10 Best Fishing Coolers In 2023

The Pelican ProGear Elite fishing cooler is built like a rock and equipped to retain ice for up to 10 days. Due to this, it's one of the best fishing coolers you can get. Featuring non-skid and non-marking raised feet, it's also one of the best heavy duty marine coolers for boat fishing as it won't leave skid marks on the deck.

Capacity and Ice Retention

Thanks to a heavy-duty build, two inches of polyurethane insulation, and a lid with a freezer-grade rubber gasket, the Progear Elite lives up to it’s claimed 10 days of ice retention. As for storage space, it has a 35 quarts capacity. 

Construction and Features

Made in the USA and guaranteed for life, the Pelican Progear Elite is one of the best fish coolers for durability. To make it easy to use, it's equipped with both molded-in and hinged handles and press and pull latches. Lastly, the sloped drain with a tethered threaded plug is airtight and drains the cooler very fast.

The best high-performance cooler to bring along on multi-day fishing excursions or when going for big game fish is the Engel ENG123 fishing cooler. It has a 108 quart capacity and combines a seamless roto-molded body, a freezer gasket, and compression latches to retain ice for up to 10 days. Beyond this, we love that it’s IGBC certified bear-resistant and compatible with dry ice.  

Capacity and Ice Retention

Engel is a pioneer in portable refrigeration and the performance of this cooler reflects this. The lid, sides, and bottom are filled with 2 inches of insulation. Furthermore, the food-grade silicone freezer gasket and compression latches create a vacuum seal enabling the ENG123 fishing ice chest to retain ice for up to 10 days. This coupled with the enormous 108 quart or 130 cans capacity makes it the best cooler for long fishing expeditions. 

Construction and Features

The Engel ENG123 is a rotationally molded hard cooler built to accompany you on many fishing trips to come. The hardware is also top-level - flush mounted marine grade draw latches and stainless steel backing plates and screws. Lastly, non-skid and non-marking feet make it one of the best boat fishing coolers.

Everything about the Roadie 20 portable Yeti fishing cooler is heavy-duty from the roto-molded body to the latches and handles. At the same time, it’s the perfect size for short angling trips and for fitting in a tight place in a boat or vehicle trunk. On top of this, it's one of the best portable ice chests as the cooling performance is top-level and the cooler is leaks and condensation free. 

Capacity and Ice Retention

The YETI Roadie 20 is just the perfect size to fit essentials for a day fishing trip and remain easy to carry. It has a 14-cans capacity and YETI recommends a 2:1 ice-to-contents ratio. Extra-thick walls and two inches of pressure-injected commercial-grade polyurethane foam insulation ensure ice remains frozen for a couple of days.

Material and Features

Like other Yeti ice chests, the Roadie features Roto-molded construction which makes it virtually indestructible. It's even certified bear-resistant. Finally, it’s equipped with heavy-duty rubber lid latches that create an airtight seal and don't bust easily.

Thanks to its 5 pounds weight, smooth-rolling, and non-marking roller wheels, and a locking telescoping handle, the Igloo marine ice chest is one of the best portable fishing coolers. You will find it very easy to handle and move around even when you've loaded it to its full 35-cans capacity. It's also the most affordable fisherman cooler on this list and excellent value for money considering the top-notch quality and performance. 

Capacity and Ice Retention

The Breeze Roller is a 28-quart cooler big enough to hold 41 cans. It utilizes cool riser technology to improve its cold retention and comes with a hollow divider you can fill with water and freeze to maximize the cold retention. This design gives it 2-3 days ice-keeping duration. 

Material and Features

Despite the affordable pricing, the Igloo marine breeze roller is an American made cooler with the solid build quality. It's constructed with resilient polypropylene and equipped with an extendable locking handle and molded-in side scoop handles. The wheels are sturdy and roll smoothly on most surfaces including asphalt, concrete, and packed dirt.

Featuring a true 20-quart internal volume and tall enough to accommodate three wine bottles, the Pelican 20 Elite portable fishing cooler delivers a great balance of space and portability. For ease of carrying, it has an over-molded handle with a rubber grip and an ergonomic groove. Thanks to all these features, it's the best portable ice chest for fishing.

Capacity and Ice Retention

The 20QT Elite is true to capacity, which means it can hold 15 cans. On top of this, it's taller than other 20-quart coolers and can accommodate three wine bottles. Ice retention is above average for a cooler this size. Thanks to a continuous layer of 2-inch polyurethane insulation and a 360-degree freezer-grade gasket, you can be confident this cooler will keep your food and beverages cold for at least 3 days.

Material and Features

Like all other Pelican coolers, the Pelican 20 is made in the USA and backed by Pelican's lifetime guarantee. Injection-molded construction with strong hinges and latches makes it lightweight without sacrificing durability or performance. It's also packed with handy features - locking latches, an over-molded carry handle, a bottle opener, molded-in tie-down slots, 4 self-cup holders, and non-skid rubber feet.

The main appeal of the ENGEL drybox fishing icebox is that it's equipped with four rod holders, which make it so much easier to manage your fishing rods. Of course, you can remove and attach the rod holders as needed. Beyond this, it’s a compact and lightweight portable fishing coolers you can use whether you're a boat, kayak, shore, or paddleboard angler.

Capacity and Ice Retention

Insulated with molded Polystyrene foam and equipped with an airtight EVA gasket seal, its cooling performance isn't bad either. It's a great 24-hour cooler for keeping fish and bait ice cold and fresh on a day-long fishing excursion. Furthermore, the airtight design and included hanging tray makes it a fantastic dry box. As for capacity, you can choose between 19 and 30 quarts capacities. 

Material and Features

To strike the ideal balance between lightweight and robust, the Engel cooler is constructed with injection-molded PP Copolymer and features marine-grade stainless steel latches and screws. It's also great that the surface is stain and odor resistant. To cap it off, it has a carry handle and shoulder strap for easy carry.

With rock-solid durability, 3 days ice retention, and a fantastic set of features, the Pelican 50 Quart Elite portable fishing cooler is one of the best boat fishing coolers. Two things distinguish it from other coolers: press and pull locking latches you can operate with one hand and fixed handles that make it very easy to carry around. Beyond this, it comes equipped with 4 cup-holders, a bottle opener, and tie-down slots. 

Capacity and Ice Retention

The interior space of the Pelican 50 measures 17.50 x 11 x 13.7 inches, which translates to 1.53 cubic feet of interior volume. The 3 days ice retention is attributable to 2 inches of polyurethane insulation and a 360-degree freezer-grade gasket that seals tight all-around. It's perfect for a weekend-long fishing trip, as it will keep your food, bait, and catches chilled and fresh this long.

Construction and Features

With Pelican's solid reputation for quality and a lifetime warranty, the Pelican 50 is a super heavy duty ice chest you can purchase with confidence that it's built to hold up well and last a lifetime. It's made of polypropylene and features molded handles, locking latches, stainless steel hardware, and an anti-shear hinge system. For your convenience, it's equipped with molded-in tie-down slots, four self-draining cup holders, non-skid rubber feet, and a bottle opener.