REASONS TO BUY
Light and easy to lift
Affordable
Easily transportable
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor insulation performance
Not watertight
Hard to open
Flimsy handle
Coleman Xtreme 50 with Wheels Review
This lightweight wheeled cooler gets the job done on a tight budget and offers adequate insulation performance that keeps items cool for just a few days
Credit: Matt Lighthart
By Genaveve Bradshaw ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ November 1, 2024
Contributions From: Kolby Anderson
RELATED: The Best Coolers of 2026
Our Verdict
The Coleman Xtreme 50 with Wheels is a lightweight wheeled cooler that checks a lot of boxes for those on a tight budget who want a cooler for a short weekend getaway. Its wheeled design is surprisingly capable and makes it effortlessly portable. The Coleman 50 lacks some beneficial features we appreciate in a good cooler, like a gasket or seal for the lid and drainage channels molded into the cooler's body to facilitate easy, efficient drainage. But those hiccups won't stop you from having cold drinks at the lake or campsite as long as your adventure fits within the window of the Coleman's insulation performance. To see how it ranks alongside the competition, check out our complete cooler review.
Our Coleman Xtreme 50 Experience
The Coleman Xtreme 50 packs a lot in an affordable package. It features four molded-in cup holders incorporated into the lid, making it an awesome side table for beach hanging and enjoying a brew. The wheels are quite capable and super convenient for traveling longer distances. Its lightweight construction makes it quite portable even when fully loaded.
When it comes to rolling, the Coleman navigates smoothly across surfaces like concrete and asphalt. It slows down a bit in dry sand, but can still travel across a beach.
Splash! The Coleman Rolling 50 has no seal between the lid and the cooler's body, and water surged in all directions during our testing. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The cooler's lightweight allows it to be transported relatively easily, but it does not inspire confidence when sitting or standing on it. The rounded top of the lid is not the most comfortable seat, and we 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 around the lid, so it can leak water when all the ice melts.
In our testing, we found the wheels of the Coleman Portable to be surprisingly capable. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Coleman provides a limited one-year warranty, but it's lasted us several years and still keeps items cool for days.
The lid hinges and handles of the Coleman are adequate but aren't confidence-inspiring like some of the sturdier and more comfortable coolers we've reviewed.
Analysis and Test Results
For being a budget cooler, we were surprised with how well the wheels performed on the Coleman 50. Credit: Matt Lighthart
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 Xtreme 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.
The Coleman's telescoping handle sits flush with the lid when retracted to stay out of the way and to allow the lid to open fully. Credit: Matt Lighthart
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.
In all our years of testing, we've reviewed dozens of different coolers, and the list continues to grow each day. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Insulation
The Coleman Xtreme 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.”
Here is our tester, Gena Bradshaw, dumping ice into each cooler for our 10-day-long insulation testing. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Moving and Lifting
We found the Coleman to be very portable, thanks to its wheels and telescoping handle. We can easily wheel it around anywhere. Rolling this cooler around went surprisingly well, even though the wheels don't seem that burly; they were able to handle most terrain, including sand and rocky beaches.
The Coleman Xtreme does not have a gasket or seal between the lid and the cooler's body, so 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.
For a budget cooler, the Coleman 50 performs surprisingly well across a range of surfaces. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Packable Space
The Coleman Xtreme has a measured capacity of almost 50 liters, making it the perfect option for storing food for a family of four or for taking on a long weekend trip. It fit up to 90 cans in our tests, so you probably won't ever run out of drinks. The interior is square-shaped and not so deep that it's hard to pack, but still deep enough to fit an upright wine bottle. Our only gripe is that the lid sometimes falls while we're packing items in.
Ease of Use
The Coleman Xtreme 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.
Coleman claims that the Portable 50 can fit up to 84 cans, and we were able to fit 90. Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
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.
Although the telescoping handle is not adjustable, it rises to a comfortable height that should suit most users. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Coleman Xtreme 50 with Wheels versus top competing products:
| Awards |  Incredible Portability and Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $65 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|
| Star Rating | |
| Bottom Line | This lightweight wheeled cooler gets the job done on a tight budget and offers adequate insulation performance that keeps items cool for just a few days |
| Pros | Light and easy to lift, affordable, easily transportable |
| Cons | Poor insulation performance, not watertight, hard to open, flimsy handle |
| Rating Categories | Coleman Xtreme 50 wi... |
| Insulation (35%) | |
| Moving & Lifting (35%) | |
| Packable Space (20%) | |
| Ease of Use (10%) | |
| Specifications | Coleman Xtreme 50 wi... |
| Food Safe Days | 4.1 |
| Cold Drink Days | 4.6 |
| Measured Weight | 12.5 lbs |
| Measured Exterior Dimensions | 22.8" x 17.8" x 17.6" |
| Measured Can Capacity | 90 |
| Wheels | Yes |
| Features | 4 molded-in cup holders in lid |
| Measured Capacity | 52.0 qt |
| Upright Wine Bottle Fit | Yes |
| Measured Internal Height | 14.0" |
| Outer Construction | Blow-molded plastic (non-rotomolded) |
| Inner Construction | Xtreme technology |
—Genaveve Bradshaw and Kolby Anderson
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