Your Guide to Cooler Sizes & Capacities
The key to staying cool & hydrated.
Whether you enjoy large family barbecues or appreciate a cool lunch on the go, there is a cooler that fulfills your capacity needs. The right cooler should provide plenty of room for food and beverage items you want chilled and ice-cold. Keep reading for simple steps to choosing the right cooler size.
1. Understand Cooler Sizes & Capacities
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When it comes to choosing a cooler size that works for you, you can typically expect to find size options listed as quarts. The total number of quarts refers to the total amount of space within the cooler, not the amount of quart-sized items. However, a lot of cooler products also use 12 oz. cans as the standard measurement for how many beverages you can fit within a cooler. Below, we've broken down each size option, including an estimation of the number of quarts and potential number of beverage cans a cooler can hold. These size dimensions may vary depending on the manufacturer.
Personal: 0–25 Quarts (1–12 Beverage Cans)
Personal-size coolers are perfect for the needs of one to two people and can be portable, which makes them ideal for hikes, day trips, or picnics. The cooler's storage container can be up to about 25 quarts in size and can typically hold anywhere from one to 12 beverage cans at a time.
Small: 25–50 Quarts (12–48 Beverage Cans)
Small-size coolers work best to store beverages for two to four people or more, and their size makes them great for overnight camping, small backyard BBQs, and beach day trips. Small coolers have a potential storage space of anywhere from 25–50 quarts. They also have the potential to store anywhere from 12 to 48 beverage cans at a time.
Medium: 50–75 Quarts (48–72 Beverage Cans)
This cooler size is perfect to fulfill chilled beverage needs for about four to eight people at a barbecue, party, or tailgate event. Medium coolers are also a good size for food and beverage storage for two to three people for a weekend trip. In total, medium coolers have anywhere from 50–75 quarts of storage space and have the potential to chill between 48 and 72 beverage cans at once.
Large: 75–100 Quarts (72–96 Beverage Cans)
A large-size cooler is the way to go for big family events, parties, or multiday camping trips, or fishing trips. Depending on everyone's beverage needs, these coolers can store beverages for eight to 12 or more people at a time. Large coolers vary from 75–100 quarts of interior storage space and can hold anywhere from 72 to 96 beverage cans at once.
Extra-Large: 100+ Quarts (96+ Beverage Cans)
Extra-large coolers allow you to maximize your food and beverage storage capacity with a storage area of 100+ quarts and room for around 96 or more beverage cans at a time. These ice chests are the ideal size for large gatherings of family and friends that have 12 to 20 or more people in attendance. This size is also great for storing large fish and game while outdoors so you can enjoy it later on.
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The right cooler sizes depend on the number of people you plan to accommodate at a given time. The same cooler that works for a family of four on a picnic won't accommodate the needs of 10 or more people at a barbecue. Designate a minimum of two to four drinks per person to estimate how many drinks you need to fit into a cooler. As a reminder, most coolers either use quarts or traditional 12-ounce cans as a measurement when estimating the total capacity.
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Ultimately, the size of the food items and beverages you plan to store in your cooler will impact the overall size you need. Choose a long cooler with a large storage compartment to store fresh fish or slabs of meat. In contrast, you may be able to fit more soda cans or juice boxes within an ice cooler because they're more compact and easier to stack compared to larger beer or wine bottles.
4. Consider Location & Mobility
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You’ll want to consider where you’ll use your cooler the most to help you decide on the ideal size. If you’re looking for something to bring on the go for picnics or fishing trips, consider a small cooler with shoulder straps for easy carrying. Some larger coolers have wheels that make them mobile, but keep in mind that they can still be heavy when filled with ice, food, and beverages. If your cooler will be a stationary fixture on your patio, you can opt for something larger without worrying about ease of mobility.
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For the best results, most coolers require a generous layer of ice on the bottom and more ice packed around the items you want to keep cold. This may reduce the amount of food or beverages you can pack into the cooler in one go. You might want to go up a size to ensure you have enough room for ice and the number of beverages or food items you want to chill. Refrain from going up more than one size, as this may require more ice and effort to keep items cool.
Tip!
Now that you know the optimal cooler dimensions for your needs, check out our Cooler Buying Guide: Best Cooler Designs or take a look at The Best Coolers for Your Outdoor Adventures.
