13 Best Coolers for Sunshine and Nighttime (2026)

The quest for the perfect cooler has been a long one. Whether you're planning a romantic evening picnic, a weekend getaway, or a lengthy overlanding adventure, keeping your food and drinks chilled is essential. The market has exploded with options, ranging from compact soft-sided coolers ideal for day trips to heavy-duty, high-performance wheeled coolers that seem to defy the sun's warm grasp.

Our top pick, the Yeti Tundra Haul, exemplifies the latter. Cooler manufacturers often claim impressive ice retention times, but these are typically tested under ideal conditions that rarely exist in the real world. To provide a more accurate assessment, we've been rigorously testing coolers for over four years, exposing them to various conditions, including direct sunlight, bike trailers, and cars.

Below, you'll find our top recommendations for each category, along with some alternatives and general buying tips. If you're looking to upgrade your outdoor gear, be sure to check out our other comprehensive buying guides, featuring the Best Portable Grills, Best Camping Gear, Best Camp Cookware, Best Tents, and the Best Binoculars. This guide was last updated in April 2026, during which we added new coolers from Dometic and Rovr, reformatted the content, removed some older picks, and ensured accuracy throughout.

We're currently testing additional coolers from Rovr, Yeti, Coleman, and Solo Stove. The Yeti Tundra Haul has become a staple at barbecues and beaches, and for good reason. Although it's expensive and heavy, this hard cooler is built like a tank, featuring 3-inch-thick insulated walls, a sturdy aluminum arm, and puncture-proof, one-piece wheels.

When fully loaded, it requires two people to lift into a large car's trunk. In blazing 90-degree heat, the Haul kept ice frozen for an impressive six days when stored in direct sunlight. In Florida's humid spring climate, I've managed to get five days of ice retention.

If budget isn't a concern, a Yeti hard-sided cooler is the best on the market. — Scott Gilbertson