Best Baby Bottle Cooler Bag (2022)

If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best bottle cooler bag is, I’d recommend the PackIt Freezable Cooler Bag.

There’s nothing more stressful than being out and about and your baby refusing to drink their bottle. Whether you’re breast or formula feeding, you may need to have a supply of milk when you’re on the go. Storing milk safely isn’t always easy, so bottle cooler bags are a must-have to avoid a hangry little one.

But which one is the best baby bottle cooler bag? Let’s find out.

In this article, I am breaking down the best baby bottle cooler bags, and in the end, I’ll choose the winner.

Here are the bottle cooler bags I will be reviewing:

• PackIt Freezable Cooler Bag
• Lekebaby Breastmilk Cooler Bag
• Skip Hop Insulated Cooler
• Breast Pump Backpack and Cooler
• Kidthingz Double Bottle Bag
  

Safe Bottle Practices

Contrary to popular belief, you aren’t required to heat a bottle before using it. Heating has just become the norm because many babies prefer warm milk to cold. When it comes to bottles, it’s vital to heat it properly.

It’s best to avoid using the microwave if you can. Your microwave won’t be able to distribute heat evenly and can cause several issues. First and foremost, microwaves create “heat pockets.” Heat pockets are hot spots in formula or breastmilk that can burn your baby’s mouth.

Using a microwave can also deplete the nutrients in the formula or breastmilk due to the high heat it produces. If you need to warm up your baby’s bottle, it’s best to use a bottle warmer or a bowl of warm water.

As important as it is to heat a bottle correctly, it’s storage temperature needs to be tended to as well. Both breastmilk and formula shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than four hours. If your baby drank from the bottle, you should dispose of the rest after two hours. Doing this will prevent any bacteria that grew in the milk from getting into your baby’s system.

This timeline can prove to be inconvenient if you’re out for the day and don’t have access to a refrigerator. However, with a baby bottle cooler bag, you can store your baby’s food safely for longer.

Benefits Of Baby Bottle Cooler Bags

These bags are a seriously underrated piece of baby gear, and they often get overlooked while making a registry. Cooler bags come with so many benefits that help make parents’ lives much more manageable.

Offers Safe Bottle Storage

Of course, the most prominent benefit of these is the ability to store bottles while you’re out safely. Baby bottle storage bags are insulated, which will help maintain the temperature of the bottle until you’re ready to use it. 

If you’re storing breastmilk, these bags can safely store that liquid gold for up to 24 hours. This is nice if you’re planning a long road trip and you don’t have refrigeration access.

Some Have Added Storage

Another cool thing about these bags is that they vary in shape and size, which means you can opt for a bigger bag if you want to store things like diapers and wipes. Bigger bags mean you can potentially forgo the diaper bag altogether. How’s that for convenience?

Style Variety

I love a good aesthetic, so I can appreciate the style variety these bags have. Some have a very realistic look, and others are more stylish. The range of styles is also lovely because it means there are bags for every lifestyle.

For example, families who enjoy hiking may opt for a “backpack” style, while a city mom may opt for a “purse” style with a chic design.

Things To Keep In Mind

When shopping for a baby bottle cooler bag, there are a few key things to take into consideration. You don’t want to go in blind because you may end up disappointed.

Storage Space

Think about how much storage space you’ll need. Do you need it to hold one bottle or more? Standard-sized bags will generally be able to keep two bottles and an ice pack. If you plan on being out for an extended period, you may want to find a larger bag.

Style

Style may not be necessary to some, but if you live an active lifestyle or you care about designs, find one that works for you. The most common styles I’ve seen are backpacks, lunch bags, and totes.

Cleaning Instructions

Parenthood comes with its fair share of messes, most of them being food-related. For that reason, you should pay close attention to the cleaning instructions of each bag. The easier it is to clean, the less frustrating it will be to deal with a mess. You’ll find that most interiors will be easily wipeable and a lot of exteriors will be spot-clean only.

Product Size

Last, but not least, keep in mind the size of the bag you’re looking at. If you don’t have a lot of space or you don’t want to carry a big bag, you’ll want to stick to something more compact. On the other hand, a roomier option would be beneficial if you have multiples or you’re going to be gone all day.

My Baby Bottle Cooler Bag Reviews

Now that you have the information, you need to choose. However, there are so many options to choose from that it can feel overwhelming. I ventured through the internet and came back with five solid contenders for the best baby bottle cooler bag.

PackIt Freezable Cooler Bag

This cooler bag is unique because it doesn’t require an ice pack to keep the inside cold. All you have to do is fold it flat and stick it in your freezer the night before you plan on using it. The walls of the cooler are made with patented gel technology.

The bag measures in at 5.5 inches tall and can hold four 5 oz bottles of breastmilk or formula. It’s designed to fit the 5 oz Medela bottles, but you could store other similarly shaped bottles in there as well.

This one comes with a convenient carrying handle and has a divider inside. The divider is useful for keeping bottles separate from each other and can be removed if you need more space. There’s also a clear pocket so you can insert something with your name on it if need be.

Its material is a non-toxic poly canvas with a water-resistant and food-safe lining. The bag is also relatively easy to clean as you use a wipe to clean the inside. The outer shell, however, is spot clean only.

The top zip keeps an even temperature inside and the handle can clip right onto your stroller with a stroller clip. This is nice if you need to be hands-free.

Lekebaby Breastmilk Cooler Bag

My next pick made my list because of its convenience. The bag can be carried by hand or by using the removable and adjustable shoulder strap. I appreciate this because it allows you to have your hands free while you’re out.

There’s also a small pocket on the front for convenient storage. You could use this pocket for your phone, keys, a diaper and a few wipes, so you don’t need to lug around a diaper bag too.

The inside lining is insulated and comes with a contoured ice pack that can accommodate up to six bottles. You will need to fill this ice pack yourself as it comes to you empty. It’s recommended to place the ice pack in the refrigerator for 8–10 hours before you plan to use it.

This cooler bag is also convenient because it gives you two different access points to the bottles through zippers. The outer material is water-resistant, and durable 600D Oxford fabric and the inside lining is high-quality aluminum. The interior insulation is EPE foam.

With this product, you have a 30-day money-back guarantee as well as a 180-day warranty in case anything happens while you use it.

Skip Hop Insulated Cooler

This one is a good option if you’re only planning to be out for a few hours. It can hold two large bottles and has two zippers to give you easy access to both. The strap can easily adjust, open and hook right onto your stroller or diaper bag too, which is nice because your hands aren’t tied down.

The inside can be wiped clean, and there’s an extra mesh pocket on the inside for storage too. You’ll also receive an ice pack for the inside as well. This bag will keep your bottles cold for up to four hours.

I also really like this one because the inside can fit two sippy cups once they outgrow bottles. This is nice because it’s something that grows with your child.

Breast Pump Backpack And Cooler

For moms with active families, or moms who like having free hands, this backpack is the perfect cooler bag for you. It comes in five different colors and two different sizes, so you have plenty of options to choose from.

I love that these bags are solid colors. Solid color means you can easily match it to just about any outfit. After all, this is an accessory to your new “mom wardrobe.”

The bag has two compartments: one on top for your breast pump and other “dry” items, and one on the bottom to store up to six bottles and an ice pack. The backpack can keep your bottles cold for up to 15 hours, which is excellent for traveling.

There is plenty of space in the top compartment for any necessities including diapers, wipes, diaper cream and anything else you might need. I love this because you can easily ditch the diaper bag and use this backpack.

To wash it, you submerge it in water and a light detergent and hang it upside down to dry.

Kidthingz Double Bottle Bag

This is another bottle bag that doesn’t compromise aesthetics for functionality. It comes in a chic, striped design and can clip right to your stroller for hands-free abilities. The inner lining is made of leakproof and waterproof PEVA vinyl and can be wiped clean.

It can fit up to two 10 oz bottles as well as other necessary small items like snacks. I also really like this one because it has a two-sided zipper. These zippers make it so much easier to access each bottle as you need it. The bag is super lightweight as well, which is nice because we’re already carrying around so much other weight.

If you want to fit pumping parts inside with bottles, you need to downsize to 5 oz bottles rather than 10.

Plus, the company gives you a 180-day money-back guarantee. This way, if you try it and you don’t like how things fit then you can return it with no questions asked. The only major downside to this one is that it doesn’t come with an ice pack at all.

Keepin’ Cool

The main point of these bags is to store milk for an extended time, which is why my favorite is the PackIt Freezable Cooler Bag. It uses patented gel insulation to keep your bottles cold throughout the day without using an ice pack. Ice packs can get pretty heavy, so this technology makes the bag so much lighter to carry.

While my favorite may not work for you, I’m sure the other bags on my list will give you what you need. Regardless of your style, there are baby bottle cooler bags out there to fit what you’re looking for.