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No matter where you’re headed, a good cooler is an essential item to pack to ensure your food and beverage items stay cold and fresh. To help you select the cooler that’s right for your next outing, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best coolers on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations.
Top 5 Coolers
- Best For Hiking: TOURIT Cooler Backpack
- Best Wheeled Cooler: Coleman Portable Cooler With Wheels
- Best Heavy-Duty Cooler: Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme Heavy-Duty Cooler
- Most Versatile Cooler: Lifewit Soft Cooler Bag
- Best For Picnics: OlarHike Cooler Bag
Best For Hiking: TOURIT Cooler Backpack
The TOURIT Cooler Backpack has a waterproof, durable fabric body with an insulated leakproof liner and padded shoulder straps. These materials work together to keep food warm or cold for up to 16 hours, making this cooler bag perfect for those who need a comfortable, accessible cooler for walks or hikes.
Key Features
- 30-can capacity
- 16-hour ice retention
- Adjustable shoulder straps
- One large main pocket
- Two side pockets
- Three front pockets
- Beer and bottle opener
- Oxford fabric and foam material
What Customers Are Saying
Customers said that the TOURIT Cooler Backpack balanced sturdiness and portability well. However, some customers complained that the bag was uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time and that it didn’t hold as many cans as advertised.
Best Wheeled Cooler: Coleman Portable Cooler With Wheels
The Coleman Portable Cooler has heavy-duty wheels that provide reliable transportation across nearly any terrain, including grassy hills and smooth pavement. It also holds up to 250 pounds to double as a cooler bench and weighs just over 12 pounds to make lifting it easy.
Key Features
- 50-quart or 84-can capacity
- 250-pound weight capacity
- Five-day ice retention
- Locking telescoping handle
- Two wheels
- Four molded cup holders
- Two side handles
- Leak-resistant drain
- Plastic material
What Customers Are Saying
Many customers were pleased with this Coleman cooler because of its durability and sturdiness. However, some customers said that the ice melted too quickly in warmer temperatures and that the lid was hard to open once it was sealed.
Best Heavy-Duty Cooler: Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme Heavy-Duty Cooler
With the ability to hold ice for up to five days in temperatures of up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme is built for customers who need a heavy-duty cooler. Featuring molded cup holders and weighing just over seven pounds, the Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme is ideal for camping trips, backyard barbecues, or other events.
Key Features
- 70-quart or 100-can capacity
- 250-pound weight capacity
- Five-day ice retention
- Four molded cup holders
- Two side handles
- Leak-resistant drain
- Plastic material
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers liked this cooler’s large size, its ability to keep ice from melting, and its tight-fitting lid. However, some customers said that its hinges broke off after normal wear and tear and that it was overpriced for its material.
Most Versatile Cooler: Lifewit Soft Cooler Bag
The Lifewit Soft Cooler Bag is ideal for customers who are seeking a portable cooler because it can be carried with a shoulder strap or handle or attached to your suitcase. Available in 27-, 32-, and 48-can sizes, this cooler works for anything from a day on the sand to a day in the office.
Key Features
- Six-gallon or 32-can capacity
- 12-hour ice retention
- Detachable shoulder strap
- Carrying handle
- One top pocket
- Two side pockets
- Two front pockets
- Oxford fabric and polyethylene foam material
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews mentioned that this cooler was made from quality material, was easy to clean, and was able to hold a large number of items. Customers who left negative reviews said that the cooler was prone to leaks and that it didn’t keep items cool for long periods of time.
Best For Picnics: OlarHike Cooler Bag
The OlarHike Cooler Bag has a load capacity of over 50 pounds to hold up to 48 cans or 12 lunchboxes. It also uses anti-snap technology to increase its durability and keep its strap and handle from breaking. With a 12-hour cooling time, the OlarHike Cooler Bag is ideal for outdoor lunches at a picnic table.
Key Features
- Eight-gallon, 48-can, or 12-lunchbox capacity
- 12-hour ice retention
- Detachable shoulder strap
- Carrying handle
- One side pocket
- One front pocket
- PEVA foil, polyethylene foam, aluminum foil, and Oxford fabric material
What Customers Are Saying
Customers said that they liked the OlarHike Cooler Bag’s value and ease of cleaning. They also appreciated the roominess and foldability of the cooler. However, dissatisfied customers said that its soft-top allowed leaks and its shoulder strap broke after minimal usage.
Buyer’s Guide
There are several factors to consider when purchasing a cooler, including size and durability. Keep reading for more information on these factors and others.
Size
If you plan on using your cooler for tailgates, outdoor parties, or camping trips to hold multiple pounds of ice and food, a larger, heavy-duty cooler may be best. However, if you’re simply looking for a place to hold food and drinks while you’re going on a hike, heading to the beach, or planning a picnic, consider a smaller, more portable cooler, such as a backpack cooler.
Durability
Expect your cooler to be dropped, thrown about in a car, and potentially even sat on. Even for smaller coolers, it’s important that they can withstand normal wear and tear without breaking.
Portability
Find a cooler that’s easy to transport, especially if you’re planning on bringing your cooler with you on a trip. Several coolers come with shoulder straps, handles, or wheels. Others can be folded and put into your luggage.
Insulation
You will need a cooler that keeps your food and beverages cold for as long as possible. The insulating material used for a cooler will determine how effective it is at keeping your food fresh. For example, closed-cell foam insulation keeps air in to provide you with more cooling time, while open-cell foam is permeable to air and water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cooler for storing food?
Hard coolers with a minimum capacity of 65-70 quarts are the best options for storing food.
What are rotomolded coolers?
Rotomolded coolers get their name from rotational molding, a process used to give plastic its desired shape. Rotomolded coolers will keep your food and beverages insulated for a longer period of time. They’re also less likely to break or sustain damage. However, they’re considerably more expensive than coolers made from other materials. If you are a frequent camper or need to store food for an extended period of time, you may want to spring for a rotomolded cooler.
How do I pack my cooler correctly?
Tightly packed coolers allow you to fit more items. Add ice on the bottom and food and beverages on the top. If you know when you plan on eating or drinking which items, you can add them accordingly. For example, pack the food you plan on eating first toward the top.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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