It's the question we hear more than any other: "Will one canister be enough?" The short answer is that the number on the box (30, 50 or 70) is how many standard 9-inch latex balloons it fills. Change the balloon size or switch to foil, and that number changes a lot.
Here's how to work out exactly what you need before party day.
Why the balloon count depends on the balloon
A helium canister holds a fixed amount of gas. A balloon's size decides how much of that gas it needs. A 12-inch latex balloon holds more than twice as much helium as a 9-inch one, and a large foil balloon holds far more again. So "fills 50 balloons" is only true if all 50 are standard 9-inch latex.
That's why the most common surprise is with foil: someone orders a canister rated for 50, fills a giant number balloon and a few stars, and finds it empty much sooner than expected. Nothing is wrong with the canister. Foil simply uses more helium.
Real counts for each Airloons canister
Use these as a guide for balloons filled to their recommended size:
- 30-balloon canister: 30 × 9″ latex, or 12 × 12″ latex, or about 5 × 18″ foil, or 1 × 36″ foil.
- 50-balloon canister: 50 × 9″ latex, or 20 × 12″ latex, or about 7 × 18″ foil, or 2 × 36″ foil.
- 70-balloon canister: 70 × 9″ latex, or 27 × 12″ latex, or about 10 × 18″ foil, or 3 × 36″ foil.
For letter and number foil balloons, expect about 1 × 30″ from the 30 or 50 size and about 3 × 30″ from the 70. Smaller 20-inch letters are often too heavy for their size to float at all, so check the packaging before you buy them.
How to plan a mixed balloon set-up
Most parties use a mix: a number balloon, a few foil shapes and a cluster of latex. A simple way to plan it:
- Start with the foil. Count your 18″ and 36″ foil balloons and any letters or numbers. These use the most helium.
- Convert to "latex equivalents". Roughly, one 18″ foil uses the helium of about 6–7 standard latex balloons, and one 36″ foil about 25. (Those ratios come straight from the counts above.)
- Add your latex balloons and compare the total with the canister sizes.
- Leave a little headroom. Over-stretched or over-filled balloons use extra gas, so it's worth rounding up.
Example: a 1st birthday with one 36″ foil number, three 18″ foil stars and 20 latex balloons is roughly 25 + 20 + 20 = about 65 latex equivalents. That's a job for the 70-balloon canister.
Tips to get every balloon out of your canister
- Don't over-inflate. Fill latex until it feels firm and looks round, not pear-shaped. Over-stretched balloons waste helium and pop sooner.
- Tie quickly. Pinch the neck as you take it off the nozzle so gas doesn't escape while you tie.
- Use quality balloons. Thin, cheap latex leaks faster and can be hard to fill evenly.
- Fill indoors. Cold air makes balloons shrink and look under-filled, which tempts you to add more gas than you need.
Which size should I buy?
- Small get-together or a balloon bouquet: the 30-balloon canister.
- Most birthday parties and baby showers: the 50-balloon canister, our most popular size, with a built-in carry handle.
- Big parties, balloon ceilings or lots of foil: the 70-balloon canister.
Every Airloons canister is filled with 99.95% purified helium and comes with an easy-fill nozzle. Balloons and ribbon are sold separately, so you can pick exactly the colours and sizes you want.