Best Coolers of 2025: After Testing 11 New Coolers, Here’s Are the 6 I Recommend
These are the other coolers we tested with our new testing procedure, detailed below. They didn’t make the cut for the main roster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with them and you might still prefer them, depending on your situation.
Zero target Alta 50/Alta 80
The Alta 50 is an efficient electric cooler, but the other two options we recommend will do a better job.
THE Objective Zero Alta 50 was the last electric cooler I tested. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, but the other two electric coolers I recommend fit a better niche. The Goal Zero is extremely large: it holds the most soda cans at 77. It also has the strongest construction of all the options. It’s stainless steel and the handles are solid and spring loaded. When you release them, they come back decisively.
Likewise, the lid is waterproof and well constructed. The latches are metal and very secure. I feel like this cooler would be a good second fridge or freezer in a garage if you bought too much food and needed an emergency extra.
There are, however, two drawbacks. The first is that stainless steel construction looks good until it doesn’t. The unit I tested already has some dents. The second is in the control panel that you use to adjust the temperature. It’s at the bottom of the cooler, so it’s not very convenient to access or even see it. These two factors ultimately keep it off our main list, but if you need a second refrigerator, this is a good option.
Magellan Outdoors Pro Explore IceBox
The Magellan Cooler offers another portable option, even though it’s not a backpack.
THE Magellan Outdoors Pro Explore IceBox is a smaller cooler, but it’s not a backpack. You can carry the cooler with an included shoulder strap or with the handles on either side. This is a hard-sided cooler with a hard top, covered in soft fabric. Like its larger counterpart above, when you open and close this lid you feel a good seal and a whisper of air escaping when you close it.
This cooler also comes with a nifty bottle opener attached to the cooler and stored in a handy pocket for this purpose. The cooler also features a series of loops on the front that you can use to attach other items, like tools and utensils, to the front for easy transport. Overall, I like the cooler, but I like the backpack shape a little better, which keeps it from earning a top spot.
RTIC 45 gal and Yeti Tundra 45
The RTIC 45 gallon cooler
These two coolers are remarkably similar, although they are from different brands. They both have the same basic rotomolded plastic construction, rope handles, and rubberized latches. Their ice retention test results were similar, although at the end of the test the RTIC held up a little longer.
The Yeti Tundra 45 is grizzly proof, unlike the RTIC.
However, they have some differences. In particular, the RTIC cooler is cheaper at $239 versus $325, but the Tundra Yeti The cooler comes with certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. This basically means that if you also have a bear lock, you can protect your food from grizzly bears. If you’re camping in bear country, it might be worth spending more, but otherwise it’s a pretty specialized use case.
Yeti Tundra Transport
The Yeti Tundra Haul is another bear-proof cooler with wheels and a large capacity.
Similar to the Yeti Tundra above, the Yeti Tundra Transport also comes with bear proof certification, which is always a nice plus for campers. This is also a cooler on wheels, which means it has a larger capacity and is easier to maneuver. The wheels are also made of durable plastic. Meanwhile, the handle is solid and feels like stainless steel – arguably the strongest handle among roller coolers.
Like the Yeti Tundra 45 Gallon Cooler, this cooler doesn’t have much else besides good ice retention, which is arguably the most important attribute. However, many coolers today have additional features that make them more desirable, and this one simply isn’t. It’s a great back-to-basics cooler, but if you want something with more bells and whistles, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
RTIC Ultra-Tough 24 Can Backpack
Another backpack cooler, this RTIC cooler has several unique features.
THE RTIC Ultra-Tough Backpack Cooler has several interesting features. It starts with an additional storage pocket on the front. It’s about the size of a purse or clutch, ideal for carrying a phone or a small tablet, perhaps. Unlike the Ninja Cooler Dry Storage Safe above, this front pouch does not get cold due to ice in the cooler – I tested this specifically.
There’s also a web of bungee cords on top that help secure something small, like a pillow or rolled up blanket. There are elastic cup holders on each side and a few web loops on the front if you need to secure anything else. The top of the cooler is thick and fits nicely into the opening to seal in the cold without zipping up, which is a nice bonus.
