Search
Close this search box.

21 Top Quality American Made Cooler Brands

By Matt Mullins   Last updated: June 12, 2024

The following coolers are proudly made in the USA. Those among the top hold ice far longer than your usual cooler, many up to 7-10 days in typical warm 90F weather and much longer in cool weather. The best hold up to grizzly bears and the rigors of daily outdoor punishment unlike cheap coolers’ flimsy latches and thin handles. 

 

If you’re wondering which coolers hold ice the longest; according to this real world test of 38 coolers the top 5 include: Maluna in 1st (17 days of ice), Cabela’s Polar Cap in 2nd (16 days), and Bison, ORCA, and Orion coolers tied at 14 days of ice retention. When many people think of premium coolers they often think of YETI which is not made in the USA. YETI didn’t rank in the top five for ice retention. I’d rather stick with a locally made cooler that performs better and costs less as well.

 

If you’re looking for a high performance cooler on a strict budget that can retain ice for over 7 days, I suggest looking into the Lifetime coolers (often found at Walmart). Check out this video review of the Lifetime 55 Qt Cooler; it looks like a steal at less than half the price of most high quality coolers.

Cabela's Polar Cap Equalizer Coolers​

Kenai by Grizzly Coolers

​Pelican ​Elite Coolers​

Taiga Coolers
(Also makes CAT Coolers)

Popular Pages:

The best backpacks made in the USA for hiking, backpacking, climbing/mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and simple everyday use.

Only our favorite gear, the top American made equipment that earns our Editor’s Choice and Best Buy Awards.

Find the highest quality survival preparation equipment to take on any emergency.

Here you’ll find a lineup of the best headlamps made in the USA for camping, backpacking, running, hiking, biking, fishing, and all things in the dark. ​

Whether you’re looking for adventure sandals, flip flops for the beach or fashionable sandals for a hot summer night on the town, you’ll find awesome and affordable American made men’s and women’s sandals.

​Want the best hiking, backpacking, or work boots made in the USA for Men and Women? Here they are!

Your guide to the best water bottles, reservoirs, and hydration systems you can find.

Looking for the lightest, highest-quality, weatherproof tents available? You should look here.

My personal recommendations for the top ten EDC folding knives made in the USA. If you’re looking for men’s gift ideas, this isn’t a bad place to start.

Discover the best sleeping bags in the world, which happen to be made in Seattle, WA and San Jose, CA, USA.

The top performing water filters for backpacking and international travel.

Nothing but the lightest, the comfiest, and the most durable camping mattresses available.

Recommendations to find the best American made axes.

Find the most reliable, best engineered flashlights available.

Leatherman makes the world’s best multi-tools. I’m familiar with Gerber, Sog, and Victorinox multi-tools but none compare to Leatherman tools…

My search for the best American-made phone cases and screen protectors has ended in success. Here are the results.

Looking for the top sunglasses made in the USA? You’ve come to the right place.

My picks for the top ultralight backpacking gear. 

You can follow American Gear Guide on InstagramFacebook, or Pinterest.

PLEASE! I NEED HELP TO KEEP RUNNING THIS WEBSITE, AND IT’S EASY AND FREE FOR YOU TO HELP OUT! 
Sharing the best locally made gear is a passion project close to my heart and if I’ve helped you find some cool US made gear then please consider helping my site going and growing. Running this site costs me a lot of cash to use secure and speedy web servers, purchase new gear, and to contribute my personal time and effort. Thus, I need your help to cover my costs and continue providing quality free information on the latest American-made gear.
It’s easy and free to help out.

If you ever want to purchase ANYTHING from AmazonREI.com, Cabela’s, or Sportsman’s Warehouse… even for dog food or toothpaste, then you can help me without costing you a single penny. If you use my links to make a purchase within 24 hrs then I will receive a tiny credit that will help my site pay its dues and continue running. So all I ask is that if you find the free info here useful and you need to make a purchase at Amazon, REI, etc. then please use the links on this site. This costs you nothing extra but will help provide myself and this website a dollar or two to help keep on trucking.

You can bookmark the following sites and each time you purchase something it will help American Gear Guide in a small but significant way. Bookmarkable links: AmazonREI.com, Cabela’s, or Sportsman’s Warehouse.

 
Another way you can help is by donating any amount you choose, even $1. If you would like to donate to this site, you can use the paypal donate button below or you can do so by following the DonorBox link here (includes options for PayPal and Google Pay) and enter the donation amount of your choice. I provide this website’s information for free without annoying ads or membership fees so any donation is incredibly helpful. Thank you!