Pellets or nuggets? The answer depends on what you're putting the dry ice into and how long it has to last. 3mm vs 16mm dry ice comes down to size. Both are the same -78.5 °C product, and the size changes how fast it goes away and how well it packs.
We sell both by the pound, plus flat slices in 5 lb packs. Below is how to pick the size to buy for your job.
What's the difference between 3mm and 16mm dry ice?
3 mm pellets are rice-size and built for blasting machines, where even, consistent feed matters more than anything. 16 mm nuggets are thumb-size, slower to sublimate, and easier to portion out by hand for a cooler, a shipping box, or a fog machine. Smaller pieces have more surface area per pound, so they go faster. Bigger pieces last longer sitting still.
Why pellets win for blasting
Dry ice blasting equipment wants small, uniform pieces that feed through a hose without jamming. That's 3 mm pellets. They meter evenly through the machine, nozzle pressure stays consistent, and the surface finish on whatever you're cleaning stays even too. Nuggets are too chunky for most blasting setups and will clog the feed or blast unevenly.
The tradeoff is sublimation speed. More surface per pound means pellets disappear faster sitting in a bin than the same weight of nuggets would. That's fine for blasting, because you're using them right away. It's not fine if you're trying to keep something cold for three days in a cooler.
Why nuggets make sense for coolers, shipping, labs, and fog
If the dry ice needs to last, not get used up in an hour, go with 16 mm dry ice nuggets. They sublimate slower because there's less surface exposed per pound. That matters a lot over a weekend camping trip or a two-day shipment.
A cooler with the lid on but not latched (never latch it, dry ice needs to vent) loses roughly 5-10 lb of dry ice per 24 hours. Over a 3-day trip that's about 15-30 lb. Nuggets lose less of that per pound than pellets would at the same starting weight, so they keep you nearer the low end of the range.
Shipping perishables works the same way. Figure about 5 lb per insulated box per 24 hours in transit, plus a day of margin for delays. In practice that's roughly 10 lb for an overnight box and about 15 lb for a two-day box. Either size works in a shipping box; nuggets last longer, which helps when a package runs late. Check with your carrier about their own dry ice rules before you ship, since those vary.
Labs portioning out small amounts for sample transport or short-term storage often use nuggets, since they're simple to weigh by hand. Pellets work there too when they need to fill the tight space around vials.
Fog is another nugget job. A bucket of hot water running nonstop eats 12-18 lb in the first hour, 24-36 lb over two hours, and 36-54 lb over three hours. Two buckets double those numbers. Running the fog in bursts, only while guests arrive, uses a lot less. Nuggets fog a little less hard than pellets but keep going longer per piece. Either way, swap in hot tap water every 10 to 15 minutes as it cools: that does more for a Halloween driveway than the size of the ice.
Where slices fit in
Dry ice slices come in flat 5 lb packs, and they solve a specific problem: you need flat, even coverage either over or under product, not loose chunks rolling around. Restaurants laying slices under seafood display, or shippers who want a flat layer under a tray of food, reach for 5 lb dry ice slices instead of pellets or nuggets. They stack flush, they don't shift in transit, and they give consistent contact across a surface instead of a few hot and cold spots.
Matching size to the job
Two questions decide which size to buy: how long does this need to run, and what shape is the space it's going into?
- Blasting equipment: 3 mm pellets, the standard feed for blasting machines.
- Cooler for a weekend trip: 16 mm nuggets, slower sublimation covers the days.
- Freezer outage: nuggets work well here too. A rough rule is 1.5 lb per cubic foot for about a day, so a 15 cu ft chest freezer wants roughly 20-25 lb.
- Shipping a perishable box overnight or over two days: nuggets, sized to the 10-15 lb range above.
- Fog for an event lasting hours: nuggets, with the hot water swapped as it cools.
- Flat coverage under or over food: slices, for the even contact.
If you're not sure which bucket your situation falls into, our guide to how long dry ice lasts in a cooler, car, or freezer walks through the sublimation numbers in more depth, and the fog machine amounts post breaks down bucket counts and run times for events specifically.
How much can you order?
Any amount from 1 lb and up. Pellets and nuggets are sold by the pound online, slices come in 5 lb packs, and 500 lb orders are sold online and go out in a returnable bin. For standing orders, call us at 604 239 9333. Orders of 150 lb or more go out in our returnable bins, which are rented by the week. Keep in mind an order under $25 of ice is charged $25 plus GST, so very small orders cost the same either way.
Current prices are on the shop page, we don't quote per-pound numbers here since they change.
Picking up or getting it delivered
Pickup is at our plant at 2-730 Eaton Way in Delta, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 4 pm, closed on BC statutory holidays. Same-day pickup works when the size you want is in stock, otherwise order by 2 pm for next-day pickup. Delivery runs Monday to Friday during the day with no specific time slot, order by 2 pm for delivery the next working day. The delivery price goes by the distance from our plant, shows at checkout before you pay, and is paid in advance.
Not sure whether pickup or delivery fits your timeline, or what else to check before you order? Our buyer's checklist for dry ice in Metro Vancouver covers that ground. For freezer emergencies, there's a step-by-step on saving a freezer during a power outage.
Once you know whether you need pellets for a blaster, nuggets for a cooler or shipment, or slices for flat coverage, order your dry ice online and pick pickup or delivery at checkout.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between 3mm and 16mm dry ice?
3 mm pellets are rice-size and built for blasting equipment, where they meter evenly through the machine. 16 mm nuggets are thumb-size and sublimate slower because they have less surface area per pound, which makes them better for coolers, shipping boxes, labs, and fog machines where the ice needs to last hours or days rather than get used up right away.
Can I use 3mm pellets in a cooler instead of nuggets?
You can, but they will sublimate faster than nuggets because smaller pieces expose more surface area per pound. For a short trip it may not matter much, but for a 3-day cooler trip where you're already looking at 15-30 lb of loss, nuggets hold up longer and are the more practical choice.
When should I buy dry ice slices instead of pellets or nuggets?
Slices come in flat 5 lb packs and are meant for flat, even coverage over or under product, like under a seafood display or a tray of food in transit. They stack flush and don't shift around the way loose pellets or nuggets can, giving more even contact across a surface.
How much dry ice can I order, and how do I get it?
You can order any amount from 1 lb, with pellets and nuggets sold by the pound and slices in 5 lb packs; 500 lb orders are sold online in a returnable bin. Orders of 150 lb or more go out in returnable bins rented by the week. Choose pickup at the Delta plant or delivery at checkout, with current prices shown there.
Need dry ice? Order online and pick up at our plant in Delta, or have it delivered. Not sure how much? See how much dry ice you need.
