These are the other coolers we’ve tested with our new testing procedure, detailed below. They didn’t make the cut for the main list, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with them and you might still prefer them, depending on your situation.
Goal Zero Alta 50/Alta 80
The Alta 50 is an effective electric cooler, but the two other options we recommend will do a better job.
The Goal Zero Alta 50 was the last electric cooler I tested. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, but the other two electric coolers I recommend fit a better niche. The Goal Zero is extremely large — it holds the largest number of cans of soda at 77. It also has the most solid construction of all the options. It’s stainless steel, and the handles are solid and spring-loaded. When you release them, they snap back decisively.
Similarly, the lid is tight and well built. The latches are metal and very secure. I feel like this cooler would be a good second fridge or freezer in a garage if you bought too much food and needed an emergency extra.
There are two downsides though. The first is that the stainless steel construction looks nice until it doesn’t. The unit I tested already has a couple of dents in it. The second is in the control panel that you use to set the temperature. It’s on the bottom of the cooler, so it’s not terribly convenient to get to or even see. These two factors ultimately keep it off our main list, but if you need what’s basically a second fridge, this is a good option.
Magellan Outdoors Pro Explore IceBox
The Magellan cooler offers another portable option, though it’s not a backpack.
The Magellan Outdoors Pro Explore IceBox is a smaller carrying cooler, but it’s not a backpack. You can carry the cooler with an included shoulder strap or with the strap handles on either side. This is a hard-sided cooler with a hard top, covered in a soft fabric. Like its larger counterpart above, when you open and close this lid, you feel a good seal and a whisper of air escaping when you push it closed.
This cooler also comes with a nifty bottle opener tethered to the cooler and tucked into a convenient pocket for that purpose. The cooler also has a series of loops on the front of it which you can use to attach other things, like tools and utensils, to the front for help with carrying. Overall, I like the cooler, but I like the backpack form a little better, which keeps it from earning a top spot.
RTIC 45 gal and Yeti Tundra 45
The RTIC 45 galloon cooler
These two coolers are remarkably similar, despite belonging to different brands. They both have the same basic rotomoulded plastic construction, rope handles and rubberized latches. Their ice retention test numbers are similar, though at the end of the test, the RTIC held on just a little bit longer.
The Yeti Tundra 45 is grizzly bear proof, unlike the RTIC.
They do have some differences, though. Notably, the RTIC cooler is less expensive at $239 vs. $325, but the Yeti Tundra cooler comes with certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. That basically means that, if you also get a bear-proof lock, you can keep your food safe from grizzly bears. If you’re camping in bear country, that might be worth the extra money, but it’s a pretty niche use case otherwise.
Yeti Tundra Haul
The Yeti Tundra Haul is another bear-proof cooler with wheels and a large capacity.
Similar to the Yeti Tundra above, the Yeti Tundra Haul also comes with bear-proof certification, which is always a nice bonus for campers. This is also a wheeled cooler, so that means it has a larger capacity and is easier to maneuver. The wheels are also durable plastic. Meanwhile, the handle is solid and feels like stainless steel — arguably the most solid-feeling handle among the roller coolers.
Like the Yeti Tundra 45-gallon cooler, there’s not much more to this cooler except good ice retention, which is arguably the most important attribute. However, many coolers today have extra features that make them more desirable, and this one simply does not. It’s a great back-to-basics cooler, but if you want something with more bells and whistles, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
RTIC Ultra-Tough 24-Can backpack
Another backpack cooler, there are several unique features to be found in this RTIC cooler.
The RTIC Ultra-Tough backpack cooler has several nice features. It starts off with an extra storage pouch on the front. It’s about the size of a handbag or clutch purse, good for carrying a phone or small tablet, perhaps. Unlike the dry storage vault on the Ninja cooler above, this front pouch does not get cold from the ice in the cooler — I tested that specifically.
There’s also a web of bungee cords on the top that are good for securing something small, like a pillow or rolled-up blanket. There are elastic cup holders on each side and a few canvas loops on the front if you need to secure anything else. The top of the cooler is thick and slots nicely into the opening to seal in the cold without zipping up the zipper, which is a nice bonus.
