The 9 Best Small Coolers

The sturdy Igloo Playmate definitely proved to be the best hard-sided cooler we tested for several reasons. First and foremost, the ice didn’t melt for hours, and by the eighth hour, it had only melted by half. The Playmate’s unique design seals the cooler so the inner temperature remains the same. Reminding us of an old-fashioned breadbox, the triangle-shaped tent top smoothly slides back, which allows you to pack the cooler with bottles and tall cans standing up instead of laying down on their side.

Formerly, the Igloo Playmate had a side button for opening the top, but it’s been recently redesigned so that the button is built into the ergonomically designed handle and is exceptionally easy to open and close.  The Igloo Playmate comes in five colors and almost all are 16 quarts, which allows for 30 tightly packed cans. We also found the Igloo Playmate easy to tote around because of the molded handle that’s centered at the top and evenly distributes the cooler’s weight when full. Reasonably priced and built to last, the Igloo Playmate is an ideal small cooler for any outdoor excursion.

The TOURIT collapsible cooler bag is another excellent option for people on the go. Like the Igloo Playmate, ice was melted less than half after eight hours, and everything inside kept icy cold. The interior is made of an extra-thick waterproofed insulation that expands as you fill the bag with up to 48 cans. The interior of the top of the cooler bag has a zippered mesh pocket for storing dry goods, such as snacks, paper plates, or plastic utensils.

The TOURIT can be carried two ways, either by the Velcroed handle or by the adjustable shoulder strap, which we found to be somewhat uncomfortable because the strap’s padding is rather thin. A feature that we really liked is that when the bag is empty, it collapses completely flat and can be stored anywhere. As with all the cooler bags and back packs we tested, the TOURIT has a bottle opener sewn into the handle. If you’re a person who loves the beach, the TOURIT cooler bag will keep everything cold all day long.

Designed with thought-out features for those who enjoy hiking and camping, the FORICH backpack cooler was the best of the bunch we tested. The bag is divided into two insulated sections: the top half for dry goods, and the larger bottom half (about two-thirds the size of the entire bag) for cold items. During our tests, the FORICH did equally as well as our other two top choices with the ice half-melted after eight hours. The backpack is made of a thick waterproof fabric and has two large zippered pockets for dry goods.

On each side of the backpack is a deep mesh pocket that can safely and securely transport wine bottles or water bottles. The backpack’s straps are well-padded, and the back and underside of the straps are lined with a breathable mesh fabric. Our only complaint about the FORICH backpack cooler is that the main zipper could be stronger. The manufacturer claims that the backpack holds 30 cans, but that’s not really accurate since you need to account for ice or ice packs. Otherwise the FORICH is a terrific choice for outdoor hiking enthusiasts.

The collapsible Maelstrom cooler bag has a few great features that we loved, but the ice did completely melt after eight hours, so it’s not one of our top picks. However, on the plus side, although the ice had melted, the beverages were still cold. The Maelstrom has a roomy interior that can hold up to 30 cans, and one of its outstanding features is the bento-box-like top section that’s lined with aluminum for keeping food items warm. The bag’s inner lid also has four elastic strips for storing plates or other flat items.

The large zippered front pocket has a bungee-cord system for securing fabrics, like napkins or towels. Another zippered pocked on the side is for storing a cell phone, and on the opposite side is a mesh bag for holding a wine or water bottle. The Maelstrom can be carried by the Velcroed handle or by the adjustable shoulder strap, but the padding is pretty thin so when full, the bag would be uncomfortable when carrying a long distance.  The Maelstrom comes in various sizes and colors and is well-priced for such a good product.

The TOURIT backpack cooler’s capacity is marketed as 25 cans, but in reality it fits 20 cans. It’s lightweight when not loaded, but full, this backpack would get pretty uncomfortable if you’re hiking a long distance. Its insulation wasn’t especially effective, and ice began melting after only two hours. Although the interior is waterproof, you need to keep the backpack always standing upright, or water streams through the zipper.

The front of the backpack has a large pocket for food items that don’t need to stay cold and a second smaller zippered pocket for paper plates, plastic utensils, and napkins. The TOURIT backpack also has a mesh pocket on either side for water bottles or snacks. As with the TOURIT collapsible cooler, the backpack’s main zipper could be larger and heavier. The TOURIT backpack cooler isn’t a bad product, but it’s not exceptional.

The Lifewit cooler bag is a more stylish version of the other cooler bags we tested. The bag’s exterior waterproof material comes in two colors, black and heather gray, which is the most attractive. Despite its nice looks, the Lifewit has several flaws. It did keep our beverages cold even though all the ice had melted after eight hours. The Lifewit bag has a front pocket that isn’t zippered, so whatever you pack into the pocket could easily slip out. It has a mesh pocket on either side, but both are not deep enough to hold any type of bottle.

Design-wise, the biggest problem is that when the bag is full, there isn’t enough material to actually close the bag. There’s a Velcro strap that can be used to secure the bag when collapsed, but it serves no other purpose and gets in the way of zipping the bag closed. The adjustable shoulder strap is flimsy and uncomfortable to use. Overall, the Lifewit bag looks great, but it’s cheaply made, and you should pass this one by.

The Stanley Adventure hard-sided 7-quart cooler is the most expensive item on our list, but we were less impressed by its performance. It certainly seems well-made of high-density polyethylene (super-hard plastic) outer shell and its double-wall insulated interior. Stanley claims that the cooler is so tough, it can be used as a seat when camping. Well, maybe you can sit on the larger sizes, because the Stanley Adventure is more like a large lunchbox (which many reviewers use it for).

It has an extra-wide handle that facilitates easy carrying, and the lid has two strong hinges that keep the cooler firmly closed. One feature that Stanley brags about is that the cooler has an interior silicone gasket, which is supposed to seal the lid and keep beverages cold for 27 hours. Stanley’s claim didn’t pan out; after eight hours, the ice was completely melted. Fortunately, the silicone gasket does prevent leakage, so when we tipped the cooler over, water stayed sealed inside. The Stanley Adventure is too pricey for a cooler that simply doesn’t do the job.

The Coleman soft cooler bag is a sturdy, well-made cooler, but it simply didn’t live up to Coleman’s promise that the cooler keeps beverages cold for 24 hours. In fact, after eight hours, the ice had all melted, and the beverages weren’t as cold as they should have been. We tested the nine-can model, and overall it seemed that this cooler bag would work better as a lunch box, because, with ice or an ice pack, how much you can pack in is very limited. The Coleman cooler bag does come in 16-quart and 32-quart sizes if you want something larger for an outdoor excursion.

The Coleman cooler bag has a nicely padded shoulder strap, and a mesh pocket on the inner side of the lid, and a small non-zippered outer pocket, which seemed too small for anything other than a paperback novel. On the plus side, although the ice had melted into a puddle of water in the bottom of the cooler, no leakage occurred.

The Coleman Chiller 9-quart hard-sided cooler is very popular as a “personal” cooler, which means consumers are buying this to tote around enough beer and food just for themselves. So, in effect, it’s a slightly overgrown lunch box. It has a Coleman cooler’s trademark features: well-made, lightweight, and an ergonomic handle for ease of carrying. However, after two hours, the ice had begun to already melt, and after four hours, the ice was almost all melted.

The Coleman did keep beverages cold, albeit in a puddle of water. However, it was completely leak-proof, so it will be better to use ice packs instead of loose ice. If you’re looking for a cooler that can hold more than a few cans and a couple of sandwiches, check out our other, larger coolers we’ve highlighted. Since the Coleman Chiller didn’t do its basic function, we can’t recommend it.