If you’ve been watching the summer days grow shorter, hoping to squeeze in a few more beach days, you’re not alone. Most of us are trying to soak up these last few weeks of warm weather while it’s here. But to make the most of your time by the water, you’ll need to bring along the right gear, and that includes a durable, insulated beach cooler. Based on research and firsthand experience, we consider the Yeti Roadie 60 to be the best beach cooler overall thanks to its spacious interior and easy portability. Meanwhile, the Cotopaxi Hielo is a comfortable backpack-style option, and our runner-up pick, the Titan Pro 25, is incredibly durable.
The best beach coolers keep your waterfront food and drink cold for hours.
Exterior dimensions: 23.7 x 20 x 20.5 inches | Weight: 30.6 pounds | Capacity: 92.7 liters
Pros:
Large holding capacity
Durable
Will keep your food and drinks cold for days
Cons:
One of the more expensive options
Could be challenging to get out of the car when full
Yeti put wheels on their beloved Roadie to create a more beach-appropriate cooler, which takes the biscuit as our top overall chilly bin. It delivers the same premium ice retention Yeti is known for, but it’s built with the brand’s reliable NeverFlat Wheels and a heavy-duty tow handle, making it perfect for far-flung adventures because, unlike a traditional cooler, you don’t have to worry about whether or not it’s too heavy to haul. The puncture-resistant wheels can easily roll over rocks, sand and grass to ensure hassle-free portability from the parking lot to the waterfront.
With a large interior, the cooler holds up to 96 cans of your favorite beverage (or 68 pounds of ice). Designed with PermaFrost Insulation and ColdLock Gasket technology to retain ice, it blocks out the heat and seals in the cold, creating an optimal cooling temperature for brews, sodas and snacks. To learn a bit more about the design’s strengths and weaknesses, be sure to check out our full review of this cooler’s smaller sibling, the Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler. While it’s expensive no matter what size wheeled Roadie you get, we think the insulation and durability are worth it.
Best Runner-Up Beach Cooler
Another Reliable Model That’s A Little Less Expensive
Arctic Zone
Titan Pro 25
Exterior dimensions: 13.9 x 19.29 x 17.7 inches | Weight: 22.5 pounds | Capacity: 38 cans
Pros:
High ice retention levels
Virtually unbreakable
Handy extras
Cons:
Heavy
Doesn’t have wheels
Not too big, not too small, built to last and to keep ice cold—that’s how we’d describe the Titan Pro 25. Made with a rugged roto-molded construction, it’s practically impossible to break this cooler no matter how you abuse it, and with a freezer-grade gasket and Ice Saver thermal cover, it’ll keep ice cold for over six days. To get that degree of durability and ice retention from a cooler that costs less than $300 isn’t normal, but that’s what makes the Titan Pro stand out.
Some fun features include a waterproof, interior LED light, so you don’t need to worry about blindly searching for a drink if you stay up past sundown. And that same light is removable, so it can be used as a flashlight to help you get back to the car afterward. There’s also a bungee system to store items like beach towels (key on a windy beach day) or other beach gear. The main downside is the lack of wheels that makes transport a little tougher, but because the Titan Pro is only a 25-quart cooler, it’s manageable when carried by one person and easy to haul with a secon set of hands.
Best Budget Beach Cooler
A Tote That’s Good For The Beach, And Beyond
Hydro Flask
Hydro Flask 20L Insulated Tote
Exterior dimensions: 21.2 x 17.5 x 6.61 inches | Weight: 1.06 pounds | Capacity: 30 cans
Pros:
Welded seams and waterproof zipper prevent leaks
Easy to clean
Solid ice retention
Cons:
Doesn’t come with any interior pockets
Waterproof zipper can be difficult to open
Sometimes you don’t need a heavy-duty, hard-sided cooler that could survive a shark encounter, but rather, a soft cooler that’s easy to pack and carry from one sandy destination to the next. And if they’re built with reliable insulation, like Hydro Flask’s Insulated Tote, they do just as good a job when the time comes to keep your food and bevvys cold for hours.
Hydro Flask’s take on the insulated tote is our preferred choice for a budget-friendly cooler because it’s lightweight, comfortable to wear on your shoulder and decidedly functional. The pack is made with a durable, waterproof shell and even though it has a heavy-duty base to keep itself upright, it also features a collapsible design that makes it easy to store, so you won’t have any trouble stuffing it away come winter. The welded seams and waterproof zipper not only prevent leaks, but also help keep sand out (though if some does get in, it’s easy to wash out in the sink once you get home). And while it doesn’t offer the same capacity as a traditional hard-sided cooler, it’s a great option for small groups and casual day trips.
Best Backpack Beach Cooler
Colorful And Portable For Those Far-Flung Adventures
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi Hielo Cooler Backpack
Exterior dimensions: 20 x 14 x 9 inches | Weight: N/A | Capacity: 24 liters
Pros:
Comes in unique, vibrant colors
Sustainably-made
Additional space for dry items
Cons:
On the pricey side for a 24-liter pack
Featuring adjustable and padded shoulder straps, you can comfortably carry this Cotopaxi cooler on your back while keeping your hands free for other items, like beach chairs, towels or umbrellas.
This cooler-pack has a bucket-style lid opening that makes it easy to dig through, and there’s enough storage space for 20 cans, plus ice, which will stay cold for up to an impressive 36 hours. There’s a separate waterproof pocket on top, where you can stash items that need to stay dry, like your phone, keys or wallet.
It’s also worth noting that this cooler stands out as one of the more sustainable choices on the market—the colorful exterior is made with scraps of leftover fabric from other product runs, which also means no two cooler backpacks look quite the same.
Best Premium Beach Cooler
Use Technology To Help Keep Contents Cool
IcyBreeze
IcyBreeze Ultimate
Exterior dimensions: 24.5 x 16.5 x 21.5 inches | Weight: 29pounds | Capacity: 48 cans
Pros:
Sizable carrying capacity for its size
Durable
Cons:
Only comes in one size
Pricey, even for a premium cooler
If you’re looking for a cooler that’s convenient and functional, and you’re willing to pay for the best-of-the-best, the IcyBreeze Ultimate is our top choice. This hybrid cooler and portable AC unit is made to help you stay cool at the beach all summer long thanks to a proprietary heat exchange system, which functions similarly to your car’s radiator: pumping icy water into coils that actively cool air and push it out through a directional tube for hours.
That process may sound a bit gimmicky, but IcyBreeze’s insulation pairs with a vacuum-sealed design that helps this cooler live up to the hype. Unfortunately, the brand doesn’t go so far as to list exactly how long it keeps contents cold, but that’s because it truly depends on how often the cooling system is utilized and what’s in the cooler.
Beyond the cooler’s unique technology, we also appreciate how user-friendly the design is. It comes with all-terrain wheels and a grab-handle for maneuvering over sand with ease, and the overbuilt construction is plenty durable. In all reality, you probably won’t need a cooler with such bells and whistles unless you’re spending time off-grid in a sandy, hot location like Baja, but if that’s where you’re headed, or if you simply want a unique cooler that stands out, this is the one to get.
Forbes Vetted contributor and the author of this guide, Bailey Berg, has extensive experience testing and evaluating outdoor equipment. Her recent guides include reporting on inflatable paddle boards, rowing machines and life jackets, and beyond Forbes Vetted, her work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure and beyond.
Forbes Vetted gear editor Cam Vigliotta, who oversees and edits this guide for accuracy, tests and reviews gear for a living. While his favorite activities include running, backpacking, biking and skiing, he also breaks out a trusty cooler for summer backyard gatherings, car camping and those occasional days by the beach. His cooler of choice is the RTIC 52-Quart Ultra-Light Wheeled Cooler because it features chunky wheels and a big grab handle, but he has personally tested the Yeti Roadie 60 as well.
This guide is updated regularly to provide accurate, reliable information that helps you make a more informed decision when the time comes to invest in a beach cooler. It was last updated in August 2024 by Berg to reflect some of the best cooler models available in 2024.
How We Chose The Best Beach Coolers
To assemble this listof the best beach coolers, we leaned on the expertise of our Forbes editors and contributors, sought out advice from experts and heavily researched options from reputable brands.
Each cooler found in this guide is one we own ourselves, borrowed from friends and family or tested in conjunction with the manufacturer. When spending time with each cooler, we took into account key specs and features, including dimensions, construction quality, durability, insulation, portability and other perks, like wheels, bottle openers and cargo nets.
We also considered online reviews from customers and weighed these reviews against our findings to make more informed decisions. If we liked a cooler and found that a majority of independent buyers felt otherwise, we took this into account, and vice versa.
We also bolstered our knowledge and experience with additional insights from Ashleigh McClary, a Gearhead with Backcountry who has tested a variety of beach-ready coolers.
What To Consider When Shopping For A Beach Cooler
Construction
When the time comes to invest in a beach cooler, start by choosing between a soft- and hard-sided cooler, both of which have their merits.
Soft-sided coolers feature a lightweight design that’s made from flexible materials such as nylon or polyester. These are easy to fold up or collapse when not in use, which helps save storage space, and many models feature compartments and additional pockets, allowing you to organize and store items like utensils, napkins or other essentials.
“If you want a cooler for day use, soft-side coolers are a great place to start,” says Ashleigh McClary. “When considering a soft-side cooler, you want to make sure that the interior is waterproof and leakproof because ice melts quick and can become really messy. Waterproof zippers are an even bigger plus and are found in high-end soft-sided coolers. The higher the denier fabric of the outside, the more durable and insulated it will be.”
McClary adds that if you’re looking for a larger cooler or one that will stay cold for multiple days, opt for a hard-sided cooler that, thanks to thick insulation, will boast remarkable ice retention capabilities.
Hard-sided coolers are typically crafted from tough materials such as rotomolded plastic (which McClary says is the most durable option), stainless steel or thick polyethylene. It’s worth noting that these coolers can also function as an impromptu seating option or additional tabletop space in a pinch.
Portability
“Portability is a huge factor when selecting a cooler,” says McClary. “It is all subjective on how much you’ll want to put in your cooler, but the two most important things to consider here are how much the cooler is going to weigh fully loaded and how comfortable is it to transport.”
Beach coolers, especially when loaded with food and beverages, can weigh in excess of 40 to 50 pounds, and getting all that weight from your car to your beach blanket can be tricky, especially if you’re fumbling with a bulky, awkward shape.
Wheeled coolers (specifically those with big wheels that can maneuver over rocks and sand) make the task a bit easier. But if you’d rather not have wheels, look for a cooler that has sturdy, ergonomic carrying handles or straps, which will make it easier to carry the cooler over longer distances. Adjustable straps or handles with padding are good for distributing the weight evenly and reduce strain on your hands or shoulders.
Price
Cooler pricing varies widely from one model to the next—budget-friendly options might go for as little as $50 while premium models can run in excess of $500. McClary says it’s a good idea to consider how long you expect to use your cooler and what conditions you expect to use it in.
“If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a cooler, you can totally get by with a less expensive one,” she notes. “But it may cost you more in th
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