexel University's College of Engineering with a B.A. in mechanical engineering.

Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She's an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.

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