The Best Coolers of 2023

If you’re considering dropping some cash on a rotomolded cooler (maybe a YETI), there’s no good reason not to consider an RTIC as well. The 45-quart RTIC cooler ($220) performed extremely well in testing, is easy to transport (as long as you’ve got two people), and has two drain plugs for efficient draining.

In terms of function, the textured grips on the rope handles are comfortable and provide a good grip when hauling a full cooler. And the drain plugs on each side are fantastic if your cooler ends up on a slight slope at a campsite.

For ice retention, the RTIC was hard to beat. It lasted for 9 full days, which means the insulation, thickness, and overall design of this cooler are top-notch.

This cooler is also advertised as bear-resistant, and it has built-in tie-down points and molded latches to lock up your cooler contents. Overall, we really enjoyed both using and testing this cooler — any larger volume, though, and we’d want it to have wheels.

Despite the lack of wheels, the RTIC won out for us over the YETI because of its great ice retention, lighter weight, array of features, and the fact that it’s much cheaper at $220

A 70-quart cooler for 85 bucks? Coleman’s got it. The newer Coleman 316 Series is home to 52-, 62-, 65-, 70-, and 100-quart coolers (some are wheeled options). We tested the 70-quart, and it made the top of our list for the best budget cooler.

The Coleman 70-Quart ($85) has foam insulation, a drain plug, and two carry handles. It’s got a spacious capacity (note: heavy when full), and it’s simple and effective for keeping a haul of perishables cold for shorter-length excursions.

In testing, the Coleman hit the brand’s claimed ice retention mark exactly, staying iced for 5 days before fully melting. That said, it’s not as long as other coolers on this list.

We noticed some gaps/cracks/imperfections in the construction. The plastic hinges also aren’t our favorite in terms of quality, so you’ll want to be more careful in terms of usage to keep it in working shape. But with a 70-quart volume and cheap price tag ($85), the Coleman 316 line offers the best options for budget-conscious travelers.

You were probably all expecting this — a YETI to top our cooler review. And it came close, with the YETI ranking as a staff favorite and holding out for 10 full days in our ice retention test. But we can’t claim it will keep contents cold for any amount of time — or at least the brand won’t offer any claim to ice retention (all the other cooler brands we tested do).

The YETI Tundra Wheeled cooler ($450) has all the features you could want: a great design, formidable construction, high-quality materials, versatile volume, and more.

Overall, this cooler is a tried and tested favorite. If you spend much of your time outside, especially for long periods of time, it’s a fantastic cooler to consider. But at $450, these coolers cost a pretty penny. As one of our editors put it, “You get what you pay for, and with YETI you get all that with extra price.”

If you don’t mind the price tag, the Tundra is one of the best coolers money can buy.

While the Orca didn’t win the overall best cooler, it does deserve accolades high up on our list because it performed the best in testing when it came to ice retention. If you’ll be camping in hot weather, or without ice access for an extended time, this might be the best cooler for you.

Out of 10 coolers tested, only four made it to 9 days outside, and only two still had ice on day 10. The Orca 40-Quart ($325) ultimately won out over the YETI. Its ice was fully melted on day 11 at 10 a.m. (meaning it stayed iced for 10 full days). Ice in the YETI melted around 6 a.m. on day 11, so the difference was marginal.

Superior ice retention aside, the Orca is a solid cooler. The flex-grip handles are comfortable and make for an easy carry. Our tester also liked the cargo net accessory, which gives extra space to carry small items on the outside. And the brand delivered on nonstandard design elements like 11 fun, bold colors (blaze orange, lime, and seafoam, to name a few) to choose from.

And unlike most coolers, they’re made in the U.S. Bonus points for Orca!

It’s hard not to like everything about the Taiga Terra ($199). It’s packable, it’s comparable to the big boys of brand-name coolers, and it’s sustainable. How? Taiga’s coolers are unique in that all the insulation is made from hemp.

Specifically made with hemp-filled polypropylene, the construction of the Taiga cuts back on petroleum plastic without compromising on performance. This has become a go-to cooler for weekend trips, hunt camps, fishing trips, and more. It’s rated to keep ice-cold for up to 7 days. And at just under $200, it’s pretty dang affordable.

Like Orcas, Taigas are also American-made. And each cooler travels less than 200 miles while being made, cutting way down on the carbon consumption usually needed to make an injection-molded cooler. Sustainability aside, our staff tester would still rate the Taiga as a nice competitor to the YETI.

All around, the Taiga Cooler encompasses a lot of our favorite features in a cooler. And while sustainable outdoor gear can sometimes disappoint when it comes to utility, this cooler performed alongside the best.

If anyone does wheeled coolers best, it might be RovR. The RollR 60-Quart ($495) — an apt name — has solid all-terrain wheels joined by a 12.5mm steel axle for off-sidewalk durability.

The RovR brand also offers lots of add-ons and accessories (like cargo mesh attachments and insulated storage bags) to up its versatility for different types of adventures.

These coolers are also Certified Bear Proof by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, putting them high up on the list of suitable coolers if you spent a lot of time in bear country. While they’re quite expensive ($450), RovR coolers are some of the most durable, versatile coolers on the market today.

This cooler has no drain plug, but the smaller yet capable 25-quart size makes that OK. This Igloo Picnic cooler ($55) is not only a decades-old classic (now out in new “retro” colors), but it’s also a great size for day-trip outings like excursions to the park, city trailhead, beaches, or your favorite lake.

At a park picnic, we were able to fit bottles, cans, and flasks as well as boxes, bins, and bags of snacks galore. If you aren’t packing food for snacking, it can hold 36 cans.

We used it for day trips and car camping and liked its size (it can fit in your passenger seat area), capacity, and convenience for a few days’ worth of food and drinks.

In testing, this cooler kept contents cold for 3 full days, and this was with us periodically opening it on occasion to check ice retention. (Igloo claims retention for this cooler at 1-3 days.)

Given all that, we give this cooler an A+ for not only living up to specs but also being a perfect, portable, budget-friendly option for shorter-length trips outdoors.

Weighing in at 37 pounds, the Pelican 45-Quart Elite cooler ($430) offers nice volume and heavy-duty hauling prowess. It’s well-built and durable, and also has a fair amount of features: dual latches, a bear-proof design (that’s actually Certified Bear Proof from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee), and more.

Of all the coolers I lugged in and out of my car (and up to my sixth-floor condo), this one was the clunkiest. I didn’t like the handle at all or the angle when towing, though the wheels are bigger than the ones on other coolers and traveled easily over gravel and uneven trails.

If you’re putting a premium on durability and have garage space, the Pelican Wheeled 45-Quart Elite cooler is still a good option worth considering.

The Goat Hub is one of the best ideas in the cooler market at the moment. This high-grade cooler system pairs a full modular organization system with a high-performing cooler.

Four separate in-cooler compartments provide storage, and a net provides a spot to stash gear like coats or dry snacks. Goat Hub boasts a plethora of themed and co-branded canisters as well, ranging from first-aid kits to cooking kits to shelter kits.

Here’s the rub: The Goat Hub 70 ($600) is a big cooler. With the canisters coming off at the corners and the nonrectangular shape, it takes up a lot of space in the back of a truck or SUV. And it can get very heavy when loaded down with food and filled canisters.

In our testing, it didn’t make sense to bring it on most trips, which pulled its usability score down a bit. It just took up too much space.

So, who’s the Goat Hub good for? This is an excellent option for folks who aren’t moving coolers around a ton or have a lot of hands on deck to help out. Summer camps, front-country hunting camps or cabins, bigger fishing boats — these all come to mind as the perfect home for a Goat Hub.