The 8 Best Insulated Grocery Bags, Tested & Reviewed

You may already rely on HydroFlask to keep your beverages cool for hours on end, but get ready to add another of the brand’s mainstays to your cooler collection. With a roomy 26-liter capacity, this insulated grocery bag is the ideal pick for shoppers stocking up for a several-member household regularly, or anyone who often packs food for a crowd on the go. It keeps your groceries cold for an impressive 36 hours, thanks in large part to a leakproof body lined with lightweight insulation and cold-retaining technology.

During our testing, this insulated grocery bag quickly gained an edge over the competition thanks to its substantial size. The roomy interior fits up to 42 cans of soda, or one medium to large load of groceries. We loved that the bottom of the bag featured a hard, structured insert that protected produce and other delicate ingredients (like eggs) from getting squished in transit. The entire bag is wipeable and easy to clean, with welded seams that guarantee no spills or melted ice make their way out of the bag and onto the seat of your car. Even better, though, was just how convenient the bag was to carry. It comes with three carrying options: mid-length handles that can be held or thrown over your shoulder, a long cross-body strap with a padded leather cushion, and two handled grips on either side of the bag that make it easy to retrieve from your trunk or grocery cart. 

Material: Polyester | Capacity: 26 liters | Dimensions: 13.7 x 23.6 x 9.8 inches | Machine washable: No

If you want to keep your groceries cold but would rather save your money for actual food, this cooler bag from Creative Green Life should be on your list. With a modest price tag and roomy capacity, it's the best of both worlds when it comes to corralling and cooling your groceries without breaking the bank. The triple-layer insulation promises to keep ice solid for up to eight hours, so there’s no doubt it will work just as well to maintain the temperature of your meat, dairy, and vegetables. The 37-liter interior can be easily accessed through a wide mouth and sturdy zipper, and the entire interior can be wiped clean in the case of a spill. Make a mess? You can wash this tote in the machine. I

While testing this bag, we were immediately impressed by its performance and quality, especially given the relatively low price tag. While the straps weren’t the most comfortable of the bunch (they can be a bit painful if you’re carrying a heavy load), the insulation worked hard to keep our groceries cold, even when we found ourselves out of the house for hours on end. The straps on the front can even be converted to a horizontal carry, in case you want to lay the bag flat to tote something cold, like an ice cream cake (or hot, for that matter, like a pizza). While it’s not as stylish as other pricier options on our list, it works hard and certainly gets the job done.  

Material: Polyester | Capacity: 20 liters | Dimensions: 17 x 21 x 8 inches | Machine washable: Yes

This insulated bag from Corkcicle looks just as at home in the belly of your grocery cart as it does next to a picnic basket on a sandy beach, making it the ideal choice for any shoppers looking for a bag that pulls double (or even triple) duty. Made from a sporty neoprene fabric that repels water, this tote offers convenient features, like wrap-around pockets to stash sunnies, a wallet, or a phone, and exterior straps to secure a rolled-up beach towel or picnic blanket. Inside, you’ll find a food-safe liner with reinforced insulation made from recycled materials. A soft-sided body allows you to cram your grocery list into the bag if need be.  

Testing out this bag during grocery runs was a comfortable experience, thanks to the tote’s adjustable straps and plush, neoprene exterior, which added an extra bit of cushion. While this bag is heavier on its own than some of the others on our list, that heft didn’t seem to transfer over when it was filled. Instead of being cumbersome or unwieldy, toting our Corkcicle was easy, and the straps felt like the perfect length to distribute weight evenly. We also love that this bag was designed with an active lifestyle in mind.

Material: Neoprene, recycled insulation | Capacity: 30 liters | Dimensions: 14 x 21 x 7 inches | Machine washable: No

We feature several collapsible insulated grocery bags on this list, but none of them get quite as compact as this version from Nook Theory. It folds so small that you can easily slip it into a cabinet drawer when not in use. When fully assembled, the bag has a convenient cube-like shape with ample room for groceries, drinks, or a picnic feast. The scratch-resistant canvas exterior is elegant yet durable, while the interior features a thick layer of high-efficiency thermal foam, capable of keeping ice frozen for up to six hours with the zipper closed. You’ll also benefit from a duo of pockets on the exterior, where you can tuck everything from a water bottle or picnic utensils to a box of pasta. 

When testing this insulated grocery bag, we were immediately struck by its high-quality materials, which felt both rugged and refined. The bag is large and wide, but we found the handles to be the perfect length for carrying the tote over our shoulder. The cotton canvas fabric was easy to wipe clean and perfectly worn-in. The interior was just as functional, with a 100 percent leakproof lining filled with PEVA thermal foam for added insulation. The bag kept our groceries at a safe temperature beautifully, and even performed well during a peak summer boating excursion, where it housed snacks and delightfully frosty beverages. 

Material: Cotton | Capacity: 15 liters | Dimensions: 12 x 15 x 9 inches | Machine washable: Yes

With a soft, fold-flat shape and whopping 35-liter capacity, this insulated cooler bag from RTIC is no match for even the most enthusiastic farmer’s market shopper. The durable zipper top opens to reveal a roomy interior, lined with PVC-free coated waterproof fabric and featuring a welded bottom that allows the tote to sit upright for easy packing and unpacking. The exterior of the bag is sleek and stylish. There are several additional pockets to stash extras (think: your wallet, grocery list, some sunscreen, or even a beach read), all while protecting your accessories from any moisture within the bag. 

While this tote bag was originally tested as part of our round-up of the best soft coolers, we loved it so much that we had to include it on this list as well. During testing, we were super impressed by the sheer girth of this piece, which somehow managed to hold just about everything Mary Poppins-style without becoming too cumbersome to carry. While the straps on this bag aren’t adjustable, they offer a comfortable shoulder carry and can also be toted by hand without dragging the bag on the ground. Best of all, the insulation is top-notch. It kept our groceries at a safe temperature, drinks cold during multiple trips to the park, and ice solid for several hours. We’ve taken this bag on longer road trips and camping treks, packed to the brim with frozen proteins like burgers and salmon fillets, and can confirm this tote kept everything ice-cold for up to six hours.

Material: Polyester | Capacity: 35 liters | Dimensions: 14.5 x 21.25 x 9.5 inches | Machine washable: No

If you often find yourself walking several blocks to the store and back, you need more out of a grocery bag than just quality insulation. This suitcase-inspired wheeled cooler will save your back and your sanity, thanks to a generous 120-pound weight limit and 15-liter capacity. Firm perimeter framing helps the bag keep its shape when in use while still allowing it to fold flat for compact storage. A telescoping handle makes wheeling a breeze, there are several exterior pockets for extras, and the whole thing weighs less than three pounds when not in use. 

While testing this bag, we were wowed by just how much easier it made shopping on foot. While most suburbanites who drive to the store probably don’t need a wheeled grocery bag, any city dweller who has schlepped fruits and veggies several blocks knows just how big of a lifesaver a bag like this can be. We found this piece easy to wheel and fairly roomy, though it’s better suited for small households or shoppers who tend to take several smaller trips to the market throughout the week. The interior of the bag was easy to clean and didn’t hang on to any lingering odors or stains, even when pitted against a leaky package of fish during one of our outings. 

Material: Polyester | Capacity: 15 liters | Dimensions: 13.5 x 13.5 x 10 inches | Machine washable: No

Calling all solo shoppers! If you love the appeal of our top-seeded Hydro Flask tote but can’t justify the 26-liter capacity, this smaller version may be perfect for you. Sized to a compact yet roomy 20 liters, it’s the ideal pick for one-to-two person households, or anyone who shops frequently throughout the week. Style-wise, it has the same coated fabric exterior for water resistance and durability, with a wide base that allows it to stand tall as you pack and unpack your goods. The straps are coated for comfort and durability, and, while not adjustable, offer the perfect middle-ground length for wearing on your shoulder or carrying by hand.    

During testing, we used this bag at the grocery store, farmer’s market, and during a family picnic, where it housed both snacks for the toddlers and beer for the adults. While it’s not substantial enough to carry a week’s worth of groceries at one time, there was still plenty of room for several days' worth of goods, including milk, bread, and fruit. The interior is lined in a high-quality recycled polyester coating in the same hue as the exterior, which was a nice change from the typical iridescent silver seen on other models. The tote’s insulation delivered on its promise, keeping our dairy, produce, and proteins at a safe temperature, even when a trip to the grocery store was interrupted by a pit stop at the playground.

Material: Recycled polyester, canvas | Capacity: 20 liters | Dimensions: 13.5 x 13.5 x 10 inches | Machine washable: No

A bag that can guarantee your groceries are kept at a safe temperature for four hours or so is great, but it’s not always enough to make long road trips or travel days completely worry-free. If you’re planning on carting your food a long distance or have something that requires a guaranteed temperature (like baby bottles or medication), you can rely on this freezable tote bag from PackIt. The frozen pouches are integrated directly into the body of the bag, allowing you to check “pack ice packs” off your list entirely ahead of packing your bag. While this bag will require a bit of room in your freezer, it folds flat, so it’s not that much of a space hog. 

While testing this piece, we put it to work during an average grocery shop, as well as long road trips, and even as a lunch bag when there was no refrigerator in sight. Even though it’s smaller than some of the other options on our list, we were still able to fit an adequate number of groceries in the bag, as well as several containers of food when delivering meals to family. The fabric exterior of this bag isn’t quite as nice as other styles that made our list, and we wish the straps had more padding. However, it’s a unique and valuable addition to your rotation.   

Material: Polyester, gel ice pack | Capacity: 20 liters | Dimensions: 7.5 x 14.5 x 12.5 inches | Machine washable: No