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The Best Small Coolers

Last updated on August 13, 2023

We looked at the top 19 Small Coolers and dug through the reviews from 197 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Small Coolers.

Best Small Coolers

Our Review Process

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Whether you’re heading to a tailgate with friends or want to make sure your refrigerated grocery items stay cool on the way home from the store, having a small cooler on hand is a great idea. A small cooler will not only keep your food safe, it’s easy to carry around with you anywhere.

MORE: The Best Grocery Tote Bag

Start by figuring out what size you need. Think about the number of food items you need to keep cool most often. For example, if you’re just going to be carrying your lunch back and forth from the office, then a small cooler works well. If you frequently go out to spend the day at the beach with the family, you may want a slightly larger cooler so you can bring along a supply of drinks and snacks.

Simplemost Media

The size of the cooler is typically shown in quarts. Note that coolers can have different lengths and widths, so keep those dimensions in mind when looking at quart volume.

Keep in mind that hard-sided coolers will not be flexible if you’ve got a couple of extra items, but tend to have a larger capacity overall. Most hard-sided coolers are made from plastic, which is a durable, cost-effective and sturdy option. Opt for coolers that have roto-molded construction, which means that the plastic is all one piece, rather than multiple pieces attached together. This way, you can eliminate any weak points in its construction, which results in better insulation.

Simplemost Media

Soft-sided coolers are typically made from a tough fabric on the outside and a plastic lining on the inside along with closed-cell insulation. They tend to be more portable and lighter with convenient carrying straps. However, they’ll also be smaller, harder to clean, and less durable. Quality will vary widely, so you’ll have to be extra careful when shopping for a soft-sided cooler. 

Our Picks For The Top Small Coolers

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Best All-Around Pick

Arctic Zone Titan Rigid Leakproof Small Cooler

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Arctic Zone

Titan Rigid Leakproof Small Cooler

Keep your food cold with this hard-bodied cooler that has a radiant heat barrier to reflect warmth instead of absorbing it. It features an easy-access zipperless design and is both stain-resistant and durable.

Overall Take

Reflects HeatThis cooler has a radiant heat barrier that reflects warmth away from your food.

Pros
" Comes with an adjustable shoulder strap to guarantee ease of carriage. Triple-layer ColdBlock base can provide better insulation. The side mesh pockets will allow you to bring large water bottles with you. Quite durable and sturdy."
Cons
"Struggles with cooling life."
 Best Hard-Sided

Igloo Rust-Resistant Small Hard Cooler, 25-Quart

Igloo

Rust-Resistant Small Hard Cooler, 25-Quart

This hard-sided cooler is super sturdy, so no matter what adventures you take it on, you can rest easy knowing it's built to last.

Overall Take

Durable ConstructionThe thick foam walls are designed to keep drinks and food cold for up to four days.

Pros
" Durable everything. Features blow -molded construction, a reinforced base, stainless steel hardware, and rubberized T -grip latches. It is also lightweight. Extra thick insulation allows for 5 days of ice retention at 90 -degrees. Super solid, and you..."
Cons
"Less ice retention. Poor Latch D."
 Best Budget Pick

Coleman Soft Cooler, 30 can

Coleman

Soft Cooler, 30 can

This trusty Coleman soft cooler will be your best friend on camping trips, road trips and any other excursion you decide to take it on.

Overall Take

Classic OptionIt can hold up to 30 cans and promises to keep food and drinks cold for up to 24 hours.

Pros
" Even when you’ve filled the cooler to capacity, and still put lots of stuff in the extra storage compartments, you won’t have trouble carrying this cooler around. The adjustable shoulder strap makes for comfortable hands-free carrying and the side handles..."
Cons
"The air inside box easily escape, making the insulation last a shorter amount of time."
 Best Splurge

If you're looking for a portable cooler that you'll be able to use for a very long time, this is your best bet. The Yeti brand lives up to its reputation with this soft cooler, which comes in multiple colors.

Overall Take

Worth the PriceYou can fit up to 11 cans in this handy cube-shaped cooler with a shoulder strap and top handle.

Pros
" It all starts with the rugged Dryhide shell that encompasses every Yeti Hopper. This material is Yeti’s special high-density fabric that is both waterproof as well as resistant to mold/mildew. In addition to this, the fabric is extremely..."
Cons
"While we did mention that the basic color scheme lends itself well to customization, we’re not really fawning over it; we just like to be nice!"
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
26

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the small coolers available to purchase.
19

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

View All Product Rankings

197

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: Balding Beards, Foodie Geek, BestReviews, House Grail, L'Academie.

259,808

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 19 Small Coolers and also dug through the reviews from 197 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Small Coolers.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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The Best Overall

Arctic Zone Titan Rigid Leakproof Small Cooler


Our Expert Score

7.5
7 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

9.2
32,214 user reviews

Our Take

Keep your food cold with this hard-bodied cooler that has a radiant heat barrier to reflect warmth instead of absorbing it. It features an easy-access zipperless design and is both stain-resistant and durable.

What other experts liked

Comes with an adjustable shoulder strap to guarantee ease of carriage. Triple-layer ColdBlock base can provide better insulation. The side mesh pockets will allow you to bring large water bottles with you. Quite durable and sturdy.
- L'Academie
Weighs only about two pounds and it claims to hold up to 16 cans with ice for about two days. It's lined with hard plastic for durability and additional insulation. The shoulder strap has a non-slip rubber pad that makes...
- Good Housekeeping
Very convenient lid, Smartshelf technology is a nice touch, looks awesome.
- The Cooler Zone
Features an adjustable, padded shoulder strap that reduces stress when carrying it. An additional mesh front zipper pocket makes it easy to carry things like water bottles, napkins, and utensils. Its FDA compliant and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that...
- Balding Beards
Lightweight, lots of features, inexpensive.
- Outdoor Gear Lab
With the ability to retain ice for two days, the Arctic Zone Titan insulated lunch box keeps food cold the longest and outperforms all other cooler lunch bags on the market. The interior of this cooler is really an arctic...
- Globo Turf
Its exterior is covered in Rhino-Tech, making it water and stain-resistant, easily wiped clean, and is abrasion- and puncture-resistant. It has an Ultra Safe Leakproof Liner, and an insulated front pocket for additional storage. Add to that its Back Saver...
- House Grail

What other experts didn't like

The box is rather small.
- L'Academie
Struggles with cooling life.
- The Cooler Zone
There’s no top handle for an additional carrying option.
- Balding Beards
Not rugged, not spillproof, noticeably inexpensive.
- Outdoor Gear Lab
Ice melts quickly. Cheap plastic inlay. Low-quality features.
- House Grail

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Coleman Soft Cooler, 30 can

Our Expert Score

9.2
16 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

8.4
693 user reviews

Our Take

This trusty Coleman soft cooler will be your best friend on camping trips, road trips and any other excursion you decide to take it on.

What other experts liked

Even when you’ve filled the cooler to capacity, and still put lots of stuff in the extra storage compartments, you won’t have trouble carrying this cooler around. The adjustable shoulder strap makes for comfortable hands-free carrying and the side handles give you more control as you carry the cooler around.
- Best Cooler
The styling of the Coleman 24-Hour Coolers is also a bit more progressive. You will find the fabric and general curves more aggressive and the look comes together quite nicely.
- The Cooler Zone
It is installed with an antimicrobial liner that boasts of resisting bacterial odor, fungus, and mold.
- Dotbeasts
It’s also treated with a cocktail of antimicrobial substances that will keep away odors, residue and bacteria. If you like taking food safety seriously, this small ice cooler can more than keep up with your standards.
- Globo Turf
The flip top allows access without losing too much chill from inside.
- Food Fire Friends
One of the good things about this model is that it comes with heat-welded seams. These seams will prevent the melted ice from leaking out of the insulation compartment, and it will also prevent any drinks that might spill into the bag from staining anything around it.
- Cooler List
Coming in at just $20, this pick consistently receives reviews boasting its effectiveness in keeping things cold in the hot sun for long periods of time.
- Travel and Leisure
It features an antimicrobial liner that is not only odor-resistant but is resistant to mold, mildew, and fungus. Its outside features a rip-stop fabric that’s durable and tear-resistant and it has a zippered main compartment that keeps the contents of the cooler inside the cooler.
- The Lake And Stars
We like the Coleman 24-hour 30-Can Cooler, as well as the 30-Can Soft Cooler with a hard liner. We took one on a full-day bike ride around a lake and it fit well enough and kept our drinks cold.
- Man Makes Fire
This is a versatile cooler with multiple access points including a larger zippered opening as well as a soft hinged top access point. The front of the cooler also offers a pouch for dry goods.
- Coolers On Sale
Comes in many sizes.
- The Gear Hunt
Small Velcro flip open top allows quick, easy, one-handed access for a beverage without fumbling with a zipper, or opening the whole top and letting all of the cool air out
- Beckworth & Co
The liner is anti-microbial, and this resists the growth of fungus, mold, and mildew. There is a zippered main compartment for your drinks and food. We like the material used for this bag, which is a rip-stop fabric that is tear-resistant.
- TenBestProduct
The zippered main compartment holds up to 30 cans, which you may access through the Velcro-sealed top access window. This beach cooler’s insulating properties can retain ice for up to 24 hours at 90-degree temperatures.
- Smarter Travel
Zippered main compartment is insulated to keep contents cold; front pocket provides extra storage for dry goods and utensils
- Canirac Cancun
The front pocket adds a reasonable space to keep your smaller items. As a special feature of this bag, it is treated to resist bacteria so it can resist mildew effectively.
- 10 Best Product

What other experts didn't like

Velcro fastening on the lid hatch may wear with time.
- Food Fire Friends
The air inside box easily escape, making the insulation last a shorter amount of time.
- The Gear Hunt
Zipper not strong enough; catches on the lining
- Beckworth & Co
Perhaps one thing that is not very satisfactory about this bag is the size. It is just not that big, so it is probably only going to fit up to 20 cans.
- TenBestProduct

What to Look For

  • Small coolers are meant to be portable, but how easy they are to carry will depend on their design. With hard-sided coolers, opt for ones that have handles on the sides and top, so you have different options for holding and carrying. Soft-sided coolers should have a shoulder-carry strap as well as a shorter handle you can use when you have your hands free. If the cooler is on the heavier side, check to see if it has wheels. This can make moving it significantly easier.
  • The amount of insulation you should have will depend on your needs. For example, if you are using the cooler for lunch, you probably only need your cooler to work for a few hours. If you plan to take the cooler camping with you for a week, then you’ll want one that can last as long as possible.
  • If you’re thinking about getting a soft-sided cooler, check that it is made from waterproof material. This way, if the ice melts inside or the outside is exposed to water, the cooler will still be usable and effective. Most hard-sided coolers are waterproof.
  • You might want to consider a small cooler with external storage pockets. You can use these for cutlery, napkins and plates.
  • Optimize your cooler usage by thoroughly cleaning your small cooler on the outside and inside, especially if it has been in storage. Then, pre-chill the cooler by placing cold water or ice packs inside the cooler for a few hours. If the cooler is small enough, you can even place it in the fridge. Remove the ice and water from the cooler just before you’re ready to pack it, dry it thoroughly, and then place a new ice pack at the bottom.
  • Pack as efficiently as possible: Put all the food you want to take with you in water-tight containers and remove any excess packaging to save space. Pile your food containers in tightly, and add in loose ice to fill up any gaps.

Small Cooler Rankings

1. Arctic Zone Titan Rigid Leakproof Small Cooler

Overall Score: 9.7
Reviews Included: 10

2. Igloo Rust-Resistant Small Hard Cooler, 25-Quart

Overall Score: 9.6
Reviews Included: 17

3. Coleman Soft Cooler, 30 can

Overall Score: 9.5
Reviews Included: 19

4. YETI Portable Cooler

Overall Score: 9.2
Reviews Included: 12

6. CleverMade Collapsible Cooler Bag

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 41

7. YETI Roadie 24 Insulated Small Hard Cooler, 2-Liter

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 1

8. AO Coolers High-Density Insulation Original Soft Cooler

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 15

9. Goplus Easy Carry Compact Small Hard Cooler, 16-Quart

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 1

10. Igloo Profile Lockable Lid Small Hard Cooler, 16-Quart

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 11

11. Stanley Camping Small Hard Cooler, 16-Quart

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 26

12. Engel Plastic Leak-Proof Small Hard Cooler, 13-Quart

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 1

13. Klein Tools Hinged Lid Work Small Hard Cooler, 17-Quart

Overall Score: 8.9
Reviews Included: 22

14. Igloo Retro Locking Small Hard Cooler, 11-Quart

Overall Score: 8.9
Reviews Included: 13

15. Igloo Playmate Push-Button Lid Small Cooler

Overall Score: 8.8
Reviews Included: 6

16. AO Coolers Soft Cooler

Overall Score: 8.8
Reviews Included: 14

18. MIER Large Soft Cooler

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 9

19. Lifewit Leakproof PEVA Foil Lined Small Cooler

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 5

More to Explore

Before refrigerators, people often kept their food cool by storing it underground. By the end of the 19th century, however, most people had iceboxes in their houses. These wooden cabinets were often lined with tin or zinc and utilized 25- to 100-pound blocks of ice (depending on the preferences of the homeowner), delivered by icemen, to keep food cold. Basically, they were built-in coolers.

MORE: The Best Refrigerator

In the early 1900s, manufacturers experimented with cooling devices for food storage. The General Electric Monitor top refrigerator was the first to become widely popular in about 1927, just in time for the Great Depression; the refrigerator became vital for maximizing resources in hard times. In 1935, loans provided by the New Deal encouraged even more households to switch over.

Other ways of preserving food exist, of course, such as canning, salting and drying. However, keeping food cold became the preferred method because it keeps food fresh and allows prepared meals to be saved, which was something new.