Igloo vs Rubbermaid coolers

MikeInCtown · 12-02-2007, 12:48 AM

Hope this is the right place for this...

Locally I can get a Rubbermaid 7 gallon cooler for $29, an Igloo 10 gallon cooler for $50, or the Rubbermaid 10 gallon for about $20 more than that.

Has anyone converted the Igloo cooler or is the valve different?

The 7 gallon Rubbermaid cooler appears to take the same top as the 10 gallon, so should I assume that those conversion kits will work with the 7 gallon?

Just wondering if spending $20 more for a Rubbermaid is really needed. I'm new to brewing, but with Christmas coming up, i'd like to give others an idea of what I really want vs what I don't need.

RedSun · 12-02-2007, 01:19 AM

I'd always go larger than smaller, you'll want 40+ qt for a good sized brew and the right place for the post is in "Equipment"

All other things being equal, I'd go with the cheaper cooler myself as long as it provides the same ease of upgrade.

PseudoChef · 12-02-2007, 01:20 AM

Go to your nearest Wal-Mart and buy a 48 qt Igloo Ice Cube for $13.88.

But to answer your question, all the coolers will convert the same (i.e., same valve, etc)

You also probably want to stay away from the 7 gal cooler if you are doing 10 gallon batches and/or big beers. (O.G. > 1.080 or so).

Bromley · 12-02-2007, 01:35 AM

Something I've been wondering about is the plastics in some of the rectangular coolers. Do you think there is a difference between the round beverage coolers and them? I mean as far as the plastics giving off flavors when heated. The round ones are meant to directly hold a hot or cold liquid, but that's not the manufacturer's intended purpose with the rectangular coolers. Or am I just being paranoid?

PseudoChef · 12-02-2007, 01:41 AM

I just bottled my American Brown today, which is my first brew from the rectangular cooler. At this point, it's probably the best beer I've ever brewed, I don't detect any off flavours.

MikeInCtown · 12-02-2007, 05:10 AM

First, thanks for the recommendation on the square coolers. For some reason I thought you needed round. Guss it doesn't matter as long as it's a cooler with a drain that will hol heat.

Second, those who are complaining about taste from the plastic may not have cleaned the stuff well enough. They use mold release agents and oil will also get into the injection/blow molding machines. I remembered this as I used to work for a plastics mfgr, but also because I did a root beer kit with my kids and the first thing they tell you to do is soak the bottles in a cleaner solution overnight because the new bottles will impart a taste on to the root beer. I have to imagine that the hot water plus soak time would also do this to beer.

Mike

**SenorWanderer** · 12-02-2007, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bromley

Something I've been wondering about is the plastics in some of the rectangular coolers. Do you think there is a difference between the round beverage coolers and them? I mean as far as the plastics giving off flavors when heated. The round ones are meant to directly hold a hot or cold liquid, but that's not the manufacturer's intended purpose with the rectangular coolers. Or am I just being paranoid?

you're being paranoid. there's no way, from a manufacturing standpoint, that a company making different shaped coolers would use different plastics for different shapes. think economies of scale.

Bromley · 12-02-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenorWanderer

you're being paranoid. there's no way, from a manufacturing standpoint, that a company making different shaped coolers would use different plastics for different shapes. think economies of scale.

OK, paranoia it is then. Thanks for calming me down.

jeff967 · 12-02-2007, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Go to your nearest Wal-Mart and buy a 48 qt Igloo Ice Cube for $13.88

+1, good cheap price and makes a darn good mlt

beergears · 12-02-2007, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenorWanderer

you're being paranoid. there's no way, from a manufacturing standpoint, that a company making different shaped coolers would use different plastics for different shapes. think economies of scale.

I have NO specific information about it, but I would be so sure in ruling anything out. What if some plastics formulation works slightly better than another in certain mold shapes, maintains proper wall thickness, is a few pennies cheaper/ton, etc.
I am sure some of the folks here close to any manufacturing processes would agree that this "tailoring" of the raw material is commonly done.