Oversized Ice Cube Maker

Then use 1 gallon jugs. A gallon of water weighs about 8.5 pounds

And if the gallon milk jugs split try using ones from Arizona Tea, they are heavier plastic with a better cap.

Fill a gallon jug about 90% full. Then just put the entire jug in the cooler.

I've also seen people use a plastic storage container with a lid. They are more of a problem to set level in the freezer. Again, leave expansion room so the lid stays on.

You can also use 2 gallon ziplocs about half full, and stack them in the freezer laying flat. If you fill them you won't get a flat brick of ice, it will be rounded.

If you put several large containers of water in a freezer at once, be aware that it is probably going to take 24-36 hours for them to freeze solid.

Thanks. I will look for some two gallon Ziplock bags. I would really like something like a one gallon, one cube, tray. No bags or jugs to mess with after they are melted.

So freeze in the bags
To use cut the bag, put the blocks in the cooler

You must have an empty unused chest freezer to making big blocks of ice

I would fill it with ham, beef, and I've cream that on sale

MrWizard wrote:

You must have an empty unused chest freezer to making big blocks of ice

Not sure where you got that assumption. Two ten pound blocks of ice will only occupy about 1/3 of a cubic foot. (water weighs approximately 62.4 pounds per cubic foot). I don't need dozens of blocks, just one now and then.

I just fill a large cooking pot with water and put it in the freezer.

Once frozen, put it in the sink upside down and pour water over the top to free the ice. Makes a large block that will last a long time.

The larger blocks will melt slow and last longer than small blocks. That is they have less cooling effect because cooling only happens when the ice melts.

large blocks have less surface area,than crushed/cubed ice, add that to the density (negative thermal mass?)

they last longer in a cooler, but they take more time to chill the cooler contents

Have you tried dry ice? Very cold and evaporates so no mess after and not expensive.