The 6 Best Coolers of 2023 Reviews by Wirecutter

Color options are kept simple for this option, as the mix of brown and green allow you to blend in with the environment. Weight varies from 0.91 to 2.2 lbs., depending on which cooler bag you choose and how much you plan to take with you. The backpack version of the cooler weighs 6 lbs., while the duffel bag version weighs 8 lbs., though that leaves room for a greater igloo water cooler capacity. The tan, black and orange mix is the most popular color option, but there’s also blue or real tree and tan. Soft coolers also come in handy for sporting events, whether the user is a participant or a fan. In this case, Igloo’s Sportsman Waterproof Cooler Bag has the tough design and storage space needed to keep everything inside safe and cool.

One potential issue, especially when transporting for lunch, is the cooler leaked a bit from the zipper. Four tie-down points on the cooler will help with that during transport in a vehicle.

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credit for the amount of the item at the time of purchase. We are your local hardware store providing the best home improvement products to your community. The handle and wheels on the Yeti Tundra Haul are the best we’ve come across. igloo water cooler This cooler feels like you can roll it across anything without the handle straining or bending, or the wheels breaking. In stock expedited shipments will ship the same day, or the next business day for orders placed on a weekend, if the order is placed before 12 PM Central Time.

That said, even the cheapest options on our list are reasonably well built and will get the job done for days at the beach or packing a lunch on the road, which will be enough to sway many. In our experience, the sweet spot is often right in the middle, with many of our most frequently used soft coolers offering space for around cans with ice. These designs are sufficiently sized for day trips or weekend road trips, manageable in terms of weight and portability, and won’t take up a ton of space in your vehicle or garage. YETI is the Cadillac of cooler manufacturers and credited with catalyzing the growth of the premium rotomolded market. But their soft-sided offerings are nothing to scoff at and retain much of what’s made the brand so popular over the years, including excellent attention to detail, good ice retention, and decidedly sleek looks. Their mid-range Hopper Flip 12 is case in point, combining thick, closed-cell foam insulation with a burly and hardwearing shell that’s confidence-inspiring and highly resistant to snags and tears.

Traditional hard-sided coolers lead the charge in ice retention and durability, but for those who don’t need a week’s worth of cold food and drinks, a soft-sided cooler can be a viable alternative. Compared to hard models, soft coolers are considerably lighter, easier to carry, and often save you a good deal of cash. From burly waterproof options to packable designs igloo water cooler that collapse down for easy storage, below we break down the top soft coolers of 2023. For more background information, check out our detailed comparison table and buying advice below the picks. If you’re less concerned about portability and instead prioritize cooling capabilities and durability, we’ve also compiled a list of the best hard-sided coolers.

The charge will show on the product detail page of applicable products. Aside from being colder than ice, the biggest advantage to dry ice is that, as it warms up, it evaporates, instead of melting. So, if you were chilling a gallon of milk, you’d use two gallons of ice to keep it cool. That said, using more ice allows for better food preservation over a longer period of time.

Bestcooler.reviews, established in 2015, is a leading blog-style magazine dedicated to reviewing and blogging about coolers. Both co-founders of the site, Luke and Greg, are two genuine cooler geeks and have been so for ages. Both guys share their passion on this website, covering different types of coolers, posting in-depth buying guides and reviewing tens of different products every year.

Many companies have spent an astronomical amount of money and time to convince people that they need to spend ridiculous sums just to keep a drink cold. Coolers aren’t complicated, which is a good thing to remember in the face of all that advertising. After spending many years evaluating more than 40 cooler models, we’ve chosen eight that are well made, well insulated, and well suited for a range of outings.

For the ultimate in portability, soft-sided backpack-style coolers are the way to go. The designs borrow heavily from hiking daypacks, sharing features like shoulder straps, padded backpanels, and exterior pockets for added gear storage. Additionally, backpack coolers are fairly expensive considering their modest storage capacity and all-around performance (the Day Escape is pretty average in this category at $200). But if the approach to your favorite picnic spot or fishing hole involves walking more than a half mile or so, it may be worth the investment. For more on the topic, check out our article on the best backpack coolers. Before diving into the finer details, it’s important to point out that soft coolers come with some inherent compromises.

The paper pulp of the Recool composts easily in the backyard, and it performs basically as well as any cheap single-use cooler. Currently we offer FREE FedEx/UPS small package Ground shipping and FREE ABF/YRC freight ground shipping on most orders of $199 or more within the 48 contiguous states. Some irregular shaped or oversized items may include a special handling charge.