How to keep cold in your fridge bag. The main criteria for choosing a cooler bag. How food containers work to keep food warm
To ensure the specified characteristics, cooler bags are made of materials that provide high thermal insulation performance. Thus, a cooler bag is an isothermal container without a cooling device. It is light and soft. Thermal insulation is provided by double nylon walls with polyethylene foam or polyurethane foam inside.
Refrigerator bag complete set
Like all others, thermal bags have handles for transportation or harnesses when designed in the form of a backpack. Especially large models are equipped with casters. Most insulated bags are very compact and fold up to minimum sizes... Some manufacturers offer waterproof options or separate waterproof elements, such as pockets for documents, etc. The cooler bag can be equipped with special compartments for bottles or storage of additional camping equipment. In some cases, the bag set contains a set of travel utensils.
except various designs, used materials and equipment, cooler bags differ in the amount of usable space. The most common sizes are from two to fifty liters.
Temperature conditions of the cooler bag
If nessesary long-term storage products in a chilled or frozen state, a cold accumulator is additionally placed in a refrigerator bag. For this, a special compartment can be provided (most often in the lid of the bag). If there is none, then the refrigerant is placed directly on the food.
Dry ice or cold accumulators can be used as a coolant for the thermal bag. The battery is a bag or plastic container with saline, in which special additives are introduced. With the help of additives, a certain temperature regime... To activate the cold storage battery, it is placed in a freezer... The minimum cooling time is seven hours.
The cooler bag, due to its thermal insulation properties, can be used like a regular thermos. It can keep food hot for 12 to 24 hours. The contents of the bag are then cooled to ambient temperature.
Types of thermal insulation containers
Depending on the materials used and the method of maintaining the temperature regime, mobile thermal insulating containers are divided into three types: isothermal bags on a fabric basis, thermoboxes with a plastic case and auto-refrigerators with thermoelectric converters that inject cold or hot air.
Going on a trip, to the beach or a picnic, it is convenient to take a cooler bag with you, thanks to it, food and drinks will stay fresh from 5 to 20 hours.
The cooler bag is able to save food, both chilled and warm, since it works on the principle of a thermos without having its own cooling device. To maintain a low temperature in the bag, cold accumulators are used, but with or without them, after a day, the temperature in the bag is compared with the ambient temperature. Without batteries, refrigerated food can be stored in the bag for up to 5 hours. To keep food hot, the batteries heat up - for this they must be kept in hot water.
There are autonomous thermal bags and special car bags that can be connected to a car battery.
From what materials you used the manufacturer will depend on how long the thermal bag holds the cold. The cooler bag consists of several layers:
- Internal insulating with walls made of heat and reflective PVC. If instead of a thick mirror film inside the bag there is multi-colored polyethylene, such a bag is unable to cool for a long time.
- The outer cover is made of easily washable fabrics such as nylon, PVC or polyester. Isothermal thermal containers are made of durable plastic. The outer cover also keeps the bag warm.
- The inner layer of the bag is very important, without it the bag will not keep the cold even with batteries. The interlayer is made of dense foam or polyurethane foam, the thicker it is, the better. The optimal thickness is 5 cm, but not less than 3 cm.
Usually the cooler bag comes with a cooling battery, but it can be purchased separately. The battery is a plastic sealed box filled with heat-absorbing saline or gel inside. It must be pre-cooled in the freezer for 10-12 hours. Then it is placed in a bag or inserted into an internal special compartment.
Cooling bag design
People who already use the cooler bag leave reviews in which they note important value quality of the lock that closes the bag. Most often these are:
- built-in magnetic lock;
- sewn-in zipper;
- Velcro;
- a combination of the above locks.
In any case, the bag must be tightly closed so that the outside air does not penetrate inside and the food cannot fall out.
The convenience of the presence of different compartments inside the bag, in particular, a separate place for bottles or small pockets for small things, adds convenience. The pockets should also be covered with insulating material. To carry compact models, thermal bags are supplied with straps or handles. The handles should be adjustable in height, have a comfortable width. It is desirable that the shoulder straps have pad-pads - this will make the bag more comfortable to carry. Large refrigerators are equipped like suitcases with a folding handle and small wheels, you can take them with you. When purchasing a cooler bag, you need to understand what it is intended for: the amount of food placed in it directly depends on the size of the bag.
Choosing a thermal bag
Cooler bag or, as it is also called, isothermal bag - necessary thing in a family leading active image life. If you like outdoor trips, tourist trips with your own car, or you often have to travel to long business trips on the train, you can't do without a portable cooler bag! The thermal bag allows you to maintain the temperature required to keep food cold, frozen or hot.
Choosing a cooler bagPotential buyers need to know how to choose a cooler bag, what criteria should be followed when choosing.
Bag dimensions
Small thermal bags are designed to carry just a few sandwiches or cans of drinks, weighing from 400 g. It is convenient to put breakfast for a child or lunch for a spouse in this bag. Medium the isothermal bag allows you to carry 10 - 15 kg of food. Such bags are carried in the hands, on the shoulders or over the shoulders. Handles or wide shoulder straps are made of soft material.
The most bulky bags, which can hold up to 30 - 35 kg, are most often mounted on wheels.
Storage time of food in the bag
If you are interested in buying a much needed household item, you want to know how long the cooler bag keeps the right temperature?
The time for maintaining the temperature regime largely depends on the size of the product. You can store food in a moderate temperature without a battery for 3 - 4 hours, in small bags with a battery, the storage time increases to 7 - 13 hours. Large thermal bags are guaranteed to maintain the desired temperature regime throughout the day.
Materials from which cooler bags are made
Thermal bags are made of very durable elastic fabrics (polyester, nylon) or hard polymers. They are used as thermal insulation modern materials: polyethylene foam or polyurethane foam. The use of these materials provides easy hygienic maintenance of the product. They are easy to wipe, wash in dishwasher... In addition, if any liquid leaks in the bag, moisture will not spill out. The thermal bag has a frame made of dense foam, which allows not only to effectively maintain the temperature, but also not to deform the luggage in it.
Thermal bag warranty
When purchasing a bag, be sure to pay attention to whether it has a guarantee. Usually the period is short - 3 months, but some models of the thermal bag have a guarantee for several years.
The service life of the bag with careful use is 5 - 7 years.
How the cooler bag works
Dry ice is used as a cooling element for the cooler bag. Accumulators are made in the form of bags or plastic batteries, inside of which there is a saline solution with special additives that allow maintaining the required temperature regime. The battery is placed in the freezer for at least 7 hours, and only after that it is placed in a thermal bag.
How to use the cooler bag?
Cooled batteries are first inserted into the bag before the food is put into the bag. We pre-place meat, fish, vegetables and fruits in plastic bags or plastic containers. By the way, some bags when sold in a set have special set containers.
V recent times Thermal bags are used not only in everyday life, but also in the professional equipment of some categories of workers: this is how bags are used in the delivery service of ready-made food, by medical workers for carrying vaccines, materials for analyzes, etc.
Probably, each of us has at least once been on a picnic, on a hike, or just went to the reservoir to relax. V summer heat food deteriorates quickly, drinks get hot, and a light snack between baths becomes less delicious. In order for the products to retain their taste for a longer time and do not deteriorate, either a thermal bag is perfect. Consumer reviews prove the benefits of this invention.
How does a thermal bag work?
Often, an isothermal bag is called a thermal cooler bag, but these concepts should not be confused. A cooler bag is capable of cooling food, and an isothermal one only maintains the temperature for a certain period of time. Also, the difference between a thermal bag and a refrigerator bag is that the first one can be used not only to store cold food, but also to keep food warm. For example, you just baked hot cakes, but you are afraid that by the end of the trip they will cool down and not so tasty. Don't worry - a thermal bag will help you out.
Thermal bag accessories
What kind of thermal bags are there?
Before making a purchase, you need to decide what kind of thermal bag you need. User reviews will perfectly help you solve this problem. To facilitate the task and not torment you with hours of study of information, we will tell you about what kind of thermal bags are.
The smallest and most compact is called a sandwich maker. Its weight does not exceed 400 grams. This handbag is designed for a group of two and perfectly keeps a small snack fresh. Its other purpose, albeit not quite usual, but quite practical, is to store cosmetics in it in hot weather. Undoubtedly, our fair half of humanity, which quite often faces the problem of melted lipstick on the beach. In addition, such a thermal bag is popular among students and office workers.
The thermal container is another type of thermal bag. Its weight is only 360 g. In terms of capacity, it is the same as a sandwich maker, but more compact.
The lunch box is different original design and the presence of several compartments. You can place a salad, a second and a dessert in them. Depending on the number of compartments, the weight of a lunch box can vary from 400 to 800 g. Most often it is purchased by office workers or students.
There are thermal bags made in the form or container. They are large in size, the internal volume of such products can reach up to 140 liters. Any fishing, picnic or hike will not be complete without such an invention as a thermal bag. Customer reviews confirm that thermal backpacks keep food and drinks for a long time. fresh and protect you from stale food poisoning.
What are the thermal bags made of?
We figured out the types of bags, but what are they made of? Thermal containers, lunch boxes and other frame products are made of rigid polymer materials... And such isothermal bags and backpacks are based on dense fabrics that can be washed and dry quickly.
But the most important thing in an isothermal bag is what its inner layer is made of. In high-quality thermal bags, it is made of PVC materials that have reflective properties. Such bags will keep the required temperature for a long time. In cheaper models of thermal bags, the inner layer is made of colored polyethylene. They keep the temperature much worse, but will cost less.
Baby bottle thermal bags: why are they needed?
Parents little child understand how important it is to have a bottle of baby food with you while walking. But it is not always warm enough. For this, a new niche has appeared in the category of thermal bags - a children's thermal bag. It is designed to store ready-to-use infant formula bottles. It's very simple: you cook nutrient mixture or warm up the milk and then put these bottles in a thermal bag. You will be able to feed your baby at his first request, and he will not be capricious while waiting for his lunch.
Someone will say that this is pampering, you can do with a simple thermos, and only a lazy mom needs a thermos bag for bottles. Reviews of young mothers prove the opposite. They say that such thermal bags keep warm and do not let the air in, and the little ones enjoy drinking warm milk while walking in the park.
The thermal bag should only be purchased in specialized store... When buying, it is advisable to require a certificate of product quality. Do not forget that the seller is obliged to fill in otherwise, if a defect is found, you will not be able to return or exchange the product. Before buying, be sure to inspect, feel it, check the locks and seams and determine if the thermal bag is of good quality. Customer reviews are important, so it would be nice to read them before buying. The walls of the thermal bag must be tight, otherwise it will not justify its function and will only leave you disappointed with the purchase. When choosing a bag, remember to be guided by your interests and what you need this invention for (travel, picnics or lunch at work).
Happy shopping!
Keeping food fresh, chilled or even frozen outside the home and without a stationary refrigerator is easy and simple with a thermal bag. For those who have not yet acquired one useful accessory, it will certainly be interesting to know how the cooler bag works and what its effectiveness depends on. Let's figure it out!
Types and principle of operation of cooler bags
Refrigerator bags on store shelves are now invisible. They are different forms, colors and sizes. However, functionally, such accessories are divided into:
- thermal bags;
- bags with cold accumulators;
- car refrigerators that can cool the air inside themselves.
Let's take a closer look at these varieties.
Thermo bag is only able to keep cold. It is arranged according to the principle of a conventional thermos, moreover, such an accessory can not only support low temperatures but also keep food hot. That is, you can always enjoy ice cream on the beach or treat your friends to warm pizza at a picnic outside the city.
The thermo-bag has a very simple structure - it has an insulating foil layer inside, for example, foamed polyurethane or foil insulation. Such a bag is tightly closed and can maintain the same temperature inside the chamber for 2-3 hours. This bag is very convenient to use if you lead an active lifestyle and spend a lot of time on the road and on your feet. The bag can be carried over the shoulder. There are models made in the form of backpacks, and after use, such an accessory twists and does not take up much space. There are also thermo boxes. They have a rigid structure, and foam can act as an insulating material.
If you buy fruits or drinks at the market on a hot summer day, put them in an ordinary thermos bag and go to nature, then you will have to feast on warm fruits and drink warm drinks.
But a bag with cold accumulators can help you out in such a situation and cool the purchased products a little. In fact, this is an ordinary thermos bag with a thick insulating layer inside. But complete with such a purchase, cold accumulators are also sold - sealed flasks with saline or special gel inside. Such a battery must be frozen beforehand. If the frozen container is placed in a thermo bag, the saline solution will thaw very slowly, releasing the cold to the food inside. The use of rechargeable batteries increases the storage time of food inside the thermos bag - by about 10-12 hours.
However, there are container bags that can actively and continuously cool the air and food inside. These devices are powered by an outlet or car cigarette lighter. It is thanks to this that the auto-refrigerator can work for several days. As a rule, such containers are distinguished by the largest volume and are created for autotourists, travelers and those who travel to nature in a large company.
What determines the time of keeping the temperature inside the thermal bag?
Of course, when buying a cooler bag, we all want our purchase to be as effective as possible and serve us as long as possible. That is why, when choosing one or another model, focus on the thickness of the insulating layer, ergonomics and the device of your purchase, the presence or absence of cold accumulators, etc.
Remember that a bag made of dense material, with a secure fastener and a protective flap, with a thick insulating layer, is able to maintain temperatures 15 ° lower than environment... However, without cold accumulators, this effect will be short-lived - about 3 hours.
By the way, we strongly advise against buying a cooler bag if you are not sure that the thermal layer in it is more than 0.8 cm.The thinner polyurethane or foil insulation is simply not able to keep cold or heat inside itself, longer than 1-1.5 hours.
If you get cold accumulators or do it yourself, the shelf life of food in the chamber of the thermo-bag increases by at least 6 hours. And the temperature can be 20-25 ° lower than outside the bag. With the correct placement of food in the middle and enough cold accumulators (for 1 liter of food - 50 g of a cooler), the time for maintaining the temperature inside the bag is from 12 to 24 hours. Depends, again, on the thickness of the thermal layer.
Cold accumulators can be bought ready-made. Or you can use the tools at hand - ice packs, bottles of frozen water or a simple saline solution (for half a liter of water - 3-4 tablespoons kitchen salt). You can use granular litter from clean baby diapers. It must be wetted, removed from the torn diaper and frozen in a bag.
Before storing food, try to cool the bag itself. For example, put it in the refrigerator compartment and put something very cold inside. It is better not just to refrigerate all products to be frozen, but to freeze them well. Well, it's better to pack each product in newspaper or food foil. When stacking food, try to evenly place cold storage accumulators - purchased or made at home. Leave a couple of batteries at the bottom of the bag and under the lid of the bag. Remember, proper stacking of food - plus 1-2 hours to keep the cold inside!
By the way, the frequency of opening the bag, and even its location, also affects the time the temperature is maintained. If you place the densest and most reliable bag in the sun or will often look inside - prolonged cooling and maintenance the right temperature you don't get it. The thermal bag should be kept in a shady or cool place, and it can also be covered with a blanket or other items that will interfere with heat transfer. To open the bag less often, get yourself a model with quick-access valves - small side fasteners that allow you to get a small product or a water bottle out of the bag without opening it and letting warm air flow into the middle.
By the way, all the same rules apply if you need to keep food warm. Only you do not freeze cold accumulators, but heat them in hot water.
What is a cooler bag for?
The scope of use of the isothermal bag is extremely wide. Think for yourself:
- You can make large purchases of products without worrying about their safety. Even walking around the market for half a day on a hot July day, you can be absolutely calm about the freshness of purchased meat or dairy products if you carry them in a thermal bag with cold accumulators;
- You can take cold drinks, ice cream and other products with you to the beach;
- You can store the necessary cosmetical tools and medicines that cannot be kept outside the refrigerator;
- You can take perishable food with you to long trip(to nature, to the sea, to the cottage, on a hike);
- You can keep baked goods or other dishes, drinks warm, even if you are on an outing or picnic in the countryside;
- You can take your lunch to work, study, training in a small thermo-container;
- You can safely wait out an unexpected power outage, repair or defrosting of the refrigerator without losing food from the freezer;
- In the thermal bag you can store your catch on a fishing trip or meat obtained from a hunt.
Some prudent housewives acquire several thermal bags of different sizes for different needs. In a word, it is enough to buy or make a cooler bag with your own hands, and, believe me, you will not have it idle!
A real mini fridge - how it works
As we have already said, in addition to isothermal bags, there are also mini-refrigerators with the possibility of autonomous operation. These are rigid plastic or plywood boxes with a very thick isothermal layer of polystyrene or polystyrene foam, as well as a foil-lined inner chamber. In addition, when connected to electricity or a car battery, such a device begins to generate cold, acting on the principle of a conventional household refrigerator. Mini fridges also have a small amount of refrigerant, compressor and piping. When the power is connected, the compressor starts to drive the refrigerant through the capillary tubes of the device, the air inside the mini-refrigerator chamber begins to cool down.
Sometimes, gas in cylinders is used instead of electricity. However, keep in mind that a 5 liter bottle will be enough for you for a week, no more. And yet, such an installation cannot be transported from place to place - it can only function permanently.
More advanced devices work on the basis of such a phenomenon as the absorption of heat at the junction of two semiconductor materials. This phenomenon is known as the Peltier effect. Such a mini-refrigerator can be powered by a simple outlet, a cigarette lighter in the car, or from a built-in generator. Such a model will be completely autonomous - it can be put in the country or carried in the trunk of a car.
As you can see, technology continues to leap forward, making daily life a person as comfortable as possible even where civilization is out of the question. Now, you have the opportunity to sip a cool drink while sunbathing on the beach, even if there are no shops nearby. Now you can go to long picnics and eat fresh food, no risk stomach upset... You can safely defrost and disinfect the refrigerator without puzzling over what to do with the mountain of frozen products.
In addition, knowing how the cooler bag works, you can choose a truly practical and efficient model, as well as use its full potential. Always keep up with the times and live comfortably!