Regarding the latter, some will be able to double up as seats or tables, will have extendable handles, cup holders and built-in bottle openers, and even some LED lights on the inside. That’s about as fantastic of a result as I could have hoped for from the MaxCold, and easily the best cooler performance I was able to find for under $100. The next step up would be the Lifetime High Performance Cooler, which I found on sale at Walmart for $97. It finished my performance tests in a virtual tie with the MaxCold, and it offers a bigger, better design that features a pair of heavy-duty lid latches and roped handles, plus a built-in bottle opener. Features can include drain plugs, removable butler trays, built-in bottle openers, or storage pockets. Think about what will be the most useful for your needs and prioritize choosing a cooler that offers them.
Their wheeled rolling cooler offering is a thirty-quart ice chest built with more insulation than other coolers in its range. The bungee net up top helps you haul extra stuff on game day and Canyon also offers a no-hassle, lifetime warranty. Over half of the lgloo Cooler coolers on our list cost $200 or more, which goes to show how pricey these units can be. Hard-sided coolers from YETI, RTIC, ORCA, and others are able to keep ice frozen for significantly longer than budget options from companies like Coleman or Igloo.
Also, make sure your wheels are made of durable materials (think rubber or sturdy plastic) and offer traction to get you across any terrain at any weight. With extra-thick 1.5-inch foam-insulated walls and an insulated lid, you’ll get dependable, long-lasting ice retention, so your essential food and drinks stay chilled. Previously, we tested hard coolers in the summer in Baltimore through a week that saw highs of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and lows of 64 to 72 degrees. And more recently we tested most of our picks again throughout the year in Hawaii.
There are also a couple of wheeled versions of the Igloo MaxCold that I haven’t tested yet. Given how well the non-wheeled version performed, I have to imagine that they’d be better picks than the other wheeled coolers I tested in this price range, the Igloo Latitude and Coleman Xtreme. Both of those felt cheap and flimsy to me, and neither one performed well enough to merit any extra consideration.
We also like the unique assortment of multi-toned colorways that add a nice dose of flair. Rotomolded coolers like YETI’s Tundra above are made out of a single piece of continuous plastic, which is great for durability but means they typically lack built-in features and mounting locations. Tack on a price that undercuts the similarly sized Tundra 65 above by a considerable $135, and the Xspec stands out as a very well-rounded design at a great value. When deciding on the right size of cooler for your needs, consider where you’ll use it and the number of drinks and snacks you’ll want to store in it.
That said, ice packs are fairly expensive (YETI’s range from $15 to $30 depending on size) and require refreezing once they lose their coldness, which limits practicality for longer trips. As committed cooler enthusiasts know, the type of ice you use heavily impacts how much you’re able to store and how long it stays cold. Crushed ice is the most readily available—you can find it at most gas stations and supermarkets for fairly cheap. The major draw is that it easily fills the gaps between your food and beverages, cooling them quickly and efficiently.
To address each of these important factors, we’ve selected the best wheeled coolers in a variety of styles for a multitude of outdoor adventures. This Yeti cooler is extremely durable and easy to roll, and it keeps drinks and food cold for days. Whether you’re trekking into the wilderness for a week, relaxing by the pool over the weekend, or headed to a local park with the kids for an afternoon, take a load off your shoulders, and pull up with one of these wheeled wonders. FatBoy coolers uses an exclusive polyurethane insulation called Cryo-Foam and that, along with the freezer-grade gasket will keep your ice icy for nine days. The outside is rotomolded low-density polyethylene with t-handle latches and stainless steel corner locks (and bottle openers). The tires are rubber and nearly two inches thick and the lid has a molded twenty-seven inch scale for measuring your fish — or perhaps more likely when grilling, the diameter of your burger patty.
Style-wise, the exterior (which is water-resistant and stain-resistant) comes in fun colors like a turquoise-esque Pine variation, a summer-appropriate Blue Lagoon version, and a very neon Citrus model. The Moss variation is a quieter, but still snazzy, outdoorsy hue for you understated gents out there. A first-of-its-kind cooler, the EcoCool Latitude 90 Roller Cooler is primarily constructed from recycled plastic, i.e., yogurt cups, milk jugs, and more “post-consumer resin” that typically ends up in landfills.
The Coleman Xtreme 50-quart Wheeled Cooler is a favorite “everyday” cooler option for beach days, local ball games, and other warm-weather outings with friends and family. Its combination of light plastic body, nearly all-terrain wheels, and a retractable, telescoping handle allow for a leisurely stroll-along with your refreshments in tow. Made with environmentally friendly, patented Thermozone insulation, the walls are igloo electric cooler insulated to prolong ice, and the chest can carry an impressive 84 cans. The lid is also insulated, though fairly easy to open and close, which could indicate that it’s not the most airtight cooler on the market. On the positive side, there’s no visible gap between the lid and body, unlike many affordable cooler models. The “have-a-seat” lid can support up to 250 pounds and also conveniently features four cup holders.
The resulting product is strong and especially rigid feeling, and typically it weighs more than 1.7 pounds per cubic foot with more than 90% of its air cells closed to one another. Closed-cell foam is also water-impermeable—so it’s an ideal material for, say, surfers’ wetsuits. The RTIC 65 has rope handles with a plastic tube for gripping and two rubber latches for holding the lid closed, mimicking the design of most other, comparable coolers. This roto-molded cooler costs far less than the Yeti Tundra 65 but performs just as well in nearly every way. It’s almost indestructible, it has two drainage ports and replaceable parts, and it kept our ice frozen for 10 days. If you wanted a cooler that is more rugged and that’ll be able to handle the rougher types of terrain you will witness when camping, hiking, and whatnot, the Coleman 55-Quart Rugged A/T Wheeled Cooler is one that we suggest you take a look at.