Looking for the best fishing cooler for your budget for the hot summer months? Here are the top coolers that we absolutely love.
You are at the right place if you are looking for the best fishing coolers as they are quite handy especially on hot summer days.
Choosing the Best Fishing Coolers
Most people always go on fishing adventures and trips during summer. It doesn’t matter if it’s just a multi-day or an afternoon session trip. An ideal fishing cooler will come in handy on these fishing trips. There’s a significant improvement in the fishing industry over the years thanks to technology.
The best fishing coolers on the market help keep your food, drinks and catch cool for a few days. Fishing coolers are big, sturdy and usually have large capacities. The hard box fishing coolers are better than the smaller ones since they help keep things cooler for longer. We give you an overview of some of the best products currently on the market in this article.
Some of the fish coolers on our list are relatively expensive since they are specially designed for the wild. They are sturdy enough less susceptible to break since you can stand on them or throw products on them.
We have reviewed some of the best fishing coolers on the market including two different rolling ones that are easy to carry around and transport. We also talk about some of the factors you need to consider when shopping for these products and impressive features in a quality fishing cooler. Let’s dive right in!
Best Fishing Coolers
The first part highlights some of the best fishing coolers to use during summer. You can never go wrong with any of the products on our list since we did the leg work to bring you the best that the market offers. Here’s a round up of the best fishing coolers:
1. YETI Tundra 45
BUY ON AMAZON
YETI is an American manufacturer that’s known over the year for making sturdy outdoor equipment and the YETI Tundra 45 is no exception. Their waterproof backpacks and bag put them on the map in the manufacturing industry. They also have other flagship products such as coolers like the YETI Tundra 45. The extra thick walls, tight fitting lid and 3-inch insulation helps ensure the inside remains cool especially when the temperatures run high on hot and humid conditions.
YETI Tundra 45 typically combines significant features of a regular fishing cooler in unmatchable ways including sturdiness, durability, design and retention. This fishing cooler can comfortably hold up to 26cans together with ice. If that’s not large enough there’s a bigger alternative you can try out – YETI Tundra 65. It also features a super dry basket for goods.
YETI Tundra 45’s sturdiness is unparalleled. It will not break even if you sit on it or throw it around. The best thing about this fishing cooler is that it can also double up as a casting platform especially if you are fishing on a boat. This fishing cooler is equally lightweight and portable as it weighs about 23lbs with a maximum capacity of 28 cans.
2. RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler
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The RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler has the same build as the YETI Tundra 45. The manufacturing company has many fans with the majority being outdoor lovers since they make top tier products in terms of quality. This hard cooler comes with T-latches to help secure the lid tightly and also provide high grade freezer insulation. This cooler is compact and portable for ease of carrying around and transportation. It weighs 29lbs and has a maximum capacity of 36 cans.
Compared to the YETI Tundra 45, this fishing cooler model has a slightly bigger capacity as it can hold a maximum of 40lbs of ice and 36 cans. Just like its counterparts, RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler features outstanding sturdiness and can also double up as a tabletop, cutting board or bench. This fishing cooler can keep different products cool for up to 10 days which is quite impressive. This is because keeping things cool for longer when you frequently open the cooler is usually an uphill task.
3. Igloo 52 QT BMX Cooler
BUY ON AMAZON
Igloo 52 QT BMX Cooler is one of the best fishing coolers on the market. It’s an excellent choice for anglers working on a budget since its relatively cheap. It’s less sturdy compared to the RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler and YETI Tundra 45. However, it’s of the same quality as the two when it comes to secure fit and T-latches.
Igloo 52 Qt BMX Cooler can keep the contents inside cool for up to a maximum of 5 days. It additionally features relatively big antis-lip handles for ease of transportation and carrying around especially when loaded. It has a fish ruler at the top. It weighs about 16.4lbs and can comfortably hold up to 83 cans. If you are looking for a relatively bigger capacity than the RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler and YETI Tundra 45, then the Igloo 52 QT BMX Cooler is your best bet.
Igloo 52 QT BMX Cooler has sturdier walls hence provide high-level insulation. This fishing model weighs 16.4lbs with a capacity of about 83 cans.
4. Coleman Xtreme 5 Cooler
BUY ON AMAZON
If you are looking for the best fishing cooler under $100 on the market, the Coleman Xtreme 5 Cooler is your best bet. The closure technology makes it stand out from the rest of the fishing coolers. This model doesn’t feature T-laces that helps close the lid at the top which makes it lag behind when it comes to cooling capabilities. However, it can still keep the contents inside cool for a few days. The best thing about this fishing cooler is that it has a higher capacity owing to the low degree of insulation.
Coleman Xtreme 5 Cooler can comfortably hold up to a maximum of 100 cans that is without the ice. It additionally features exquisite cup holders incorporated onto the lid at the top. This fishing cooler model is not bullet proof like its counterparts that is the YETI Tundra 45 and RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler. This means that you can just throw it around or sit on it. It’s lightweight and portable as it weighs about 12.3 lbs, which makes it easy to carry around and transport.
Best Rollable Fishing Coolers
The best thing about the rollable fishing coolers is that you don’t have to carry them around when transporting and instead roll them over to the destination. The rolling feature is quite handy especially when it’s fully loaded as it tends to get heavier. Here’s a highlight of some of the best rollable fishing coolers on the market:
YETI Tundra Haul Portable Wheeled Fishing Cooler
BUY ON AMAZON
YETI Tundra Haul Portable Wheeled Cooler is hands down the best rollable fishing cooler on the market. It combines some of the best features of the brand with sturdy wheels. The wheels of this fishing cooler model are uniquely designed with the famous Never Flat construction of YETI making them puncture resistant and high impact. The arm handle is made with welded aluminium to ensure that it stays intact even when you pull hard especially when the cooler is fully loaded.
YETI Tundra Haul Portable Wheeled Fishing Cooler is an excellent choice for anglers who don’t like carrying heavy coolers around especially on hot days. This fishing cooler has a capacity of up to 45 cans with ice and weighs 32lbs.
Coleman Ice Chest Wheeled Fishing Cooler
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Coleman Ice Chest is the best rollable fishing cooler option for those working on a budget. It costs less than $100 and has all the ideal features of a fishing cooler with premium qualities. It has 6-ich rollable wheels to provide stability when rolling the cooler to your destination. The lid can comfortably support up to a maximum of 250lbs when closed. This is a feature that you can also find in other top quality fishing coolers like YETI Tundra Haul.
Coleman Ice Chest Wheeled Fishing Cooler has a thin insulation but can keep the contents in it cool for up to 5 days. If you want an option with a larger capacity then you can check out the bigger version that features 100Quart. This rollable fishing cooler has a capacity of up to 101 cans without ice and weighs 16.8lbs. It’s also one of the best fishing coolers on the market.
Seavilis Milee Heavy-Duty Wheeled 70Quart
BUY ON AMAZON
Seavilis Milee Heavy-Duty Wheeled 70Quart is the best rollable fishing cooler on the market with a big capacity. It’s relatively big that you can bring along everything you need for your fishing adventure especially if it’s going to last a few days.
Seavilis Milee additionally features a divider and basket cup holder that come in handy for anglers who want to create different departments. The quality built of this rollable fishing cooler is almost similar to that of YETI as it comes with T-zips to secure the top lid tightly. This rollable fishing cooler also features industrial grade insulation to help keep the contents cool for longer.
Seavilis Milee Heavy-Duty Wheeled 70Quart has 7-inch wheels to provide solid stability when moving it to the dock. The wheels also offer smooth running especially when the fishing cooler is fully loaded. Just as the name suggests, it has a capacity of 70 quarts and weighs 46lbs.
How to Choose the Best Fishing Cooler
There are different fishing coolers in the market in with different unique features, a range of sizes and shapes. They are also available in different prices ranging from $200 depending on the capacity of the fishing coolers and other essential features. Here are some of the things you need to look out for when shopping for the best fishing cooler;
1. Insulation
Insulation plays a significant role when it comes to the best fishing coolers available on the market. When shopping around for a fishing cooler, it’s important to know the intended purpose as it helps you make an informed decision. For instance, do you need one with ultimate cooling capabilities to help keep your drinks and food cool for a few days during your fishing adventure? In this case, a fishing cooler with industry grade insulation will come in handy.
Some of the best fishing coolers with industry grade insulation on our list include RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler and YETI Tundra 45. These two fishing coolers will stand the test of time since they are specially designed for the wild. You don’t have to dig deeper into your pockets if you are looking for an option that can only help you keep your food and drinks cooler for some hours.
As a rule of thumb, fishing coolers that come with T-latch closures usually stay cooler for a bit longer. This is because the top lid typically closes securely and tightly. If you are looking for the best fishing cooler to use on your fishing adventure for a couple of days, it’s always advisable to go for those with T-latch closures.
In addition, only opening the fishing cooler when necessary, helps it to remain cold for an extended period. In this case, you can ask everyone what they want then take it off the cooler all at once and close it afterwards. It will be hard to keep the inside cool if you keep opening the fishing cooler every so often regardless of the type of insulation.
2. Toughness/Construction
Some of the things we mentioned about insulation also apply to toughness/construction. For starters, the intended purpose of the fishing cooler. In this case, a standard fishing cooler will work just fine if you are looking to keep your catch, food and drinks cool for some time. If you are going to use the cooler as a seat or even stand on it, ensure it’s sturdy enough to accommodate your weight and all the things you throw at it. The YETI Tundra 45 and RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler will be an excellent choice in such a scenario.
RTIC 45 QTHard Cooler and YETI Tundra 45 can also double up as casting platforms on a skiff.
3. The Fishing Cooler’s Size
When looking for the best fishing cooler on the market, always go for one that can comfortably accommodate everything you can to carry for the fishing adventure. Remember, the fishing cooler tends to get heavier depending on the number of cans, ice and food you put inside.
Fishing coolers with thick insulation are usually heavy naturally. This means that a big fishing cooler with thicker insulation is relatively heavy that you can’t carry around when fully loaded.
Consider going for a rollable fishing cooler if you are going to walk to the dock from the parking. A rollable fishing cooler is easy to move around as you only need to push it.
4. Capacity
There are a few things you need to put into consideration when it comes to the capacity of a fishing cooler. When looking for the best fishing cooler on the market ensure you do a comparison of the inside capacities as well. This is because you might find two different products with the same outside dimensions but the inside dimensions differ owing to different insulation. If you are going for an afternoon fishing adventure on a kayak or paddle boat, then a 25-quart fishing cooler will come in handy.
You can go for a 45-quart fishing cooler or bigger if you’ll be spending the whole day on water. If it’s more than a day or the entire weekend, then a 75-quart or even bigger will be best suited for the adventure.
5. Cleaning and Draining
When you put ice in the fishing cooler, some of it will melt especially after a long day under the sun. The best fishing cooler should have a great drainage system to help drain off that water to allow the remaining ice to continue working as its intended to. The drainage system should be ideally at the bottom for ease of draining off the water when the fishing cooler is heavy when fully loaded.
Always ensure you thoroughly rinse and also wipe off the fishing cooler after using. Ensure the fishing cooler is completely dry inside and store it properly will the lid half-way closed to promote air flow and prevent built-up of any bad odors.
Conclusion
The best fishing cooler will help ensure you have a better fishing adventure especially on hot sunny days. Fishing coolers are versatile and not only do they help keep your catch cool, they also do the same for your drinks and beverages to make your day more fun.
Always keep the intended purpose of the fishing cooler in mind when shopping for the best one on the market since they usually come in different sizes and shapes with different unique features.
Remember to drain off any excess water after a day of fishing then rinse the cooler thoroughly and wipe it dry. When it comes to storing after use, ensure you leave the lid open to allow air to flow freely as it helps prevent bad smells.
