13 Best Coolers for Sunshine and Nighttime (2026)
The Yeti Tundra Haul is our top pick.Courtesy of YetiWe've been hunting down the best coolers for years. Whether you're heading out for an evening picnic, a weekend adventure, or a weeklong overlanding trip, you need to chill—your food and drinks, that is. There's a wealth of options these days, from little soft-sided coolers perfect for a day trip to heavy-duty, high-performance wheeled coolers with ice retention times that seem to defy the sun—like our top pick, the Yeti Tundra Haul.Cooler manufacturers aren't necessarily lying about how long ice will last in their coolers, but they are testing under ideal conditions that are never going to exist in the real world. We've been testing coolers for more than four years now, and we've stored them under the sun, in bike trailers, and in cars, all while trying to keep food and drinks cool and edible. Below, you'll find our top picks for each category, as well as a few alternatives, plus general buying tips if none of these capture your fancy.For your other outdoor needs, be sure to check out our other buying guides, like the Best Portable Grills, Best Camping Gear, Best Camp Cookware, Best Tents, and the Best Binoculars.Updated April 2026: We've added new coolers from Dometic and Rovr, reformatted this guide, removed a few older picks, and ensured accuracy throughout. Next, we'll be testing additional coolers from Rovr, Yeti, Coleman, and Solo Stove.Table of ContentsBest Cooler for Most PeopleBest Yeti DupeBest Affordable CoolerBest Backpack CoolerBest Cooler for Camp ChefsBest Cooler for Using Less IceBest Cooler ToteBest Cooler for Large PartiesBest Electric Refrigerator/FreezerBest Stackable CoolersBest Electric Cooler With Ice MakerBest Cooler With SpeakersBest Cooler for PicnicsCompare Our Top 13 CoolersMore Coolers We TestedWhat Do I Look for in a Cooler?How Do I Efficiently Use My Cooler?How Does WIRED Test Coolers?Best Cooler for Most PeopleCourtesy of YetiYetiTundra HaulFrom barbecues to beaches, this hard cooler has become ubiquitous, and for good reason. It's expensive and heavy, but Yeti's rotomolded Tundra Haul is built like a tank with 3-inch-thick insulated walls, a heavy aluminum arm, and puncture-proof, one-piece wheels. When it's full, you'll need two people to lift it into the trunk of a (very big) car. The Haul kept ice frozen for six days in blazing 90-degree heat while stored in direct sunlight on my colleague Adrienne's deck. I've managed to get five days out of it in the insane humidity of Florida in the spring. If you can afford it, a Yeti hard-sided cooler is the best cooler around. —Scott GilbertsonCapacity82 cans or 64 pounds of ice (55 quarts)Weight37 poundsDimensions18.63" D x 28.25" W x 19.5" HAvailable Colors5 (plus more limited-edition)Molding TypeRotomoldedAdditional FeaturesWheels, handle, drain plug, tie-down slots, replaceable parts. Bear-resistant (and bear-proof with the right locks)Warranty5 yearsIce Melt TestTBDCoors Light TestTBDBest Yeti DupePhotograph: Martin CizmarCourtesy of AmazonRTICUltra-Tough CoolerRTIC is known as the slightly cheaper competitor to Yeti, offering basically the same rotomolded performance at a significant savings—it depends on the product and size, but they're typically 20 to 40 percent cheaper. I've actually come to prefer this 45-quart cooler over my old Yeti 65. First, it's the right size. A Yeti 45 is 34 quarts, which is a little small for a weeklong trip with four people, whereas the RTIC 45 is a true 45 quarts, with enough room for a gallon of milk, a case of beer, and a little fruit.This model weighs 30 pounds empty, thanks to its closed-cell foam core, but the padded handles make it easy enough to carry even when loaded. It will still fit comfortably in a sedan, whereas if you jump up to the Yeti 65, i
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