Coolers are a summertime staple, and new designs have made them increasingly popular year-round, too. Whether you’re packing up for a road trip, settling in for a full day at the beach, or commuting with your lunch, a great cooler will keep your food and drinks cold for hours, regardless of the day’s forecast.
They come in many different styles, from large, hard-sided ones on wheels to rectangular, soft-sided ones with a long carrying strap. And now there’s a new style my colleagues and I in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab have started seeing everywhere: the cooler tote.
What is a cooler tote?
A cooler tote is a soft, insulated bag with long handles or shoulder straps. It’s often sealed closed with a zipper, and some have extra pockets inside or out for organization.
It’s a great in-between when you don’t want the heft and bulk of a wheeled cooler, but you need something bigger than an insulated lunch bag. As a fun bonus, many come in a variety of attractive colors.
As a new mom and contributing product analyst in the Kitchen Lab, I personally use my cooler tote to keep milk and snacks cold on the go, even on airplanes.
Our Kitchen & Cooking Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou uses hers to transport food on short trips home from the grocery store, on longer weekend getaways when she needs to stock the fridge, and when she’s packing lunch for the beach or a picnic.
Pros of a cooler tote
- Often lightweight
- Malleable so you can squeeze it into tight spaces
- Designed to fit comfortably over your shoulder
- Some fold flat when not in use
Cons of a cooler tote
- Doesn’t maintain temperature as long as hard-sided coolers
- Some can be heavy and bulky to carry
- The openings can be tight or narrow, making it difficult to add or remove food
- They can sometimes be hard to close/fasten
The cooler totes we recommend
Over the past four years, we’ve tested more than 85 coolers in the Kitchen Lab, including hard coolers, soft coolers, and backpack coolers. Here are two cooler totes we keep reaching for out of the 11 we’ve had our hands on.
Pros
- Folds flat for storage
- Comes in a range of color options
Cons
- Internal pocket is on the small side
| Capacity | 35 liters |
| Dimensions | 21.25" L x 9.5" W x 14.5" H |
| Weight | 4.1 pounds |
Some cooler bags are bulky and heavy, but this insulated tote from RTIC is neither. It’s soft and lightweight and collapses nearly flat for easy storage, making it a great travel companion.
The tote comes in several attractive colors, including a pretty periwinkle. It has a small internal zippered pocket that’s handy for stashing a corkscrew, but it’s not quite big enough to hold silverware or serving utensils.
The straps are long enough to sit comfortably over your shoulder, and the 35-liter capacity can accommodate drinks and snacks for a beach day or a small grocery haul.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Watertight
Cons
- Zipper can be difficult to open
| Capacity | 26 liters |
| Dimensions | 23.9" L x 10.4" W x 14.97" H |
| Weight | 3 pounds |
If you need a little extra protection against the elements, this sturdy cooler tote from Hydro Flask provides it. The zipper and seams are watertight, which makes this tote great for boating and beach days. The cooler stands up on its own for easy filling, though the tightly closed zipper takes some effort to open.
The tote comes with a removable shoulder strap for hands-free carrying—a nice feature when you’re also toting beach chairs and an umbrella. There are no internal pockets, but the cooler has several exterior straps for attaching carabiners or tying it down. Though it has a smaller capacity than the RTIC cooler, it’s lighter weight and can still accommodate 42 cans.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Lizzy Briskin is a contributing product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She has a culinary degree from Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and always packs a cooler tote full of entertaining snacks for long car rides with her 8-month-old.
