Best Small Cooler for Travel and Everyday

Best small cooler for travel

Best lunch cooler

When we first saw the Bellroy Lite Cooler Caddy 6L, we were uncertain it would accomplish much because of its thin, recycled shell. However, after testing, we have to admit that it has a place in many travelers’ pack-outs. You can compress this cooler into a small package, making it easy to take on trips where you’re short on space in your car. It works well for a six-pack of your preferred beverage, so long as you aren’t drinking it all yourself. If you share it with a few buddies, the contents will stay cold until you finish the six-pack. If you’re the only one drinking the sodas, the last few might be a little warm by the time you get to them. The cooler works much better with an ice pack (or ice), though it’ll still perform without either for a short time if you don’t want to bring it on your next trip.

Though the Bellroy Lite Cooler Caddy didn’t keep ice as cold as the other coolers on this list, it isn’t designed to keep things icy for a full day. Instead of being designed for long-term insulation, the thin, packable materials are packable enough to fit into your travel backpack or daypack as you head to your destination and for a few hours after you arrive. While it won’t keep your beer cold for a whole day (who doesn’t like a 71.2°F brew?), it’ll easily keep a six-pack, some sandwiches, or a tasty treat cool for a few hours while you relax by the pool or head into the city center for a concert.

• It will fit inside your daypack or travel backpack
• The strap attaches using a G-hook, so you can attach the cooler to things

• It doesn’t keep things cool for very long
• The zipper leaks like a sieve

Not every YETI cooler is the massive kind you’d take on a week-long fishing trip. The YETI Hopper Flip 8 Cooler is small enough to carry over your shoulder and durable enough to take on any adventure life might throw at you. The 8 Soft Cooler is suitable for a small picnic (or 11 beers), the 12 Soft Cooler is a perfect size for a smaller car (it’ll fit 24 cans), and the 18 Soft Cooler will load a 30 rack of cans with ease. However, keep in mind that as you go up in size, they become less comfortable to carry.

This portable cooler comes with a padded shoulder strap to make getting from point A to point B more manageable, but there’s a handle on the top for shorter trips, like from picnic table to picnic table or trunk to backseat. The zipper doesn’t feel terribly durable; however, we haven’t had any issues with it malfunctioning.

The Hopper Flip 8 performed well in our 24-hour testing period, though it was technically below average compared to thicker coolers designed with long-term storage in mind. That said, a 35.2°F temperature after a day isn’t too shabby, even if others on the market—sometimes at a cheaper price—perform better. Plus, its solidly built and you can carry it fairly comfortably from one destination to the next, which adds to the appeal.

• The build quality is top-notch, even if the zippers aren’t our favorite
• There are multiple sizes to meet your cooler needs

• The zipper is a bit sharp, which can be uncomfortable
• Of the larger coolers, it performed worse than the cheaper models

Best small soft cooler

Sometimes, a piece of gear will catch your eye because it has rad colorways. Regarding portable coolers, the Mountainsmith The Sixer Cooler Bag meets those criteria. At the time of writing, there are three options to choose from. Cedar Green feels like a walk in the woods, Frost Blue looks like the morning sky before the sun rises, and Light Sand has the aura of the area between the rolling hills of the countryside and the sandy beaches before the sea. If that doesn’t make you thirsty for a cold beverage, what else will?

These coolers will fit a six-pack of cans or bottles and can pack up a lovely picnic for you and your partner. There’s a zippered compartment inside the lid to stow gear you don’t want to lose, but remember, it’ll get cold, too. The straps on this thing are removable, so you can take it off if it gets in your way or repair it if something

Of the lightweight, portable coolers that we tested in our second round of writing, the Sixer Cooler Bag performed best. Though its 62.4°F result doesn’t seem like much to write home about, it’s 8.8°F cooler than the worst soft cooler on this list, so we can’t scoff at it too much. It’s ideal for trips to the beach or park with some drinks and snacks. However, any longer than that and you’ll notice a steep increase in temperature.

• It performed better than the other more portable coolers that we tested
• It’s budget-friendly and is durable enough to last you a few years, at least

• Compared to a hard-sided or thick cooler, its performance over extended periods isn’t great
• The zipper can leak after the ice melts into water

Best small cooler for ice retention

If you’re constantly on the river and are looking for the best small cooler that floats and is durable enough to handle all kinds of weather and terrain, the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler 20 Can model is an excellent shout. There are 12, 30, and 40 can options, but the 20 is a versatile option for solo and group use. Plus, there are over 12 colorways, so you can get one that matches your style (or car).

You can carry this travel cooler by the handles or over your shoulder with the strap. The crossbody option has padding, so your journey will be comfortable. However, you can remove the strap if you prefer to use the handles. There’s a small zippered compartment on the front of the cooler to secure small items like your keys.

In our second round of testing, the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler performed best in the 24-hour temperature test, coming in at 32.8°F. That almost feels impossible, especially considering that it isn’t a hard-sided cooler and is a more budget-friendly option on this list. Our primary tester reinforced this notion while camping in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with the cooler, reporting that they were shocked to find almost all of the ice between their hardboiled eggs and overnight oats intact after a day and a half of camping (admittedly without opening and closing it much). The Soft Pack Cooler is tough to beat when you factor in price vs. performance.

• It performed best out of any cooler we tested in the 24-hour temperature test
• The zipper is waterproof (so long as you maintain it), and the cooler floats

• It isn’t hard-sided, so it could puncture easier than one that is
• The zipper can be challenging to open if it isn’t lubricated properly

The REI Co-op Campwell 8 L Folding Cooler is highly packable—at least as far as eight-liter coolers are concerned. In its natural state, it looks more like a padded document mailer than a cooler. With some work, it becomes a duffle bag-like model that you can easily carry to the beach or the park for a picnic. Additionally, it costs less than $30 at the time of writing, making it one of the cheapest coolers on this list. The materials are durable, though they aren’t very thick, which may leave it vulnerable to punctures if you’re doing a lot of rough outdoor activities.

In our 24-hour test, the Campwell didn’t perform very well; however, based on the materials and use case, we weren’t expecting it to. It’s designed for picnics, days at the beach, and short trips–not multi-day storage. This thin, lightweight cooler is easy to pack in the car or in your rolling luggage. It’s a solid model to take to the beach or for a picnic. After 24 hours, it was at 68.5°F, slightly less than room temperature.

• It’s small enough to fit in most rolling luggage and some large travel backpacks
• The price point is budget friendly

• It doesn’t keep contents cold over roughly half a day
• The materials aren’t the most durable that we’ve tested

Best backpack cooler

If you’re looking for the best cooler bag you can take anywhere, look no further than the Hydro Flask Day Escape. This model comes in backpack form, so you can wear it to spread the weight and tackle rough terrain with lunch or a brew on your back. You can stow up to 36 cans inside without ice, so there’s more than enough room for a picnic lunch, water for a hike, or to throw the day’s catch inside at the river.

The exterior is crafted from 600D polyester, so you know your food and drinks are in good hands. The shoulder straps aren’t as padded as we’d like for such a large pack; however, we dig that there’s a sternum strap for when the going gets rough. There are attachment loops to secure extra gear on the exterior and a water bottle pocket to stay hydrated on the trail. So long as you have a friend to carry your other equipment, this might be the best cooler for travelers who love to take a day hike or two.

Though we were initially skeptical about the Day Escape’s thin materials, our concerns were put to rest by the 33.4°F temperature reading after 24 hours at Pack Hacker HQ. At just a hair above freezing, there’s something to be said about how well this pack performed, especially considering its portability. Those test scores come with a caveat: this cooler sees more movement than others on this list since it’s designed to be worn on your bag and, presumably, carried over longer distances than a standard cooler. There are limits to this idea—for example, a 20-minute hike will shake less than a 20-hour drive—but it’s worth keeping in mind that the ice is in a constant state of flux while you wear this bag, which will melt it faster than if it were sitting back at your campsite.

• Backpack carry is more comfortable than shoulder or crossbody carry modes offered by other coolers
• It performed incredibly well in the 24-hour temperature test

• The backpack design can shake up the ice, leading to increase melting times
• It can start to feel uncomfortable on your shoulders when full

Best small hard cooler

If you hate nothing more than a crushed sandwich, we’ve got you covered. The Stanley Adventure Easy Carry 16-Quart Cooler has a hard outer shell that won’t be trifled with, even if your Uncle Larry drops it five times on the hike out to the lake. That way, all the sandwiches Aunt Edna made back at camp will be in superb condition when they arrive at their final destination.

The top handle is large and easy to carry, but there isn’t any padding. It isn’t uncomfortable, but you wouldn’t want to walk more than a few minutes with it in tow. There are bungees on the top to secure extra gear so you can bring along extras (like condiments) for the ride, too. You won’t be able to bring the whole dinner table, but you’ll have enough space for a small group to snack it up.

In our second round of testing, the Easy Carry Lunch Cooler tied for second place with a temperature of 33.2°F, which is just over freezing. An impressive result! This model is one of the sturdiest coolers on this list, so it’s no surprise that it performed so well. However, that temperature retention comes at a price: weight, portability, and comfort. It’s perfect for weekend warriors looking for a cooler to toss in their trunks, but if you want something to stow in your travel backpack or rolling luggage, we recommend looking elsewhere.

• The hard exterior protects your drinks and food from getting crushed
• It looks sleek and is easy to clean, whether you’re at the campsite or on the boat

• It’s heavier than most of the coolers on this list, making it challenging to carry long distances
• The white colorway scuffs easily, though it’s easy to clean after

The AO Coolers Canvas Series 24 Pack doesn’t look like a cooler, and we dig it for that reason. Not that we don’t love a classic-looking Coleman-esque model, but that isn’t the vibe we’re going for every time we need a cooler. There are four colorways at the time of writing, including sleek options like Navy Blue, Black, and Charcoal. Plus, if vibrancy is more your style, you can go with Red or Royal Blue. This model packs like a duffle; you can carry it with the handles or the padded strap, which we prefer for longer trips. Go with the handles from the house to the car; when you’re hiking to your favorite fishing spot with a few beers and sandwiches, go with the shoulder strap.

We were happily surprised by the performance of the Canvas Series. We thought the soft-sided materials wouldn’t keep ice (or water) cool as well as some of the other contenders. However, at 33.2°F after 24 hours, it was one of the highest performers. The design of this cooler reminds us of an EVERGOODS duffle bag, and we think it’s a solid choice for road trips or camping.

• The large capacity makes it easy to bring a meal for the whole family
• It outperformed all similarly designed coolers in the 24-hour temperature test

• It’s not as packable as other soft coolers on this list
• Though it’s perfectly comfortable on average, the padded shoulder strap can feel subpar when the cooler is packed to the brim with heavy items