I Tested the Top Coolers of 2025. These Are the Best for the Beach, Backyard, and Backcountry

Whether you’re car camping, packing for a picnic, or throwing a backyard bash, a quality cooler is a must. The best coolers come in a variety of styles, including compact ice chests and popular rotomolded options (like YETI coolers). This guide will help you decide what kind you need and cherry pick the best for your preference and budget.

To ensure you have cold brews and food wherever you’re headed, we’ve rounded up the best coolers from top brands like YETI, RTIC, and Igloo that’ll work for nearly any scenario. Grab one (or multiple), and you’ll be set for a season’s worth of outdoor gatherings.

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. We update when possible, but deals expire and prices can change. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

The best overall cooler is YETI Roadie 48, which leverages large wheels, telescoping handle, tough construction, and great ice retention; it's the pinnacle of utility.

Want more stellar upgrades? Check out more standouts from the 2025 Men's Journal Outdoor Awards, including the best camp chairs, sun shirts, hiking poles, and hiking boots, tents, and camp cookware.

Want the latest gear news, deals, and reviews? Sign up for our Gear Lab newsletter.

Related: Best Dive Watches of 2025 That Can Go the Distance

Best Coolers at a Glance

• Best Cooler Overall: YETI Roadie 48
• Best Budget Cooler: REI Trailgate 30
• Best Wheeled Cooler: RTIC Ultra-Light 52 Wheeled
• Best Big Cooler: Bison 55 QT Wheeled
• Best Roto-Molded Cooler: Canyon Pro 45
• Best Everyday Cooler: Oyster Tempo
• Best Soft-Sided Cooler: Ninja FrostVault Go 24-Can

Best Coolers of 2025

Best Cooler Overall: YETI Roadie 48

I’ve tested a range of YETI coolers. I’m a fan of the brand’s reliable, sleek, and durable coolers. But YETI Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler is a step above. Its size, space, portability, and solid construction make this my favorite cooler I’ve ever used—wheeled, rotomolded, or otherwise. 

Overall Impressions

The folding clasp closures are better than the standard Yeti rubber pulls. While they may appear less durable, mine have held up really well. Plus, they’re easier to use with one hand and less prone to pinching fingers. The insulative properties are up there with any other YETI model, and the rest of the rotomolded competition overall. 

The wheels are smooth rolling and well-built, easily navigating sand, dirt, rocks, and roots with little resistance and no damage. The telescoping handle, a potential weak point, has shocked me with its durability. The design of the cooler—balancing on the fulcrum of the wheels—makes it super easy to move around, even when weighed down with food and ice.

Compared to the YETI Tundra line, Roadie has a square shape—more of an upright cube than a low, wide rectangle. I actually like this shape more. It makes layering ice on the bottom and layering food upward easier, plus this design fits taller items like upright wine bottles with ease. Best of all, it comes with a dry goods basket that perfectly fits at the top. I usually store butter, cheese, and veggies up there.

The one drawback is this cooler doesn’t have rope handles. Instead, there are grab handles molded into the edge. I assume rope handles would risk dragging when wheeling the cooler, but I find the handles can make it awkward to lift in and out of the car when it’s heavily loaded. There are some channel holes under the lid on each side, and with a bit of know-how, you could easily design a rope handle to sit flush on either side. But you’d want to keep them short, and I prefer when coolers include handles from the factory.

Speaking of weight—this cooler can get heavy: Fully loaded, YETI Roadie 48 can feel a bit cumbersome until you’re rolling it on the ground. But that’s exactly why I recommend a wheeled cooler if you want rotomolded, as it makes it far easier to transport. If you want a little less to tote around, YETI now makes the Roadie Wheeled Cooler in a 32-quart version (as well as the larger 60).

Final Verdict

I know $425 is a pretty penny to spend on a glorified box, but this is a glorious box. With days of ice retention, easy portability, plenty of usable capacity, and bombproof (at least bear proof) construction, there’s no cooler I’d rather have day in and day out than YETI Roadie 48.

Pros

• Easy to transport, cube shape is ideal, excellent retention and durability

Cons

• Pricey

Specs

• Weight: 28 pounds, 5 ounces
• Capacity: 48 quarts

Best Budget Cooler: REI Co-op Trailgate 30L

The new REI Co-op Trailgate 30L cooler is a big winner in my latest round of cooler testing. It boasts the ice retention, construction, and style of some much pricier competitors, and it’s an ideal soft-sided option for most buyers. Sure, intense and heavy-duty rotomolded coolers are all the rage, but they aren’t practical for everyone. Soft coolers are way easier to transport, offer plenty of ice retention for most applications, and typically pack better. REI Co-op Trailgate Cooler is a nice option for about half the price of a similarly designed YETI soft cooler.

Trailgate keeps cool with thick, removable foam insulation, which makes it easy to clean the cooler. (It can also double as a storage tote.) While the zipper isn’t as robust as the higher-end welded soft coolers, it slides a heckuva lot easier. The cooler also features grab handles, a removable shoulder strap, a solid front pocket, and a throw-in bottle opener for good measure. 

• Pros: Lightweight, affordable, easy to clean
• Cons: Lacks premium construction
• Weight: 5 pounds, 15 ounces
• Capacity: 31.7 quarts

Best Wheeled Cooler: RTIC Ultra-Light 52 QT Wheeled

RTIC provides more affordable alternatives to big-name brands. RTIC Ultra-Light 52 Qt Wheeled cooler is a top choice for anyone looking for a transportable cooler at a great price (just over $250). Its wheels are some of the best I've tested. The big, sturdy handle makes lifting and pulling the cooler a breeze. While this isn’t a rotomolded cooler (that would be found in the RTIC Ultra-Tough line), you’ll certainly find this option to have better durability and ice retention than your grandpa’s old plastic Coleman. Also, the drain plug is excellent. It might seem obvious to have the drain plug on the same side that the cooler tilts back on the wheels, but it isn’t a given (we tested a couple without, and it’s annoying).

Of course, the slightly less robust construction and insulation are a drawback with the Ultra-Light series. It's not up to snuff with Yeti Roadie, but it's roughly the same weight and offers slightly more capacity. Overall, if you want to save a buck and put it towards gourmet food and craft beer instead, RTIC Ultra-Light 52 is an awesome option.

• Pros: Great wheels and handle, spacious, good value
• Cons: Lacks durability and ice-retention of top pick
• Weight: 30 pounds
• Capacity: 52 quarts

Best Big Cooler: Bison 55 QT Wheeled

It's pretty much an open secret among cooler aficionados and outdoorsmen alike that all rotomolded coolers built in the YETI template are going to work well for ice retention and toughness. The next innovation that changed the game? Wheels. U.S.A.-made Bison 55 QT Wheeled stands out from other wheeled varieties in that its wheels are set inboard. Instead of bulky wheels rolling outside of the cooler, catching on corners and taking up precious space in your cargo area, they're set together in the middle. This makes the cooler easier to roll around, however it does diminish stability a bit. It makes the cooler a little tippy, but not enough to actually turn over. The tradeoff is it's much easier to slot into a slim spot in the back of your SUV.

Other nice features include hybrid latches that strike a sweet spot between stretchy rubber toggles and a plastic clip latch. They're satisfying to use and easy to hook on and take off. 

• Pros: Great wheel design, novel latches
• Cons: Can be a bit tippy
• Weight: 32 pounds
• Capacity: 55 quarts

Related: This Is the Best Cooler We've Ever Tested—And It's Not Close

Best Rotomolded Cooler: Canyon Pro 45

Rotomolded coolers are typically pricier than classic hard coolers, but Canyon Coolers proves stellar construction doesn't have to break the bank. I’ve tested Canyon Pro 45 against a bunch of rotomolded competitors, and it always finishes near the top for ice retention. But that’s not why it’s my favorite. The little details set it apart.

The first thing you notice are the excellent colorways. Sandstone is perhaps the greatest color I’ve found. It doesn’t show dirt, it hides scratches and scuffs well, and it just looks great in the outdoors. The pull clasps have big handles on them to make closing and opening ergonomic. I love the slots cut around the lid and base of the cooler, which make securing this beast to a rack, raft, or truck easy and secure. Oh, and the built-in divider? That doubles as a cutting board or table to attach to the side of the cooler. This comes in handy when you’re rifling deep in the cooler and need a place to set removed items. The foam gasket seals with the best of them, and while I initially worried about durability, it's going three years strong.

What about drawbacks? Well, Canyon Pro 45 is burly, and the handles are so-so. It’s much easier to haul this cooler with two people, which takes a few points off. There's also a slightly less intense (and more affordable) version, the Canyon Outfitter line, which may suit some buyers better. But I like the added features and retention of the Pro. In all, you’re hard pressed to find a better cooler at a better price.  

• Pros: Top ice-retention, included features for the price
• Cons: Heavy and hard to transport
• Weight: 38 pounds
• Capacity: 45 quarts

Best Everyday Cooler: Oyster Tempo

Oyster Tempo Cooler took the well-established, double-walled vacuum-sealed design of popular water bottles, like Stanley and HydroFlask, and made a cooler. The result is a truly thoughtful piece of gear that excels for everyday cooling needs like trips to the store, picnics, and boat rides.

The key feature is its vacuum-sealed aluminum design. Rather than using thick, heavy insulation, the Tempo is constructed with thin dual-layer aluminum walls with a near vacuum in between (a layer of silica between the walls keeps them from collapsing inward). The vacuum acts like insulation, preventing heat transfer. It also saves weight. In addition, the thin aluminum walls cool down quickly, so there’s no need to pre-cool the Tempo for best performance (a step that’s recommended for traditional insulated coolers). It bested a YETI 45 in a side-by-side ice retention test, and performed admirably during a Memorial Day weekend barbecue. The only downside? The aluminum walls aren’t nearly as durable as rotomolded or traditional hard-sided coolers. But, for backyard hangouts and picnics, it’s a great choice.

At just 12.3 pounds, Oyster Tempo is far easier to haul around than most hard-sided coolers. We love this for trips to the grocery store, as you don’t even really need to bring ice (your cold items should chill it just fine). The obvious drawback is the price; at over $400 for just the cooler, you’ll want to take really good care of this pick, as damaging the walls can affect performance.

• Pros: Very lightweight, chills fast, best ice retention for size
• Cons: Pricey, lacks durability
• Weight: 12.3 pounds
• Capacity: 24 quarts

Best Backpack Cooler: Ninja FrostVault Go 24-Can

Ninja, of the insane blender fame, has been bumping out a bunch of great home and kitchen products lately, from gas grills to air fryers, and they've all tested well. The latest launch is a line of coolers that add the design tweak of a separate dry section sealed off from the main chest. This insulated portion of the cooler under the ice holder benefits from the cold without having to worry about cumbersome baskets or food getting soggy. 

Ninja FrostVault Go 24-Can is a great soft-sided backpack cooler companion that excels in a wide range of outdoor situations and comes in two sizes: 24 cans or 36 cans.

The back, straps, and handle are filled with soft, memory foam-like padding that feels great even when packed full. The zippers are easy to use—often a pain point on most soft-sided coolers—and, in a stroke of genius, the top lid has deep enough insulation to nestle tightly into the main chamber opening so you don't have to zip it up if you're diving in frequently. It comes with two small ice packs that can be slotted into stretchy straps on the sides of the dry chamber to hold them in place. All in all, Ninja FrostVault Go is a durable, well-designed backpack cooler.

• Pros: Soft straps, great food separation, good lid design 
• Cons: Bulky
• Weight: 5.4 pounds
• Capacity: 17 quarts

What You Should Look for When Shopping for the Best Cooler

In today’s world of rotomolded coolers, electric in-vehicle fridges, and sophisticated soft-sided ice chests, there are a lot of options. To start, take stock of what you really want and need out of a cooler. Size, ice retention (how long a particular model can keep stuff cold), and style are all worth factoring in. And don’t forget about cost: These days, coolers can range from around $50 to well over $500.

Cooler Types

There are two main types of coolers: soft-sided and hard-sided.

Soft-Sided Coolers

There are a variety of soft-sided options, including backpacks, totes, and more. All of them are designed with a pliable layer of insulation between layers of durable fabric or synthetic vinyl-like material. Most high-quality soft-sided coolers have a waterproof inside layer that prevents leakage.

Soft-sided coolers are typically much lighter than hard-sided coolers, which makes them great for shorter trips where you need to carry the cooler (like heading to the beach). I also use one when packing space is at a premium: The soft sides make these coolers easier to stuff into otherwise unusable space in the back of a car, for example. Finally, they’re typically more comfortable to carry than hard-sided models. The soft sides won’t dig into your hips, and they often feature backpack straps or sling straps for easy toting.

Drawbacks include shorter ice retention and lower durability compared to hard-sided models. Soft-sided coolers often have less insulation, so they don’t stay cold as long. In addition, the materials used in soft-sided coolers won’t resist scrapes and abrasions as well as the plastic or metal used in hard-sided options. Bottom line: Go with a soft cooler if you value spatial efficiency and ease of carrying over extreme ice retention and durability.

Related: I Carried and Cooked Dozens of Backpacking Meals. These Are the Best-Tasting Options Available Now

Hard-Sided Coolers

There are three kinds of hard-sided coolers.

Traditional molded coolers have shells made of injection-molded plastic with inexpensive expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation between the inner and outer walls. These coolers are lightweight and affordable, especially compared to rotomolded coolers.

However, the low weight comes at the cost of ice retention. Compared to rotomolded coolers, traditional molded coolers have thinner, less uniform walls and more gaps in their insulation, which reduces their ability to keep items cold. Even so, they’re still useful: I love using these coolers for day trips, and they’re great for cooling beverages. Drinks usually aren’t as temperature-sensitive as food, and bottles and cans are heavy, so choosing a lighter cooler makes sense—it’s easier to move when loaded.

Rotomolded coolers are made of plastic that's placed into a mold, then heated and rotated quickly. The rotation ensures the plastic is distributed evenly around the mold, which gives the resulting cooler walls a uniform thickness. Insulation is then blown in between the inner and outer walls. The rotomolding process boosts the cooler’s durability and rigidity (there are no weak points in the walls) and ensures the insulation has an even thickness throughout, with no gaps that can cause heat to seep in.

The only major issue with rotomolded coolers is their heavy weight: Even smaller rotomolded models can get cumbersome when fully loaded. But for maximum durability and days (or even weeks) of ice retention, rotomolded coolers are the best choice.

One other trait to note: Because these coolers maintain temperature so well, it’s important to pre-chill them before adding ice and food. Either store your cooler in a cold place or use a “sacrificial” bag of ice to cool down the inside of the cooler. (Add fresh ice before putting your drinks and food inside.)

Related: Best Camping Tents of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

Vacuum-sealed coolers are made of steel or aluminum, and they’re designed with airless voids between the inner and outer walls. These vacuum spaces work like insulation: They prevent heat transfer between the outside air and the inside of the cooler, keeping your items cold.

A vacuum-sealed cooler is a great pick for many people. Because of their thin walls, these coolers get cold very quickly (no need to pre-chill them). They also have excellent ice retention and are much lighter than rotomolded coolers. However, if you are rough on your gear or going on a backcountry trip where durability matters, a vacuum-sealed cooler will likely not hold up as well as a rotomolded model. The thin walls can dent or puncture, ruining the cooler’s insulation ability.

Cooler Size

A cooler’s size affects its capacity, ice retention, and portability. Ideally, a cooler maximizes all of these factors, but for excellent ice retention, often both capacity and portability suffer. The reason? In order to stay cold longer, a cooler needs more insulation and thicker walls, which reduces the available space for food and drinks and makes the cooler heavier. In general, bigger coolers have better ice retention because they contain more insulation.

Consider how much you need a cooler to hold. The coolers in this guide range anywhere from a few quarts to over 100 quarts in volume. My recommendation is to always choose the smallest possible cooler that will serve your needs. There are two reasons for this. First, bigger coolers are heavy and difficult to transport. Second, your cooler will be most effective when it’s packed full of food, drinks, and ice, with no air space inside. Matching the cooler’s capacity to the amount of consumables you need to chill is the most effective way to keep your items cold. To guide your shopping, here are some rough size estimates to keep in mind:

• Up to 25 quarts: 1 person for 3 to 4 days or 2 people for 1 to 2 days
• 30 to 50 quarts: 1 person for up to a week or 2 to 3 people up to 5 days
• 55 to 80 quarts: 2 to 3 people for up to a week or larger groups for a weekend
• 85 quarts and up: Larger groups for up to a week or large events, food trucks, etc.

Related: I Rated the Best Sleeping Bags of 2025.

Why You Should Trust Me

I’ve been formally testing coolers for years. More importantly: I actually use these picks all the time. I go car camping year-round, and my partner and I love to spend as much time at the beach, in the mountains, and off the grid as possible. I almost always opt for a standard cooler with ice over electric powered options, as they're easier to prepare and less to worry about.

The coolers on this list are not only tested for ice retention in my backyard (in Tucson, Arizona, no less), but they're taken with me on adventures all over the country. I take biannual road trips to the Midwest to see family, and travel just about every weekend of the summer. There’s almost always a cooler in the car (and it’s usually the YETI Roadie 48).

Full List of Winners From Men's Journal 2025 Outdoor Awards