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See why.The Best Soft Coolers
Soft coolers are lighter and more portable but can they compete in cold-retention with hard coolers? And which brand is best?
Our former Best Buy by Coleman was discontinued, so we tested a few additional models to find a good inexpensive option. The Arctic Zone Titan Guide Series 36 Can Cooler is our new Best Buy.
Top Picks
What You Need To Know
Soft coolers are ideal for shorter trips or when you don’t want to lug a heavy hard-sided cooler. Often much lighter, soft-sided coolers still promise to keep food and drinks cool for days, if needed. Our winner, the Engel HD20 22qt Heavy-Duty Soft Sided Cooler Tote Bag, kept ice frozen for three full days. Our Best Buy, the Coleman 30-Can Portable Soft Cooler, Space Blue, kept ice frozen for two and a half days—great performance for a fraction of the price.
What You Need to Know
During the warmer months, there’s nothing better than sitting on a beach or in a park with a cold can of something refreshing and some chilled snacks to munch on. While we’ve previously tested hard-sided coolers, we decided to focus on soft-sided coolers, which promise to keep food and drinks cold without the heft and bulk.
All the coolers in our lineup held between 16 and 20 liters (and 23 to 36 cans, without ice packs). They were all lightweight (the heaviest weighed 6.5 pounds—nearly 20 pounds less than our favorite hard-sided cooler) but still had enough insulation to keep ice frozen and its contents cool for a few days. The soft coolers came in two shapes: box-shaped and tote-shaped. To open a box-shaped cooler, you unzip the lid on three sides and flip it open. To open a tote-shaped cooler, you unzip the single, straight zipper that runs across the top.
In addition to testing soft coolers on their own, we also compared their performance with those of insulated shopping totes and hard coolers. On the whole, we found that the soft-sided coolers we tested kept things colder longer than an insulated shopping tote, but not quite as long as a large hard-sided cooler. This makes them ideal for a day at the beach or a few days of camping, but not for longer trips or when just running a few errands (where insulated shopping totes really excel). The best models were extremely portable and kept ice frozen for three days—impressive for a soft-sided cooler. Here’s what separated the best from the rest.
What to Look For
- Thick, Closed-Cell Foam Insulation: Closed-cell insulation is made by forcing gas into foam, creating isolated cells that impede the passage of heat. This foam is dense, which also makes it less permeable than open-cell foam with interconnected cells. The best-performing coolers were insulated with closed-cell foam, and they usually kept ice frozen for about a day longer than coolers insulated with open-cell foam; the best models kept ice frozen for three days. And the thicker the closed-cell foam, the better. One cooler insulated with very thin closed-cell foam didn’t perform much better than a cooler insulated with open-cell foam...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Cold Retention: 3 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
We were impressed with the performance of this cooler; it kept ice frozen for three days. It was also light, spacious, and less unwieldy than some of the more square coolers due to its slightly slim shape. The tab zipper was easy to pull, and the cooler was easy to fill and use once we figured out how to prop open the top by unbuckling the side clips.
Recommended
- Cold Retention: 3 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This cooler did a great job of keeping ice frozen and the interior cool. It was also surprisingly spacious given its hexagonal shape. Our only qualms were that the lid, which had a plastic rim, was hard and bulky and it whacked against our hips when we carried it. The plastic closing clasp also felt a little bit chintzy, though it lasted through our durability testing. However, sometimes it didn’t catch right away and was a little tricky to close.
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This cooler was a good size for toting to the beach, and it sported an easy-access flip-top. We were also pleasantly surprised by the zipper, which has a reputation for being difficult; we didn’t have too much trouble opening and closing it. The insulation did a good job of keeping ice frozen. This model would be a fine choice if you’re planning for a few days off the grid.
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This spacious cooler kept ice frozen for two and a half days. Its well-padded shoulder strap made it comfortable to carry even when it was loaded down with food and drinks. That said, the side handles were a bit long, especially for shorter users, so the cooler hung close to the floor, occasionally bumping into our shins. Exterior pockets provided extra storage. The zipper was a tad trickier to use than others but was still relatively quick and easy to open and close.
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2 stars out of 3.
Light to carry and with an easy-access flip-top lid, this cooler is a great option for a shorter outing. It still does a good job of keeping things cold: Ice was still frozen after two and a half days. We had a little trouble tugging the zipper to open and close it, but it wasn’t as tricky as some of the other coolers. Bonus: The manufacturer claims that this cooler can float in water (as long as it’s not too bogged down with stuff), so you can laze in a pool with a cooler full of snacks and drinks within arm’s reach.
- Cold Retention: 2 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This cooler kept ice frozen for two days. It was also the lightest model we tested and had both a cushioned shoulder strap and side handles, so it was comfortable to lug around even when filled to the brim.
- Cold Retention: 2 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2 stars out of 3.
We liked the tapered shape of this cooler, which made it less bulky than some of the cube-shaped models. We found that it was great for carrying groceries. However, its shape also had a downside: We had a hard time laying ice packs flat on the bottom, and it was difficult to pack fully. The zipper was also a little hard to slide. Although it’s equipped with closed-cell insulation, the foam was very thin. It kept ice frozen for two days, which was on the low end of the range but still acceptable.
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability And Ease Of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
This roomy cooler had a cushioned shoulder strap and rubberized side handles, which made it comfortable to carry even when filled with heavy items. However, it only kept ice frozen for a day and a half, so it’s really only suitable for day trips. It’s durable and didn’t leak during our tests.
Not Recommended
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability And Ease Of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1 stars out of 3.
This small, lightweight cooler was comfortable to carry with its cushioned shoulder strap or side handles. It kept ice frozen for two and a half days but had a fatal flaw It leaked endlessly, leaving a large puddle of water behind as ice melted in it.
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1 stars out of 3.
This eye-catching cooler, which prioritized form over function, was hard to use. While the cooler did a decent job at keeping ice frozen (two and a half days), the zipper was the worst performer in our lineup—it was incredibly hard to open and close, and we struggled every time we used it to the point that we didn’t want to use it at all.
Discontinued
- Cold Retention: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Portability and Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2.5 stars out of 3.
This was one of the lightest coolers we tested, making it great for a shorter day trip or picnic. It has a clever little hatch opening on the lid, so it’s easy to quickly grab a drink without having to unzip the entire lid. The two downsides were the zipper sometimes got caught on the fabric and a little bit of the meltwater leaked when the cooler got jostled.
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
Sarah Sandler
Sarah is an assistant editor for ATK Reviews who is deeply passionate about anchovies and sourdough bread.
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