CHEAP 10 Gallon Rubbermaid Water Cooler

So I started builing my E-HLT yesterday and went to home depot to pick up a new crispy 10 gallon rubbermaid water cooler to cut in to(since the last one I got from there was only 50). To my amazement they were only 36 dollars. So I figured I'd let anyone know if they were hunting for a new 10 gallon water cooler for HTL or MLT.

Yeah, some Home Depots have certain 10 gal coolers on clearance right now. There is a thread here somewhere with the SKU so you can call the Home Depots and see if they have them.

FWIW, Sportsman's Warehouse has them for $39, if you have one in the area.

Got my 10 gal. Rubbermaid "Home Depot" labeled orange cooler for $37.96 + tax last Wednesday. Helluva deal.

Home Depot is definitely the place. I found them in the nursery, same price as indicated above, by the BIG flower pots on an upper shelf (had to use the ladder to reach them).

Also, I got a good deal on two SS fitting sets (bulkhead/ball valve/nipple) on eBay, with the vendor "weldlessfittings." $62 including shipping for both, complete sets. I figure, assuming I could even find SS ball valves at my local hardware store, it's a only few bucks more than I'd pay to build my own. I don't have time for that nonsense anyway, I just want to get brewing! Life is short.

Home Depot is definitely the place, but in our local HD, plan on finding them yourself:

Me: "Where are your coolers?"

HD Guru: "You mean ice chests?"

Me: "Well, yeah, but these are round, cylindrical."

HD Guru: "We don't have any."

Me: "You have no coolers at all?"

HD Guru: "Well......there are some little ones, you go back blah blah blah."

So.....I go back there, and sure enough there are both 5 and 10 gallon Rubbermaid coolers. I get the 10 gallon one, and go back to the front desk, where I have the temerity to point out "This isn't exactly a small cooler."

HD Guru: "Oh, why didn't you say you wanted a BEVERAGE COOLER?"

Game over.

rico567 said:

Home Depot is definitely the place, but in our local HD, plan on finding them yourself:

Me: "Where are your coolers?"

HD Guru: "You mean ice chests?"

Me: "Well, yeah, but these are round, cylindrical."

HD Guru: "We don't have any."

Me: "You have no coolers at all?"

HD Guru: "Well......there are some little ones, you go back blah blah blah."

So.....I go back there, and sure enough there are both 5 and 10 gallon Rubbermaid coolers. I get the 10 gallon one, and go back to the front desk, where I have the temerity to point out "This isn't exactly a small cooler."

HD Guru: "Oh, why didn't you say you wanted a BEVERAGE COOLER?"

Game over.

Click to expand...

+1. And, don't waste time calling them for the same reason (or they can't hear you, transfer you all over the store, or disconnect you). I suspect the coolers are seasonal, so even though I don't plan on moving to AG until this fall or later, I picked mine up now.

Got one the other day. My HD had a bunch. All of them came with free cup dispensers (woo hoo?) and came with a lot of dust.

FWIW, I got a 12-gallon Igloo Ice Cube cooler from Target for less than $20 not too long ago, and I think they're still doing that price. They're not really as easy to move around as the Rubbermaid ones, though. And, you need to drill your own hole in it.

EDIT: This one.

Take a look at weirdboy's cooler. $17.99. I just bought this one for my MT. It has channel or depression in the bottom so you can mount the fitting very low. There is no spiqot but there is a molded in area for one where the cooler wall is very thin (guessing < 1/4" total. I thought the overall insulation was a little weak so I picked up a roll of al- insulated material at the HD for another 12 bucks. I forgot the name of the stuff, but have seen it on the boards several times. I used the roll to make a double thickness cover for the cooler and have plenty left over to do anoter or make a HLT jacket. I'll be breaking it in next week - I can't wait
jason

I've found the rubbermaid brand to be sub-par. I've had two of them in the last three years and both have had the bottom split open and allow wort to leak into the insulation. I bought a Coleman Extreme cube this time.

I see the RM 10 gallon is up to $45 now at Home Depot. I'd love to find one in the $25-$35 range but in 2012 I don't know if that will be possible. Menards has one for $19 but they only have 5 gallon. I think I'd rather just go 10 gallon right away.

I use this one. No existing spigot hole, just drill your own. $24.45+S&H
http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Commercial-Products/Rubbermaid/Victory-Two264507