Best Chest Coolers

Sturdy coolers for large groups or camping

Coolers come in a variety of sizes. A small cooler will hold your lunch and a few beverage cans, while large chest coolers can hold at least a day's worth of food and drink for a family. Cooler size is measured in quarts, and many manufacturers also state the number of standard size soda cans that will fit inside. According to a buyer's guide by Justin Hoffman at the Bass Pro Shops website, an 8-quart cooler will hold 10 cans plus ice, while an 80-quart cooler will hold 106 cans plus ice. Remember that items like jars and fruit will not pack as neatly as cans. For day trips for one or two people, experts recommend sizes under 30 quarts. For family outings, an 80-quart or larger cooler may be more appropriate.

Igloo boasts that its MaxCold coolers can hold ice for up to five days in 90-degree heat. Coleman, for its part, claims that its Ultimate Xtreme coolers, which have two inches of insulation, can keep ice solid for six days under the same conditions. Unfortunately, only one reviewer, Tom Bartlett of Slate.com, puts such claims to the test. He finds that the Coleman 50-Quart Wheeled Ultimate XTreme Cooler (*Est. $75) keeps ice from melting for about four days in partial shade. However, in full shade, he believes that this cooler would have gone the full six-day distance.

Despite its failure to live up to the manufacturer's claims, the Coleman 50-Quart Wheeled Ultimate XTreme Cooler has all the attributes testers look for in a large chest cooler: ample insulation, generous capacity; large, well-designed wheels, a retractable handle and a channel drain. This type of drain allows you to empty the cooler of water without tilting it. This cooler's insulated lid has four cup holders. Tom Bartlett, in his review for Slate.com, likes its sturdy lid, which you can sit on "without fear of breaking it." Owners say that this Coleman cooler, which can hold up to 72 soda cans, is not cheap, but if you use a cooler often, it is money well spent. Coleman also makes a marine version of this cooler, the 50-Quart Ultimate XTreme Marine (Est. $85), which has a reflective color and a cutting board for fish on the underside of the lid, in addition to four cup holders.

Like the 50-Quart Coleman Ultimate XTreme, the Coleman 82-Quart version of the Ultimate Xtreme Wheeled Cooler (Est. $130) has four drink holders on the lid, wheels and a handle, but this larger model can hold up to 129 soda cans. Testers who used this cooler on the beach said that its large wheels rolled easily on the sand. If you don't need a wheeled cooler, Coleman sells a basic version, the Coleman Xtreme in 50-quart (Est. $45), 70-quart (Est. $50) and 100-quart (Est. $75) sizes. Reviews for all of these Coleman coolers are very good overall, but a few people do wish that the cooler had a latch on the lid.

We didn't find quite the same praise for the retro-style Coleman 54-Quart Steel-Belted Cooler (*Est. $150), with a stainless steel wrap and metal latch. The company has been manufacturing coolers of this type since 1954. In Slate's tests, this cooler kept food cold for days. Reviews say that this cooler looks good and performs well, even in full sun, but when full, this cooler is very heavy. Some owners posting to Amazon.com and Cabelas.com wish it had wheels and cost less. We also found some persistent complaints about the latch, which several users say is too loose and doesn't create the best seal. This also comes in red or green and a stainless-steel version (Est. $160) is also available.

The hard-plastic Igloo IceCube MaxCold 70 Roller cooler (*Est. $80) is a favorite of reviewers at Buzzilions.com and Target.com, who say that it does a great job keeping food cold. This tall, cube-shaped cooler can hold a 2-liter bottle upright. For easy transportation, it has large side grips as well as a retractable handle and large wheels. This cooler looks a bit like a wheeled suitcase. It can hold up to 101 soda cans, and reviews say that its rounded edges make it easy to roll over sand. A drain with plug and in-lid drink holders help make it easy to use.

Be aware that the smaller version of the Igloo cooler, the MaxCold 40 Roller (Est. $35), lacks the drain, and quite a few owners comment on the inconvenience of having to empty the cooler to drain collected water.

The Igloo Cool Fusion 40 (Est. $55), gets high marks from The Wall Street Journal's testers, who like its "durable feel," "big wheels for decent mobility," drink holders and "rugged" telescoping handle. This is another Igloo cooler that looks a bit like a suitcase. While the IceCube MaxCold is all plastic, the Cool Fusion 40 has a hard interior shell and a fabric covering. Slate's Tom Bartlett praises this cooler's design, but in his tests, most of the ice melted after 36 hours, and there was no ice left after two days. He adds that the lack of a drain is an inconvenience. This cooler has exterior pockets for items like sunglasses or cell phones, handles that swing out from the sides and a 58-can capacity. Another version, the Cool Fusion 40 IcyTunes (Est. $165) includes a two-speaker music amplifier with MP3 connection and an AM/FM radio, all powered by 4 AA batteries, so you don't have to carry a separate music system to your beach party.

Real Simple calls the versatile Keep Your Cooler Collapsible Cooler with Detachable All-Terrain Cart (*est. $75) an all-around winner, and The Wall Street Journal deems it an excellent value. Of the five coolers the Journal tested, the Keep Your Cooler Collapsible offered the "smoothest ride," and testers liked the solid construction. The cooler has a main compartment that can hold as many as 50 standard soda cans, and the cart has a telescoping handle and detachable wheels. A Velcro hatch on the top lets you retrieve a drink easily, and the insulated lining is removable for cleaning. This soft-sided cooler is made of insulated polyester and nylon fabric that collapses easily for storage, and the detachable, foldable cart can be used separately. The downside is that you can only buy this cooler through the manufacturer's website.

The Keep Your Cooler Duffle Musicooler (*est. $60) is a combination duffle bag, cooler and radio. It boasts enough room for 48 cans, as well as compartments for a cell phone and toiletries. It also has inputs for an iPod or CD player; a removable, leak-proof liner, mesh side pocket and padded shoulder strap. Reviews say that the radio reception is clear and the Musicooler is a breeze to carry. With the lining removed, this cooler can function as a duffle bag. The Musicooler comes in royal blue/black polyester and nylon.

If you like the idea of a collapsible cooler, the 66-quart Thermos Cold N' Fold (*Est. $40) has rigid wall panels with a fabric cover. When it's not in use, the whole cooler folds for storage. However, it doesn't have wheels, and just a pair of small webbing handles. Quite a few users appreciate that it folds down compactly, but several comment that it's still heavy even when empty (about 8 pounds). And although this model isn't included in formal testing, a number of owners say it's better for keeping items cool for a few hours rather than days.