If you’re shopping for a new cooler to go with this deck table, these insulation and efficiency tips should help you choose one that keeps your cold ones frosty for a long time. You may have to modify our plans to accommodate the dimensions of your new cooler.
• Larger coolers will keep their contents cold longer, thanks to greater capacity.
• Insulation makes a difference. Thick walls may look inefficient in terms of space, but they pay off when you need to keep things cold for a matter of days. Coleman Xtreme coolers, for example, retain ice for as many as five days in 90° F heat.
• The air inside coolers with uninsulated lids can actually get warmer than the air
outside the cooler, just like a car parked in the sun.
• Keep the cooler in the shade and keep it closed as much as possible.
• Choose coolers in lighter colours with reflective finishes. They’ll reflect more of the sun’s heat rather than absorbing it.
• On hot days, prop your cooler up—the ground is often warmer than the air.
• Check the seal between the lid and the box. If it looks like the seal on refrigerators, it will do a good job. Plastic-on-plastic seals leak.
• Before a long trip, pre-chill your box. Do the same with the contents: your ice will last longer if it’s mixed with food and drinks that are already cold.
• Block ice stays cold longer than cubes: it has less surface area to contact warm air. Clear ice has less air inside it than opaque ice, also making it last longer.
• Drain meltwater. Leftover water will melt the rest of the ice faster.
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