Best Wheeled Cooler for 2020 – Our Top Rolling Cooler Picks

RovR RollR Cooler – Our Best Wheeled Cooler Pick

Let's start with our best wheeled cooler choice, the feature-packed RovR Cooler. We love the wordplay on this brand. It’s basically the word ‘rover’ with all of the vowels removed and, true to their brand name they’ve made a rover-like cooler for the outdoor enthusiast.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of this cooler are the 9-inch rubber tires that will work on any terrain. The hubs are made of aluminum, and the tires contain tubes that can be replaced.

Honestly, we've seen many wheels on dozens of different coolers, but none of them were as advanced and as sturdy as the ones at RovR. In fact, wheels on other coolers, including YETI, look more like toy wheels when compared head to head with those in a RovR cooler. 

What about the RovR's ability to keep ice icy? No complaints here. The ice retention is very good, lasting up to 10 days in case of the 80-quart one, and about 5 days in case of the smallest, 45-quart one. The cooler is rotomolded, with thick and densely insulated walls, so in that aspect, it's on par with YETI and other top brands.

This cooler comes with a dry storage bin for the dry goods that you want to keep as far away from the ice as possible. There are many other cool accessories available, such as the prepping board or the dual cup holders, amongst others. There's even a bike adapter, so it can be used as a trailer – isn't that awesome?

Basically, we love just about everything about RovR as a brand, and as our RovR cooler review has shown, we also love their wheeled cooler. It has a great design and also comes with some great features that any outdoor enthusiast will appreciate, not to mention it has four capacity options and a couple of bright colors to choose from. 

It isn't cheap, but when you consider the accessories included, it's actually a reasonable price (especially for a cooler that's made in the USA).

Check out the sizes and current prices here >>

Yeti Tundra Haul – The First YETI cooler on Wheels 

Another cooler on our list, the runner-up, is a YETI cooler. When it comes to cooler brands, Yeti is the one brand that rules them all. This is the industry leader in the cooler space, and as such we can expect their products to only be of the highest quality. The same goes for their only wheeled cooler, the Yeti Tundra Haul.

As Rovr above, and as other Tundras, the Haul is rotomolded, which basically makes it indestructible. It is also much better at ice retention than the non-rotomolded coolers out there. It’s basically a combination of the Yeti Tundra, which is well known for its toughness, and some tough wheels, which give it the ability to move over any terrain without issues.

Did we also mention that the wheels can never go flat? Well, they're made from a hard plastic, so they just can’t. The tire construction is in one piece and is highly resistant to punctures and impacts of all kinds. They aren't suited to rough terrain environments as well as the ones in the Rovr cooler, but they do the job.

As for the arm, it is built out of welded aluminum, making it durable. It also comes with a curved design that makes it easy to tow and a comfortable grip for easy handling.

Check it out at YETI.com >> or read our full review >>

Pelican Elite – Best Performance Rolling Cooler

Pelican are veterans of the industry and, as such, we expect nothing but the very best from them. They are well known for making top of the line coolers that will last years and perform at the very highest levels in the market. Another thing they’re known for is keeping up with trends.

What better trend for a well-established cooler brand to keep up with than wheeled coolers? Pelican has risen to the challenge with their wheeled coolers.

We love the fact that this cooler comes in 2 sizes, the smaller 45-quart and the bigger, 80-quart. This gives buyers more options when it comes to what to buy.

As you would expect from a premium wheeled cooler, both rolling coolers are rotomolded. They also have a very thick insulation layer made of closed-cell PU (polyurethane) foam, making for very good ice retention that is capable of going up to 10 days.

The handles are molded into the cooler. It also comes with plenty of other features, such as a bottle opener, tie-down slots, large locking latches, and an anti-shear hinge system. What’s more, Pelican coolers is made in the US!

Get them at Pelican.com >> 

Blue Coolers – Best Value Rolling Ice Chest

As a brand, Blue Coolers is rather new in the cooler space. However, that has not stopped them from pulling all the stops and going for the big boys.

Despite their relative newness, they are famed for manufacturing high-quality coolers that cost a fraction of those sold by YETI. In fact, they have one of the most effective price-per-quart ratios when it comes to rotomolded coolers.

The Blue wheeled cooler was built for all sorts of outdoor activities, such as hunting, fishing, camping, and so on. It has a thick insulation layer, which in fact is thicker on walls than the same-sized YETI Tundra. There's also a heavy-duty handle and a bottle opener built right into the cooler.

This cooler is, of course, rotomolded, and so it is indestructible, being able to survive just about anything and featuring very good ice retention capabilities. The wheels on this cooler are quite similar to the ones found on the YETI Haul – also made of a hard plastic, reasonably sized. 

The cooler also has a sleek look to it that you’ll be proud of it. As if that wasn’t enough, Blue also offers a 5-year defect warranty on the cooler, as well as the 90-day unconditional money-back guarantee.

Get it in the Blue Coolers' store >> or read our Blue cooler review here >>

Igloo Trailmate – Made For Off-Road

Right off the bat, we have to point out that this particular cooler is not rotomolded. Now, that might make you think that it’s not supposed to be on the premium coolers list; that it should instead be in the section on cheaper coolers.

We would also be inclined to think the same under normal circumstances. However, in this particular case, this cooler more than redeems itself for that shortcoming. What it lacks in construction it more than makes up for in features.

The Igloo Trailmate comes with 4-day ice retention. That’s not stellar, but it’s good for most purposes. What will really blow your mind are all the extras. It comes with a telescopic handle that also contains a butler tray for serving your food and drinks. It has two bottle openers.

It has 10-inch tires that can take on just about any terrain, and it has self-draining cup holders. Basically, this is like having the perfect mate on your journeys. Not only does it cool your food and drinks but it also gives you a lot of extras.

Get it at the Igloo's store here >> or read our Igloo Trailmate review >>

Igloo 45QT Maxcold Roller – Best Rolling Ice Chest For Taller People

The popular Igloo Cooler offers a rolling coolers in various sizes and options, including those with MaxCold technology – like this 40-qt rolling ice chest.

Durable wheels help this cooler to stay off of the ground and tow handles make this cooler easier to carry. Ultratherm insulation in body and lid helps keep things cold.

A taller user liked the handle being on the back of the cooler instead of the sides. The user mentioned that coolers with side handles typically have left him dragging it because of the elevation due to his height, but that was not a problem with this version. The user also mentioned that they got five days of ice retention, which matches up with what the manufacturer mentioned.

Another user mentioned what others have about the wheels and handle, mentioning that the larger sized wheels were ideal for going over rocks or any other rough surfaces.

You can get it at the Igloo's Store >>

You can also watch this Igloo Coolers' video about the new handle design in their rolling coolers.

Coleman Rolling Xtreme Cooler

The Coleman Rolling Xtreme 50QT is a very affordable yet functional cooler.

The highlight of this wheeled cooler is its insulation – titled Xtreme, it is advertised to retain ice in 90-degree heat for up to 5 days. In reality, we’d say that it probably will do 1-2 days shorter than claimed, but it would still be a great result.

When it comes to the wheels, they are nice and large in the Rolling Xtreme cooler, so they should perform well even off the road. With the telescoping handle, hauling this thing should be convenient as well. At times when you don’t need the wheels, you may use the integrated molded handles.

The Coleman Rolling cooler also boats a well-designed lid with 4 cup holders, enough strength to serve as a seating spot (supports up to 250 pounds), and single-wipe cleaning.

All in all, Coleman Rolling Xtreme is a great choice of a weekender cooler, and we adore that it’s very functional and convenient despite the low price.

Get it here at Amazon >>

Coleman Personal Wheeled Cooler

If the best cooler with wheels for you would be a very simple one, have a look at this little 16-quart unit from Coleman.

Design-wise, this small wheeled cooler is similar to Coleman Rolling Xtreme. However, the lid is less convenient (it has no cup holders and can’t be used as seating), though it retains the easy to clean design.

The wheels in the Personal cooler are smaller than in Rolling Xtreme, but for the size of this cooler, they should be sufficient for light off-road travel.

In terms of ice retention, the Personal Wheeled Cooler will do a day or two, so it would be a nice choice for single-day outings.

In the end, this cooler’s very cheap doesn’t have most of the Rolling Xtreme’s perks but is a good option if you want something basic for one-day trips.

Buy it here at Amazon >>

Igloo Glide Pro 110 Roller

The Igloo Pro Glide is a rather interesting wheeled cooler. Not only is it affordable, but it also boasts features that you won’t typically see in coolers, wheeled or not.

The first thing to catch the eye in the Pro Glide 110-quart cooler is its horizontal telescopic handle. Unlike traditional vertical handles, it’s claimed to require 50% less lifting effort. Given the pretty big size of this cooler, the unique handle design may make a big difference.

The wheels in Pro Glide are pretty big & soft and also provide good ground clearance, which should allow them to perform well off the road.

Igloo paid extra attention to sun protection in this cooler too – with UV inhibitors and infrared technology, Pro Glide will resist fading and physical degradation under sunlight.

The insulation in Pro Glide is very good – ice retention here is advertised at 5 days, and judging by buyer reviews, this is an easily achievable number. Some people even got more than 5 days out of this cooler, but probably under ideal conditions and spot-on packing.

Check it out at Amazon here >>

Rubbermaid Extreme Wheeled Ice Chest

Are you looking for a LARGE cooler with LARGE ice retention rates? If you are then that is what Rubbermaid is offering . The manufacturer reports that this cooler will fit over five cases of cans WITH ice. They also state that the thicker insulation allows for ice retention of up to five days. This model comes in at 16.9 x 33.3 x 19.4 inches making it perfect for the individual looking for a larger rolling cooler.

Users did mention some initial hesitancy due to the large size, but found that they fit nicely into the back of their vehicles. One user stated that the cooler remained in direct sunlight for four days with items still remaining cold.

Other users applauded the ability of these coolers to keep ice frozen. Two separate users mentioned that ice was still frozen even after three days in warmer temperatures. And yet another user reported ice retention of three days even with the cooler sitting out in the open under the sun.

It's a LARGE cooler, but the price is quite affordable – check it at Amazon now >>

Evolution EVO Rolling Cooler

The EVO rolling cooler from Evolution might be the best soft rolling cooler for you if you want something more premium.

The EVO cooler has a very thick lid and walls along with welded seams, which allows for ice retention of about 2 and a half days – not the best we’ve seen in a soft cooler, but still a very good result. There are two sizes available as well (the 25 quarts and 50 quarts), with the large one being optimal if you want long ice retention.

The features are also nice in EVO – you are getting cup holders and a small tray area on the lid, accessory attachment points on the front, and a few anchoring points on the sides.

As for the wheels, they are kind of small in EVO, so they certainly aren’t for heavy off-road use. Flat surfaces, grass, or gravel are the most this thing will do.

Check the current price at Amazon >>

Our opinion: This cooler offers the best insulation among soft wheeled coolers and is very functional. It’s a bit pricey but worth the money if you are a very demanding user.

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Cooler

The Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze cooler is an affordable yet feature-rich model – excellent if you want the most value for your money.

Interestingly, the wheel cart in this wheeled cooler is removable, which will allow for easier cleaning and storage. The wheels are large and should be sufficient for convenient off-road travel. When empty, the Titan Deep Freeze cooler collapses for added space efficiency.

The insulation in this cooler is acceptable – it’s advertised at up to 3 days, but in practice, it will reliably do about a day. This is despite the interesting insulation setup with a 3-layer base and heat-reflecting shell insulation.

The outer shell is pretty nice though – it’s easy to clean and resistant to water, stains, and punctures. Inside, you have a leakproof liner that is resistant to bacterial odors and makes for a safer & easier to clean interior. The cooler’s main compartment is additionally big enough to hold 2-liter standing soda bottles (a big advantage for a soft cooler).

There are features galore outside as well, including side mesh pockets, a roomy front pocket, a shoulder strap, and a bottle opener.

In conclusion, Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze is a very nice budget option for picnics or short beach outings. Its insulation isn’t the best, but it has many interesting and convenient features, thus offering great value for the money and securing a spot on our “Best Roller Cooler” top.

Get it at Amazon >>

Coleman 42-Can Wheeled Cooler

If you have been on the lookout for a rolling cooler that is on the soft side, then you need to check out this Coleman 42-Can wheeled cooler. Just as the name indicates, the capacity of this cooler is 42 cans. With a telescopic handle and wheels, you’ll find this one easy to transport as well.

It measures in at 11.42 x 12.6 x 21.26 inches and weighs just over five pounds, making it lighter than others. The lightness can be attributed to the soft-sided body and exterior.

Editor's TIP: Here you can learn more about soft coolers.

One user liked that this cooler was mid-size. The user mentioned also liking the lining of the cooler, likening it to a plastic lining in a wastebasket. The user mentioned that the lining made it much easier to clean and remove.

Another user took it on a trip to the beach and found that it functioned well. The user mentioned that it had nice extra pockets, smooth wheels, and gave great capacity without it being too big to transport and handle.

This cooler comes in two different colors, you can check them at Amazon right here >>

Columbia Crater Peak Rolling Ice Chest

This model will remind you of a rolling cart. The wheels are also advertised as all-terrain, which means that it should be durable over rough and rugged landscapes. It measures in at 16 x 10 x 13.5 inches giving you more than enough room to pack your
goods.

Check it at Amazon right here >>

One user enjoyed many features of this rolling ice chest, prompting us to feel that the user saw it as the best cooler with wheels. Of things to note, the user enjoyed the collapsibility, the height of the handles, the look of the cooler, removable liner, leak-proof ability, and small flip-top for easy grabbing of items.

Another user also mentioned the ability to break this cooler down. The user said that the removable wheels and fold up capabilities made it easy to pack directly into a suitcase to take on a trip.

Some had mentioned that it does have some issues rolling over grass, but that it rolled well on flat surfaces.

Ice Retention

Of course, at the end of the day, a wheeled cooler is a cooler. Its ultimate use is not to be pulled around on its wheels, but rather to cool its contents.

With that in mind, you should also consider the ice retention when picking wheeled coolers. Be sure to go for wheeled coolers that would give you the same level of ice retention as their non-wheeled counterparts.

Material Design and Construction

What kind of cooler are you looking for? Ideally, this isn’t a debate about hard and soft coolers since all wheeled coolers on the market at the moment are hard coolers.

However, there are other aspects of the design and construction that you should also consider, such as whether the cooler is rotomolded. Rotomolded coolers are of superior quality and will retain ice longer, not to mention they are also more durable than non-rotomolded coolers.

Storage Capacity and Cooler Sizes

Again, a wheeled cooler is just a cooler, which means your size requirements should also be taken into consideration. Depending on your needs, some coolers might be too big or too small for you.

Some brands offer multiple size options for their wheeled coolers while others offer only one. Watch out for this when you’re making your pick. 

Check out this article, we discuss here all the aspects that should be taken into account when looking at size and capacity.

Handle Height

While this one may not sound that important, you need to think about it. If you are taller and need to crouch lower in order to hold the handle as you roll, then you may be in for some difficulties.

If you need to roll your cooler for extended periods and extended distances, and will need to crouch down for long periods at a time, then you may want to consider a cooler with a longer telescopic handle.

Wheel Size

Wheel size makes all the difference. Just think about actual vehicles and this will make much more sense.

How do you think a car with smaller wheels will do on rough terrain? Now, how do you think a truck with off-road tires will do on rough terrain?

As you can see, the answer here is that the latter will do much better. Much of the same can be said of your rolling cooler needs. If the area you will be using the cooler has rough terrain, then you may want to consider a cooler with larger wheels, such as the Rovr.

Transport size

When it comes to transporting your new cooler, then dimensions will come into play. Handles and wheels attached to your cooler can make it awkward to transport and difficult to place into trunks or backseats.

If you are traveling on a plane and will be taking a wheeled cooler, then it can become even more difficult. One of the things you should be paying attention to is the size of the cooler, as well as the attachments such as wheels and handles.