Best Beach Coolers for 2023

Our top pick is also a classic. Coleman has been making trusted coolers for decades. In their opinion, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. This is a classic cooler design. It’s big, well-insulated, and keeps things cold. We chose it as our top overall pick because it’s the perfect mix of size and functionality.

First off, this thing is big. It holds 70 quarts. Coleman claims this is enough for 100 cans, but you’ll likely want to bring a mix of food and drink for a beach day. It even has built-in cupholders on the top! It has carrying handles, but it might get a bit heavy if fully stocked up.

This cooler is so well insulated that Coleman claims it can keep ice for up to 5 days! Of course, this likely means not opening the cooler for five days, but it’s more than enough for a beach day. It also has a channel drain, so you can drain any melted ice without tilting the cooler.

And this cooler doubles as a seat! It can support up to 250 lbs. on the top.

Overall, a solid, classic choice at a great price! Our top pick proves that you don’t need to get fancy to buy a quality cooler.

Let’s look at the new wave of cooler innovation in stark contrast to the classic cooler design.

Modern coolers are quite impressive in terms of their insulation levels. They focus on extreme durability and insulation. Yeti Coolers basically started this trend, and they still make some of the best coolers on the market.

Simply put, you won’t find many more functional coolers than the Yeti. You pay a premium for it, but these things work. They use Yeti’s Fatwall Design with polyurethane foam to keep contents cold almost indefinitely. If the cooler’s shut, almost no cold air escapes.

This cooler holds 45 liters (or 28 cans). We think it’s a perfect size for a day at the beach. Big enough for all your food and drink, but not too big that it’s too heavy to carry.

Yeti coolers are also extremely durable. The rotomolded construction means they will withstand almost any regular wear and tear. They’re built for fishing and camping, so they’ll be fine for any day at the beach.

Yetis also sport comfort-grip handles, interlocking lids, a Vortex drain system, and anything else you’d expect from a premium cooler. Yetis represent the forefront of cooler technology, but expect the price tag to represent this!

Here’s another solid option from Yeti. This is their “soft” cooler design, but it’s incredibly insulated for a soft cooler. It features cold-cell foam lining in each wall, which offers superior cold-holding. Additionally, the Hydro-Lok zipper protects the area where air generally escapes.

This one is smaller than many coolers on our list (it only holds eight cans), but it might be perfect if you only plan to bring drinks for your beach day. It’s highly portable and even has a handy carrying strap.

This is a mini-cooler that features many of Yeti’s trademark superior designs. It does come in bigger sizes if you’re interested in the design.

Our best budget choice is another one from Coleman. This is their classic cooler design. It’s simple, functional, and highly affordable.

There isn’t anything fancy about this cooler. It’s a big cooler, has convenient carrying handles, a tilt-free drain, and is well-insulated.

It has a 48-quart capacity, enough for all your beach day food and drinks. It even has added height for standing up 2L bottles. It’s not as insulated as a Yeti, but if you pack it with ice, it will be excellent for a beach day.

Aside from that, there’s not much to say. It’s a classic cooler for an extremely affordable price.

This is the 65-liter version of the Yeti Tundra we looked at above. Since size is an important consideration with coolers, this one warranted its section.

If you have a big family or are packing your cooler for lunch and dinner, you might want to consider a 65-liter. It has space for 48 cans, leaving ample room for food & drink.

Aside from that, there’s not much we can say that we didn’t say above about the Tundra 45. These are extremely durable, extremely insulated coolers, and there’s a reason Yeti is the most prominent name among luxury coolers.

The Nurxiovo Heavy Duty is one cooler in a long line of “Yeti knockoffs.” But don’t think of this as a bad thing! All it means is that it offers similar functionality to a Yeti cooler at a fraction of the price.

This is still a highly capable cooler. It has over 2-inch thick PU insulation, and they claim it keeps ice for seven days! We think this claim is a bit bold, but it has enough insulation for a day at the beach or even a short camping trip.

It’s also very durable, with Rotomolded hard plastic walls that can withstand the wear and tear of multiple outdoor trips.

Design-wise, it’s similar to a Yeti. The latches and carrying straps are functional, albeit not as high-quality and secure. They still work fine, but you don’t get the same feeling you would from a Yeti.

Overall, a capable Yeti imitation, and the price tag is certainly much more appealing than the name brand.

The Earth Pak waterproof cooler features a unique design that we really like. It’s a convenient soft-cooler design with the best of both worlds – portability and functionality!

Insulation-wise, it’s quite capable. Thick NBR foam walls keep food and drinks ice cold for up to 72 hours. Not as long as a hard cooler, but more than enough for a day at the beach!

It’s not the biggest cooler, but it’s a good size for the beach. It has a 20-can capacity, which should leave you enough space for a good amount of food & drink. It’s also highly portable, with convenient straps, handles, and a top pocket for your valuables!

Another cool feature is that there is an interior mesh tote bag. This lets you lift the internal contents and tilt the cooler to pour out any melted ice. Draining is easy and intuitive!

Another one from our favorite classic cooler brand – Coleman.

This is a big cooler with one important feature for extra portability – wheels! If you’re looking for a cooler you won’t have to carry around all day; these wheels provide some much-needed relief. The wheels are large and grippy and will work on a sandy beach.

And you’ll be happy you have the wheels because this is a big cooler at 62 quarts. Plenty of room for loads of food and drinks, which means it can get quite heavy.

Aside from that, it’s a standard Coleman cooler design. It’s well-insulated, highly functional, and very usable. It’s easy to open and close and even has handy cupholders on the roof. And if you don’t want to use the wheels, it still has handles so that you can lug it the traditional way.