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Best cool boxes 2026: tested for camping, picnics and festivals
Danny’s days consist of running hands-on tests. He once found the best lemon squeezer by wringing out more than 80 lemons and measuring the average juice.
The best cool boxes keep food and drinks ice-cold all day, saving your camping trips, festivals and picnics from all kinds of meltdowns.
We've tested the bestselling passive (non-electric, uses insulation and ice packs) and electric cool boxes from Halfords, Igloo, Ninja, Yeti and more, including models that plug into your car's 12V socket.
We measured each cooler's ability to retain its chill over eight hours. The best passive coolers managed to maintain a near-constant temperature throughout, while the best electric cool boxes grew colder.
The only passive cooler to earn a Best Buy recommendation costs less than half the price of some models we tested.
Two electric coolers kept our drinks deliciously chilled – one is a Best Buy and the other is a Great Value pick.
How our tests find your the best
We've tested 14 cool boxes
We tested eight passive and six electric coolers to find those that keep your drinks refreshingly cold and your food fresh.
Ease of use
Filling your cooler shouldn't make you break out in a sweat. We've seen lids fall on fingers and stubborn seals that require a hefty tug.
Durability
We repeatedly drop each cooler to see which pop open, get scuffed or shatter - because a tumble shouldn't ruin a picnic.
We also test...
...how easy they are to carry, whether they leak, and how many cans you can cram inside.
The cool boxes we tested
Only logged-in Which? members can view the passive cool box test results.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Cool box | Price | Score | Insulation | Ease of use | Capacity (no. of cans)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 86% | ||||
| 84% | |||||
| 84% | |||||
| 78% | |||||
| 76% | |||||
| 56% | |||||
| 42% | |||||
| 40% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time.
Already a member?
Log in
Date tested: May 2026, May 2023 and June 2021. Page last checked: May 2026. *Capacity: measured with 330ml soft drink cans. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
All the passive cool boxes we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best cool boxes from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Campos Cool Box, 24L
Available from Argos (£18)
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 24 litres or 40 x 330ml cans
Weight 1.7kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 37 x 39 x 30cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 32 x 33 x 24cm
Need to know Also available in 25, 29 and 42-litre sizes; fits upright wine bottles; one-year warranty
Coleman 30QT Performance Cool Box, 28L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 28 litres or 50 x 330ml cans
Weight 3kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 39 x 46 x 30cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 33 x 38 x 36cm
Need to know Two cup holders on top of the lid; other colours available; also available in 15 and 56-litre sizes; fits upright wine bottles; two-year warranty
Dometic Cool Ice Icebox, 28L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 28 litres or 44 x 330ml cans
Weight 5.7kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 42 x 44 x 36cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 33 x 33 x 28cm
Need to know Other colours available; also available in 15-litre size; fits upright wine bottles; two-year warranty
Igloo BMX 25 Heavy Duty, 23L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 23 litres or 36 x 330ml cans
Weight 4.4kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 40 x 50 x 32cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 30 x 38 x 21cm
Need to know Fish-measuring ruler moulded into the lid; also available in 22, 49 and 68-litre sizes; other colours available; fits upright wine bottles; one-year warranty
Looking for more camping gear? We've tested tents for every occasion: standard tents, pop-up tents and roof tents.
Koolatron Ultra Kool Ice Chest, 25L
Most recently tested May 2023
Capacity 25 litres or 36 x 330ml cans
Weight 3kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 42 x 37 x 30cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 34 x 31.5 x 21.5cm
Need to know Three cup holders on the lid; fits upright wine bottles; one-year warranty
Ninja FrostVault Hard Cooler 30QT, 28L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 28 litres or 48 x 330ml cans
Weight 9.5kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 48 x 62 x 43cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 27 x 36 x 31cm
Need to know 'Dry zone' drawer; also available in 42, 47 and 61-litre sizes; other colours available; wine bottles must lay flat; five-year warranty (upon registration with Ninja)
Quechua Rigid Camping Cooler, 22L
Available from Decathlon (£22)
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 22 litres or 33 x 330ml cans
Weight 1.6kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 40 x 40 x 28cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 33 x 32 x 24cm
Need to know Fits upright wine bottles; two-year warranty
Yeti Roadie Cool Box, 24L
Most recently tested May 2023
Capacity 24 litres or 34 x 330ml cans
Weight 5.9kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 44 x 42 x 36cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 33 x 31 x 24cm
Need to know Five-year warranty; also available in 15-litre size; fits upright wine bottles; other colours available
The electric cool boxes we tested
Only logged-in Which? members can view the electric cool box test results.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Electric cool box | Price | Score | Insulation | Ease of use | Capacity (no. of cans)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 84% | ||||
| 81% | |||||
| 79% | |||||
| 78% | |||||
| 69% | |||||
| 64% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time.
Already a member?
Log in
Date tested: May 2026, May 2023 and June 2021. Page last checked: May 2026. *Capacity: measured with 330ml soft drink cans. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
All the electric cool boxes we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best electric cool boxes from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
Halfords Electric Coolbox, 19L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 19 litres or 30 x 330ml cans
Weight 4.4kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 42 x 42 x 31cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 34 x 29 x 23cm
Need to know Keep-warm setting; 12V car charger (no mains plug); 40-litre 12V and 24V models also available; fits upright wine bottles; one-year warranty
Hi-Gear Thermec Portable Fridge, 25L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 25 litres or 35 x 330ml cans
Weight 5kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 45 x 42 x 34cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 37 x 30 x 24cm
Need to know 12V charger and mains plug; 20 and 48-litre 12V models also available; fits upright wine bottles; one-year warranty
Koolatron P75 12V Electric Cool Box, 34L
Most recently tested May 2023
Capacity 34 litres or 51 x 330ml cans
Weight 6.1kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 41 x 53 x 41cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 30.5 x 40 x 30.5cm
Need to know Includes shelf to use chest on its side like a mini fridge; 12V charger (no mains plug); also available in 9, 17, 24, 27, 31, 42 and 49-litre sizes; fits upright wine bottles; one-year warranty
Outwell ECOcool 12/230V, 24L
Available from Outwell (£100)
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 24 litres or 29 x 330ml cans
Weight 5.2kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 44 x 44 x 30
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 32 x 33 x 21cm
Need to know Keep-warm setting; comes with inside divider; 12V charger and mains plug; other colours available; 34-litre 12V model also available; wine bottles must lay flat; two-year warranty
Outwell EcoCool Lite Electric Cooler Box, 24L
Available from Outwell (£70)
Most recently tested May 2023
Capacity 24 litres or 29 x 330ml cans
Weight 4.3kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 41 x 43 x 27cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 32 x 33 x 21cm
Need to know Comes with inside divider; 12V charger and mains plug; other colours available; 12V-only model also available; wine bottles must lay flat; two-year warranty
Vonshef Electric Cool Box, 24L
Most recently tested May 2026
Capacity 24 litres or 31 x 330ml cans
Weight 4kg
Outer dimensions (HxWxD) 44 x 40 x 30cm
Inner dimensions (HxWxD) 35 x 32 x 22cm
Need to know Keep-warm and eco settings; comes with inside divider; 12V charger and mains plug; 20 and 28-litre 12V models also available; fits upright wine bottles; two-year warranty
How we test cool boxes
We buy the bestselling passive and electric cool boxes and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.
We regularly revisit the cool boxes on sale to see if any more popular models need testing. When we find them, we do.
Insulation
In an ambient-controlled room set at 25°C, we measure each cool box's insulation capabilities over an eight-hour period.
- A chilled bottle of water and two ice packs are placed inside each cooler.
- The change in water temperature is tracked throughout the test.
- To replicate real-life usage, we open and close the boxes at regular intervals.
- Then, we calculate how effectively each cool box keeps the water cold.
We also test...
- Ease of use Some cool boxes have lids that fall shut when you're trying to fill them. The best can be clamped open, allowing easy loading.
- Leakproof We fill the coolers up with water and tip them upside down. Some are watertight, but water comes gushing out of others.
- Portability Do they weigh a ton or have crimped fingerholds? The best are form-fitting, feature ergonomic handles and can be comfortably carried.
- Durability Boxes are dropped from different angles. We record if any are damaged or scuffed, and which lids pop open.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
How does a cool box work?
Cool boxes keep food and drink chilled by insulating the contents from the outside environment.
While passive and electric cool boxes are the most common, there are four different types:
- Passive cool boxes rely on the box's material for insulation and therefore need ice or ice packs.
- Electric cool boxes don’t require ice but must be plugged in. Most run on a 12V car plug, though some also include a mains plug or adaptor. Premium battery-powered models are also available at a much higher cost.
- Compressor cool boxes are top-of-the range coolers that usually start at 40 litres and require plugging in. Hi-tech models that are controlled with apps are available, too.
- Absorption cool boxes are similar in size and design to compressor cool boxes, but are gas-powered.
How long do cool boxes keep things cold?
How long items stay cold in a cool box depends on the type of food and drink, and the number of ice packs.
Unsurprisingly, electric cool boxes tend to keep their contents chilly for longer than their passive counterparts.
In our controlled testing environment (see above), we found that the best electric cool boxes decreased the temperature of a chilled bottle of water, whereas the worst let it rise.
Protect yourself from the elements with a Great Value gazebo: Best pop-up gazebos.
Is a cool box better than a cool bag?
If you're weighing up whether to buy a cool box or cool bag, here are the key differences:
- Insulation Compared to cool bags, cool boxes typically keep their contents colder for longer.
- Build Cool bags are soft and easier to store but, unlike cool boxes, they offer limited protection and can collapse if not packed to the brim.
- Portability Cool bags are lightweight and can typically be slung over the shoulder. Cool boxes tend to be heavier and bulkier.
- Size Cool boxes come in larger capacities, whereas cool bags max out around 50 litres.
- Features Cool boxes often include handy features, such as drainage valves and drink taps. Cool bags rarely have these additions.
We'd recommend:
- Go for a cool bag if you'll use it for short walks and quick picnics.
- Go for a cool box if you'll use it for camping trips, festivals and parties.