The Zeer Pot/desert refridgerator

The zeer is a large clay pot inside which fits another smaller clay pot with a clay lid. The space between the two pots is filled with sand, creating an insulating layer around the inner pot. The sand is then kept damp by adding water at regular intervals — generally twice a day ( mid morning mid afternoon) — reducing the temperature significantly within the inner pot.

I have used these in place of an Icebox cooler for fruit and vegatable storage and they work exceptionly well.
I hope someone who has not heard of them before looks at the simplicity of evaporation as cooling, perhaps people who are not interested in living with power or propane may find this usefull for food storage.
I have found them to be superior to the "Coolgardie Safe" of which our resident Aussies would know.
This also works on the principle of evaporation though using canvas and hessian on a water drip tray.

 

ive read an article on these and i think i will try using one when im on the road this summer if i can get a deck or porch built on my bus to put it on. what an ingenious bit of technology, especially for the third world.

 

I have done the something similar with butter. In summer time I put 1/2 a packet butter in a jam jar, sleeved with a stubbie holder and leave in some water.So far it has never melted on me.

 

thanks for the information. ill use that one day