Coleman Xtreme Rolling Cooler, 50 quarts review: This Coleman cooler is like a cheap suitcase, but for beer

A cooler that rolls along behind you is a sensible upgrade for anyone who hates carrying things, and at $45, the Coleman Xtreme Wheeled Cooler will get the job done. It isn't the sturdiest piece of plastic I've ever lugged around, but it kept things colder for longer than its closest rival, the Igloo Latitude Rolling Cooler.

6.3

Coleman Xtreme Rolling Cooler, 50 quarts

The Good

Coleman's wheeled cooler offers a bigger-than-advertised 58.1 quarts of storage space, which is very good at this price.

The Bad

The design feels cheap, and rolling it behind you forces you to tilt the cooler at a sharp angle. Performance was also just so-so.

The Bottom Line

This isn't a special cooler by any stretch, but it'll get the job done if you just want an affordable option that rolls.

That makes Coleman's cooler a sensible pick if you just want a relatively inexpensive wheeled cooler, but consider your alternatives before buying. Though it doesn't have wheels on it, the Igloo MaxCold Cooler offers notably better performance for the same price, and while I haven't tested them just yet, there are wheeled versions available, too. You could also think about saving up for the $400 Rovr Rollr 60 Cooler -- it's awfully expensive, but it offers a rugged, feature-rich design complete with 9-inch inflatable rubber wheels. But if you're willing to settle for middle-of-the-road performance (and if you want to navigate that road without any heavy lifting), then Coleman's cooler is a justifiable pick.

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The Coleman Xtreme is extreme in name only -- it's just a typical plastic cooler that comes with wheels on it. The lid doesn't latch shut, but you get a telescoping handle and a drainage spout inside, which is more than I can say for cheap coolers like the Igloo Island Breeze and the Rubbermaid Ice Chest. The Xtreme also offers ample room for your beer, claiming a capacity of 50 quarts. Even better, that capacity came in at a bigger-than-advertised 58.1 quarts when I filled it with water to double-check.

As for performance, the Coleman cooler was one of the better options I found for less than $50. When I dropped 3 pounds. of ice into it and recorded the minute-by-minute ambient temperature inside for 48 hours, it pulled temperatures down by about 20 degrees, which is pretty good considering that 3 pounds of ice really isn't a lot.

Still, the Xtreme wasn't nearly as strong a performer as the equally priced Igloo MaxCold Cooler, so keep shopping if you just want something affordable that'll keep your drinks cold the longest. I also wasn't a huge fan of the suitcase-style towing, which forces you to tilt the cooler at an aggressive angle -- the wagonlike, lift-and-pull approach of wheeled coolers like the Rovr Rollr 60 seems like the better design to me. But if you just want something affordable that'll roll from point A to point B and get the job done as far as cooling is concerned, then the Coleman Xtreme isn't a bad pick. 

• Want more info on coolers? Check out our full roundup post for more tips and buying advice.