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Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to safely use dry ice in a cooler. What is Dry Ice? Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2) and is much colder than regular ice, with a temperature of about -109.3°F (-78.5°C). Unlike regular ice, it sublimates, turning directly from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid phase.
- Overview
- Choosing a Cooler
- Buying Dry Ice
- Arranging the Dry Ice in the Cooler
- Buying a Cooler and Dry Ice
If you're tired of filling your cooler and finding soggy food in a puddle of melted ice, use dry ice instead. Dry ice will keep your food or drinks colder and will evaporate instead of melt. Choose a cooler that will let the gas escape and buy enough dry ice to fill the cooler. Decide if you want to store the dry ice on the bottom with the food or ...
Choose a cooler with ventilation to suit your needs.
Dry ice can be used with most coolers as long as there's a way to ventilate them. To ventilate the evaporating gas, the cooler should either have a lid that doesn't seal completely shut or a drainage cap (usually located near the bottom of the cooler). If you need a small cooler or just want to use the dry ice for a day, choose a styrofoam cooler or urethane-insulated box. For longer dry ice use or for a larger cooler, choose a roto-moulded or plastic cooler.
If you're using the urethane-insulated box, buy one that's at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick.
Arrange styrofoam or cardboard inside the cooler, if necessary.
If you aren't using a styrofoam cooler, protect the plastic interior of your cooler from the extreme cold of the dry ice. Cut pieces of styrofoam or cardboard and lay them on the bottom of the cooler. You'll also need to place them along the sides of the cooler, if you'll have dry ice touching the inside walls.
Loosen the drainage cap on the cooler.
Determine how much dry ice you need.
First decide how long you'll need the dry ice in the cooler. For every 24-hours you need, buy 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg) of dry ice. You'll also need to consider how much dry ice will fit inside your cooler along with the items you want to store. For example, a 40 to 60-quart (37 to 56-liter) cooler can usually hold 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of dry ice for 1 day.
Buy blocks of dry ice.
Most dry ice is available to buy in large blocks or chunks. These will last longer than small pieces or pellets of dry ice. Consider measuring your cooler before you buy the dry ice so you know how many blocks will fit inside your cooler.
Wear gloves or protect your hands when you handle the dry ice.
Because dry ice reaches extremely cold temperatures, it can burn bare skin. Always wear gloves or handle the dry ice with thick towels so it doesn't come in contact with your skin.
Wrap the dry ice in newspaper.
To make the dry ice last longer, wrap the blocks of dry ice in newspaper. The newspaper will insulate it and slow down the evaporation time. Newspaper can also prevent you from accidentally touching the dry ice with bare hands.
If you bought small chunks of ice, you may not be able to wrap them in newspaper. Instead, surround the chunks with newspaper to slow evaporation.
Put the dry ice in the bottom of the cooler to keep food and drinks cold.
If you want to be able to access the food and drinks frequently or easily, place the wrapped dry ice on the bottom of the cooler. Then you can arrange the food or drinks on top of the ice. When you need to get the food or drinks, simply open the cooler and remove the items.
If you're storing food, remember that the food or drinks will freeze if they're touching the dry ice. Place newspaper or cardboard between the dry ice and the items.
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and by wikiHow staff writer,
Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 190,304 times.
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 190,304 times.
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A major benefit of the Tundra® and Roadie® Hard Coolers, or YETI TANK® Ice Bucket is its dry ice compatibility. When used in your YETI Hard Cooler, dry ice can keep food and drinks cold and frozen longer than regular ice. There are a few hints and tricks to using dry ice safely and effectively in a cooler. What is Dry Ice?
A major benefit of the Tundra® and Roadie® Hard Coolers, or YETI TANK® Ice Bucket is its dry ice compatibility. When used in your YETI Hard Cooler, dry ice can keep food and drinks cold and frozen longer than regular ice. There are a few hints and tricks to using dry ice safely and effectively in a cooler. WHAT IS
May 1, 2020 · Use the Right Cooler—We don’t recommend using dry ice in your soft cooler, simply because the stuff is so intense that it could damage the material. Hard coolers are your best bet. Since a well-stocked cooler can be hefty, definitely go with a wheeled cooler if you’re going to be moving a lot.
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A major benefit of the Tundra® and Roadie® Hard Coolers, or YETI TANK® Ice Bucket is its dry ice compatibility. When used in your YETI Hard Cooler, dry ice can keep food and drinks cold and frozen longer than regular ice. There are a few hints and tricks to using dry ice safely and effectively in a cooler. WHAT IS DR