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Whether you’re embarking on a beach trip or hosting an outdoor gathering, a good quality cooler paired with some ice can help keep those sandwiches, sodas and dips cold for hours. But, according to experts, you may want to rethink using actual ice cubes.
“Plain ice melts, and the liquid from your ice will saturate whatever you’re attempting to keep cold in your cooler,” says Charlton Becker, a chef and owner of Charlton Becker Catering in Boston. “Ice packs, on the other hand, tend to last much longer because they’re made with an outer layer of plastic that keeps the cold in and condensation out.” Ice packs are also reusable, which means you won’t have to purchase large bags of ice every time you pack a cooler, says private chef Chris LeVecchia.
To help you determine the best ice packs for your needs, we sought out guidance from chefs and catering professionals who have experience using ice packs to keep perishables cold. Based on their guidance, we also rounded up top-rated ice packs to shop.
SKIP AHEAD How we picked top-rated ice packs | Top-rated ice packs | How to properly use ice packs
Best overall: Yeti Ice Cooler Ice Pack
Best large ice pack: Kona XL Large Cooler Ice Packs
Best small ice pack: Cooler Shock Reusable Ice Packs
Related: Hard coolers are more durable and better at retaining temperature, while soft coolers are lightweight and portable, according to experts.
To help you find the best ice packs, we talked to caterers and chefs about what to consider when shopping for them. Here are the key factors they recommend keeping in mind:
Size: Consider the type of cooler you're using and what you plan on putting in it. “I regularly use Yeti coolers that have straight sides, so I like to use large ice packs that will line up with the sides and top to create a cold wall,” says Tiffany Swan, a traveling retreat chef and food scientist. If you're packing perishables, for example, you may want to consider smaller ice packs that you can place around those items. To give you options, we included ice packs that come in a variety of sizes.
Cooling agent: Regular ice melts relatively quickly, which is why most ice packs for coolers are filled with a gel formula. Gel freezes at a lower temperature, which means it stays frozen for much longer. For this reason, we focused on ice packs that contain gel.
Style: Consider whether you’ll need soft gel or solid block ice packs to fit your needs. For example, if you need to keep a bunch of produce cold, you may want to opt for a soft gel pack because a frozen solid brick could bruise or damage delicate items, says Becker.
Durability: You may find that coolers are usually tossed around or dragged over bumpy ground, which means the contents inside may not be secure. “Look for something heavy-duty that feels substantial so that it won’t get damaged easily or won’t leak and ruin your food,” says LaVecchia.
Below, we rounded up top-rated ice packs to throw into a cooler or lunch bag that’ll keep your food and drinks chilled for hours.
Soft gel packs are lighter and more flexible than hard gel blocks, which makes them easier to layer on top of softer foods like sandwiches and fruits, says Becker. These nylon-covered gel packs don’t release condensation, so they won’t add moisture to anything they touch, according to the brand. They’re about the size of a sandwich and, because they’re soft-sided, these ice packs can double as a cool compress for your forehead or an injury, according to Fit and Fresh. These ice packs have a 4.7-star average from 1,969 reviews on Amazon.
Ice packs per set: 2 | Dimensions: 7 x 5 x .25 inches | Style: Soft gel pack
Fit + Fresh Cool Coolers $ at Amazon
Both Swan and LaVecchia say they prefer block-shaped ice packs for coolers. “They don't lose their shape in the re-freezing process and they are less likely to puncture in the course of their use,” says Swan. “They also stack more efficiently in the freezer.” These BPA-free plastic blocks are a great size for a lunch bag, and you can use multiple in a larger cooler to keep items cold. They earned a 4.6-star average from over 25,600 reviews on Amazon.
Ice packs per set: 4 | Dimensions: 7 x 4.7 x .5 inches | Style: Block
Healthy Packers Ice Packs for Coolers
Healthy Packers Ice Packs for Coolers $ at Amazon
Fill these ice packs with water and freeze them to create a reusable option that can keep food and drinks chilled for up to 18 hours, according to the brand. Swan says she prefers to use smaller packs like these when using a large cooler because they’re useful for chilling specific areas and items — you can place several packs around your proteins and fewer packs around delicate produce like lettuce. These ice packs come in three sizes and have a 4.6-star average from over 25,400 reviews on Amazon.
Ice packs per set: 4 | Dimensions: 6.5 x 7.5 x 1 inches (small), 10 x 10 x 1 inches (medium), 10 x 14 x 1.5 inches (large) | Style: Bag
Cooler Shock Reusable Ice Packs
Cooler Shock Reusable Ice Packs $ at Amazon
These large, BPA-free plastic ice packs come recommended by Swan. “I like that they are slim, so I can easily pack a number of them when flying to a retreat,” she says. “They freeze quickly and slide in easily on the sides of the cooler and around whatever you’re trying to [keep] cool.” Stick these in the freezer for just 25 minutes and they’ll be fully frozen and ready to use for up to 12 hours, according to the brand.
Ice packs per set: 2, 4 or 20 | Dimensions: 13 x 10 x .5 inches | Style: Block
Kona XL Large Cooler Ice Packs
Kona XL Large Cooler Ice Packs $ at Amazon
LaVecchia prefers brick ice packs because they tend to be more durable. This option from Select-favorite brand Yeti comes in one-, two- and four-pound sizes. The ice pack absorbs heat, which helps keep items colder for longer, and has a cutout in the center that helps it freeze faster, according to the brand. This ice pack has a 4.7-star average from over 8,500 reviews on Amazon.
Ice packs per set: 1 | Dimensions: 8 x 2.6 x 1.6 inches (1-pound), 8 x 5.4 x 1.7 inches (2-pound), 10.6 x 8 x 1.7 inches | Style: Block
Yeti Ice Cooler Ice Pack
Yeti Ice Cooler Ice Pack $ at Amazon
Yeti Ice Cooler Ice Pack $ at DICK'S Sporting Goods
Yeti Ice Cooler Ice Pack $ at YETI
Intended for lunch boxes, these ice packs — which earned a 4.8-star average rating from over 13,500 reviews on Amazon — may delight kids because of their fun shapes and vibrant colors, but they also work great in adult lunch bags, too. They’re about the size of your hand and can be tossed in the built-in sleeve of a lunch box or directly in the main compartment to keep items cool for up to 4 hours, according to Bentgo. These ice packs come in shapes like pineapples, unicorns and sharks.
Ice packs per set: 4 | Dimensions: 5.8 x 4.3 x .5 inches | Style: Block
Bentgo Buddies Reusable Ice Packs
Bentgo Buddies Reusable Ice Packs $ at Amazon
Bentgo Buddies Reusable Ice Packs $ at Target
Bentgo Buddies Reusable Ice Packs $ at Bentgo
Designed for large and extra-large coolers, this ice block has built-in ridges to make it easier to grip and you can line the bottom of your cooler with a few of these to keep everything cool for up to 10 hours, according to the brand. Keep in mind that one of these blocks weighs five pounds, so using multiple will add significant weight to your cooler. This ice block has a 4.7-star average from over 15,200 reviews on Amazon.
Ice packs per set: 1 | Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.5 x 1.7 inches | Style: Block
Igloo Extra Large Ice Block
Igloo Extra Large Ice Block $ at Amazon
Igloo Extra Large Ice Block $ at Walmart
Igloo Extra Large Ice Block $ at Igloo
Using ice packs over regular ice has a number of benefits, primarily in regards to melting. “When an ice pack melts, it is contained within its package, but when ice melts, even if you double-bag it, it still seems to get everywhere,” says Swan. “This makes for soggy egg cartons and produce, but it also can cause an easy spread of microbes, potentially causing food borne illness.”
To make your ice pack work best for you, you’ll need to keep a few factors in mind when you shop, including the size of your ice pack and how to keep them cool for longer.
There are a few ways to determine the best size ice pack for your needs. First, the size of the cooler you will be using. If you or your kids want to keep items in an insulated lunch bag cool, a single small ice pack should suffice. The same goes for smaller coolers. If your ice packs are too big, you won’t have enough room for food or drinks, says LaVecchia. But keep in mind that smaller ice packs will melt faster, so if you have items that need to stay cold for longer, a larger cooler with large ice blocks is likely a better idea.
Even if you don’t pack much in a bigger cooler, loading it up with big ice packs is smart. In general, the bigger the cooler, the less insulated it is, which means you’ll need larger ice packs to keep things cold, according to Swan. The same rule applies if you’re traveling in hot weather for extended periods of time.
You have your cooler and your ice packs — now what? Becker suggests lining your cooler with the packs before placing your food or drinks inside. “Keep in mind that heat travels up and cold always travels down,” he says. “So, when packing your cooler, leave an even space on top to place your ice packs. This will ensure an even distribution of cold throughout.”
Though it will require a little extra time, if you want your ice packs to cool for longer, consider preparing your cooler ahead of time. This could be as simple as taking it out of the hot, humid garage and placing it in an air-conditioned room for a few hours to make sure it isn’t warm. Or, if you want to really chill it first, you can use any leftover ice you have in your freezer and place it inside your cooler for an hour. Afterward, you can dump the ice and add in your ice packs. “By doing this, heat from the cooler walls won’t be sucked up by the ice packs meant to cool your food,” says Swan. “If you don't pre-cool, your ice will melt much faster.”
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Charlton Becker is a chef and owner of Charlton Becker Catering in Boston.
Chris LeVecchia is a private chef who has clients in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Tiffany Swan is a traveling retreat chef and food scientist.
Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers topics like beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, she interviewed three experts to gather their guidance on what to look for when shopping for ice packs.
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