What is Reddit's opinion of Coleman Chiller Series 48qt Insulated Portable Cooler, Ice Retention Hard Cooler with Heavy Duty Handles?

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If you're trying to go cheap and bare minimum, 40qt pot and do BIAB. Add a 48qt cooler if you don't want to wrap your pot in blankets for mashing. A large BIAB bag fits perfectly inside this coleman cooler.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DH4LT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabt1_vqWSFbXF05VX6

I have a medium sized cooler that I can easily bungie to the top of my rear rack. It buts up against my saddle, but it's as stable as stable can be. Now, I usually carry it upside down because it has a rounded bottom, and carry the cooler items in my panniers until I arrive. but my needs may differ from yours.

Context: Was looking for some DIY solutions for my current brewing setup. I'm finding over the course of my 60-minute mash, I'll lose 2-3 degrees from my standard 48-QT Coleman Cooler mash tun.

Didn't know if anyone has done this little DIY project to improve their cooler at all. A little concerned with drilling the holes inside the mash tun and might try it on the exterior to prevent the heat from stripping the seal and thus potentially getting foam into the mash. Interested in hearing your thoughts!

I have a cooler like this that I place the dough in on one side, and then a water bottle filled with ice on the other side (as well as a thermometer). When the temp gets too warm I add more ice and water to the bottle to keep it stable. Usually I need to replace the ice every 4-6 hours to keep it around 18C and then fill it up before bed.

I'd like to set up some stupid engineering crap though with a peltier cooler + arduino + thermocouple to monitor the termperature and keep it regulated around 18C - maybe throw in a heating pad as well as the base for if I want to proof breads at a higher temp.

I recently picked up this 48 QT from Amazon for only 28 bucks, tossed a ~$30 weldless bulkhead/valve setup on it and it did great yesterday when brewing a smaller 4gal batch. The seals seemed tight and I can't imagine there would be any problem holding a larger mash.

Any big compare/contrast ideas between having a round cooler or square cooler? \

Would this be suitable?

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-3000000152-48-Quart-Cooler-Blue/dp/B0000DH4LT/ref=sr_1_2?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1420942853&sr=1-2&keywords=cooler

Holy crap it takes them $235 to make a single unit? That's surprising considering it's primarily plastic [injection mold] with some off-the-shelf electronics.

Edit: I wondered how much each major part of the Coolest Cooler would cost if I purchased each component individually:

• Generic 55-Quart Cooler: $25.48
• 20Ah Powerbank with AC Inverter: $139.99
• Small Blender: $26.85
• Portable Bluetooth Speaker: $17.99
• LED Light: $9.99
• Plastic Plates - 6 Pack: $6.55
• Ceramic Knife: $5.99
• Corkscrew + Bottle Opener: $2.00
• Cutting Board: $3.54

Total RETAIL Cost for the above products: $238.38 (and I could have gone cheaper)

I'm perplexed as to how the heck it costs Coolest Cooler $235/unit when I can assemble the same thing at retail cost for just a few dollars more on Amazon.

Disclaimers:

• Products selected are all Amazon products
• Products selected are not "Add-on" items ("Add-on" items are generally cheaper)
• I have not tested out any of these products
  

Thanks! It’s serving me well so far. The heat source is a reptile heating lamp.

Here’s some links to everything in my chamber:

Coleman Performance Cooler,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DH4LT?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Inkbird ITC-308 Digital... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HXM5UAC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Zilla Premium Reflector Dome,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCWP1Q?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

BOEESPAT Ceramic Heat Emitter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089VSZXRP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Sure, it’s basically a cooler, reptile heating lamp, and a temp controller. Links to each product that I used are below. Let me know if you have specific questions.

Coleman Performance Cooler,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DH4LT?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Inkbird ITC-308 Digital... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HXM5UAC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Zilla Premium Reflector Dome,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCWP1Q?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

BOEESPAT Ceramic Heat Emitter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089VSZXRP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I actually haven’t had a chance to try the black apples yet. They’ll probably need to dehydrate for a few days before they’re ready. I did get to taste some of the reserved liquid and it resembled an almost vanilla infused apple juice like taste, so I’m excited to try the apples.

My setup is a cooler, temperature controlled, and a reptile heat lamp. I’ll put links of where I bought below:

Coleman Performance Cooler,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DH4LT?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Inkbird ITC-308 Digital... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HXM5UAC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Zilla Premium Reflector Dome,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCWP1Q?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

BOEESPAT Ceramic Heat Emitter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089VSZXRP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Are you thinking of buying a mash tun "kit" from some place like Northern brewer? If so, then I think those kits are overpriced for what you get. $100 bucks for just the cooler, then $30 for the valve/bulkhead assembly plus another $50 for the false bottom is awfully expensive.

I've pieced together several mash tuns before using cheaper coolers from places like Target, walmart, and amazon. The Coleman Xtreme 70 qt cooler works well, but I currently use an Igloo 52 qt cooler for my 12 gallon batches without issues. I'd be willing to bet that this cooler would do the trick just fine. It's 3 gallons larger and about 1/4 the price compared to the 10 gallon cooler. You'd still need the valve/bulkhead assembly, but instead of the false bottom you can add a bazooka screen and save $35. The downside of this route is a less-than-ideal mash tun geometry, but I hit 86% efficiency yesterday with a 12 gallon batch, plenty good for a home setup.

Are you planning on stepping up batch sizes at some point in the future? If you are, I would future-proof yourself when buying a new kettle and burner. The Bayou Classic KAB4 performs as well as the Edelmetall and Blichmann burners for significantly less cost (they all use banjo burners). This one even includes a high pressure regulator, which means your propane tank lasts longer too.

As far as kettles go, a 15 gallon kettle is great for 5-6 gallon batches and might get you by for double batches if you're careful, but I would suggest 20 gallons instead. Lots of choices on amazon here too: some with holes drilled, some with thermometers built in, and really cheap aluminium stock pots too. If you're a DIY guy like me, you can drill your own holes in a kettle using a step bit, some lube, and patience.

Here’s some links to everything in my chamber:

Coleman Performance Cooler,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DH4LT?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Inkbird ITC-308 Digital... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HXM5UAC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Zilla Premium Reflector Dome,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCWP1Q?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

BOEESPAT Ceramic Heat Emitter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089VSZXRP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I have to say, this is an absolutely brilliant idea.

​

I priced a $35 cooler

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Performance-Cooler-48-Quart-Blue/dp/B0000DH4LT/

and a $10 rack

https://www.amazon.com/YETI-Tundra-Cooler-Inside-Dry-Goods/dp/B0075ICCBK/

​

And all in (with the cost of a lightbulb) you are at about $80, but have a cooler to use when you aren't proofing. Great idea. Take my silver.

IIRC the rock bottom price these sold for on Amazon was $250. The average was well over $300, close to $400. A couple years ago, the company claimed that it cost ~$235 to manufacture one of these.

I wondered how much each major part of the Coolest Cooler would cost if I purchased each component individually:

• Generic 55-Quart Cooler: $25.48
• 20Ah Powerbank with AC Inverter: $139.99
• Small Blender: $26.85
• Portable Bluetooth Speaker: $17.99
• LED Light: $9.99
• Plastic Plates - 6 Pack: $6.55
• Ceramic Knife: $5.99
• Corkscrew + Bottle Opener: $2.00
• Cutting Board: $3.54

Total RETAIL Cost for the above products: $238.38 (and I could have gone cheaper)

I'm perplexed as to how the heck it costs Coolest Cooler $235/unit when I can assemble the same thing at retail cost for just a few dollars more on Amazon.

Disclaimers:

• Products selected are all Amazon products
• Products selected are not "Add-on" items ("Add-on" items are generally cheaper)
• I have not tested out any of these products

I buy coolers for cheaper than that tupperdor you listed. and they hold waaaaaay more. Mine have hundreds of sticks in them. Look for coolers on amazon. Just bought another one for $16 today. The price for this fluctuates daily: https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Quart-Performance-Cooler-Holds/dp/B0000DH4LT/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488336233&sr=8-3&keywords=cooler

here is a great deal:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Igloo-48qt-Island-Breeze-Cooler-RED/162398853888?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41402%26meid%3D1388ab5ac861453a827132ba9aa6505f%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%...

Someone else found a $19 cooler And check craigslist for brew kettle and bottles. I started with a cheap Granite Ware Tamale Pot and made 2.5 gallons beer and now have 7 gallon kettle so for under 40 bucks is not bad for starting out.

If humidity is a problem, you may need to look at how you store your filament. I don't know that you can remove very much moisture just prior to extrusion. Doing so on the fly would probably require enough heat to soften or possibly melt the filament. You are better off using low heat over a long period of time with a gun safe heater or a sealed desiccant box.

I'm thinking of a sealed box like an ice cooler or an old refrigerator, a renewable desiccant pack, and an analog hygrometer. Store all of your filament in the sealed box with the desiccant and the hygrometer. Check the hygrometer every day or so and renew the desiccant with your kitchen oven as needed until the reading stabilizes.

A basic setup will cost less than $60.

48 quart cooler
Analog hygrometer
750 Gram Silica Gel Canister Dehumidifier