The Best Coolers for Summer Parties, Camping, Tailgating, and More

Whether you are relaxing on the lake, grilling with the family or go to a pool partyyou’ll probably want to bring a cooler to keep your drinks and snacks nice and cold this summer.

To help you choose the right cooler for your summer festivities, we’ve rounded up the best coolers of 2024. Our top picks come in a variety of sizes, colors, and designs, and are suitable for both small and large budgets. Plus, each one has received a four-star or higher customer rating.

The best coolers in 2024

Best Overall Cooler: Igloo Overland Cooler

This cooler from Igloo offers impressive value for money. First of all, you get a lot of space. The 50-quart capacity provides ample space for 81 cans. Second, the walls surrounding these cans are thick and insulated with 1.5 inches of foam to ensure your drinks stay cool. The rubber latches also help keep cold air inside, in addition to preventing leaks. in transitAdditionally, there is a built-in locking plate that allows you to secure your drinks and snacks, perfect for keeping wildlife away from your food while camping.

We also really like the cooler’s built-in bottle opener and drain plug that will make it easy to dispose of your melted ice. The cooler has been finished with UV inhibitors, which can help prevent sun damage, and an antimicrobial lining that can help keep the exterior clean during all the adventures the cooler will inevitably see.

Finalist: Ninja FrostVault 50qt Hard Cooler

The Ninja FrostVault Hard Cooler features a dry storage drawer that can stay cool (below 40°F) for days, making it ideal for extended adventures. With a 50-liter capacity, this option can hold up to 80 cans without ice or 45 cans with ice. (A 30-liter Ninja FrostVault cooler is also available.)

The cooler’s design allows for smarter packing, eliminating the need for secondary containers to separate food and beverages. It also features durable handles, a locking lid, and an easy-to-use latch for convenient access and transport.

The Ninja FrostVault Hard Cooler has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon.

Best Portable Cooler: Pack of 30 Herschel Pop Quiz coolers

For those willing to sacrifice insulation for portability, get the Herschel Pop Quiz Cooler. The brand is known for making comfortable and durable backpacks (we should know, because one of our CBS Essentials Purchasing Experts I’ve had one for six years), so we expect the same quality and reliability with this cooler.

The Herschel cooler features reinforced handles and a padded shoulder strap for easy carrying. It also has a front pocket, perfect for storing personal items like keys and wallet, as well as a handy bottle opener with key clip. Inside, you’ll find foam-padded insulation and a leak-proof lining that’ll come in handy in case of a spill.

The Herschel Pop Quiz Cooler holds 30 cans and is available in four colors.

Best Large Cooler: Coleman Retro Cooler

Party in style with this super cool retro cooler from Coleman. Unlike other products that are often vintage-inspired, this one is authentic. The brand first designed this model in 1954 and brought it into the modern era with some much-needed updates. That includes insulation that the brand claims can keep ice cold for up to four days, even in 90-degree heat.

The Coleman Retro Cooler holds up to 85 cans, has a stain-resistant interior, and a drain hole that doesn’t require the cooler to be tilted to operate. It also comes with rust-resistant stainless steel hardware and a lid that’s safe to sit on (as long as you weigh 250 pounds or less). You can get it in four colors on Amazon, including red and green (pictured).

Best Small Cooler: Eola Corkcicle Bucket Cooler Bag

This cooler from Corkcicle is the perfect picnic companion. It can hold 12 cans, five bottles of wine, or eight cans and two bottles of wine together. And according to the brand, it can keep the ice cold all day long.

Compared to traditional coolers, the Eola Cooler Bag’s insulation isn’t as robust. But what the cooler lacks in insulation, it more than makes up for in portability. When it comes to carrying your and your friends’ drinks to a dinner party or campfire, it’s easy with the Corkcile Eola Bucket Bag.

You can get it in six colors, with some bags made of vegan leather and others made of neoprene. Shop now and get $48 off your purchase while the product is still on sale.

Best cooler for splurge: Yeti Tundra 45 Hard Cooler

In the world of tumblers, Yeti, like Stanleyis a brand that reigns supreme. The brand’s insulation properties across all of its products are said to be so good that once people choose Yeti, they don’t go back. Customer loyalty is so strong that the brand can easily get away with charging $300 for a cooler. Whether you’re a Yeti fan or just someone who wants to invest in a cooler that will last a lifetime, consider the Yeti Tundra 45 Hardside Cooler.

This cooler stands out for its 3-inch (7.5 cm) insulation capacity, which the brand claims is enough to store camping supplies for four people overnight or drinks for a day. The amount of drinks it can hold is 54 cans. It is also spacious enough to hold 17 kg (37 lbs) of ice (if you are only carrying ice).

The Tundra 45 is especially suited for camping, as it has been approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee as bear-resistant (when paired with a Master Lock extra-long shank padlock).

You can get it in 11 colors, including five year-round colors and six seasonal colors.

The most affordable cooler: Coleman 316 Series Hard Cooler

Just because this cooler is cheap doesn’t mean you’re not getting a quality product. Coleman promises that its 316 Series Hard Cooler can keep ice for up to three days, even at 90-degree temperatures. It can hold up to 40 cans with 26 pounds of ice and features a drain plug for easy cleaning.

The cooler also features four built-in cup holders on its lid, wide enough to accommodate 30-ounce cups. The lid can also double as a seat that can support 250 pounds.

Customers are pretty happy with this product, which has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon. One reviewer wrote, “I bought this cooler for camping. I used ice packs from home to keep food cold, drove three hours to camp. It was very hot the first few days, this cooler kept those ice packs frozen for three days before we needed to add ice.”

The most elegant cooler: Business & Pleasure Co. Premium Cooler

Leave it to Revolve to sell the cutest cooler we’ve ever seen. In fact, at first glance, you probably wouldn’t guess it’s a cooler. Business & Pleasure Co.’s premium cooler features a ’70s-inspired design that’s pretty darn cute to look at. It’s made from a polycotton-canvas material that’s treated with anti-mold, water-repellent, and UV-protective coatings. It also features genuine leather trim and exterior pockets, allowing the cooler to double as a purse.

The insulation properties are minimal compared to traditional coolers, but if you’re more concerned with fashion than functionality, this cooler will more than do the trick.

The Business & Pleasure Co. Premium Cooler has a 4.9-star rating on the brand’s website. One reviewer wrote, “Great quality. Perfect size. Love all the extra pockets. Super cute pattern on the inside. Kept everything cool at the beach for a long time.”