We always make a concerted effort to recommend budget-friend items, but sometimes more expensive gear simply performs better and lasts longer. This is why we love Yeti coolers. Across all our testing, we consistently found that almost all the best coolers are made by Yeti. They keep drinks cold for days, have exceptional ice retention, and are incredibly durable.
If you’ve ever met a Yeti person, then you know the term “cult following” applies. Whether they’re actually into outdoor adventures or just enjoy the outdoorsy aesthetic, Yeti people are nothing if not brand loyal. Thinking about becoming a Yeti person? Then it’s worth considering which products are best for you, because you don’t want to spend upwards of $400 on something that isn’t going to meet your needs.
Read on for info to help you find the best Yeti cooler for your lifestyle, and to learn about all the non-cooler Yeti gear you might want to add to your collection—or gift the Yeti obsessive in your life.
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The Yeti Tundra is the iconic hard-sided cooler with rubber T-rex latches and rope handles. Yeti proudly proclaims that this cooler is bear-proof, even against grizzly bears, when properly locked. The insulated walls are over 3.5 inches thick, and during our testing, it kept liquid at refrigerator temperatures for over 36 hours. We also found that the Tundra still had a substantial amount of ice inside it after three days.
To some extent, this comes down to personal preference, but we think the Tundra 45 is the best Yeti cooler for most people. It can comfortably hold two dozen beers and ice (it can hold over 50 beers without ice), which is plenty for most activities. It’s also the biggest Tundra that we’d reasonably say one person can carry on their own. The Tundra 65 is not impossible for one person to manage, but it can feel a little awkward when it’s full.
Yeti makes some ridiculously large ice chests—like the Tundra 350 that holds 549 cans of beer or more than 300 pounds of ice—that really only makes sense for big events like outdoor weddings with a few hundred guests. If that’s not what you’re looking for, here are some other products in the Tundra line we think are worth the price.
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 39 cans (no ice), 29 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 25.6” W x 15.9” D x 15.5” H; Holds 54 cans (no ice), 37 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 77 cans (no ice), 58 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 131 cans (no ice), 78 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 139 cans (no ice), 93 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 150 cans (no ice), 102 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 193 cans (no ice), 129 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 21.1” W x 15.9” D x 15.4” H; Holds 229 cans (no ice), 154 lbs. ice (no cans)
The Roadie debuted as Yeti’s smaller hard cooler, intended for things like day trips or an afternoon at the beach. In 2022, the company came out with a bigger, taller, wheeled version of the Roadie cooler—the Roadie 48—that is currently our favorite hard cooler overall. Thanks to its long, telescoping handle, the Roadie represented a big improvement over the brand’s first wheeled cooler, the Yeti Tundra Haul. The Roadie is big enough to hold cold drinks (including wine bottles, thanks to the added height) for a party, or food for a multi-day camping trip. The wheels make it incredibly easy to move around, even when it’s full. Yeti also still makes the Roadie 24 as well as the larger Roadie 60, but we think the middle-of-the-road size is perfect for most uses.
Specs: 16.6” W x 14” D x 17.4” H; Holds 33 cans (no ice), 26 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 19.8” W x 20.1” D x 20.6” H; Holds 76 cans (no ice), 54 lbs. ice (no cans)
Specs: 23.7” W x 20” D x 20.5” H; Holds 98 cans (no ice), 68 lbs. ice (no cans)
Yeti’s soft-sided coolers are a little less hardcore than the Tundra and Roadie lines, but they’re much lighter and easier to move around. The largest option in this line, the M30, weighs only 6.8 pounds to a comparably-sized Tundra’s 21.4 pounds. Because soft-sided coolers have fabric exteriors filled with closed cell rubber insulation, they won’t keep ice frozen for days the way a hard cooler can. However, for most everyday needs—outings to the beach, youth sports games, short road trips, things like that—they provide more than enough insulation to keep your food and drinks ice cold for the day.
