The Aluminum Cooler Hack That Keeps Your Ice Frozen Way Longer
When camping or taking a trip to the beach, keeping the ice in your cooler fully frozen is easier said than done. Fortunately, there's a highly effective cooler hack you can use to keep food and beverages chilled for the duration of your outdoor excursion. By lining the interior of the cooler with an aluminum insulating material, like the kind used to protect home fixtures from the elements, you can easily and effectively increase the lifespan of your ice.
While coolers are designed to protect their contents from exterior temperatures, they're not always effective, especially when the cooler is constantly being opened or care isn't taken when packing them. This is why beefing up their insulating ability can be so beneficial. Home insulating materials are especially useful because they are designed to be robust, which ensures proper protection against heat transfer. As a result, they're an excellent addition to all coolers, particularly for people who spend lots of time outdoors. It's relatively easy to add these materials to just about any cooler when you take the right approach.
How to fortify your cooler
While it's a bit of a project, adding aluminum insulation to coolers is worthwhile when you consider how useful it will be. Once you've acquired a roll of aluminum bubble foil, measure the interior dimensions of your cooler. Next, use those measurements to create a grid on the sheet of bubble foil.
After cutting along the grid, fold the bubble foil into the shape of the inside of the cooler. Affix separate pieces using metallic tape. Metallic tape is very durable, and waterproof, and will also help prevent heat transfer. Once the bubble wrap is folded and secured with tape, place it into the cooler to check the fit. If you're satisfied, remove the insulation and fortify it with more tape along the seams. You can now add the bubble foil to the cooler and deposit ice inside, which will be well protected by the insulating material.
Will aluminum foil work in a pinch?
Perhaps you don't have access to aluminum insulation or don't feel like shelling out the extra money. Maybe you would rather use something that's already in your home. In this case, plain old aluminum foil can also help to keep cooler contents cooler for longer. While it won't offer the same level of protection as insulating material, aluminum foil is still an effective insulator when used inside coolers. It's also easier to apply and doesn't require metallic tape to remain in one piece.
If you're using aluminum foil, there are a few other hacks you can employ to keep the your cooler contents chilled. Instead of using small chunks of ice, consider using bigger ice blocks that will remain intact for longer. You can also place the cooler in your refrigerator or freezer prior to use for added protection. With these tips, you will never have to worry about making a last-minute ice run when spending time outdoors.