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A portable refrigerator is just what it sounds like: a mini fridge that keeps food and drinks cold without the need for ice or freezer packs that's also durable enough to take with you on the go.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute, we've been testing refrigerators and outdoor gear for decades, so our experts know what makes a good portable refrigerator. Below, find our reviews of the best portable refrigerators to keep your food and drinks cool for hours.
"Portable refrigerators are another new-ish product that can make road and camping trips more comfortable and convenient," says Dan DiClerico, the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Some models have a power cord that plugs into a standard 110/120V AC outlet, meaning you’ll need a portable generator if you want to take them on the road, while others use 12-volt DC power that can be plugged into your car’s lighter. There are also battery-powered portable refrigerators.
But whichever option you choose, don’t expect the same cooling power as the fridge in your kitchen. "Typical fridges you'd find in your kitchen today have better insulation and sealing and use more efficient compressor motors and refrigerants," says Rachel Rothman, the GH Institute's chief technologist and executive technical director.
You can find more information on what to look for when shopping for a portable refrigerator at the bottom of this guide. Interested in more cool content? Check out our reviews of the best backpack coolers, adult lunchboxes and standard coolers.
With two separate spaces for storing food at two different temperatures and a whopping 63-quart capacity, this portable refrigerator from ICECO is a great option for avid campers, beachgoers, picnickers and road-trippers (as long as you have a dedicated power source, of course.) It also comes with two wire baskets that fit within the two compartments, as well as an insulated cover and an interior light. If you choose to power the cooler from your car battery, it has a car battery-protection mode that helps prevent it from completely draining the battery.
"The impressive cooling range of the compressor is more in line with what we see with full-size refrigerators and the generous five-year warranty shows how the brand stands by its durability and design," says DiClerico. The size does come at a cost though (aside from the steep price tag): At 65 pounds, it is rather heavy and might require two people to carry.
Large portable refrigerators and coolers can get really expensive, but this pick from Coleman is at a great price for its size. According to the brand, it has the capacity to hold 44 cans and its versatile design allows you to use it as a chest, or flip it upright to use as a refrigerator. The cord for the 12V plug in is 8 feet long, so it can reach the middle or back seat of your car, depending on the make and model.
Note that while it does chill the contents, it's dependent on the ambient temperature around the cooler. It can only chill the contents 40° lower than the outside temperature. So keep in mind that the fridge might not reach food-safety standards, depending on the outside temperature. Conversely, it can also be used to keep food warm.
Two words: Cup. Holders. Perfect for car-trip enthusiasts, this little car cooler can sit in the middle of seats to act as a console. According to the brand, it can hold 12 12-ounce cans. It also comes with a carrying strap for easy transport from the car when you reach your destination. It plugs into your car's 12V outlet (the little round one you can stick a car phone charger in) and the six-foot cord can reach to the middle or back seat too. Note that this is a more of a powered cooler and not a refrigerator: The temperature of the cooler is dependent on the outside temperature. It can cool 32° to 36° below the outside temp, so if you want to keep food safe under 40° F, you'll want to add ice packs or use a proper refrigeration device. It does keep food warm too. According to the brand it can heat up to 140° and has an indicator light so you know what temperature mode is in use at a glance.
All of the picks on this list — as well as most of the portable refrigerators on the market — run using DC or AC cords, which means they need to be plugged in and stay plugged in. But this 50-quart pick from SetPower can also be powered by a rechargeable battery, so you have the freedom to venture away from outlets (for a certain amount of time, at least), making it a good portable refrigerator for camping.
According to the brand, the battery can keep the refrigerator running for up to eight hours, under ideal conditions. "Today’s lithium-ion batteries have gotten so much better in terms of charge and run times, and they also last much longer than earlier rechargeable batteries," says DiClerico. The cooler also has car battery protection, so you can charge the battery without worrying about draining your car's and leaving you stranded in need of a jump.
There's also a spot to wirelessly charge your phone on top and a USB port, though note that charging any other devices will affect the overall battery life of the refrigerator. It also does take a while to fully charge the battery, so make sure to plug it in overnight to it give it ample time to charge. Another big plus: The telescoping handle and durable six-inch wheels mean you can roll it with ease, no matter how much you've packed inside.
This small portable refrigerator from Cooluli is great for keeping a few drinks or skincare products close and cool. According to online reviews (there are over 5K five-star reviews on Amazon), it can hold up to six cans of soda. The door is glass, so you can write or draw using dry-erase markers. It also comes in a smaller size and a few different colors as well. Something to note: The temperature is dependent on the ambient temperature of the room, which means it might not keep a low enough temperature to reach food safety standards. It also warms, which could be great for keeping cups of coffee or tea warm at your bedside or at a desk.
Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we've done extensive evaluations on refrigerators, running tests on over 50 fridges over the past decade to determine the best refrigerator brands and mini fridges. Similarly, we've tested products across the entire outdoor category to assess the top picks in camping gear, camping stoves and tents.
Though we haven't run full category testing on portable refrigerators, we've leveraged our expert knowledge and scoured online reviews, available technical data and user manuals to determine which options are the most promising. Our experts also looked at portable refrigerators that are highly rated and reviewed online.
✔️ Temperature regulation: Not all portable refrigerators are equal in their ability to keep food cool. Some act more like a typical refrigerator with a temperature range, while others can only cool a set amount of degrees lower than the outside ambient temperature. What does this mean exactly?
If a product claims that it can cool 40° below the outside ambient temperature and it happens to be 90° outside, then the product is only ever going to get as cool as 50°. Keep this in mind when shopping, especially if you intend on storing food. According to the USDA, food needs to be kept below 4o° or above 140° in order to be safe to consume, and you don't want to mess around with the bacteria that can grow in between those temperatures. Make sure to do a test run with a thermometer to ensure the product can maintain the appropriate temperature before using it to store food. Typically, portable refrigerators that resemble proper refrigerators are compressor-based, like their larger counterparts. Portable refrigerators that depend on the outside temperature tend to be thermoelectric, and usually offer heating as well as cooling.
Note that most of the time, opening the door to these smaller refrigerators can make the temperature rise significantly, so try not to do the whole open-close-open-close dance looking inside the refrigerator. Here's a pro tip to help prevent that from happening: Make a list of everything inside the cooler on a sticky note or piece of paper and fix it to the exterior so you know what's inside without opening the door. Run out of something on the list? Simply cross it off so you know you're out.
✔️ Power source: Portable refrigerators almost always come with either a DC or AC power cord, and often they come with both. What's the difference between the two? DC stands for direct current, while AC means alternating current. If you plan on mostly using the portable refrigerator in the car, look for a DC cord. If a normal outlet is more practical for your needs, prioritize an AC cord. If you plan on using both or if you don't know what you'll have access to, look for an option that comes with both cords. There are also battery-powered options if you need to be away from a power source for a while.
✔️ Extra features: Like normal coolers, it's about what the portable refrigerator can do for you. Look for easy-carry straps and handles, cup holders, wheels and even phone chargers, depending on your needs and what you're planning on using the portable refrigerator for. ✔️ Size and capacity: Bigger means heavier in this case, so as cool as it is that that one model can hold 100 cans of soda, you're going to be miserable if you have to carry it for any amount of distance. If you need that kind of capacity (say, for large groups), look for wheels or other ways to transport it easily from point A to point B.
Abigail Bailey writes about a wide range of products for Good Housekeeping, from smart blinds to garment bags and dehumidifiers. She was a registered Boy Scout with a Venturing Crew growing up and often went camping with her Eagle Scout brother. She considers herself a beach bum and is always down for a good road trip — as long as there are snacks.
In his role as director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab, Dan DiClerico brings more than 20 years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed thousands of products for Good Housekeeping, as well as brands like This Old House and Consumer Reports.
Abigail (she/her) covers everything from kitchen gear to mattresses and smart blinds for the Institute, as well as assisting the General Manager in any number of projects. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.A. in creative writing, as well as earning her M.S. in publishing digital and print media from New York University. Before GH, she worked at LSU Press and The Southern Review literary magazine. In her free time you can find her quilting, cross-stitching or trying to figure out how to squeeze one more bookshelf in her tiny apartment.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
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