Product Description
A large galvanised steel oval ice bucket for chilling drinks at bars, parties, and outdoor events. Holds 15 to 20 beers or 8 to 10 wine bottles at once. The open-top design means guests serve themselves — no bar staff needed at the drinks station. The steel finish suits garden party, wedding, and festival setups equally. Pairs with a tablecloth over the outside to hide the base if presentation matters.
How to Use a Drinks Ice Bucket at an Event
Fill the base with crushed or cubed ice, then bed bottles neck-down at an angle. Crushed ice chills bottles faster and holds them in position more cleanly than cubed. For pre-chilled wine and champagne, a half-full bucket is enough. For room-temperature beers, use more ice and fill the bucket well in advance — bottles take 20 to 30 minutes to reach serving temperature from ambient.
For continuous service at a bar, keep a second supply of ice in a cool box nearby and top up the bucket as guests help themselves. One large oval tub serves a self-service station for around 30 to 40 guests before needing a full restock.
Events and Settings
- Wedding drinks receptions: A row of ice buckets along the drinks table holding prosecco, white wine, and soft drinks. Guests collect on arrival without queuing at a bar. Pairs naturally with champagne flutes and poseur tables.
- Garden parties and outdoor receptions: Self-serve drinks stations around the garden — place one at each drinks table or terrace zone. Reduces the need for dedicated bar staff at informal events.
- Festival and outdoor bars: Behind the bar or as a branded self-serve station for bottled beers at a temporary festival pitch. Works alongside the full bar equipment range.
- Corporate summer parties: Quick, clean self-service for soft drinks and beers at lawn events, team days, and charity fundraisers.
- Christmas parties and indoor events: A bucket of ice with champagne or cava at the table — standard at New Year's Eve and Christmas party dinners.
How Many Do You Need?
Allow one large ice bucket per 30 to 40 guests at a self-serve drinks reception. For a drinks table serving 100 guests on arrival, three buckets gives guests enough choice and prevents a bottleneck. For a bar serving continuous table service, one bucket per table of 8 is standard.
Why Hire From Expo Hire?
- No deposit, no damage deposit. Ever.
- Sunday delivery and collection across England and Wales at no extra charge.
- Live stock at checkout — confirmed at the point of booking.
- Real-time driver tracking on delivery and collection day.
- Free Minor Damage Waiver on every order.
Specifications
- Material
- Galvanised Steel
- Shape
- Oval
- Finish
- Silver/Natural Galvanised
- Capacity
- 15–20 bottles (beer); 8–10 bottles (wine/champagne)
See the Mobile Bar Hire Guide for bar setup planning, glassware quantities, and equipment selection.
Technical
| Material | Galvanised Steel |
|---|
| Colour | Silver |
|---|
| Width | 345 mm |
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| Height | 185 mm |
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| Length | 550 mm |
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| Weight | 0.6 kg |
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- Large oval drinks bucket for self-service
- Holds 15-20 beer bottles or 8-10 wine bottles
- Made from durable, watertight galvanised steel
- Rust-resistant silver finish
- Dimensions: 0.55m (L) x 0.345m (W) x 0.185m (H)
FAQs
- What is the price including VAT?
This item is subject to 20% VAT and therefore you will pay £4.20 each for a standard 3 day hire at checkout.
As primarily a business-to-business supplier we advertise our prices ex-VAT as most businesses will be able to reclaim the VAT amount.
- Do you offer discounts for if the item is hired for less than 3 Days?
No. We recommend a minimum hire period of 3 days to provide enough time for set-up and break-down of your event, and to make sure that problems such as traffic or adverse weather conditions do not impact on your event. If you want to hire for a shorter period than this then we cannot offer a discount.
- Do you offer discounts for Long Term Hire?
Yes, after the standard hire period of 3 Days you will be charged £0.70 per extra day up to day 7, £0.53 per extra day up to day 28 and £0.35 per extra day after that.
| Days Hire | Cost (ex-VAT) |
|---|
| 1 | £3.50 |
|---|
| 2 | £3.50 |
|---|
| 3 | £3.50 |
|---|
| 5 | £4.90 |
|---|
| 7 | £6.30 |
|---|
| 14 | £9.98 |
|---|
| 21 | £13.65 |
|---|
| 35 | £19.78 |
|---|
- How much security deposit do you charge?
Nothing! Unlike most of our competitors, rather than charging a large deposit, we provide a FREE 'minor deposit waiver' scheme to cover minor damage and loss. Excessive or negligent damage and loss will be invoiced at 10 times the standard hire price of the relevant items. Please read our terms and conditions for full details.
- How much do you charge for delivery?
There is a minimum charge of £40.00 for a distance up to 10 miles each way.
After that we charge £1.00 per mile each way and an additional £40.00 for each journey on a weekend or bank holiday.
We calculate the distance using driving directions from our local base to your event postcode, so it is important that you provide the correct delivery address at checkout.
You can use our Carriage Calculator to get a full quote.
- Can I choose a specified Time Slot?
We make deliveries anytime between 8am and 8pm, however we can offer early (8am - 1pm) or late (12 noon - 6pm) slots for an additional cost calculated at checkout.
We can not guarantee more specific times unless you pay for a dedicated driver. This is individually priced on request and are subject to availability.
- Can I collect from you warehouse rather than pay for delivery?
No. To ensure that your products arrive safely and correctly we offer a delivery and collection service only.
- Do you have a showroom where I can view the products before ordering?
No. As we are an online-only you can view all of our products on our website. To keep our prices as low as posssible our warehouses are not open to the public.
Customer Reviews
★★★★★
A P, Grantham - May 2026
