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Don’t let dehydration derail your summer adventures. Keep plenty of cold beverages — and lots of snacks — close at hand in one of these decked-out coolers ready for the beach, park, campground or stadium.
BruMate BruTank 55-quart rolling cooler
Colorful BruTanks are easy to spot in crowds
(Image credit: BruMate)
Take the party on the road with the BruTank. It offers a “huge capacity” and “clever compartmental design,” including a removable drink tank with “handy spigot” for batches of cocktails, said The Strategist. The puncture-resistant wheels are big enough to “handle sand” and are rubberized for “extra traction,” and the metal handle makes the cooler “maneuverable in any direction.” There’s room for up to 48 standard or slim cans and 12 upright wine or liquor bottles, with up to seven days of ice retention. (starting at $399, BruMate)
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Business & Pleasure Co. Hemingway 35-quart cooler bench
Have a seat on top of this sturdy cooler
(Image credit: Business & Pleasure)
This luxe cooler’s vintage design is inspired by retro European cars and speed boats but is made for the modern world. The teak wood lid doubles as a seat, with a weather-resistant cushion that stays in place with magnets. Additional features include stainless steel hardware, retractable handles, nonslip rubber feet and a side drain. ($400, Amazon)
Dometic CFX5 electric cooler
Melting ice isn’t an issue with an electric cooler
(Image credit: Dometic)
No ice? No problem. Dometic’s CFX5 electric cooler provides “excellent” temperature control and “superb” insulation, said Outdoor Gear Lab. A Bluetooth smartphone app lets users control and monitor energy consumption and temperature, and two baskets and a removable divider keep the items organized. The cooler has a 45 liter capacity and can hold up to 67 12-ounce cans. ($840, Dometic)
Igloo KoolTunes
Cold drinks and tunes are all you need for summer fun
(Image credit: Igloo)
Yes, that is music coming from your cooler. Igloo’s KoolTunes comes equipped with built-in speakers and Bluetooth wireless pairing technology, with sound quality that is “well-rounded,” said Mashable. Coolers and boom boxes are “two summer essentials,” and KoolTunes brings them together for one “fun, functional novelty product.” ($84, Igloo)
Ninja FrostVault 65qt cooler with wheels
Everything has its place in the FrostVault
(Image credit: Ninja)
What sets the Ninja FrostVault apart from other coolers is its DryZone, a separate storage space away from the ice that keeps food cold without getting it wet. Having two sections is “very useful” and can “reduce cross-contamination” if you’re bringing along ingredients like raw meat, said Tom’s Guide (a sister site of The Week). Because of its thick insulation, the FrostVault’s “cooling performance is nothing short of astounding,” and drinks can stay “icy cold” for several days, even when constantly opening and closing the cooler. ($280, Ninja)
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RTIC 45 QT Ultra-Tough wheeled cooler
Up to 60 cans can fit in this 45 quart cooler
(Image credit: RTIC)
Rugged terrain has met its match. The compact RTIC 45 QT Ultra-Tough has thick, puncture-resistant wheels able to tackle most landscapes, from “pavement and grass to sand and mud,” said Popular Science. It also has close to three inches of insulation, and if you follow RTIC’s guidelines and prechill the cooler, add cold beverages and have a 2:1 ice-to-drink ratio, it can maintain ice for up to five days. One fun feature is the bottle opener, which “acts like a padlock” when “inserted into the cooler’s front side.” ($299, RTIC)
Yeti Hopper M20 backpack soft cooler
The M20 backpack is comfortable, even when packed to the brim
(Image credit: Yeti)
With its waterproof nylon fabric, leakproof liner and closed-cell foam insulation, the Hopper M20 is “tough as nails,” said Wirecutter. This soft cooler is engineered for “strength and durability” and holds up on even the longest days. When “fully loaded” with 36 cans or 22 pounds of ice, the Hopper is “still remarkably easy to carry.” ($325, Yeti)
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
