
On hot summer days, nothing beats the satisfaction of enjoying a refreshing, chilled drink. The sound of ice cubes rattling in a glass or the sight of a cold soda can with beads of condensation brings back the best memories of summer.
However, there are moments when a cold drink isn’t readily available. Many people store unopened packs of drinks in their cabinets, so by the time they're ready to enjoy one, it’s already at room temperature, not quite the refreshing chill they had in mind.
Sometimes, we just can't wait for that cold drink. However, chilling a beverage the traditional way – in the fridge or freezer – can take longer than we'd like, especially during those hot summer days. While the freezer is the fastest option, it still takes around an hour to chill a can of soda to the ideal temperature. Plus, there’s always the risk of freezing the drink, ruining it, and forcing you to start over, adding even more time to the process. The fridge isn’t much quicker either, with some drinks taking hours to cool.
The temperature issue isn't just limited to beer and soda – it affects most white wines as well, since many people prefer them slightly cooler than room temperature. If you’ve bought a bottle for dinner but forgot to chill it in advance, you’ll either have to wait – which isn’t ideal once dinner’s ready – or give up on enjoying it as planned.
Fortunately, when there’s a challenge like this, someone always finds a solution. For those who dread the thought of a lukewarm soda or beer, rapid drink chillers are a lifesaver. These machines can cool your drinks in just a few minutes. But how exactly do they keep your beverages cool so quickly?
How Rapid Drink Chillers Work
The invention of the refrigerator has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we store food and drinks, making it easier to preserve items like milk, juice, fruits, and vegetables for extended periods. However, the primary function of a refrigerator is storage, not quick cooling. Most fridges are large and offer ample storage space, which means fluids don’t cool rapidly. It’s similar to air conditioning – the bigger the space, the longer it takes to lower the temperature.
The primary goal of a rapid drink chiller is to minimize space. That’s why they are designed to be compact – about the size of a toaster oven. At the same time, they must also feature an effective cooling system. A popular model, the Cooper Cooler One Minute Drink Chiller, invented by Greg Liobl, uses a combination of cool water jets, ice, and rotating rollers to achieve this. So, how does it all work together?
Whether you're heating up a cup of coffee or cooling down a drink, both processes rely on the transfer of thermal energy. In any hot substance, the molecules move faster than those in a cooler substance, meaning they possess more kinetic energy. The molecules in a hot cup of coffee have more kinetic energy than those in a cold glass of water.
Rapid drink coolers work by running cool water over your aluminum can or glass bottle while a roller spins the container. As the cool water touches the surface, it’s colder than the surface itself, allowing heat to transfer from the warmer material (the drink container) to the cooler one (the water). This water is then recycled into a compartment filled with ice to keep it at low temperatures, and the cycle continues. The motorized rollers ensure the drink cools evenly by spinning the containers.
Using Rapid Drink Chillers
A rapid drink cooler can come in handy for various occasions, particularly during warm summer months when large groups are gathered outside enjoying cold drinks. For example, if you need to serve six people cold drinks quickly, instead of waiting for a six-pack to chill in the freezer or filling a cooler with ice, a rapid drink chiller can cool all six drinks in just about six minutes. Typically, a can of soda can be chilled in a minute, and a larger bottle may take about three to four minutes.
So far, we’ve mainly discussed large, planned gatherings with lots of people, but rapid drink chillers are also perfect for spontaneous visits and impromptu dinners. When a friend shows up with a six-pack of beer, soda, or a bottle of white wine, you no longer have to wait around for the drinks to cool. In just minutes, the problem is solved. White wine, which is typically served chilled, can be ready to enjoy almost immediately after you arrive home. And since preparing a big meal often involves multiple steps, quickly chilling drinks just before serving makes everything much easier.
To use a rapid drink cooler like the Cooper Cooler One Minute Drink Chiller, simply fill a compartment with water and ice. Place the can or bottle you want to chill into a small space and close the lid. Then, adjust the settings to your desired temperature. (Although the One Minute Drink Chiller seems too small for a wine bottle, it has a small hole at one end that allows the bottle’s neck to stick out.) Rapid drink chillers can bring cans of soda or beer down to 38°F (3.3°C), and wine bottles, which should not be as cold, can be chilled to temperatures in the low 50s°F (10-12°C). The compartment spins the drinks to ensure they cool evenly, and there’s even a no-spin option to protect delicate wines from excessive agitation.