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一方面,一个冷却器似乎是一个简单的刺激uct: a box with some insulation. But the best coolers have years of engineering behind their designs. It means that they’re no longer just good for a daylong road trip in an air conditioned car, but for campers spending days out in the woods.
Hulking, aggressive looking rotomolded coolers arede rigueurfor people who want cold drinks always at the ready during an all-daybarbecue炎热的太阳下由于他们的联合n of super thick walls and high-quality foam insulation. But they aren’t the only game in town. Lighter weight coolers from brands like Igloo and Coleman that seem like they haven’t changed in decades still work well for the money and satisfy a lot of basic cooler needs. And there are some new breakthrough designs on the cooler market that, though pricey, can keep ice better than anything we’ve tried that doesn’t plug into an electrical outlet. Check out our top picks below, and for more on what testers did to chose the best coolers, scroll further down.
Best cooler overall
Best small cooler
Best budget cooler
What is a rotomolded cooler?
What we looked for
How we tested
Other coolers we tested
The takeaway
The best cooler overall: Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler
For a good decade now, Yeti has been the first name in high-end coolers. The company convinced the world that it is indeed worth it to pay more than $400 for an insulated box, and after setting the new and improved Roadie out in the sun for several days, we’re actually on board with that idea too.
The Roadie used to come in only smaller sizes, like the Roadie 24 featured below as the best cooler for day trips. But since Yeti makes these coolers in larger sizes now, the Roadie 48 (and its big brother the Roadie 60) beat the the brand’s smaller version in functionality in a couple of ways. The larger Roadies have wheels, which, though a seemingly simple feature, are the greatest addition ever put on a cooler that is often weighed down with beer cans and ice. Unlike our previous wheeled winner from Pelican (or Yeti’s Tundra Haul), the wheels on the Roadie are oriented behind the cooler, below a telescoping handle, rather than on the side. That means that you can move it as you would a rolling suitcase rather than dragging it across the park like a wagon. The configuration of the wheels also makes it easier to do things like bump it up stairs.
The large Roadies also have better latches. Though we haven’t tested them over a long-term period, the cooler’s Quicklatch system seems tough. And the latches are much easier to operate than the thick rubber latches used on Yeti Tundras (which we have used for years and they do indeed hold up).
在阳光下坐了那一点n 24 hours with a high temperature that hit 85°F, the Yeti retained about 24% of its ice and proved leakproof; none of the ice melt escaped the cooler. The soda, of course, was ice-cold (much colder than sodas I kept in the fridge, actually). The cooler drained easily, with a gasket and screw cap smartly placed in the back, so it’s easy to tip during draining using the telescoping handle if necessary (we didn’t need to tip). Other than a few scratches on the surface, the drop test did exactly no damage to the Yeti cooler (not a huge surprise from a company that is willing toput its coolers up against grizzly bears).
One other nice feature about the Roadie: It’s a tall cooler instead of a wide one, which is not all that common among large coolers. The shape makes it easier to lift, but as Yeti is fond of pointing out on its website, it’s also designed to hold wine bottles upright.
The side handles are more of an idea on the Roadie than a design feature. We could grip the edges to pick it up, but they’re quite narrow and it’s not as easy to hoist as other coolers we tried. However, the fact that it wheeled so easily across gravel and grass (we didn’t try it at the beach) means there isn’t that much lifting required. Though you can get a divider for the cooler, it isn’t included. A dry goods basket, however, is. And, this will not be an issue for most people most of the time, but the Roadie is not one of Yeti’s bear-resistant coolers, and it does not come with a slot for locking it in place. All that said, the Roadie was high performing and easy to use.
Size:19.8” x 20.1” x 20.6”
Capacity (standard soda cans):76 cans, without any ice
Weight:28.3 lbs.
Best Small Cooler: Oyster Tempo Cooler
So, we want to be straight with you: The one reason the Yeti Roadie 48 is our top pick here is because that telescoping handle/wheel combo is just so damn convenient for transporting heavy loads long distances, which, let’s face it, is high on a list of activities you will do with your cooler. However, if all you want is a box that’s the very best at keeping food and drinks cold, the Oyster Tempo is the class of the field. It’s actually designed not to use ice cubes or bags of ice at all and achieves quasi-refrigerator status with only ice packs. And while we’re generally not fans of proprietary items that might as well be less expensive universals (see:coffee pods) Oyster’s refreezable cold thermal ice packs nestle perfectly into the base of the cooler, allowing you to maximize the amount of food or drink inside.
We thought it was kind of a wild claim by the company, that no ice was necessary, and so we did an additional side-by-side test with the Yeti Roadie on a 70 degree day. We outfitted each cooler with a couple of the thermal ice packs, filled two uninsulated water bottles with 63℉ water and put one in each cooler. Then we checked water temperature every six hours for 36 hours. The water temperature dropped impressively in both, but in the Oyster, after six hours the water had dropped to 36℉; after 18 hours it had dipped to 32℉. The water remained chilly at 38℉ after 36 hours. Explaining why this happens gets us a little in the weeds, but basically what the company found in its testing is that aluminum (which the Oyster is made of) is 308 times as conductive as plastic, which means it’s able to take the cold coming off the ice packs and distribute it incredibly efficiently throughout the cooler. The bottom line: More cold, less cooler.
The Oyster is much smaller and easier to carry than lots of high-end rotomolded coolers. At almost 12.5 pounds we wouldn’t call it ultra-light, but it still can hold more and weighs less than a Yeti Roadie 24, while being small enough to carry with one hand. We’ll note that Yeti does have an aluminum cooler as well,the V series, but it’s much larger and costs $800.
The Oyster has some other nice touches, like the ability to switch easily between a carrying handle or a shoulder strap and a cool, retro look that make for a cooler that really stands out in a world of samey samey plastic choices.
It costs more than the Roadie 48, which already comes at a premium price point, and it holds less. If it didn’t bring the goods in terms of performance that would be a dealbreaker. But it does, so we’ll just observe that $500 is a lot for a cooler.
Size:20.1” x 11.8” x 12.6”
Capacity (standard soda cans):36 cans, no ice necessary
Weight:12.4 lbs.
The best budget cooler: Coleman Xtreme 5 Cooler
There’s a reason Coleman remains one of the most recognizable names when it comes to outdoor gear. Coleman coolers are all about function at achievable prices, and this one is no exception. At 70 quarts, it’s sized to hold up to 100 cans plus ice and keeps those drinks cold even in blazing temps. Not bad for less than 80 bones.
Surprisingly streamlined and attractive (value coolers generally lack the sex appeal of their high-end counterparts), the jet-black and white box has a smooth surface for easy cleaning, a channel drain for emptying without tipping, and a lid that functions as either extra seating (supporting up to 250 pounds) or a tabletop with four integrated cupholders.
If you’re craving an exciting year of beachgoing or tailgating, this may just be the cooler for you.
What you gain in cost savings, you lose in features and long-term durability. There aren’t any wheels, so moving the filled cooler is a definite team effort. And after our stress tests, we observed a couple of screws from the hinged lid coming loose. So consider throwing a screwdriver in with yoursix-pack. Also, this cooler may actually be bigger than you need in many cases. It’s best for things like backyard barbecues or car camping when you can pull right up to the site and don’t have to carry the cooler too far.
Size:17.6” x 22.6” x 17.5”
Capacity (standard soda cans):84 cans, with no ice
Weight:12.7 lbs.
What is a rotomolded cooler?
Now that the Oyster Tempo is showing what you can do with aluminum this may change, but Rotomolded coolers are still generally held as the gold standard for portable ice chests. The term “rotomolded” is often tossed around without explanation, though. Rotomolding is short for rotational molding, and refers to a production method that involves filling a mold with hot resin. The mold is then rotated in all directions. The result is a cooler with no seams and perfectly uniform thickness. Because of that, rotomolded coolers are more durable and better insulated than other types of coolers, like injected molded ones. But they are also heavier than other types of coolers.
What we looked for
Besides allowing plenty of space for cans and ice, the ideal cooler should allow you to store bulky items flat (such as a supply of sandwiches) or upright (a bottle of wine) so they don’t squish or spill.
This right here is why you’re spending money on a cooler in the first place and not just using some random tote bag. Even in extreme outdoor heat, a cooler has to keep items chilled for an extended period of time. And, clearly, not all models are created equal in this respect.
Besides keeping your stuff, well, cool, the other main attribute you want is portability. It shouldn’t take an extreme amount of upper body strength to maneuver a cooler, even a full one, from point A to point B. If it doesn’t have wheels (which would be ideal), it should at least be properly balanced and reasonably lightweight with easy-to-grip handles and a way to secure it inside the trunk of a car.
Especially if you’re going to shell out for a high-end model, a hard-body cooler should be able to take a licking and keep on ticking.
From melted ice and spilled sodas to the sticky drippings from a hastily packagedrack of ribs, there’s no question that cooler interiors can get awfully funky. You want something that is easy to empty and scrub down, which means an easy-to-remove drain plug and a minimum of hard-to-scrub nooks and crannies.
From wheels and handles to various interior and exterior storage solutions, hard coolers are a surprisingly feature-rich category, considering they are essentially just insulated boxes.
How we tested
Our tests began from the moment the coolers arrived at our door. We evaluated how much maneuvering and muscle it took to move the empty coolers up our front steps, across the length of our house, down our back steps, and into the backyard. From there, they remained in place, packed with seven pounds of ice and a can of soda for 24 hours. We checked the coolers periodically during that time to determine how much ice had melted and if the can stayed cold. After 24 hours, we attempted to drain and/or hand-dry the collected water. We moved the coolers back inside, where we filled them with assorted drinks and foodstuffs to see how much they held. Finally, we transferred and secured the packed coolers to the trunk of our car, then pushed them out of the trunk and onto the ground to see if they incurred any damage.
Other coolers we tested
The Pelicanwas a previous winner in these tests, displaced by the Yeti, less for its ice retention than for some of its other design choices. While we liked its grippable, molded handles and its wheels, the orientation of the Yeti’s wheels behind the cooler made it easier to maneuver. And its 45-quart capacity is plenty big, but the Roadie 48 was slightly larger and had a shape that better accommodated more items. That said, this is still a heavy-duty cooler with a freezer-grade gasket, and a sloped drain that makes it easy to empty and clean. It comes with a lifetime warranty as well, that goes a long way to justifying its high price tag. Oh, it comes with a built-in bottle opener for good measure.
RTIC has a good thing going. The company probably makes the least expensive rotomolded coolers on the market today.The RTIC 45, for example, is, at the time of writing, more than $100 less expensive than a similarly sized Yeti. But while you’re saving money, you’re sacrificing very little in terms of performance. The RTIC actually had just a bit more ice in it after sitting out than the winning Yeti Roadie (it is a slightly smaller cooler though, which makes ice retention easier). The rest of its design is quite similar to a Yeti Tundra—rope handles and rubber latches. Both work just fine, the latches and wheels on the Roadie just give it the edge here. If you’re looking to get a sizeable rotomolded cooler for less than $250 though, this is a great choice.
Everyone loves a Yeti. And there was plenty to like about theYeti Tundra 65 Cooler, including its impenetrable build (it’s armored against anything, and unlike the Roadie, it’s bear-proof), excellent temperature retention (thanks to three inches of insulation), and generous capacity (it holds 42 cans or 52 pounds of ice and is fitted with a dry goods basket). It didn’t drain as effectively as we had hoped, though, so we had to tip it over to empty the pooled water, and it was exhausting to manipulate, considering it doesn’t have wheels.
TheRovR Products RollR 45,另一方面,有轮子,但我们仍然l found it required a substantial effort to change directions and navigate over bumps. It warmed up more quickly than comparatively priced models, and the taller and narrower build didn’t do it any favor in terms of storage. We attempted to pack a modestly sized picnic and couldn’t sit our various containers and canisters flat.
TheIgloo Maxcold 50-Quartis a budget model that got ever so slightly outperformed by the Coleman in terms of capacity, aesthetics, and extra features.
This scaled-down companion to the Yeti’s larger models proves that size doesn’t matter. It’s as thoughtfully designed as the brand’s grander coolers like the Tundra 45 or 65 with the same rotomolded construction and same flappable latches. Like the wheeled version of the Roadie, it’s also got a taller build though, allowing it to hold bulkier items upright, like two-liter bottles of soda or, of course a bottle of wine. Were it not for the surprising performance of the Oyster, this would still be our favorite small cooler.
The Engel wasn’t bad, it was just no Yeti and certainly no Oyster. It’s a middle of the road performer at a middle of the road price.
Coleman’s personal cooler is very inexpensive but it is almost laughably small. It basically holds a six-pack. If you’re in a boat by yourself, fine. If you’re planning any kind of outing with or for a group of people, this one won’t cut it.
The takeaway
There’s no question that hard-sided coolers really run the gamut in terms of price. If you need an all-terrain cooler that will work as well on a three-day camping trip as it will on regular trips to the park or beach or on a cross-country road trip, we’d say take the plunge on theYeti Roadie 48. The fact that it’s a wheeled model, which is obviously preferred in all instances, puts it over the top. But if you don’t need quite as much storage space and are still shopping in that Yeti price range the Oyster Tempo is a remarkable piece of cooler engineering.
If all this talk of $400+ for an insulated box seems nuts to you, $80 can still go a long way. Classic, low-frills containers like theColeman Xtreme 5 Coolerwill work for casual jaunts and entertaining. Along with theIgloo Maxcold(still a strong recommend), these coolers accommodate a lot, stay cold for a decent amount of time, and won’t break the bank.
If you’re looking forsoft-sided coolers, cooler bags, or backpack coolers, we’ve got our review of the best soft coolers right over here.
