Ease of use is a critical factor in your overall happiness with any given product. We gauged how easy each cooler was to open and close — whether or not the lid fully shut after closing, latch maneuverability, ease of loading, capacity, and if it included any convenient features like dry bins. The 50ºF threshold we highlight represents the average maximum ideal temperature to serve beer.
Though we didn’t have ten years to spend testing each model, we spent months subjecting them to prolonged use and a fair amount of abuse to see how they stood up to the pressure. We overextended hinges, jumped on lids, yanked on latches and handles, and dropped full chests from a carrying height. We set accident-prone friends, young children, and hefty humans loose on them to see what they’re made of by pushing them in ways more typically spread across many years of use.
According to the brand, this cooler backpack can keep food and beverages cold for up to 16 hours. It fits 36 cans at a time, and the side pockets can fit a bottle of wine. When the outdoors beckon, this rugged cooler has a bold, sturdy construction with best-in-category cooling performance that’ll keep you and your small crew happy for days. On multi-day trips where restocking ice isn’t an option, or when your camp cooking involves raw meat or other highly perishable ingredients, keeping your cooler at a safe temperature is crucial.
When it comes to high durability and above-average insulation and usability, the Ultralight 52 is a fantastic example of a high-value item. This lower-priced (yet over-performing) model has been handily getting the job done for weekends full of summer fun, all while being kind to the wallet. If you don’t need such a beefy box or a lengthy time frame for storing delicate food items like raw meat, the Coleman Xtreme 70 is another good choice, saving you both money and weight. On the other hand, if you’re the type of explorer heading off the grid for extended periods and pushing your gear to the limits, the extra cash you’ll drop on the Cabela Polar Cap 80 is well worth the investment. This bear-resistant box provides top-notch insulation and superb usability, making it our team’s go-to companion for longer trips.
We test the insulation performance, durability, ease of use, portability, and features of every single model. As some performance aspects are coleman screen tent more important than others, we weigh each metric accordingly. Below, we discuss our test results and which models stand out in each area.
Here is a selection of four-star and five-star reviews from customers who were delighted with the products they found in this category. The paper pulp of the Recool composts easily in the backyard, and it performs basically as well as any cheap single-use cooler. The BMX did exceptionally coleman screen tent well in our insulation tests, finishing just behind the Yeti. We attribute some of its better performance to it being the smallest cooler in our test, but we were still impressed. Read on for our full reviews and our tips on choosing the right camping cooler for your needs.
The lowest temperature recorded between the two in our cooling tests was less than a degree apart (44.6 vs. 45.5 degrees Fahrenheit). If your main use is for keeping things cold, then the question is whether or not that extra 0.9 degrees is worth paying another hundred bucks for. Each had a little bit of water in the bottom of the cooler and experienced a bit of melt due to cooling down the room temperature coolers. Yes, I do realize that the coolers I tested are slightly different sizes.
Food and drinks stay chilled longer with the 150-Quart Hard Ice Chest Cooler, which keeps the ice up to 6 days. Enjoy easier lifting with the swing-up side handles, then have a seat on the closed lid. Not to worry, cup holders built into the lid will keep your drink close and prevent spills.
There are a few different colors to choose from, which is nice, and the larger coolers have well-placed built-in cupholders which add a bit of spice to the overall look (but not much). And all of the colors come in a solid tone with little in the way of patterns outside of the vertical lines that adorn the body. However, these trips can sometimes be unpleasant due to the limitation of food.