Outforia Quicktake: Key Takeaways
- Dry ice lasts about 18-24 hours in a good cooler, 3-5 hours without protection, and 15-45 minutes when stored in liquid.
- It is mainly used to keep food and drinks fresh, making it a great alternative to regular ice for camping.
- Storing dry ice in a cooler is the most efficient method, with high-quality coolers being the best option.
- Dry ice can be used for various purposes, including preserving food and creating smoke effects for decorative beverages and foods.
- When handling dry ice, it is essential to follow safety precautions, such as wearing insulated gloves and ensuring proper ventilation.
How long does dry ice last? The answer depends on how you store it. Five pounds of dry ice in a cooler will last about 18-24 hours. Without any protection, it will last for about 3-5 hours. When stored in liquid, it lasts for only 15-45 minutes.
Dry ice is mainly used to keep food and drinks fresh. It’s a great alternative to regular ice, especially while camping. Unlike regular ice, dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. It forms at -109.3°F (-78.5°C) — that’s cold enough to cause frostbite!
Carbon dioxide is the gas that we exhale when breathing. It’s also what plants use in photosynthesis. It’s impossible for dry ice to be in liquid form. So how does it “melt” and how long does dry ice last?
When stored in a good cooler, dry ice lasts about 18-24 hours. The time it lasts varies depending on how you store it, how much ice you have, and how good your cooler is.
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How Long Does Dry Ice Last?
Dry ice is likely to last longer than regular ice, but it still has a relatively short shelf life. If you plan to use it, you should buy it right before you actually intend to use it.
Of course, if you don’t protect your dry ice, it will go bad faster. The act of solid dry ice turning to gas form is “sublimation”. Dry ice stored in a cooler will sublimate at the slowest rate.
In Liquid
Dry ice doesn’t last very long when stored in a liquid. The liquid causes the dry ice to warm up and vaporize, turning back into gas.
When stored properly, a 5lbs (2.26kg) solid block of dry ice will last for only 15-45 minutes.
Dry ice is a very popular product for parties, especially during Halloween. People will place dry ice in a bowl of liquid to create a foggy effect. This is popularly used in drinks like punches and cocktails.
Out In The Open
If you leave a 5lbs (2.26kg) block of dry ice outside without a way to protect it, it will last for about 3-5 hours.
In A Cooler
A 5lbs (2.26 kg) block of dry ice in a cooler will generally last anywhere from 18-24 hours. Eight to twelve pounds (3.62-5.44kg) will last for 24-40 hours, and 13-20lbs (5.9-9.07kg) will last for 40-60 hours.
So far, storing dry ice in a cooler is the most efficient method. Keep in mind that the type of cooler matters. High-quality coolers will keep dry ice longer than standard coolers. But standard coolers are definitely better than cheap styrofoam containers.
High-Quality Coolers
You can use dry ice with most coolers, but high-quality coolers are better suited for the task. High-quality coolers tend to have ventilation systems built into them. That means you don’t have to worry about venting the lid. The best coolers for dry ice are usually roto-molded or plastic.
Standard Coolers
Standard coolers work well for dry ice, but they might not have enough insulation. Without built-in ventilation, you’ll need to rig the lid to stay slightly open.
Styrofoam Coolers
Styrofoam coolers are best if you plan to use dry ice in a single day. They have a straightforward design but don’t handle insulation all that well.
How To Check If Your Cooler Is Compatible With Storing Dry Ice
Any cooler is compatible with dry ice. You just need to know how to store it. As I mentioned above, a high-quality cooler will be better, but it’s not necessary.
Ventilation
It’s good to have a cooler with a ventilation system or drainage spout. It allows for carbon dioxide to escape as it sublimates. Doing this means you can keep the cooler’s lid closed without much fuss.
Insulation
Thicker coolers work better to keep the cold in. When possible, choose a cooler that’s about 3in (7.62cm) thick.
It’s also recommended to get a cooler with some padding inside. This offers your cooler protection because dry ice can damage the plastic.
What If You Don’t Have These Features?
If you don’t have these extra things in your cooler, that’s okay. You can line your cooler with a styrofoam cooler or cardboard to protect the plastic. You should also wrap the dry ice in some newspaper. The newspaper will protect your cooler and food from the dry ice.
If your cooler doesn’t have ventilation or a spout, you’ll need to vent the lid.
How To Make Dry Ice Last Longer
This is pretty simple — store it in a cooler. Use a high-quality cooler if possible. Your cooler should have insulation, and the lid should be loosely closed. You DO NOT want to use an airtight cooler.
The gas needs a way to escape as it sublimates. If it has nowhere to go, you will have a build-up of carbon dioxide gas inside your cooler.
If enough dry ice sublimates, there will be too much pressure inside your cooler. Eventually, it could cause the cooler to burst.
You should also keep your cooler located in the coolest spot possible. This will keep your cooler from warming up too quickly, which lets your dry ice last longer. Be sure to place the cooler somewhere well-ventilated for the dry ice to safely dissipate. For your safety, you won’t want to breathe in too much of the gas.
Another way to keep your dry ice lasting longer is by wrapping it in several layers of newspaper. Newspaper is an excellent insulator and can extend the life of your dry ice for a few hours.
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What Is Dry Ice Used For?
Dry ice is mainly used to keep food and beverages cold. Shipping companies frequently use dry ice to keep their products cold. It’s more effective than regular ice during the warmer months because it doesn’t melt.
Some popular uses of dry ice include:
- Making ice cream
- Searing seafood
- Creating “smoke” for decorative beverages & foods
- Storing & preserving food
- Flash freezing fruits & veggies
- Preserving organs, blood, and medications
Since dry ice is great at preserving food and beverages, it’s the perfect product for camping!
It’s a given to have food while camping. Unless you want to live on dehydrated food and granola bars for the whole trip, you’ll need a way to keep your food cold.
Using regular ice when camping is a problem. It’s heavy to lug around and doesn’t last very long, even in a cooler. More often than not, it leaves you with a cooler full of water and warm food.
This is where dry ice comes in.
Dry Ice Lasts Longer
Dry ice is much better than regular ice because it lasts longer. When stored in a cooler, 5lbs (2.26kg) of dry ice can last up to 24 hours. Regular ice will melt hours before that. Also, because dry ice sublimates rather than melts, you won’t have a mess after the dry ice has gone.
Dry Ice Is Lighter
Dry ice is much lighter than regular ice. Five pounds (2.26kg) of dry ice fills more space than five pounds of regular ice. Which means you’ll need less dry ice to cool your food. No one likes to lug around a lot of weight while camping, so lightweight dry ice is ideal. It’s especially handy for backpackers.
Here are some clever ways you can use dry ice while camping:
- Food preservation
- Regular ice storage — dry ice can keep regular ice from melting for days
- Flash-freeze fish
- Use as a mosquito trap — mosquitoes love CO2 and will get stuck on the ice
What To Consider When Using Dry Ice
How much dry ice you need depends on the size of your cooler and how long you’ll be camping. It also depends on your cooler’s insulation and what kind of food you’ll bring.
The size of your cooler is less important than the time you need your food to stay cool.
For example, 5lbs (2.26kg) of ice will be enough for both 20 quarts and 100 quarts for 12 hours. But you’ll need even more ice to keep food cool overnight.
You’d need about 50-100lbs (22.68-45.36kg) of dry ice to keep your food cool for 96 hours in a 100-quart cooler. But a 20-quart cooler can’t handle keeping food cool for 96 hours, regardless of how much ice you have.
Smaller coolers usually need a bit more ice to stay cooler since they don’t hold the cold very well.
One to five pounds (0.45-2.26kg) of dry ice is suitable for 12 hours for coolers under 20 quarts. You should bring 5-10lbs (2.26-4.54kg) of dry ice if you want to store food for 24 hours. Ten to twenty pounds (4.54-9.07kg) can keep food cool for 72 hours.
Andrew Lewis from Ice Making Hub came up with some great charts for dry ice freshness. These charts tell you exactly how much dry ice you need for your cooler.
This chart explains how much ice you’ll need for larger coolers:
Ice Retention Timing
- 20-Quart Ice Cooler
- 40-Quart Ice Cooler
- 65-Quart Ice Cooler
- 100-Quart Ice Cooler
12 Hours
- 1-5lbs of ice
- 5lbs of ice
- 5lbs of ice
- 5-10lbs of ice
24 Hours
- 5-10lbs of ice
- 5-10lbs of ice
- 10lbs of ice
- 10-15lbs of ice
48 Hours
- 15lbs of ice
- 15lbs of ice
- 15lbs of ice
- 20-30lbs of ice
72 Hours
- 30lbs of ice
- 25lbs of ice
- 25-30lbs of ice
- 30-50lbs of ice
96 Hours
- 30-40lbs of ice
- 40-50lbs of ice
- 50-100lbs of ice
This chart explains how much dry ice you need for smaller coolers:
Ice Retention Capacity
- 5-Quart Cooler
- 10-Quart Cooler
- 20-Quart Cooler
12 Hours
- 1-5lbs of ice
- 1-5lbs of ice
- 1-5lbs of ice
24 Hours
- 5-10lbs of ice
- 5-10lbs of ice
- 5-10lbs of ice
48 Hours
- 10lbs of ice
- 10-15lbs of ice
- 15-20lbs of ice
72 Hours
- 30lbs of ice
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How To Pack Food Items Using Dry Ice
Because dry ice is so cold, it can keep items cold and frozen for a long time. You can even pack frozen food like ice cream or popsicles in your cooler. You just need to know how to correctly pack your food items.
You should wrap the dry ice in newspaper to prevent damaging your cooler or food. If you just need to keep your food cool, you can pack the dry ice at the bottom of the cooler. You can put a layer of cardboard on top of the ice to separate the food.
If you want to keep your food extra cold or frozen, you should wrap the ice around the food. Distribute the ice throughout the cooler so that it surrounds your food. Fill in any empty spots with newspaper for extra insulation.
Or, if your dry ice is in large blocks, pack your food at the bottom of the cooler first. Then, pack the dry ice on top.
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How To Handle Dry Ice
Dry ice is a handy product that can keep your food fresh for longer than regular ice. But remember that it’s frozen carbon dioxide. You need to consider some safety precautions when handling and storing it.
Here is a list of dos and don’ts when it comes to handling dry ice:
Do:
Don’t:
Dry ice is toxic when inhaled. If a person inhales too much carbon dioxide, they will fall unconscious and may even die.
Because dry ice is so cold, it can harm your skin if you touch it. If you accidentally touch it for a moment, your skin will turn red. But if you hold it for any longer, you can develop frostbite.
Where Can You Find Dry Ice?
Dry ice is surprisingly easy to find. Most grocery stores have it. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can find it at some of the larger chain stores.
The average cost of dry ice is $1-3 per pound. Generally, the less you get, the more it will cost. It’s cheaper to go through a dry ice manufacturer than a retailer. For example, Walmart usually sells its dry ice for $1.30-1.50 a pound. But, larger suppliers may sell 50lbs (22.7kg) for about $35.00.
Here is a list of stores that sell dry ice:
- Kroger
- Costco
- Walmart
- Safeway
- Meijer
- Publix
- HEB
If you can’t find it at your grocery store, try purchasing dry ice from the suppliers:
- Penguin Brand Dry Ice from Airgas
- Continental Carbonic
- Dry Ice Delivered — online delivery service
- Local Dry Ice Suppliers: most towns have their own dry ice supplier — you just need to do a Google search
If all else fails, you can try to buy some dry ice from your local ice cream parlor. They don’t usually sell it, but if you’re out of time and in a bind, they might be willing to give you some.
You might be able to find dry ice at your local gas station as well, although this isn’t very common.
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FAQ
Can a Standard Freezer Store Dry Ice?
You should never store your dry ice in a freezer.
Carbon dioxide becomes dry ice at very cold temperatures of -109.3°F (-78.5°C). But, standard freezers stay at about 0°F (-18°C). Freezers are not made to withstand temperatures as cold as dry ice. The dry ice will mess up the thermostat, which will cause your freezer to shut down.
Can Dry Ice Melt?
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide can never become a liquid, so dry ice cannot melt. Dry ice becomes solid at temperatures of -109.3°F (-78.5°C). As it warms up, it sublimates, skipping the liquid stage and becoming a gas.
Can Dry Ice Ruin a Cooler?
When storing dry ice in a cooler, you need to keep the lid loosely open. If you use an airtight cooler, the gas can’t escape when it sublimates. The build-up of gas can cause your cooler to explode.
Under normal circumstances, dry ice can still ruin your cooler. It becomes solid at frigid temperatures.
These extreme temperatures can cause damage to the bottom of your cooler. To prevent this, place a layer of styrofoam or cardboard at the bottom of your cooler before adding the dry ice.
Can You Make Your Own Dry Ice?
You can make your own dry ice, but it’s usually cheaper to buy it. To make it yourself, you’d need a CO2 fire extinguisher or pressurized tank of carbon dioxide. You can purchase carbon dioxide online or from sporting goods or cooking stores.
Basically, you would place the nozzle of the CO2 container inside a cloth bag. Clamp your hand around the opening of the cloth bag, and discharge the bottle of CO2. The bag allows the gas to escape, leaving behind dry ice.
Can You Place Dry Ice And Regular Ice In The Same Cooler?
Yes, you can place dry ice and regular ice in the same cooler. Dry ice is great at keeping regular ice cool. Rather than melting in a few hours, dry ice can keep regular ice solid for a couple of days. This is handy if you want regular ice for your drinks but need it to last longer.
