Rotomolded coolers are worth the money here.

Yes, if you want a cooler that doubles as a seat or table, get a rotomolded one. The cheap plastic coolers will wobble, crack, or collapse under your weight. That’s not a party trick you want to test.

Rotomolded coolers are built like tanks. They have thick walls, flat tops, and they hold ice for days. They also double as a table or seat without flexing. Yeti, RTIC, and Pelican all make good ones. The RTIC 45 or Yeti Tundra 45 are popular sizes for a tailgate—big enough to hold drinks and food, small enough to sit on or put your plate on.

The downside: they cost more. A Yeti Tundra 45 runs about $300, and RTIC is around $200. But you’ll buy it once and it’ll last years. Cheap coolers will barely last a season before the lid warps or the latch breaks.

Don’t overthink the brand. Any rotomolded cooler with a flat lid will work. The igloo wheeled ones are not the same—they aren’t meant to be sat on. Stick with the rotomolded ones and you’re set.

Future you will be glad you didn’t buy the $50 one from the hardware store.