Small cooler box for picnics, in short: for one or two people and a few hours, a 4 to 7 litre cooler is enough. For a family picnic that lasts the afternoon, choose 10 to 15 litres. Pick a hard cooler box if you want your drinks cold for longest, and a soft cooler bag if you want the lightest carry.
Our picks by group size
| Picnic for | Pick | Type | Holds (maker’s figure) | Cold time (maker’s figure) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One or two people, a few hours | Fieldbar Mini 4L, R1,200 to R1,500 | Hard | 6 x 330ml cans | Below 10°C for up to 24 hours |
| Two people, food and drinks, light carry | Stanley All Day Julienne Mini Cooler 7L | Soft | About 10 cans | Up to 12 hours with ice packs |
| Two to four people, bottles upright | Fieldbar Drinks Box 10L, R2,000 to R2,500 | Hard | 3 x 750ml bottles upright, or 10 x 330ml cans | Below 10°C for up to 50 hours |
| A family, soft and easy to carry | Stanley All Day Julienne Midi Cooler 11.3L | Soft | About 20 cans | Not published; use ice packs |
| A family, hard cooler | Stanley Easy Carry Outdoor Cooler 15L | Hard | 21 cans | Keeps ice for over a day |
Capacities and cold times are each maker’s own figures, measured their own way, so treat them as a guide rather than a side-by-side test. The Fieldbar figures assume the box is packed full of ice and kept in the shade.
Hard cooler box or soft cooler bag?
- Hard cooler box (Fieldbar, Stanley Easy Carry): keeps drinks cold for longer, protects what is inside and doubles as a small table or seat-side stand. Heavier to carry.
- Soft cooler bag (Stanley Julienne): lighter, folds open wide for packing food and carries on a shoulder strap. Needs ice packs, and keeps things cool for a shorter time.
For a picnic in the park, a soft bag for the food and a small hard cooler box for the drinks is a good combination.
What to look for in a picnic cooler box
- Size for your group: roughly 4 litres per person for drinks, plus room for ice. Food needs its own space.
- Carry weight: the Fieldbar Mini weighs about 1kg empty and the Drinks Box about 1.8kg. Remember the weight of ice and drinks on top.
- Carry style: both Fieldbar sizes can take a Fieldbar Swing Sling for shoulder carry, sold separately. The Julienne coolers come with a detachable shoulder strap.
- Bottles: if you want 750ml bottles standing upright, the Fieldbar Drinks Box 10L is built for three.
- How long you will be out: a few hours suits any of these. For a full day in the heat, a hard cooler box packed with ice lasts longest.
How to pack a cooler box for a picnic
- Chill drinks and food in the fridge the night before.
- Keep drinks and food in separate coolers if you can. The drinks cooler gets opened far more often.
- Fill every gap with ice or ice packs. Air warms up fastest.
- Keep the cooler in the shade, off hot sand or paving.
More tips: how long does Fieldbar stay cold and what fits in a 4L cooler box.
Bring the food along too
For salads or pasta to share, the Stanley Fresh-To-Table Leakproof Bowl 950ml is vacuum insulated with a latched, leakproof lid. For cold water, the Fieldbar Field Bottle 750ml keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours (Fieldbar’s figure). See all Stanley lunch boxes and coolers.
Frequently asked questions
What size cooler box do I need for a picnic for two?
For drinks only, a 4 litre cooler such as the Fieldbar Mini is enough for a few hours. For drinks and food together, choose around 7 to 10 litres.
What is the smallest Fieldbar cooler box?
The Fieldbar Mini 4L. It holds six 330ml cans and weighs about 1kg empty.
Which small cooler box keeps drinks cold longest?
Of the picks above, Fieldbar rates the Drinks Box 10L for up to 50 hours below 10°C when packed full of ice and kept in the shade. Makers measure differently, so compare their figures as a guide only.
Can I personalise a picnic cooler box as a gift?
Yes. We engrave any Fieldbar with a name or message for R200 extra. See the personalised Fieldbar gift guide.
We deliver across South Africa, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha and Bloemfontein, in 2 to 5 business days (free over R2,500, R99 below). Browse all Fieldbar cooler boxes.