How We Research
Every guide on JunkDrawerJoy starts with one question: will this product work for the person who is shopping for it? For our cooler guides, that means your trips, how many people you pack for and how far you carry it.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with the trip and the load
A hard cooler suits long trips and boats, a wheeled cooler suits beaches and long carries, and a soft cooler suits day trips. Size, weight and where it rides in the car or boat can each decide the pick.
We check the capacity, empty weight and outside size the maker lists, plus the handles, wheels and latches. When your car or boat limits the choice, we say what to measure.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at capacity, wall and lid build, the drain plug, tie-down slots, wheel and handle design and what comes in the box. Makers often quote ice life, so we label those figures as the maker's claim.
We also note the warranty terms the maker lists. When a detail comes from the maker, we say so.
3. We look at buyer feedback
We read through what buyers report after using a cooler. We look for patterns, like cracked latches, broken handles, wobbly wheels, lids that leak or drain plugs that drip.
One angry review doesn't sink a product. A pattern does.
4. We score each product
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A product that's great for one buyer may score lower in a guide written for another.
Scores spread out on purpose. A 10 is rare.
5. We keep pages up to date
Products change, and some disappear from stores. YETI and RTIC rename and resize their lines often, and Igloo and Coleman sell many coolers with similar names, so we check each model name and size before we write about it.
When we update a guide, the "Updated on" date at the top changes with it.
What our picks are not
Our picks are research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have packed ice in every cooler we cover.
Our guides don't replace the maker's manual or food guidance. For packing, cleaning and food handling, follow the maker's directions.
We don't promise how long ice will last, how long food will stay fresh or that any cooler will stop wildlife. Ice life depends on heat, how a cooler is packed and how often it is opened, and when a maker makes a claim, we label it as the maker's claim.