Abby Ferguson
Published Nov 3, 2023 1:55 PM EDT
Keep your food and beverages from getting warm and your back from getting sore with these impressive wheeled coolers.
Best overall
YETI Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler
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The Yeti Tundra Haul offers more features than we can list, including the ability to keep hot items hot.
Best compact
RovR RollR 45 Wheeled Cooler
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Good things come in small packages with this sporty-looking space-saving wheeled cooler.
Best budget
Coleman Chiller Series Insulated Soft Cooler
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You can’t beat this price for a wheeled cooler that can hold the equivalent of 42 cans.
Published Nov 3, 2023 1:55 PM
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Whether you’re entertaining at home, traveling, camping, or tailgating, a cooler with wheels is a game-changer. Having temperature-controlled beverages (and food) on hand can be the difference between joy and sadness. But lugging around a heavy cooler, that’s just pure misery. You want to work up a thirst from whatever fun activity you’re undertaking, not from roping in some poor friend or family member to carry the heavy cooler with you. The best coolers with wheels allow you to be self-sufficient without compromising quality.
Best overall: YETI Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler
Best compact: RovR Roll R 45 Wheeled Cooler
Most durable: Orca 65 Quart Wheeled Cooler
Best features: Igloo 70 Quart Premium Trailmate Wheeled Rolling Cooler
Best budget: Coleman Chiller Series Insulated Soft Cooler
How we chose the best coolers with wheels
As a freelance journalist for over 10 years, I’ve reviewed home and tech products for publications including Forbes, CNN Underscored, NBC News Select, Popular Mechanics, Architectural Digest, Tom’s Guide, The Daily Beast, USA Today’s Reviewed, TechRadar, Better Homes & Gardens, Bob Vila, and, of course, PopSci. My recommendations for the best-wheeled coolers are based on a mix of hands-on testing and research. I weighed the quality of build, size, features, and price.
The best coolers with wheels: Reviews & Recommendations
Whether your old cooler wore out, you need a larger or more advanced model with wheels, or you’re looking for your very first wheeled cooler, we’ve got you covered. One of these wheeled coolers will make it easier to entertain at home, tailgate, go camping, or bring beverages to the team.
Best overall: YETI Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler
Specs
Dimensions: 28.25 x 18.62 x 19.5 inches
Weight: 23 pounds
Capacity: 82 cans or 64 pounds of ice
Pros
Puncture-resistant wheels
Includes dry goods basket
Keeps hot items hot
Bearproof design
Compatible with dry ice
Various colors to choose from
Cons
Expensive
YETI is well-known for its drinkware, coolers, and more. In fact, the Yeti Hopper Flip 18 tops our list of the best cooler bags, and the Yeti Gallon Jug is our best overall choice for best gallon water bottles. The company has been building coolers since 2006, but the Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler was its first cooler with wheels—and it was worth the wait.
The Yeti Tundra Wheeled Cooler features two inches of insulation combined with pressure-injected polyurethane, an interlock lid system, and a freezer-quality gasket. These components lock in cold temperatures and keep heat out. Unless you’re packing hot items, in which case the cooler works in reverse to keep the heat in. The wheeled cooler can also be used with dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide that provides more cooling power than regular ice).
The wheels are virtually indestructible, so the cooler can easily withstand rocks, gravel, and even splintered marine docks. The wheels can also handle sand, but it may be difficult to roll over such soft terrain. Also, the handle is made of welded aluminum and offers grips that are comfortable to handle.
The vortex drain system makes it easy to drain water from the cooler, and the bearproof design keeps your goods (if not you) safe from hungry carnivorous mammals. And the color choices are plentiful, including navy, canopy green, charcoal, cosmic lilac, camp green, Nordic purple, rescue red, tan, and white.
Brandt Ranj
Need to haul a few dozen fewer cans but still want that legendary Yeti build? We’re also big fans of the more recent Roadie line, including the Roadie 60 shown here.
Best compact: RovR Roll R 45 Wheeled Cooler
Specs
Dimensions: 22.5 x 218.9 x 19.3 inches
Weight: 39 pounds with land bin, 34 pounds without
Capacity: 60 cans or 10 pounds of ice
Pros
Sporty, space-saving design
8-day ice retention
All-terrain wheels
DeepFreeze dry bin
Bearproof design
Plenty of color choices
Cons
Handle is slightly flimsy when fully extended
The sporty-looking RovR Roll R 45 Wheeled Cooler looks like a miniature version of my mid-engine MR2 Spyder—which, admittedly, looks like a miniature version of a full-size vehicle. It also happens to make our list of the best coolers. The 45-quart cooler is the perfect size for my two-seater car and is also ideal when space is either limited or you don’t need a giant cooler. (Note: Rover does make 60-quart and 80-quart wheeled coolers, and in addition to glacier and chili pepper, other color choices include desert, magic hour, midnight, powder, moss, and Gobi.)
The deep freeze-dry bin is deep enough to hold wine bottles upright, or it can also be used to store clean ice for beverages. The wheeled cooler also offers compartments to store various types of items (meat, veggies, etc.) separately—but also below food-safe temperatures recommended by the FDA. The latches are tight enough that it takes a minute to open them, and the drain plug makes it easy to channel the water out. Also, the custom rubber gasket seals the cold air inside, which allows the cooler to provide up to eight days of ice retention.
In addition, the telescopic handle lets me find the right height for comfortably wheeling the cooler around. When the handle is fully extended, it feels rather flimsy, but at lower heights, it’s fine. The 9-inch all-terrain wheels are puncture-resistant and make the cooler easy to navigate.
There are also a lot of cool RovR Roll R 45 accessories that you can purchase separately and attach to the anchor points, like a prep board, double cup holder, umbrella/rod holder, collapsible bin, and bike trailer kit.
Most durable: Orca 65 Quart Wheeled Cooler
Specs
Dimensions: 32 x 20 x 19 inches
Weight: 41 pounds
Capacity: 54 cans
Pros
Durable roto-molded construction
Large but lightweight wheels
Cargo net
Plenty of color choices
Cons
Bulky
Expensive
Orca’s 65 Quart Wheeled Cooler is large enough for all of your needs. The generously sized cooler is certainly big. However, the large wheels are lightweight enough to make it relatively easy to transport, and the wheels are designed for any type of terrain. The pull handle is also large enough for up to two people to comfortably pull the cooler—although it can also easily be towed by one person as well.
The 41-pound cooler can hold up to 54 cans, or the equivalent amount in other types of foods and beverages. Its roto-molded construction makes it strong enough to serve as seating, and it’s also rugged enough to stand on.
The cooler can retain ice for eight days, and the molded drain channel drains quickly. In addition, it features a cargo net, which provides additional storage. The padlock fastening hole can accommodate a padlock to keep the cooler’s contents secure. Cooler color choices include blaze orange, charcoal, navy, seafoam, tan, and white.
Best features: Igloo 70 Quart Premium Trailmate Wheeled Rolling Cooler
Specs
Dimensions: 34.59 x 19.7 x 23.61 inches
Weight: 34.7 pounds
Capacity: 112 cans
Pros
Dry storage
Umbrella/fishing hook holders
Bottle opener
Butler tray
All-terrain wheels
Cons
May be too small for some people
At first glance, it looks like one of NASA’s cadre rovers or something on PopSci’s list of best dual-fuel generators, but the Igloo 70 Quart Premium Trailmate Wheeled Rolling Cooler is, indeed, a cooler. And it’s loaded with features, like a lockable storage compartment that’s water-resistant and can keep a phone, sunglasses, car keys, and other small items dry and secure. Underneath it is a storage pocket that can securely hold sunscreen and other items.
There’s also a food basket inside of the sporty-looking cooler to keep food items dry (such as a sandwich and some fruit). The removable butler tray can be mounted on the handle and has two built-in cup holders to hold cans or bottles, as well as space for other items. When not in use, the tray can be stored underneath the cooler’s lid. There are four self-draining cup holders, in addition to a bottle opener, and two accessory slots to hold umbrellas or fishing rods.
The oversized (10-inch) wheels can be used on any terrain, and the telescoping handle can adjust to the most comfortable height. This cooler also has a threaded drain plug that’s compatible with a garden hose for easy cleanup. The tie-down loops can accommodate bungee cords, allowing you to tie down blankets, towels, and chairs. It is available in rugged blue, spruce, carbonite, bone, olive/black, white/black, and gray/black.
Best budget: Coleman Chiller Series Insulated Soft Cooler
Specs
Dimensions: 13.32 x 13.32 x 19.97 inches
Weight: 7.2 pounds
Capacity: 42 cans
Pros
Holds up to 42 cans
Lightweight
Handles on the side
Extra storage
Cons
Only two color choices
12-hour insulation limit
When you hear the brand Coleman, you might think grills and camp chairs, maybe lanterns or tents. But, eventually, a childhood memory of one of their coolers will flicker through your mind. The brand has been producing affordable, dependable outdoor accessories a long time, and the Coleman Chiller Series Insulated Soft Cooler is an economical option. And since we like to provide a range of choices, we chose this one because it’s also one of the best soft-sided coolers with wheels. It only weighs 7.2 pounds when empty and can hold up to 42 cans—or the equivalent. The exterior is eco-friendly and made from recycled polyester fibers. It looks like a piece of carry-on luggage—except it’s insulated.
The cooler uses TempLock insulation, which is designed to keep drinks cold for 12 or more hours. That is far short of the almost-week-long timeframe of many hard coolers. However, we realize that some people may find hard coolers too heavy to lift and even navigate with wheels. This Coleman soft cooler offers a telescoping handle that easily adjusts, and there are also handles on either side for easier lifting. It sits upright, and the wheels are on the back, so the cooler is gently tilted backward to use the wheels. There’s also plenty of additional storage with the zippered front compartment and the inside mesh pockets. It’s leakproof, and the hard plastic liner is removable to clean. The color choices include deep ocean and black.
What to consider when buying the best coolers with wheels
Use
How you plan on using the cooler is an important factor to consider. For example, if you’re just rolling it around your patio or backyard, your needs will differ from someone pulling the cooler up a steep, rocky hill. Likewise, if you just want to keep your cans and bottles cold for a few hours, your needs will be different than if you need to keep items at the desired temperature for several days.
All wheeled coolers have handles. However, when transporting the crate long distances, a telescopic handle can allow you to find the most convenient height.
Weight
Wheels make coolers significantly easier to transport. However, keep in mind that after you load ice, cans, and bottles, the cooler will be significantly heavier, even when wheeling it around. Also, unless you’re only using it in your backyard, you may need to lift and lower the wheeled cooler to get it in and out of your vehicle, so keep this in mind as well.
Capacity
Some wheeled coolers can hold the equivalent of 40 cans, while others can hold the equivalent of over 100 cans. So always note the capacity limit when choosing the right option for your needs.
Other features
All of the hard coolers on our list have seal-tight gaskets, excellent insulation, and tight latches, so we didn’t feel the need to highlight this every time. However, some wheeled coolers have other built-in features, such as butler trays, bottle holders, and bottle openers, as well as exterior storage. These features may be built-in, or they may be accessories that you can purchase separately.
In addition, some coolers can accommodate dry ice, which can keep food and drinks colder/frozen for a longer time frame than regular ice.
FAQs
Q: How long can a wheeled cooler keep the contents cold?
How long a wheeled cooler can keep content cold varies depending on the cooler. However, many wheeled coolers promise a seven to 10-day ice retention rate.
There are some steps that you can take to help the wheeled cooler work at maximum efficiency. For example, before you plan to use it, RovR recommends bringing the cooler inside of the house (assuming you normally store it in the garage or outdoors) and leaving the lid open. Yeti suggests pre-chilling your cooler by loading it with ice a few hours prior to loading it up. How you pack your cooler also makes a difference, so you may want to study up on that if you need your ice to last as long as possible.
Q: How can I stop the wheeled cooler from developing bad smells?
Be sure to clean your cooler immediately after use. Usually, soap and warm water are sufficient. For heavy-duty cleaning, instructions may vary by manufacturer. For example, Yeti recommends a 6:1 solution and warm water and bleach, used with a sponge or mildly abrasive rag.
Q: Do wheeled coolers really keep bears out?
Some wheeled coolers (like Yeti and RovR), when used with manufacturer-recommended locks, are approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee as a bearproof design.
Final thoughts on the best coolers with wheels
Best overall: YETI Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler
Best compact: RovR Roll R 45 Wheeled Cooler
Most durable: Orca 65 Quart Wheeled Cooler
Best features: Igloo 70 Quart Premium Trailmate Wheeled Rolling Cooler
Best budget: Coleman Chiller Series Insulated Soft Cooler
Don’t get us wrong; we love our insulated water bottles. But sometimes you need drinks to share, not to mention meals to cook. The best cooler with wheels will make it a lot easier to transport ice and beverages from one location to the next. Some coolers even provide separate compartments for food, storage spaces for umbrellas, fishing rods, butler trays, and even a place to store your smartphone and keys. The best option for you depends on usage scenarios and budget, but we’ve narrowed this crowded field down to help you zoom in on the best wheeled cooler for your needs.
Why trust us
Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.
Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.
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