Can You Put a Thermos Flask In The Refrigerator?
Thermos devices, also known as thermos flasks or vacuum flasks, are ingenious vessels designed to preserve the temperature of liquids, whether hot or cold, for extended periods, even hours, after preparation. The basic principle behind a thermos lies in its double-walled construction, which creates a vacuum space between the inner and outer layers, effectively preventing heat transfer. Outdoor enthusiasts, commuters, and anyone who desires to enjoy a steaming cup of coffee or an ice-cold refreshment at their convenience have become big fans of the thermos devices.
Thermos flasks are built with stainless steel, while others are made with glass or ceramic and a stainless steel exterior.
Since they are designed specifically for retaining hot or cold temperatures, there’s always some curiosity about their functions. For example, can you put a thermos flask in the refrigerator? Can a fridge damage a thermos? So, if you’re looking for answers to these questions, please keep reading.
This article provides straightforward answers to your questions about keeping a thermos in the fridge. It also offers other interesting information about using a thermos flask that you might appreciate. So, let’s get you some answers answers!
Can You Put a Thermos Flask in the Refrigerator?
Yes, you can. It is completely safe to put a thermos flask in your refrigerator. You don’t have to worry about the cold ruining your flask. Thermos flasks are designed to withstand hot and cold temperatures, so they would be right at home in the fridge. Since thermos flasks have vacuum insulation, the contents of your flask will cool very slowly. However, if it’s a cold drink, it will remain cold for a while longer.
The main concern with keeping a thermos flask in the fridge comes from the manufatureres’s advise that such items should not go in the freezer. A freezer reaches quite a few negative temperatures while the freezers never go beyond 0, so there is no chance for any rubber accesories/ seals to get broken.
Can You Put a Thermos Flask In a Freezer?
The simple answer is no. You cannot put a thermos flask in your freezer. This is because liquid expands and takes up more space as it gets cooler. This expansion process can shatter glass or bend the stainless steel in the thermos flasks. If there’s any damage to your thermos flask, it may fail to insulate properly, or it could start leaking. Also, your thermos could start losing temperature quickly if the vacuum insulation gets filled with air.
Will The Contents of Your Thermos Get Cold in The Fridge?
Since thermoses can keep ice frozen for more than 24 hours, some people think that keeping one in the fridge will make it colder or help the temperature last longer. However, it might not be so useful.
A thermos flask can keep drinks cold or ice frozen because of its design. They have double walls with a layer of vacuum installation between the inner and outer body of the task. This design makes it a lot harder for heat to pass through the flask’s body.
So, instead of your drinks getting colder in the freezer, it slows down the time it takes for cold beverages to get warmer. As a matter of fact, only the body of your thermos gets colder. So, if you want the contents to get cooler, you’ll need to take the lid off the flask.
Can You Freeze an Empty Thermos?
You have nothing to worry about if you want to pre-chill your empty thermos flask. This won’t break any glass or bend stainless steel because there will be no liquid content in the flask that can expand.
As we’ve mentioned, thermos can handle freezing temperatures. This means an empty one will do just fine.
Will You Void Your Warranty If You Put Your Thermos In a Refrigerator?
No, you won’t. Since your thermos cannot get damaged when you put it in the fridge, you have nothing to worry about. However, if you decide to keep the flask in your freezer, your warranty could be threatened.
As we mentioned, frozen liquids expand and take up space. However, in a thermos flask, there is little or no room for the liquid to expand. This is why it can break your thermos or affect its insulation. If that’s the case, your warranty will be void. So, you’ll have to pay for the cost of repair or replacement and shipment.
Why Would You Want To Freeze Your Thermos?
There is a long list of why people may want to freeze their thermos. For example, you may want to freeze your drink for later or freeze some water to become ice. Also, some people believe in freezing the thermos to pre-chill it so that liquids can remain cold for longer.
However, the idea of pre-chilling barely holds any grounds. This is because the process doesn’t make much of a difference. Thermoses are designed with a thick insulated vacuum between the inner and outer walls of the thermos. So, it is nearly impossible for the cold temperature on the outside body to make it to the inside. So, rather than keeping drinks cold longer, it only makes the exterior colder to touch.
Will The Taste of My Drinks Change If I Put My Thermos in a Refrigerator?
It’s always annoying to discover that something you kept in your fridge has lost its taste, or it now tastes like a combination of other items in your fridge. However, you don’t have to worry about that when using a thermos flask to store your drinks in a refrigerator. Thermoses are designed to be airtight. So, the only way the taste of your drink can be affected is if the lid isn’t closed correctly before it is placed in the fridge.
Final Thoughts
Thermoses are useful for our daily activities. They help you store hot or cold content while maintaining their temperatures for as long as possible. With many drinks and foods stored in a thermos, you may sometimes want to put them in the fridge. However, is that a safe thing to do?
Thankfully, you should have no problems keeping your thermos flask in your refrigerator. However, you need to ensure that you don’t try to freeze the flask in a freezer with liquid inside. We hope that this article has answered all your questions clearly, and helped you understand how you can use your thermos safely.
