Coleman Portable Rolling 50 Review

The budget-friendly Coleman Portable 50 packs a lot of cooler into an affordable package. It features four molded-in cup holders incorporated into the lid and wheels that we found quite capable in our testing. Its lightweight construction makes it quite portable even when fully loaded.

Performance Comparison

Insulation

In order to test the insulation performance of each cooler, we place each of them in a temperature-controlled room, fill them up with ice, and place multiple sensors inside a mason jar nestled among the ice to monitor closely as temperatures slowly change. There are two temperature milestones that we're especially monitoring: 40 degrees and 50 degrees. The USDA recommends that food be kept at or below 40 degrees to comply with safe food handling practices. Most drinks are best enjoyed at or below 50 degrees.

The Coleman Portable 50 is a cheap cooler compared to many we tested, so our expectations were not set high when we evaluated its insulation performance. But, we were pleasantly surprised that temperatures inside were kept at or below 40 degrees for just over four days and exceeded 50 degrees after only an additional 12 hours. This is a fair performance for what you pay for but leaves much to be desired compared to many of the other coolers we've tested. After ten days of testing had passed, our tester submerged their hands in the water and noted that the water felt “nearly warm.”

Durability

Our durability testing consists of putting each cooler through its paces by sitting on it, standing on it, pulling it around on a number of different surfaces, and seeing how the handles and the cooler react when used. We perform a water slosh test that shows how watertight each cooler is and if you can stay dry when moving it if it tips. We keep a close eye out, looking for potential points of failure and early signs of wear and tear that could spell disaster down the road as you use them.

Durability testing of the Coleman shed light on what it excels at but also delivered some disappointing results. When it comes to rolling, our tester stated that the Coleman “Navigates smoothly across easily accessible surfaces like concrete and asphalt, but this cooler doesn't feel like it was created to tackle sand, snow, etc.”

The cooler's light weight allows it to be transported relatively easily but does not inspire confidence when sitting or standing on it. The rounded top of the lid makes this not very comfortable as a seat, and you wouldn't want to stand on it because it feels rather insecure and unstable. This cooler does not feature any sort of gasket or seal where the lid meets the body of the cooler so all of our testing during the water slosh test resulted in tidal waves of water in all directions. We also didn't love that the location of the drain plug places it dangerously close to the ground and anything that you might wheel over when moving it.

Ease of Use

Our ease of use assessment involves us getting hands-on experience with all the handles, straps, drain plugs, and latches of the cooler to understand how they perform and how they feel to the end user. We verify all of the manufacturer's claims of capacity and size to ensure that they're accurate. We also assess each cooler's storage footprint, searching for answers to these types of questions. Is it awkwardly shaped and hard to store? Is it so heavy you wouldn't be able to lift it to store up high easily?

The Coleman Portable has a telescoping handle for use when wheeling the cooler around and molded-in handles for carrying. We felt that all of the handles were fine but didn't feel super comfortable in your hand. It's somewhat inconvenient that the lid can't be opened all the way and stay open unless the telescoping handle is put all the way down.

The lid incorporates four cup holders, which is nice to have, but it doesn't have any latches. The lid takes a decent amount of effort to open and close and isn't as easily accessed as some of the other coolers we've liked with almost effortless access. The plastic drain plug included with the Coleman is very simple and is tethered to the cooler, which helps prevent users from losing it and having to purchase another.

Portability

Portability is important when considering a cooler. We've all been in a situation where a heavy or awkward cooler made life difficult as you try to bring it along with you wherever you're headed. We evaluate how easily each cooler can be carried, rolled if they have wheels, how easily they can be lifted, and how much they may leak when being transported around. We found the Coleman to be very portable in this test, with some minor quirks.

With the Coleman Portable not having a gasket or seal between the lid and the cooler's body, it's prone to leaking no matter how you move it. The telescoping handle extends to a comfortable height, but it would be nice if it were adjustable. The Coleman is lightweight, weighing only 12.5 pounds, so even when fully loaded, most people would be able to lift it. The wheels are a positive point when it comes to its portability. Our tester stated that “rolling this cooler around went surprisingly well for me. Even though the wheels don't seem that burly, they were able to handle most of the terrain I tried.”

Additional Features

Some coolers that we review are pretty bare bones aside from the cooler itself with an insulated body and lid, while others are packed with convenient accessories and additional features. As part of our additional features testing, we review how customizable they are, if the manufacturer provides any additional accessories or features that are included or sold separately, and how good their warranty is.

The Coleman Portable 50 is no-frills when considering additional features. There are no accessories included or available online, it doesn't feature any slots to assist in securing the cooler, and the manufacturer doesn't have replacement parts readily available if any part of your cooler fails. Coleman does provide a limited one-year warranty, but compared to many others, it leaves much to be desired. At the end of the day, none of these facts surprised us much, as this cooler is a great example of getting what you pay for.

Should You Buy the Coleman Portable Rolling 50?

Ultimately, one of the biggest considerations when purchasing a cooler is your budget. If your wallet is feeling light and you don't need your cooler to make food last more than four days, we highly suggest the Coleman Portable Rolling 50qt. For what you're spending, you're getting a capable wheeled cooler with decent insulation performance and molded-in handles for an additional carry method. For the low cost of the Coleman, it's hard to beat. If you're looking for a cooler with cutting-edge features, high-performance insulation, or heavy-duty construction, the Coleman 50 isn't a good fit for you.

What Other Coolers Should You Consider?

Still unsure of which cooler deserves to accompany you on your next adventure? Check out our full review of the best coolers on the market, where you're sure to find a great fit for you. If you're in the market for a wheeled cooler but the Coleman isn't for you, go check out the Xspec 45 Towable. It's similar to the Coleman 50 in size but features larger, more capable wheels, higher performance insulation, and overall better build quality and durability. If your budget allows, the Xspec 45 will keep your food fresh (under 40 degrees Fahrenheit) for about six days and is also towable. If money is not a limiting factor, the Yeti Roadie 48 and Yeti Roadie 60 are excellent wheeled coolers that look great, are built tough, and performed well in all of our testing. The Yeti Roadie 48 will keep your food under 40 degrees for about seven days, and the Roadie 60 will keep food fresh for 6.3 days.