Sanitized freezer packs for chilling wort?

Hey there guys and gals- I'll start this thread with an apology for re-hashing what seems to be an age old question regarding wort chilling. I do 5-6 gallon all grain batches outdoors on a dual burner rig, but the temps have been just a bit too low to get me out there to cook up my next batch. What I have been considering is mashing inside and splitting my batch in half and boiling on the stove. Since I can't hook up my immersion chiller to my kitchen sink, I have been trying to come up with something other than the ice bath method. It takes too freakin long, especially considering I will have two pots boiling simultaneously. Has anyone considered or tried using sanitized freezer packs (the blue bricks for your cooler) directly in your wort? I've read a thread in which someone tried using them in a sanitized ziploc bag, but the bag expanded so much after dropping it in the wort that it tore and the packs ultimately came in contact with the wort. Any thoughts? Sanitize a ziploc, put sanitized freezer packs in ziploc, freeze, remove frozen sanitized packs from ziploc and drop in wort? Any feedback is greatly appreciated. My fermenter is empty and my kegs are nearly so...

I imagine that the plastic of a ziplock bag would melt in near boiling wort. Also, I have had freezer packs that leak. You dont notice it when they are frozen but thawed, they leak a weird gel. I would not want that in my beer.

I've used these:
http://www.zesco.com/Rapi-Kool-Quick-Chill-Containers-pzZP99158002.htm
in a professional kitchen for chilling soup etc. They are made of polycarbonate.

I would be concerned about a possible leak of an unknown substance from an ice pack.

I would be concerned about leaching chemicals from a zip-lock type bag

back in the 90's before I had a proper chiller, I used 2 liter soda bottles frozen with water for that purpose... but I personally would not do that now - again concern of leaching chems.

RJ

Thanks for the quick responses. I had my own reservations about the gel leaking out, especially with the sudden and extreme temperature differences. Was just curious if anyone had used them successfully. I think I'll stay away from the weird frozen gel.
I have seen those Rapi-Kool contraptions in my LHBS, just never really paid them much mind. Now I have seen the light, and I think I will give it a go. My only concern is being able to effectively stir with that monster in my kettle
Thanks again, cheers!

HopeBrew said:

My only concern is being able to effectively stir with that monster in my kettle
Thanks again, cheers!

Click to expand...

you use the Rapid cool paddle(s) to stir with, it makes the cooling process much more efficient

Ahhh, fair enough I was curious how effective it would be to stir with it since they're kind of oddly shaped...