Does the world's first 'self-cooling can' actually work? Here's what we know

Yahoo

19-03-2025

A new 'self-cooling' can could change picnics, camping trips and days out at the beach forever - and help save the planet along the way, its self-taught inventor told Yahoo News.
The can, which was created by a Welsh barman with no engineering training, has already attracted interest from beverage giants including Coca-Cola and Heineken and could go on sale as early as 2026.
It sounds simple enough. Users simply press a button on the bottom of the Cool Can for the outside to chill near instantly, with the drink inside turning ice cold within three minutes.
It's all down to crystals in a hidden layer in the outside of the can that react with a liquid that is released from the bottom (the inside of the can is sealed).
Cool Can creator James Vyse left school with no GCSEs and says the reason a self-cooling can has never been made before (despite efforts from the drinks industry) was that previous attempts were far less elegant than normal cans.
The last attempt, in 2012, cost four times as much as a normal can, did not hold much liquid, and released a jet of gas from the bottom as it cooled down.
Vyse's version can be recycled just as easily and only costs slightly more to manufacture, which has sparked the worldwide interest from drinks giants.
Yahoo News attended the launch of the Cool Can – and there's no doubt it was impressive.
It feels the same weight as an ordinary can, but you can feel crystals crunching beneath the surface on the outside – where they are held in an airtight layer within the aluminium 'skin' of the can.
When you push the button (it responds to a light touch), the outside immediately becomes chill to the touch. A light blue thermo-sensitive sticker then shows you when the drink inside has cooled.
The exact chemical makeup of the crystals is a closely guarded secret, but adding the liquid starts an 'endothermic' reaction which sucks in heat from the surrounding area.
Endothermic reactions are the opposite of exothermic reactions, which release heat (for example, fire).
As the crystals and the liquid react, they 'suck in' enough heat to cool the liquid in the can down.
It feels very much like a normal can, and it's weirdly satisfying to use – in a way that could see it become a cult summer item on picnics and especially in hotter climates where drinks rapidly warm up.
You could, for example, start with a pre-refrigerated drink somewhere warm, then push the button to keep it cold for longer.
The company is currently negotiating with companies including Red Bull, Monster and Coca Cola.
It is trying to work out its approach in different territories to balance the right ratio of crystals and water.
The next stage will be a pilot programme in various regions, and then the can will go into mass production in 2026.
Cool Can's story is more unusual than most because of Vyse's background, which is more cocktail-shaking than engineering.
Having gained a reputation as a mixologist, including in London's Shard, Vyse found success with a business selling cocktails through the post, which grew rapidly during the pandemic.
He was determined that his next business would be a global success, and spent months tearing cans to pieces, covering his hands in his children's Avengers sticking plasters.
Vyse told Yahoo News: "I bought a load of cans off the shelf, broke them all up, and tested materials. I literally got a bedroom in my house, painted walls in chalkboard paint. I knew chemistry pretty early."
Researching industry patents with a view to a practical, scalable solution, he built and designed the product himself.
The company was initially funded with investments from Vyse's previous business and from family and friends, and is currently seeking further investment.
"When I was growing up on a Welsh council estate, I always said I would be a millionaire one day but my parents never believed me! What I want is to build a billion pound company, and a legacy."
The cans could, in theory, cut down on both electricity usage and the need for refrigerators, particularly if they are produced on an industrial scale
Cool Can was also designed so that it could be recycled in normal recycling facilities without leaving any toxic residue. They can be crushed, shredded and recycled at any normal can recycling facility – all that is left is salty water, which is non-toxic.
Rachel Watkyn, founder of Tiny Box Company, says: 'Similar inventions go back to 2004 but have failed mass adoption due to prohibitive costs and sustainability issues.
'Refrigeration accounts for around 17% of the world's electricity use, according to the UN, although progress will take time as the fridges are already there.
'But the real saving over the long term could be in cutting back on the huge amounts of plastic bottles used (only about 9% of plastic being recycled worldwide and recycling often limited to downcycling) being swapped out for aluminium which is much easier to recycle and which can be recycled indefinitely.'