Dry ice can be incredibly useful if you’re going on a short trip and need to keep items such as cold drinks and ice cream chilled.
So if you’re planning to visit your local Costco for supplies soon, you may be wondering if Costco also sells dry ice. Here is what I’ve discovered through my research!
Does Costco Sell Dry Ice?
Costco sells dry ice at some of its store locations. Availability varies across stores, so only visit stores with freezer sections or contact your local store in advance. Alternatively, you can visit other retailers including Walmart, Meijer, and Safeway. Dry ice sells for $1.00-$2.75 per lb.
If you want to learn more about what other stores sell dry ice, whether you can buy dry ice from Costco.com, and much more, keep on reading!
How Can You Find Out If Your Local Costco Sells Dry Ice?
The best way to find out if your local Costco store sells dry ice is to contact the store in advance using Costco’s store locator.
Alternatively, you can also ask the staff in person at a Costco store about the availability of dry ice over there.
How Much Does Dry Ice Cost?
You can expect to buy dry ice at most retailers for anywhere between $1 and $2.75 per lb. Among these, Walmart sells dry ice at the cheapest price point of $1-$1.5 per lb.
However, if you’re purchasing large orders (above 200 lbs), you will be able to buy dry ice for as low as $0.50 per lb.
Can You Buy Dry Ice From Costco Online?
Unfortunately, Costco does not sell dry ice through Costco.com. In fact, most online retailers will not allow dry ice to be purchased online and will only sell it to customers in-store.
This is because retailers will have to spend heavily on maintaining a consistent storage temperature during shipping to prevent the dry ice from melting before it is delivered.
What Other Stores Sell Dry Ice?
You can buy dry ice (in varying quantities) from any of the following stores in the U.S.:
- Safeway
- Kroger / King Soopers
- Walmart
- Costco
- Meijer
- Whole Foods
Note that you should always contact the local store you are visiting in advance to ask about the availability of dry ice since it may not always be in stock.
What Are The Dangers Of Dry Ice?
Dry ice poses safety risks due to its incredibly low temperature and poisonous gas effects, and in rare circumstances may even cause death.
As much as possible, avoid using dry ice in poorly ventilated areas because dry ice releases dangerous levels of CO2 as it melts.
This can have various poisonous effects such as acute illness or even death, depending on how much CO2 has been inhaled.
Additionally, handling dry ice improperly can cause physical harm since it is known to be one of the coldest substances in the world.
Human skin can not bear this level of cold, so you should always handle dry ice with industrial gloves. If you expose your skin to dry ice for too long, it can cause painful burns and blisters.
You can learn more about the health and safety risks of dry ice here.
To learn more, you can see our related posts on whether or not Target sells dry ice, if Walgreens sells bags of ice, if Costco sells bags of ice, and if Aldi sells bags of ice.
Conclusion
Some Costco locations in the U.S. sell dry ice in-store (not available online). To find out if your local store stocks dry ice, contact its customer service desk ahead of time. Alternatively, stores such as Whole Foods, Walmart, and Safeway will likely have dry ice stocked within the freezer sections of the stores. You can buy dry ice for anywhere between $1 and $2.75 per lb.
