Ever since their introduction into the kitchen industry in the twentieth century, the popularity of cream chargers has grown immensely.
Today, nitrous oxide cream chargers (8g or 580g) have several uses, especially in the food and drink industry. This is mainly attributed to their unique ability to introduce pressurized nitrous oxide gas into food items like liquid cream to create delicious whipped cream. N2O chargers are every chef’s delight because they help them achieve their culinary innovations when making desserts and cocktails.
In today’s post, we want to go through the major difference between an 8g vs 580g cream charger and help you decide the better option for you.
8G Vs 580G Cream Chargers – Introduction
These are the two most popular types and/or sizes of food-grade nitrous oxide chargers on today’s market.
What are 8G Cream Chargers?
8G Cream Chargers.
An 8-gram cream charger is the smallest size there is on the market. It typically measures around 0.5 inches wide and 2.6 inches long. It comes filled with 8 grams of pure nitrous oxide gas.
Most 8g cream chargers are universally designed to fit any standard 8g whipped cream dispenser on the market. This simply means an 8g cream charger from GreatWhip and an 8g cream charger from Mosa or ISI can be used interchangeably with cream whippers from these three different brands. Universal compatibility means you never have to worry about buying an extra fixture.
These N2O cartridges are also recyclable. So, instead of littering the environment, you can simply drop your empty 8-gram N2O canisters at a recycling firm nearby.
They are so far the easiest types of cream chargers to use on the market. Just make sure that you know how to unscrew and screw the charger holder on your whipped cream dispenser.
You have also probably come across slightly bigger cream chargers. Those are the rare 16g cream chargers, which aren’t so popular on the market because of compatibility issues.
What are 580G Cream Chargers?
580G Cream Chargers.
A 580-gram nitrous oxide charger is one of the larger canister sizes used in the food and drink industry. It is usually longer and wide compared to an 8-gram N2O cartridge. Each small tank is filled with 580 grams or 0.95 liters of nitrous oxide gas.
This small tank of food-grade nitrous oxide isn’t directly compatible with a standard 8g whipped cream dispenser. Not to mention that there isn’t any other type of cream whipper that is uniquely made to fit a 580g N2O without making any modifications.
To make it easy to use this type of cream charger, manufacturers came up with an ingenious solution. This involves the use of a pressure regulator. This should sound familiar if you have been using large tanks of liquid gas for cooking in your home. The pressure regulator is specifically designed to fit on the 580G tank, then it is connected to a filling hose, which is connected to a cream whipper head with an adaptor.
The pressure regulator helps you to control the exact pressure of nitrous oxide, depending on the volume or size of food or drink you are making.
580-gram N2O chargers are also made of recyclable materials, which makes disposal easy without littering the environment.
How to Use 8G Cream Chargers
How to Use 8G Cream Chargers.
There are two ways you can use a cream charger, with a whipped cream dispenser when making whipped cream for topping desserts and with a NOS cracker for filling a balloon for recreational use.
Whipped Cream Dispenser Method
These are the steps you should follow when using a whipped cream dispenser.
- Start by preparing your food ingredients
- Add all your ingredients into the cream whipper in the right amounts
- Close the whipped cream dispenser
- Slowly unscrew the charger holder from the cream whipper head
- Slide an 8g GreatWhip cream charger into the holder
- Screw the charger holder onto the head of the cream whipper
- Continue screwing until you hear a whooshing sound (it indicates the release of the gas)
- Unscrew the charger holder and remove the empty N2O cartridge
- Cover the piercing pin with the provided cap
- Shake your whipped cream dispenser to mix the gas and the food contents
NOS Cracker Method
These are the steps you should follow when using a NOS cracker to fill a balloon with nitrous oxide gas.
- Remove the cap of the cracker by unscrewing it
- Take your 8g N2O charger and slide it into the cracker with the slender side pointing upwards
- Gently screw the cap and make sure it is fully closed
- Make sure there isn’t any gap between the body and the lid of the cracker
- Slide your balloon over the lid side of the cracker for about 0.5 inches
- Wear protective gloves and then slowly unscrew the cracker head until the balloon is filled with N2O
- Remove the cracker and tight the balloon to prevent the gas from escaping
How to Use 580G Cream Chargers
How to Use 580G N2O Tank
You have to be a little more creative when using a 580-gram cream charger with a standard 8g cream whipper. There are a few things you will need to be able to use that tank.
First, you need a pressure regulator that is compatible with the 580g N2O tank you have. It’s easy to portion control with a pressure regulator. You get to save a lot of gas with each portion of whipped cream you’re making. Second, you need a filling hose that fits perfectly in the regulator. This will channel gas to your whipped cream dispenser. Third, you need an adaptor, preferably a click system that is compatible with your cream whipper.
These are the steps you should follow when using a 580g cream charger with your standard 8g cream whipper:
- Attach the pressure regulator to your 580g N2O cartridge
- Connect the filling hose to the pressure regulator and adaptor
- Add your food ingredients into the cream whipper and close the head
- Screw or attach the adaptor to the head of your whipped cream dispenser
- Release the N2O gas in small portions, depending on the volume of whipped cream you want to make
8G Vs 580G Cream Chargers – Main Differences
Here are the main differences between 8g and 580g nitrous oxide chargers:
| 8G Cream Chargers | 580G Cream Chargers |
| Filled with 8 grams N2O | Filled with 580 grams N2O |
| Single charge | Multiple charges |
| Fit a standard cream whipper | Uses a pressure regulator and an adaptor |
| Up to 600 pieces per package | Up to 6 pieces per package |
| Portable and space-saving | Large and takes significant storage space |
Benefits of 8G Cream Chargers
These are the most popular benefits of 8-gram cream chargers.
Universal Compatibility and Ease of Use
Most if not all cream chargers brands design their 8g nitrous oxide cartridges to have universal compatibility with their whipped cream dispensers. They are basically interchangeable. This makes them easy to use even for novice home cooks.
8-gram N2O chargers are super easy to use. You just need to know how to unscrew the charger holder and how to position the cartridge inside the charger holder before screwing it back on the cream whipper head.
They’re Easily Accessible
8-gram nitrous oxide chargers are easy to access. All cream charger brands produce them in different package sizes. They are also the easiest to order online in wholesale or bulk sizes.
Some Drawbacks of 8G Cream Chargers
Here are common drawbacks of 8-gram N2O chargers:
Only Suitable for Low Volume Use
8-gram cream whipper chargers are only good for low volume use, which can be quite frustrating when you are making desserts and cocktails for a larger number of people. Each eight-gram cartridge can only be used to charge a whipped cream dispenser once. You may even have to use more than one cartridge when creating a large volume of whipped cream.
They Can Be Time Consuming
You may need to use more than one 8-gram N2O charger when making a large amount of whipped cream. Replacing the empty charger with a new one can be quite time-consuming with the unscrewing and screwing of the charger holder.
Benefits of 580G Cream Chargers
These are the most popular benefits of 580g whipped cream chargers.
They’re Economical
Let’s start by breaking down the economic benefits of shopping for 580g cream chargers. Many cream charger brands, especially conventional ones, only sell cheap 8g nitrous oxide canisters.
Averagely, a pack of 50 N2O whipped cream chargers is available at approx. 30 USD. On the other, one 580g cream charger is available at approximately 15 USD. Before we do the math consider this, one 580-gram N2O tank is the equivalent of 80 8-gram N20 cartridges. So, the cost of a pack of 50 8-gram cartridges is enough to get two 580-gram tanks or an equivalent of 160 small cartridges. In other words, instead of buying 8g cream chargers in bulk, you can simply decide to buy a few 580g cream chargers.
This goes without saying that tanks are more lucrative for large volume use, such as a dessert business or a large gathering. So, next time before you buy 8g cartridges in bulk think about the tanks and how economical they are.
Logistic Benefits
If you are running a business, then buying 580g cream chargers sounds to be more lucrative. This is so because you will be ordering less frequently. But if you were to buy small 8g cartridges, then you will be forced by demand to buy more often.
When you order cream chargers less often, you get to significantly reduce delivery costs when shopping nearby and shipping and delivery costs when shopping from a different state or country. You will not have to spend a lot of time stocking and managing your inventory. You also don’t have to worry about processing new deliveries every now and then.
The Choice to Buy in Bulk
Instead of buying a large quantity of small nitrous oxide cartridges in bulk, you can simply buy a few tanks in bulk for a long-term supply and reduced costs.
Apart from being a cheaper option, 580g N2O tanks provide wholesale opportunities for both small and large-scale businesses.
When you buy 580-gram nitrous oxide canisters in large quantities, you can use a section of your inventory for your business and the rest for low volume use like topping desserts and creating cocktails at home.
Sustainability
Another very important benefit of buying 580-gram N2O tanks over the small cartridges is how sustainable they are. As we mentioned, one single tank of food-grade N2O is equivalent to 80 eight-gram nitrous oxide cartridges.
So, a single tank reduces the amount of steel that could so easily find its way into the environment. Carrying a few tanks to a recycling firm nearby is much easier and cheaper than carrying hundreds of empty 8g N2O cartridges to a recycling firm.
They’re User-Friendly
Although you need a pressure regulator, a filling hose, and an adaptor to be able to use a tank with a whipped cream dispenser, tanks are more user-friendly.
Consider this, you can regulate or control the pressure of N2O gas injected into the cream whipper. For example, you can conveniently set the pressure at 16 bar when creating 8 portions of whipped cream, 10 bar when creating 4 portions of whipped cream, or 5 bar when making 1 portion of whipped cream.
Some Drawbacks of 580G Cream Chargers
Here are some drawbacks of tanks:
Compatibility Issues
The 580g N2O tanks are not designed to be compatible with standard 8g cream whippers. You need a pressure regulator with an attached filling hose and an adaptor to make a tank of nitrous oxide compatible with a regular whipped cream dispenser.
It’s Possible to Over-Charge a Cream Whipper
The pressure regulator helps you to control the amount of gas you are injecting into your cream whipper. But it can be tricky if you don’t know how many bars are enough. So, you may unknowingly inject excess N2O into the whipped cream dispenser.
FAQs
How much is a tank of nitrous oxide?
The whole price of a tank of food-grade nitrous ranges from approximately $8 to $12 per piece. The retail price ranges from approximately $60 to $80. It is more economical to buy wholesale.
Can you buy a tank of nitrous oxide?
Yes, you can buy a 580g nitrous oxide tank. GreatWhip is your go-to supplier for N2O tanks. You can buy a single tank or you can order a package of six 580g N2O tanks, and have it shipped to your preferred location.
Are all whipped cream chargers the same size?
No, whipped cream chargers come in different sizes. There are three main sizes, 8g, 16g, and 580g. But the 8g and 580g cream chargers are the most popular in the food and drink industry.
Conclusion
The 8g vs 580g cream charger battle has been fierce, right?
The smaller cream chargers have universal compatibility with most whipped cream dispensers on the market. Not to mention that they are super easy to use with a cream whipper.
But 580g cream chargers have proven to be a better option in several ways. They’re economical, which means you only have to buy a few for large volume use as opposed to 8g N2O cartridges that have to be bought in bulk.
So, when deciding between 8g and 580g cream chargers always consider the benefits of the tank size.
