A good divider and a dry basket are the only cooler accessories worth buying.

Yes. Skip the insulation pads and fancy cutting boards. If you want to keep things organized without losing ice space, get a removable divider and a lightweight dry basket.

Dividers let you separate drinks from food or raw meat from everything else. They also keep stuff from sliding around when you’re driving. A dry basket keeps your cheese, bread, and chips above the meltwater so nothing gets soggy. That’s the whole kit.

Insulation pads are mostly marketing. A decent cooler already holds ice well. The foam pad you can buy adds maybe an hour of cold, costs $20, and takes up room you could use for beer. Not worth it unless you’re camping in direct sun for three days.