It’s time to hit the road and start the journey of your life! Whether it’s a short trip or a long road trip, make sure you have everything you need before the wheels roll. Road trips are best to be accompanied by a steady supply of cold beverages and fresh food along the way. To do that, you’ll need the best coolers for a road trip that are made perfectly for the occasion! Find the perfect match from our extensive product reviews and let the adventure begins!
How To Choose The Best for Road Trips
The market is flooded with coolers of all types and purposes that it can be hard to find the best coolers for road trips suitable for you. Luckily, you only need a few pointers below to help you navigate among the best of the best coolers for car travel!
Material
There are many coolers in the market and you might notice that most of them are built using a method called rotomolding to build the structure. Rotomolding allows a cooler to retain a seamless structure that can minimize air seepage resulting in cold air leaking. To make a rotomolded cooler, a type of plastic (usually LLDPE) is injected into a rotating mold. This type of cooler is known to be durable and lightweight! The best coolers for car travel are rotomolded!
Weight and Size
Road trips require a cooler to be transported into a vehicle and you’d want to be able to do it easily! Just like coolers for boats, they are best when they are flat-bottomed to optimize storage. Size also matters as it can dictate how big your cooler should be. A week-long trip will need at least a 50-quart cooler to keep your food and beverage cold the entire journey. Certainly, you won’t need that big for a quick trip to the beach. For that occasion, smaller 20-quart coolers are the best coolers for road trips suitable for you.
Security
Are you traveling with strangers or getting into unknown territory? Then find the best coolers for car travel with extra protection such as lockable latches or some locking hasps feature is great to keep your belonging out from naughty hands. Moreover, some coolers like hunting coolers take security one step further with bear-proofing!
Security ultimately extends to safety when we’re talking about big, heavy boxes. Surely we want our coolers to stay put and stop sliding around every time the car makes a turn. Therefore, the best coolers for car travel are usually equipped with tie-down slots and non-skid feet. If your favorite doesn’t have them, you can always purchase additional gear like a non-slip mat or netting to provide extra safety.
What should I bring on a cooler for a road trip?
The most important thing to bring on the best coolers for car travel is ice or ice packs! Make sure to maintain a 2:1 ice-to-content ratio to optimize cooling.
How long does food stay cold in a cooler?
Your food will remain cold and safe as long the cabin is maintained at the right temperature (4 °C). To optimize your cooler’s chilling power, you can pre-chill your best car cooler for road trips and use a mix of ice and ice packs into your cooler.
Will a cooler keep food hot?
The best coolers for car travel are basically boxes with insulation, so yes! It can keep your stuff hot, too. Though you want to be careful not to put boiling water inside your cooler to prevent damage.
Nash Sub Z Cooler
13
Nash Sub Z Cooler might be in the industry for quite a while but it could the best small cooler for road trip for you! This blue ice chest is unbelievably lightweight for its looks and handy to be carried around. It’s perfect for a trip where you make some stops along the way because you can carry it comfortably with you!
Though small, this cooler packs quite a punch with its foam insulation. With proper preparation, this mini ice chest can hold things cold for at least 2 days (with the minimum open-close operation. But what about its strength? Don’t worry! This unit has a rotomolded body that improves both ice retention and durability!
What We Love
A perfect starter to get your hands on best car cooler for road trips!
Pros:
- Rotomolded
- Lightweight
- Well-insulated
- Double-latch
- Handy handles
Cons:
- It has a limited size
Coolbox Cooler with Bluetooth Speaker
12
Now, this is a fun box! Coolbox Cooler with Bluetooth Speaker happened when you cross a Bluetooth speaker and a good cooler! Impress your drinking buddies with a blasting sound from its speaker while handing them their child drinks! But wait, it’s not over! It also works as a portable charger for your device! Once fully charged, it can stay up for 4 hours.
From the outside, this product looked low-key enough to be mistaken as a toolbox that sits perfectly flat on your vehicle! This durable cooler uses a couple of plastic latches to secure the content. It has a polypropylene shell that houses PU foam insulation to keep your f&b fresh for up to 5 days. This amazing tool is the recipe for a constant fun time!
What We Love
A box of fun for a beach party trip.
Pros:
- Comes with a built-in Bluetooth speaker
- Also a power bank
- Plastic latches
- Built-in wheels
Cons:
- The speaker has a standard quality and lowers ice retention than the rest in this list
Columbia PFG High Performance Roto Cooler
11
We believe we don’t see products from this brand enough for some reason. We can’t be sure why since they are well-built, durable, and completely functional. Take the Columbia PFG High Performance Roto Cooler for example. This rotomolded cooler is a gorgeous-looking cooler that feels like a premium cooler without the price! It’s so durable that it can stand a hungry bear and the ice retention rate is quite satisfactory with up to 3 days!
The latches are one of the best in the market for their ease-of-use and toughness. You’ll need it because the freezer-grade rubber gasket should need some help to maintain the cabin’s seal. And it doesn’t stop there! This cooler has a plethora of extra features like a removable bottle opener, a ruler, and even a line cutter. It’s one of the best coolers for road trips especially when you’re an angler!
What We Love
A sleeper cooler that’s worthy of your fun time!
Pros:
- Rotomolded
- Durable
- High-performing insulation
- Freezer-grade gasket
- Strong latches
Cons:
- It’s an underrated product from a less popular cooler brand
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Roto Cooler
10
One of the best coolers for car travel is the compact Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Roto Cooler that has been starting to earn loyal customers. This high-performing cooler may look simple with its blue-grey color but this ice chest packs quite a punch in terms of weight and ice retention. While a lot of smaller coolers have a hard time maintaining satisfactory ice retention for more than 3 days, this cooler does it like a champ.
This cooler has a unique blend of premium PU foam as insulation that provides a superior temperature barrier while keeping the weight and form factor efficient. This insulation is complemented with the 360° rubber gasket on the lid and a pair of heavy-duty rubber latches to work perfectly. It works the best when the microban liner is filled with a mix of ice and icepacks to chill its content. So if you’re looking for a great cooler in a small and light form? Look no further!
What We Love
A no-frill cooler to carry your basic necessities.
Pros:
- Highly durable
- Handy grip
- Strong rubber latches
- Rotomolded
- Thick insulation
- Anti-bacterial liner
Cons:
- Doesn’t have the highest ice retention rate
Landworks Rotomolded Cooler
9
You can’t go wrong with one of these bad boys. Landworks Rotomolded Cooler is one of the best coolers for road trips with family or groups. Going for some swim on the beach? This cooler is ready. Maybe a three-day road trip across the states? Sure! This cooler is your dependable chiller friend! No matter close or far, this durable ice chest will take you a long way.
Its durable rotomolded body houses 3-inch thick insulation walls and a freezer-grade gasket to keep your stuff cold and safe inside before the lid is tightly secured by the heavy-duty rubber latches. The cooler is also equipped with some useful features you’ll appreciate such as tie-down slots, anti-skid feet, and a bottle opener!
What We Love
An affordable solid unit you can take for either short or a week-long trip.
Pros:
- Rotomolded body and lid
- Strung rubber latches
- Durable
- 3-inch insulation
- Non-skid feet
- Fair ice retention
- Pressure release valve
Cons:
- Limited color option
Igloo Stainless Steel Cooler
8
Just look at this gorgeous icebox. We’re in love with its sleek stainless steel body and the overall retro design. Getting Igloo Stainless Steel Cooler perching in your truck or RV is a testament of taste and class that becomes a conversation starter among our guests. However, as one of the best coolers for road trips, the good look isn’t the only thing to boast about. This ice chest is packed with features to enhance your fun evening with friends!
This 51L cooler is made of 75% rust-resistant stainless steel on a heavy-duty base that has a Cool Riser Technology. This technology works by promoting airflow from beneath the cooler to help with ice retention (up to 4 days). This cooler has thick insulation and an easy-cleaning liner inside. With a help of ice or ice packs, you can keep your food and drinks inside for some extra chilling. Bottle drinker? No problem! Just use the attached bottom opener at the front!
What We Love
Retro-look plus good ice retention? What a great match!
Pros:
- Long-lasting
- Rust-resistant stainless steel
- Raised feet
- Easy to clean
- Snap latch
- Good ice resistant
Cons:
- Can’t seal well when overstuffed
DeWalt Roto Molded Cooler
7
The brand might be familiar to you, but did you know they also make great coolers? DeWalt Roto Molded Cooler is a tough cooler you can take anywhere under the sun. From a fun trip to the lake to an unforgiving journey across the desert, this yellow ice chest will conquer them all equally. The key to this great durability is the rotomolded body and heavy-duty latches to create a solid seal.
However, durability isn’t the only thing it’s good at. As one of the best coolers for road trips, it has a decent ice retention rate that’s proven by thousands of users around the world. With proper preparation, the thickly insulated cabin can keep drinks and food for up to 7 days! Take this cooler wherever your wheels may go: this loyal cooler won’t stop chilling!
What We Love
A robustly built cooler from a renowned brand of tool trading.
Pros:
- Rotomolded
- Cam-latches
- Dual-sized drain plug
- Removable nylon handles
- Non-slip feet
- Highly durable
Cons:
- Only comes in the brand’s trademark yellow
Igloo Marine Ultra Family
6
Igloo Marine Ultra Family may be one of the greatest coolers for fishing in the market, but it could be the best car cooler for road trips as far as we can see. It’s resilient, easy to operate, and has a great ice retention rate! The white rotomolded body shall be enough to take on any road trips imaginable! And even though it has one cam-latch, it’s all that you need to keep the lid sealed tight to the body.
The walls of this awesome cooler are insulated with their trademarked Ultratherm insulation that promotes better insulation while keeping the whole structure lightweight. It maintains the chill air in the cabin using a freezer-grade gasket on the lid to make sure the air doesn’t seep out. Transferring this cooler can be done in a breeze using the handles on the sides. Securing it is even easier, just use the tie-down slots that come with it!
What We Love
An over-engineered piece of cooler to take on any kind of weather.
Pros:
- Marine-grade build
- Ultratherm insulation
- UV resistant
- Simple latch
- Fair ice retention
- Rust-resistant lid strap and screws
- Lies flat
Cons:
- Needs pre-treatment to unleash its cooling power
Stanley Adventure Leakproof Outdoor Cooler
5
Stanley Adventure Leakproof Outdoor Cooler is one of the best coolers for road trips that have been chosen by families for generations. The classic-looking construction hasn’t been altered much because it just works! Its loyal users still love to dub it as the best car cooler for road trips or as lunch boxes because as far as there’s ice/icepacks, they won’t be eating soggy sandwiches or warm beer!
The construction of this cooler is quite solid with PE outer shell and food-grade interior. It’s considerably lightweight and when you combine it with a comfy handle, you won’t mind carrying this cooler around. It also sits nicely on the back of your car with its flat bottom and adjustable tie-down. Think of this cooler whenever you’re thinking of some quiet time fishing or having a picnic in the middle of nowhere, this cooler is made for them!
What We Love
A classic-looking cooler for a short but meaningful trip!
Pros:
- Double-wall foam insulation
- Durable
- Comfy handle
- Lightweight
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- The ice retention rate could be better
Klein Tools Cooler
4
Just look at it! Isn’t it the toughest-looking ice chest you have ever seen? With a grey combination and lightning orange lid, it’s hard to hide Klein Tools Cooler away. But why would you? You’ll love to show it off among your friends for sure! But wait, the appearance isn’t the only thing it excels at. It’s one of the strong contenders for the best car cooler for road trips award!
The stunning orange lid houses 4 self-draining cup holders on it and a sealing gasket below it. The gasket ensures the final sealing to lock the chilled air inside. The walls are equipped with thick insulation to maintain at least 30-hour ice retention on a casual day. But that’s not it! On every purchase, you’ll get a plethora of features you need when you’re out there outdoor such as a bottle opener, a perfectly –fitted separate compartment, and a wide shoulder strap!
What We Love
One of the best coolers for car travel with outstanding durability!
Pros:
- Extremely durable
- Easy to use latches
- Including bonus peripherals (removable containers)
- Fair ice retention
- Tie-down slots
- Self-draining cup holder
Cons:
- It’s heavy
Coleman Xtreme 5 Cooler
3
Coleman Xtreme 5 Cooler is the best car cooler for road trip if you’re looking for a great ice chest that doesn’t bore a hole in your pocket. But we promise you this cooler won’t be compromised by its price. This icebox is a solid product that has been going around for years without letting down its customers. It won’t be surprising that you’ll find this cooler in your friends’ RVs. It’s one of the best coolers for car travel anyway.
It’s arguably the best car cooler for road trips due to its flat bottom that sits nicely on your vehicle. Whatever you put inside its compartment, it will keep the temperature as low as it needs to for at least 3 days! With road trips, there are times when you stop by to admire the scenery. Load this cooler out, take out a cold beverage, and sit on its Have-a-Seat lid, so you can enjoy the sunset how it should be done.
What We Love
A cooler from a familiar brand with outstanding customer service.
Pros:
- Insulated lid and wall
- Fair ice retention
- Easy to clean
- Cup holders
- You can sit on the lid
- Affordable
Cons:
- It only comes in black
RTIC Ice Chest
2
Only buy RTIC Ice Chest if you need one of the best coolers for long road trips! Well, you can still buy it to boast about it, though! This cooler is the heaviest rival for the long-reigning Yeti coolers. The fans of this cooler will say that this cooler is as durable and functional as its counterpart. It may convince you, too, if you have met this one of the best coolers for car travel in person. Its strong rotomolded body gives off the strength to handle anything that’s thrown at it.
As the contender for the best car cooler for road trips award, this cooler also has an incredible insulation system that can lock on chilled air flawlessly for at least 7+ days under the right preparation, thanks to the freezer-gasket that works in tandem with the 3-inch insulation inside its walls. Mount this cooler hassle-free onto your vehicle using your tie-down. Though, it won’t be necessary because its skid-free feet will do the job just as well.
What We Love
A solid unit with competitive ice retention and durability.
Pros:
- Durable rotomolded body
- More affordable
- Thick insulation
- Strong hinges
- Heavy-duty rubber T-latches
- Freezer-grade gasket
- Excellent ice retention
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a strong customer service nor manufactural warranty
YETI Tundra 75 Cooler
1
Finally, the legendary YETI Tundra 75 Cooler. It’s hard to think that a product can topple down this magnificent cooler. The name is so popular that it becomes synonymous with coolers. You’ll hear people say, “got a yeti on your truck?” If that doesn’t scream quality and consistency, we don’t know what would. Although it doesn’t belong with the best small coolers for road trip, as we get to know this product, it’s safe to believe that this is the best coolers for road trips!
This cooler can indeed be a heavy investment for some people, but we think it’s worth it since it’s going to be the only cooler you need in your entire life and even for your future generations – plus, the customer service will always get your back if you need to replace some parts. This cooler is one hell of a tough cooler that it’s virtually impossible to crack or bust it open; courtesy of T-Rex latches and rotomolded construction. If you need the best cooler for long road trips, the 8+ -day retention rate is the one you need the most!
What We Love
The best coolers for car travel in our eyes!
Pros:
- Extremely durable FatWall construction
- Excellent ice retention (Permafrost insulation)
- Rotomolded
- Strong rubber latches
- Lies flat
- Anti-skid feet
- Locking hasps
- Leak-proof drainage system
Cons:
- Tie-down system sold separately
