A weekend camping and a day at the beach are next to impossible without a good quality cooler. Keep your drinks and sandwiches chilled with these handy, insulated boxes. They’ve come along way from their humble, bare Styrofoam beginnings. Today’s coolers can keep food and drinks chilled for days on end, even in hot weather!
Cooler tips
To ensure your cooler is as effective as possible, follow these usage tips:
Keep your cooler in a chilly place, like your basement, for at least 12 hours before you use it.
Bigger pieces of ice work best for chilling the contents of your cooler.
Anything you put in your cooler should be pre-chilled in th ...
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A weekend camping and a day at the beach are next to impossible without a good quality cooler. Keep your drinks and sandwiches chilled with these handy, insulated boxes. They’ve come along way from their humble, bare Styrofoam beginnings. Today’s coolers can keep food and drinks chilled for days on end, even in hot weather!
Cooler tips
To ensure your cooler is as effective as possible, follow these usage tips:
Keep your cooler in a chilly place, like your basement, for at least 12 hours before you use it.
Bigger pieces of ice work best for chilling the contents of your cooler.
Anything you put in your cooler should be pre-chilled in the fridge ahead of time to avoid heat transfer.
When you’re using the cooler, keep it out of the sun. Placing the cooler in a shaded area will slow down heat transfer.
Don’t drain your cooler while you’re using it. The combination of water and ice will keep the contents colder than ice alone. Place things in secure, zippered plastic bags before stashing them in your cooler.
When you’re getting things out of your cooler, open and close the lid quickly to keep the cold in.
Cooler cleaning
If you don’t drain and dry your cooler before storing it, you run the risk of stain and odors setting in. Always hand wash your cooler with a mild dish soap and thoroughly dry it before storing. If your cooler has a drain plug, open the plug before storing the cooler. You can remove stains and freshen your cooler by wiping it down with diluted bleach and letting it stand open in the sun for a few hours.
Coolers of the future
Today’s coolers tend to perform double-duty. Some coolers have built in seat cushions, making an extra chair out of the cooler. Others have handles and wheels for easier transportation. Some coolers can be plugged into car batteries to run built-in radios and speakers – look for designs that are compatible with your mp3 player! High performance coolers can keep ice for up to five days in 90 degree heat.
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