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Although dry ice is not a commonly purchased item, you can find it is available for purchase in most grocery, general merchandise, and hardware stores.
Some of the uses you may have for dry ice can be for freezing food, creating interesting and exciting drinks, and even helping your plants grow.
The amount of money you are likely to spend on your dry ice purchase will depend on how much you require, which in turn is going to vary depending on what you intend to use it for.
So who sells dry ice?
In the following sections of this article, we will look at who sells dry ice, how much you should expect to spend, how to transport it from the store to your house and the best way to store it once you get it home.
Do they sell dry ice at Walmart?
Yes, Walmart is one store which sells dry ice.
You should find that dry ice is available for purchase at most Walmart stores – however, there are a few things to consider before you go out and make your purchase.
Firstly, you may want to consider your age, as some locations may require proof of age before they allow you to purchase dry ice.
Therefore, you may want to consider taking some ID with you to avoid being refused purchase and ending up disappointed.
Something else to consider is stock availability.
While Walmart does sell dry ice, it may not carry it in every store or have consistent stock available.
In this case, it may be a good idea to call ahead of your visit and check whether your local store has dry ice available.
You may not be able to check stock availability for your local store online, so calling ahead is important to save you a wasted trip and ensure you get the amount you need.
Where to Buy Dry Ice?
Here are some grocery stores that sell dry ice:
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
- Costco
- Speedway
- Home Depot
- Acme
- Safeway
- Meijer
- Kroger
- Ralph’s
- Walgreen’s
- Publix
- HEB
- Albertsons
- Dillon’s
How much does dry ice cost at Walmart?
The amount you spend on dry ice at Walmart will depend on how much you require.
For a pound of dry ice, you should expect to spend between $1 and $3 at Walmart, with most Walmart stores selling dry ice for an average of around $1.44 per pound of ice.
You may see some price differences in terms of specific brand comparisons, but there is unlikely to be much difference in terms of quality.
The price of dry ice at Walmart is typical of other retailers, which average prices similarly ranging from $1 to $3 in other stores.
Some retailers may offer discount on bulk purchases or purchases of large amounts of dry ice; however, this will depend on individual retailers and may not be available at Walmart.
One thing to look out for when buying dry ice is the time of year.
The price and dry ice sales are likely to vary depending on the time you are purchasing it.
Halloween is one time of year when the demand for dry ice rises due to its many uses and its price can rise around this time.
You may find that you end up spending more if you purchase dry ice around October time.
Does Walmart Sell Dry Ice Online?
Unfortunately, no.
They currently do not sell dry ice online at Walmart. Dry ice needs to be purchased in-store, and you can call ahead of arriving to check if they have them in stock.
Where to buy dry ice online?
Dry ice can be very difficult to be online, due to the fact that many retailers refuse to sell and ship dry ice through the internet.
Delivery to a home can be difficult, as it must be delivered within ten hours. After this point, it is likely to begin to evaporate and so will be useless.
Some stores, including Walmart and Costco, cannot deliver dry ice to your home. In this case, you may find your best option is to purchase smaller quantities of dry ice in store.
Larger quantities of dry ice may be more appropriate for shipment, and you do have some options if you wish to have your purchase delivered.
One option when purchasing dry ice online is to go straight to an online supplier of dry ice, a dry ice delivery service or specific distribution centre.
These retailers are much more likely to deliver your purchase to your home, and you may also find that these retailers are more likely to offer you a discount on large quantity purchases than other retailers may be.
Some places where you can buy dry ice online are:
Some retailers may also be able to offer you same day or next day shipping, which is a great option for dry ice which needs to be delivered quickly.
You may find that online retailers such as Amazon, which not being a specific dry ice retailer, are also able to offer direct delivery to your home.
Do supermarkets carry dry ice?
You should find that most supermarkets or grocery stores will carry dry ice, as well as general merchandise and hardware stores.
There are some things you should consider when buying dry ice from a supermarket.
As with Walmart, some retailers may require proof of age before allowing you to purchase dry ice due to its potentially harmful nature.
If a supermarket believes you are underage, they are likely to refuse you service.
It is also important that you plan ahead with your purchase.
You should plan to purchase your dry ice no more than a couple of hours before you need to use it, as the shelf-life of dry ice is very short and any longer than this could cause it to evaporate.
It is also a good idea to call ahead to ensure the store you are visiting has the amount of dry ice you will need and that are able to pick it up at an appropriate time.
How to transport and store dry ice
Dry ice should be transported in non-airtight containers.
It is important that you travel home with your car windows open to allow fresh air in.
This will stop the carbon dioxide released by dry ice from building up, which can cause health problems for you including headaches and dizziness.
Once at home, ensure you wear gloves to handle the dry ice as it can burn your skin if handled improperly.
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The dry ice should be kept in a well-insulated container such as a Styrofoam cooler, which can hold your dry ice for any length of time.
Typically, your dry ice should last between eighteen and twenty-four hours in such a cooler.
The cooler should be kept in a cold area of the house, or even outdoors, to slow down the sublimation process.
An important thing to remember is that dry ice should never be stored in a freezer, particularly a walk-in freezer.
This is because freezers are poorly ventilated and the built up of carbon dioxide released by dry ice can be harmful in such an area.
Summary on Finding Dry Ice Near You
Dry ice is a product with many uses.
Now you know where to purchase your dry ice, as well as the best and safest way to transport and store your ice and some of the things you might need to consider when purchasing dry ice.
The best way to buy dry ice near you is to call your local retailer ahead of arriving to keep aside the dry ice for your purchase.
Also make sure to carry some form of ID as proof.
