Materials: Spontan magnetic board, cooler packs (the more the colder, I used 6 thick pieces), felt pads (leg protectors)
Description: I wanted to have a cold serving platform in order to keep foods cold during "buffets" with my family. While walking through Ikea, I saw just what I needed: Spontan magnetic board and a hack!
1. Apply felt pad sticker to each corner underneath the board. Just to protect the tabletop (and in the future use, the wall).
2. Place and arrange frozen cooler packs evenly on to the table, approximately in a bit smaller area than your Spontan magnetic board.
3. Place the magnetic board on to the coolers. Check that the coolers stayed within the edges.
4. Place food items to the platform in serving plates or bowls.
5. As addition, you can place "menu-cards" on to the edge of the board with magnets, to explain, for example, the content of the food served.
6. After usage, hang back to wall to serve as magnetic board.
Why use Spontan magnetic board instead of some random piece of metal? Spontan has finished look and ready made clean cut edges, which keeps the coolers in right place (under the board) so the platform doesn't wobble. The edges also hide the coolers. And as addition, you can use this in it's original purpose, as magnetic board. Multifunction also save storage space.
See more of the cooler hack.
~ Johanna, Finland
Nice one!
ReplyDeleteI can't stop thinking why in Finland (in winder time?) you would like to keep your food fresh? Lol
I can see it here in India, but we don't have Ikea. Too bad. I have to wait until I am back to Europe.
Thanks for sharing.
So smart and easy! You could even add Velcro or Command Strips to the cooler packs to make it more sturdy. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSmart! Love it!
ReplyDeleteSo smart and so simple and so cheap !
ReplyDeleteGreat job ;-D
Such a good idea! I've been looking for a reason to need one of those magnet boards :D Now I have a reason to buy one AND throw a party!
ReplyDeleteHow very clever - and simple! Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteThe Idea is awesome and it is so simple. I think they also have the same kind of board, made of glass. That might be a little bit more fancy.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea in theory, but am I the only one thinking cleaning up the condensation afterwards would be a total pain? Not to mention it may make the packs slip on the bench if you bumped them. This would be better if you had a metal/plastic tray that you could put the ice packs on, both to catch the condensation and for stability.
ReplyDelete@AnonymousJan 24, 2012 06:56 PM
ReplyDeleteBuy 2, put one face down, put the cooler bricks on that, place the second one face up. May want to use velcro to attach the two together. Just a thought.
To bad cold travels downward (well actually heat rises) ... maybe put some styrofoam under the icepacks to keep the packs cold longer (and prevent the countertop from "absorbing the cold").? Also good for stability and condensation.
ReplyDeleteCold doesn't travel down, and heat doesn't rise. hot air rises. the cold will 'move' to whatever is touching it that will cool the quickest. so insulated countertop will not cool as quickly as metal spontan.
Delete+1
DeleteConvection != conduction
I don't think that would work James... this hack uses a magnetic pinboard, not a tray, and the thickness of two would not be enough to enclose the ice bricks. A tray that the pinboard could fit over would be better.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the weight of the food on top would hold it in place sufficiently or maybe a slip mat under the bricks?
ReplyDeleteDepending on the size of your ice bricks, maybe you could use a couple of the Rationell cutlery trays underneath the magnet board?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/30177224/
Thanks for the great idea! I have three of these magnet boards that have never been used so pulled one out for this the other night - worked great. I used gel pack freezer bags (that I use to ice my hip and back therapeutically) with a dishcloth discreetly hidden beneath the whole and it worked perfectly. No wobble and the condensation wasn't bad at all - my kitchen could handle it! Thanks for the brilliant suggestion - great hack!
ReplyDelete