Review and test of Chinese-made cold accumulators. Is it worth buying a Chinese one?
Let’s explore Chinese cold accumulators: how they work, their advantages and disadvantages. Read our test and review to find out if such cold accumulators are worth buying. Are they really as cool as the manufacturer claims?
Test of Chinese cold accumulators
Cold accumulators, or gel coolers, have become an integral part of everyday life, especially for those who travel often or use thermal bags to store food. In recent years, Chinese cold accumulators have gained popularity due to their affordable price, and are they of good quality at the same time? In this review, we will look at what to expect from Chinese cold accumulators, test one of the most popular models, and consider their advantages and disadvantages.
What are Cold Accumulators?
Cold accumulators use special gel or liquid fillers that, when frozen, are able to maintain a low temperature for a long time. They are ideal for use in cooler bags, containers and other food storage systems.
Advantages of Chinese Cold Storage Batteries
- Affordable Price: Chinese cold storage batteries are usually cheaper than European and Ukrainian counterparts, which makes them an attractive choice for consumers with a limited budget.
- Variety of Models: There are several models on the market with different sizes and volumes.
- Long-term cooling: The manufacturer claims a long cooling period – 24 hours.
Review.
Chinese-made cold accumulators really have a lower price than T-PACK cold accumulators or any others. The price is about 20 percent lower. For review, we ordered 200g cold accumulators. A month has passed since ordering from China, and here they are on our table. The cold accumulators arrive not filled with water, with a small amount of powder inside. At first touch, we want to note the thickness of the polyethylene – it is about 40 mK. For comparison: T-PACK cold accumulators of our production have a thickness of 90 μm. The thickness of the film will significantly affect the service life and the maximum load that the cold accumulator can withstand. The film has a photo label, which indicates factory performance and strict adherence to package dimensions during mass production. 
Cold accumulators have upper and lower sealing seams. The lower seam has a sealing thickness of only 3 mm. For comparison – T-PACK cold accumulators have a seam width of 10 mm. The upper seam is difficult to call factory, because it differs from the lower one – made by rolling, and made crookedly and with embossing. We also note that the filler neck made of transparent polyethylene and with Chinese inscriptions is also soldered on top. The neck is also soldered crookedly. Preparation for use. Just add water. According to the instructions, we fill the cold accumulator with water. The neck is narrow and not very convenient. The cold accumulator has marks on the polyethylene in 100 ml. and 200 ml. We collect 200 ml. Then, according to the instructions, we expel excess air from the cold accumulator through the filler neck with our fingers. Using a transverse movement, we press the film onto the seam of the filler neck. And a miracle – the cold accumulator is sealed. Since the cold accumulator is white and has a thin filler neck, it is not very convenient to guess with the exact filling. Also, one of the three cold accumulators constantly leaks through the filler neck. After a few minutes, the water thickens and becomes gel-like. The cold accumulator is filled and ready for use.
Testing Cold Accumulators
We place the cold accumulators in the freezer for 10-12 hours. After 12 hours, we take the cold accumulators out of the freezer. The substance inside is completely frozen. Both cold accumulators have characteristic bulges on one of the planes. Which will negatively affect the strength of the already thin polyethylene.
For the experiments we will use:
- Thermocontainer 4l.
- Chinese-made cold accumulator – 2pcs
- Microcontroller for data processing – ESP32
- DS18B20 temperature sensor
- Imitation of a 4mm thick thermal package
Experiment conditions:
- Temperature outside the thermal box – +22
- Required temperature inside the thermal box +2 – +8
- Freezer -18
For more effective temperature distribution, we place one cold accumulator on the bottom, the other on top of the product. In our case, this is a temperature sensor. To isolate the temperature sensor from direct contact with the cold accumulators, we put on a thermal package. Close the lid and wait 24 hours. At the same time, we take temperature data every 10 minutes. In the graph we see how the temperature inside the thermobox changed over 24 hours. We see the initial temperature of the sensor as positive because the thermopack was at room temperature. 
Conclusion.
Chinese-made cold accumulators are capable of providing a temperature regime of +2 – +8 for only 8 hours. The declared characteristics do not correspond to reality. The test failed.