Beer coolers have always come in handy when there is a need to store beer, especially for outdoor purposes. When you are going for a camping or hiking trip, you can’t take your refrigerator with you, but with a portable beer cooler, your drinks can stay cold for longer until when you need them. The best portable beer coolers are made of insulating materials for optimum temperature preservation.
However, finding the right beer cooler that meets your need is a little tricky. With so many brands out there, deciding on the best beer cooler that represents value for money remains a challenge for many. If you want to avoid buying the wrong cooler, read our portable beer cooler reviews to guide your purchase decisions.
Table of Contents
Best Portable Beer Coolers
| Image | Best Portable Beer Coolers | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | 1. YETI Hopper Flip Portable Cooler | 99% |
 | 2. Pelican Elite Ice Chest Cooler | 96% |
 | 3. Coleman Xtreme Cooler | 92% |
 | 4. Igloo Quart MaxCold Cooler | 89% |
 | 5. Earth Pak Heavy Duty Soft Cooler | 85% |
Want to learn more?
Here are our portable beer cooler reviews.
1. YETI Hopper Flip Portable Cooler
Have you ever laid your hands on a 100% leak-proof cooler before? If you haven’t, now you have. YETI Hopper Flip Cooler is a cooler engineered to keep your beverages cold for days with a drain passage for passing out wastewater without compromising temperature. Upgraded with advanced features that only very few coolers can rival, YETI is a user’s delight.
This portable beer cooler is built with high-density water-resistant materials that protect it from scratches, punctures, and mildew. The closed-cell structure of its foam offers superior insulation that the average soft cooler lacks. As for your safety and those of your guests, YETI’s build materials come with a liner that is FDA approved.
The Hydrolok feature is airtight and waterproof, so what is locked inside YETI stays inside YETI. There is a detachable strap with reinforced handles attached to the cooler body for easy carriage for ease of handling. When you arrive at your final destination, you can use the tie-down points to secure the cooler in one place.
Why do we like it?
- It is compact and not so heavy
- Very affordable cooler
- Ideal for trips to elevated regions where much climbing is required
2. Pelican Elite Ice Chest Cooler
Pelican Elite Ice Chest cooler is a cooler with extreme ice retention capabilities. When we say “extreme,” what we mean is that this beer cooler can conserve the cold temperature of your beer cans or bottles for a very long time. Its polyurethane insulation is 2 inches thick and surrounded by a 360-degree ice grade gasket for ice retention. This feature ensures that you can go camping in the morning and still get to enjoy your ice-cold beer deep into the late evening.
This portable beer cooler is also very easy to carry with the aid of the 3 inches long latches. It also has additional features such as a reinforced hasp that is lockable, an anti-shear hinge system, molded tie-down slots, and a stainless steel bottle opener accessory.
Pelican Elite is a durable beer cooler for your outdoor activities. With a capacity to contain 23 beer cans, you’ll never run out of beer supplies on your next trip.
Why do we like it?
- Integrated cup holders are attached to the cooler keeps your cups
- Very spacious interior space
- Advanced insulation design for optimal performance
- Made with long-lasting, durable materials
3. Coleman Xtreme Cooler
When you go on camping and hiking trips, you need a lightweight cooler but spacious enough to accommodate as many beer cans as possible. Coleman Xtreme Cooler is a reliable beer cooler just for that. This heavy-duty cooler is one hell of a storage item with an advanced temperature retention capacity design that can keep your beer cold for as long as five days before they begin to defrost.
Essentially made for outdoor activities like camping, tailgating, parties, and the likes, Coleman is a portable beer cooler that is affordable and very functional. The key features of this cooler will blow your mind. First of all, it has EZ lid wipes, which are relatively easy to clean. Secondly, the seat lid is 250 points strong and can support your weight if you decide to sit on it to rest while continuing your journey. As for the handles, they are wide and sturdy, so carrying Coleman Xtreme fully loaded with beer cans and bottles should not be a problem.
With the capacity to trap a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so your beverage remains cold for days, this is an ideal portable beer cooler for you and your family.
Why do we like it?
- The cup holders are strategically placed to keep beer cups and cans in place
- Leak-resistance drain for the smooth draining of water
- Very easy to clean.
4. Igloo Quart MaxCold Cooler
Igloo Quart Maxcold cooler allows you to go camping in style. This multipurpose navy blue cooler does more than just store beer. It also allows you to store food and other beverage types. Its ultra-thermal body and airtight lids can sustain temperature for up to 5 days due to the insulation properties contained in the build material.
We like the design of this portable beer cooler, and we consider it to be quite pragmatic, to say the least. It has very durable wheels that allow you to drag it along as you move from one point to another. This feature is quite thoughtful, especially when you have a long-distance to cover by foot and your car can go any further.
This 40 quarts cooler can accommodate as many as 56 beer cans. This means that there will always be enough beer for everyone coming for the trip. To hold the cooler in place, you can use the tie-down loop attached to the body.
Why do we like it?
- The reinforced swing handles make it easy to carry if you don’t want to drag it along a path
- Easy maintenance with mild detergent and water
- Sufficient interior space to contain dozens of cans
5. Earth Pak Heavy Duty Soft Cooler
Earth Pak has long been producing functional DIY items for private use, and their Heavy Duty waterproof beer cooler is no different. Crafted with high-quality materials, this portable beer cooler was designed with your comfort in mind. What plans do you have for the upcoming summer? Sports, Fishing trips, Beach trips, hiking, or kayaking? Whatever plans you have in mind, Earth Pak can be your reliable companion.
Earth Pak comes with a removable and padded strap that allows you to hoist it on your shoulder as you walk. It also has handles on both sides for easy transport. What about its exterior build? Well, Earth Pak is made with TPU anti-scratch materials for extra protection from rough surfaces. If you will be visiting rough terrains soon, this is the beer cooler for you.
On the side of the cooler is a beer opener, so no need to come with one. Earth Pak can carry 20 beer cans and will sustain their temperature for as long as 72 hours; that is three long days of guaranteed adventure in the wild with sufficient beer to last the trip.
Why do we like it?
- Very reliable high-density Foam (NBR) for optimal insulation
- Advanced Zipper mesh pocket
- Very durable cooler for rugged regions
Portable Beer Cooler Buyer’s Guide
When you are shopping for a portable beer cooler, what features do you look out for? Does the size of the cooler matter? What is the relationship between the price of the cooler and the build material? These and many more are essential features to consider. In our buyer’s guide, we point out the things you should consider when buying a portable beer cooler.
Durability
In general, coolers are built to be durable because they are exposed to extreme temperatures and rough terrains. You don’t want a cooler that is so fragile; it lets you down when you go camping. For example, picnic coolers may not be as sturdy as coolers designed for camping and hitchhiking in mountainous regions. So if you plan to go on extended trips through storms, seas, snows, and rocks, you need a cooler that is as rugged as the terrain you’ll pass through or inhabit for a while. This is why the material with which the cooler is built is important, and we will address it in subsequent paragraphs as we progress.
Insulation
Your cooler’s main purpose is to keep your contents cold for as long as possible, so the insulation capacity is one of the most important, if not the most important, thing to consider when shopping for a portable beer cooler. Coolers with hard shells are better because they have ice retention features that can last for days. Then you have softshell coolers that may preserve temperature for a few hours or up to a day or more.
So bearing this information in mind, when next you shop for coolers, keep your eyes open for hard shell coolers because they offer more value for money compared to soft shell coolers. Also, bear in mind that high-quality coolers with hardshell makeup are made with thicker and denser materials for long term temperature retention.
Size
The size of the cooler you go for should hinge on two key factors: How many beer cans you will need for your trip and how much space is required to store them. The average cooler is measured in quarts, while you may find others that are measured based on how many cans they can carry. Smaller sized coolers of 25 quarts can serve your needs or the needs of a small group of about 2-4 people. Coolers that are bigger than 50 quarts have more interior space to contain more cans of beer. So endeavor to go for a size that meets your needs.
Besides, there are two other factors you need to consider when determining the right size. The first is the space you leave inside for ice packs. As a general rule, endeavor to leave about 30% of the cooler space for ice. Going for a camping trip with frozen beer cans may not remain cold for as long as you’ll like, but with extra ice packs included, the temperature will be sustained for days to come. Secondly, you need to consider storage space. If the beer cooler takes up more space than necessary in your RV or truck, that might be a problem.
Materials
The build material is another thing to consider as far as the cooler construction is concerned. Now, here are two types of cooler constructions to keep in mind.
Soft Shell coolers are fine for short trips or for carrying small content volumes. They are generally lightweight and easy to store. However, the advantage they offer in terms of weight they lose in terms of insulation. We mean that soft shell coolers cannot preserve temperature for long because they are not designed for that. Common soft shell cooler materials are plastic and hard fabrics.
On the other hand, hardshell coolers are made with strong plastics or metal or a combination of both. Their materials are thicker, and many even have polyurethane foams for better insulation. These types of portable beer coolers are ideal for long trips because they preserve the temperature of your drinks for several days ranging between 3-5 days or more.
So when searching for a cooler to buy, take your time to review the build materials before anything else—the larger and thicker the materials, the better.
Portability
How portable is the beer cooler that has caught your eye? Large coolers may contain more cans but transporting them represents a challenge in itself. But here is the thing; you can’t simply discount a cooler based on its size alone. Rather, you need to factor in your needs as well as the terrain you plan to visit before making a final decision. If the region has roads that you can drive through, there will be no need to carry the cooler by hand across a long distance. If the route is inaccessible by car, then carrying my hand is the only option you have.
So when evaluating the portability of a beer cooler, consider
- The terrain
- Your traveling party
- The cooler handle and any other consideration of importance to you
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