Maximize Ice Retention with Yeti Coolers

The fundamental purpose for using an ice chest, or cooler, is to extend the life of perishable items and goods with ice to ensure their consumption at any given time. The performance of an ice cooler is vital for any camping trip, road trip, or picnic, and does not always provide adequate capacity or ice retention. Unfortunately, not all coolers are created equal. Some are made of styrofoam or plastic and built to fulfill only the basic requirements of a casual user. In fact, the majority of coolers on the market leave much to be desired for anyone looking for one that does what it should do best: maximize the retention of ice. Yeti Coolers are very strong and tough coolers that are known for their superior quality and bear-resistant durability. But another benefit that sets them apart from the rest of the industry is their outstanding thermal properties.

Yeti coolers are among the best insulated coolers on the market, with a full 2" or more of polyurethane insulation in the walls and lid at most sizes. Yeti also sports a freezer quality sealing gasket and one piece construction that gives them industry-leading ice retention. Yeti has designed the optimal ice cooler for any trip or picnic, ensuring the maximum ice retention available. However, this isn't a one-way relationship. There are several tips you can execute to maximize the performance of your cooler.

The art of insulation works both ways, retaining heat as well as cold. For this reason, you should always store your cooler in a cool environment before loading it with ice. If stored directly in the sun or in a hot environment, nature will win and the ice will melt. In extreme cases, people pre-chill their coolers in freezers. The temperature of the ice is also crucial. The colder the ice is when it is loaded in the cooler, the longer the ice will last. Another solution that is often overlooked is the chilling or freezing of food, prior to loading up the cooler. Warm or room temperature food requires more energy to cool and will melt the ice faster, no matter how insulated the cooler is.

The amount of ice used is also important, the more the better. Large pockets of air in the cooler will cause the ice to melt faster. If you are concerned about the weight, you can use towels or newspaper to fill the voids of air. Surface area to volume of the ice also affects melting speed. Block ice will melt much slower, but smaller pieces of ice chill the cooler faster. The ideal situation is to cover the bottom of the cooler with a block of ice, then put the food in and fill in the rest of the space with cube ice. Once the cooler is being used, do not empty out any of the cold water. The cold water will only help insulate the remaining ice and items. If you are still having trouble with ice melt, look into using dry ice, which has a longer life span.

There are various other factors that can affect ice retention: how often you open the lid, storage location, weather, and other environmental variables. Ice coolers are an important dynamic of any trip away from the comforts of society. If you pay careful attention to these extra steps in maximizing ice retention, and take advantage of the thermal properties of Yeti coolers, you will be the envy of any trip or picnic.

Ethan Luke. YETI Coolers will provide durability and ice-retention qualities that will last you years.