What Are Nangs? The Complete Australian Guide
Nangs are small steel canisters filled with nitrous oxide, the gas that whips cream inside a cream dispenser. Their proper name is cream chargers, and nang is the Australian slang for them. A standard nang holds about 8 grams of food-grade nitrous oxide, enough to turn 500ml of cream into around a litre of whipped cream. They’re legal to buy for cooking in Australia, but selling them for inhaling is illegal, and inhaling them carries serious health risks.
This guide covers everything in one place. What the word means, how nangs work, what they’re used for, the sizes and what each one really costs, the law in each state, the health risks, and what to do with the empties. Each section links to a more detailed guide if you want to go deeper.
The short answer
| Nangs | |
|---|---|
| What they are | Small steel canisters of nitrous oxide, also called cream chargers |
| Other names | Cream chargers, bulbs, whippets, laughing gas, NOS |
| What’s inside | About 8g of nitrous oxide in a standard charger, and far more in a tank |
| Main use | Whipping cream and making foams, infusions and nitro style coffee |
| Legal in Australia | Yes for food and hospitality use, with sales rules that differ by state |
| Health risk | Inhaling them can cause cold burns, oxygen loss and nerve damage |
| Cost of gas | From about $1.10 per charger down to about 27 cents per charger’s worth in a large tank |
What does nang mean
Nang is slang for a nitrous oxide canister. According to the ABC, the name comes from the distorted, repetitive sound some people hear when the gas is inhaled. So the word itself grew out of recreational use, even though the product was made for the kitchen.
You’ll also hear them called cream chargers, whipped cream chargers, bulbs, whippets or N2O chargers. Health departments add laughing gas and NOS to that list. People now use the word for the larger tanks too, which is why you’ll see nang tanks for sale alongside the small chargers.
How nangs work
A nang doesn’t do anything on its own. It goes into a whipped cream dispenser, which is a sealed metal bottle with a nozzle. When you screw the charger into the head, a pin pierces the seal and the gas rushes into the bottle.
Nitrous oxide dissolves easily into fat, so under pressure it soaks into the cream. When you pull the lever, the cream leaves the nozzle, the pressure drops and the gas expands, which turns the liquid cream into foam in a second. That’s also why cream stays liquid and fresh inside a charged dispenser for days.
Nitrous oxide is used rather than carbon dioxide for two reasons. Carbon dioxide makes cream taste sour, and nitrous oxide helps stop the butterfat going rancid. Our guide to using a whipped cream dispenser shows the steps, and what is nitrous oxide covers the gas itself.
What are nangs used for
In the kitchen, the uses fall into a few groups.
Whipped cream
This is the big one. A dispenser makes whipped cream in seconds and keeps it fresh in the fridge for three to five days, where hand whipped cream lasts a day or two. Our guides cover chantilly cream, stabilising whipped cream, cream for pavlova, whipped cream frosting and how long whipped cream lasts. If it won’t thicken, start with why won’t my cream whip.
Flavoured and dairy free creams
Anything you can stir into cream can go through a dispenser. Try chocolate whipped cream, matcha whipped cream or alcohol infused whipped cream. For special diets there’s vegan whipped cream, lactose free whipped cream and sugar free whipped cream.
Coffee
Cafés use dispensers for cream topped drinks like the einspanner, and for a nitro style cold brew. Our explainer on what nitro cold brew is covers the difference between café nitro and the dispenser version, and nitro cold brew at home has the method.
Cocktails and bars
Bartenders use nitrous oxide for cocktail foam and for rapid infusions, where the pressure pushes flavour into a spirit in minutes. Our Miami Magic Infusions review and cocktail party themes have ideas.
Desserts
Mousses, fillings and layered desserts like Christmas trifle all use dispenser cream. If an American recipe calls for a tub of topping, see what Cool Whip is and what to use instead.
Medicine and dentistry
Nitrous oxide is also a medical gas, mixed with oxygen for pain relief and sedation by doctors and dentists. That’s a different, medical grade product given by professionals. It isn’t what’s in a cream charger.
Types of nangs and what they cost
Nangs come in two main formats. Small 8g chargers screw straight into a dispenser. Tanks hold much more gas and need a pressure regulator with a hose to fill the dispenser. The gas is the same, but the price per gram is very different.
| Format | Price | Gas | Cost of gas per charger’s worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| SupremeWhip 8.2g chargers, 50 pack | $55 | 410g | About $1.10 |
| Skywhip Pro Max 660g tank | $55 | 660g | About 68 cents |
| Skywhip Pro Max 640g aluminium tank | $70 | 640g | About 90 cents |
| Ignite Max 3.3L tank | $80 | 2,000g | About 33 cents |
| Skywhip Pro Max 3.3L tank | $90 | 2,000g | About 37 cents |
| Miami Magic Infusions 3.3L tank | $110 | 2,050g | About 44 cents |
| Skywhip Pro Max or Ignite Max 4.4L tank | $100 | 3,000g | About 27 cents |
Prices are for one pack or one tank on NangsBoy in September 2026, and the cost column works out the gas in one 8.2g charger. A 3.3L tank holds the same weight of gas as about 244 chargers. Tanks also need a regulator, so the saving only pays off if you whip often.
For a light home user, a box of cream chargers is simplest. Cafés, dessert bars and caterers usually save money on nang tanks or large nang tanks, and nang bundles bring the price down further. Our guides to chargers vs canisters vs tanks and how many charges are in a nang tank go through the maths.
Brands
The brands NangsBoy stocks are Skywhip, Ignite, SupremeWhip and Miami Magic. We’ve reviewed each one in Skywhip Pro Max, Ignite and IgniteMax, SupremeWhip 8.2g chargers and Miami Magic Infusions, and compared them in the best cream chargers in Australia.
Dispensers
You need a dispenser to use a nang. The 500ml size is the standard match for one 8g charger. Our guide to choosing a whipped cream dispenser covers sizes and materials, and dispensers vs siphons explains why a soda siphon won’t work with them.
Are nangs legal in Australia
Yes, for food and hospitality use. What’s illegal is selling or supplying nitrous oxide to someone for inhaling. Each state sets its own sales rules, and they’ve been tightening, so the detail depends on where you live.
| State | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Victoria | Since 1 October 2022, nitrous oxide for non therapeutic use is a Schedule 6 poison with label, container and storage rules. Under section 58 of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981, it’s an offence to sell it if the seller knows, or ought to know, it will be inhaled. |
| New South Wales | New restrictions start in November 2026. Canisters over 10g will be banned, sales to under 18s stop, bulbs are limited to 250g per customer per day, sales before 5am or after 10pm are restricted, same day delivery is prohibited and stock can’t be on display. The NSW Government says legitimate food, beverage and commercial uses are exempt. |
| South Australia | It’s illegal to sell nitrous oxide if the seller knows, or should reasonably know, it will be inhaled. Sales to anyone under 18 are banned except for work purposes. |
| Western Australia | Since November 2024, small bulbs of up to 10g can only be supplied to registered food businesses, some liquor licensed venues, schools and cooking schools. |
| Queensland | Selling nitrous oxide for whipping cream is legal. Laws passed in November 2025 let authorities seize nangs found alongside illegal tobacco or nicotine products. |
For the other states and territories, check your state health department. This is a summary of official sources, not legal advice. Our full guide to whether nangs are illegal in Australia goes into more detail.
NangsBoy delivers in Melbourne only. We sell to adults 18 and over for culinary use, and we’ll refuse an order if we have reason to believe it isn’t for food.
Are nangs bad for you
Used in a dispenser to whip cream, nitrous oxide is a normal kitchen ingredient. Inhaling it is a different story. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation lists these risks.
- Cold burns, because the gas can be as cold as minus 40°C
- Suffocation and lack of oxygen, which can be fatal
- Falls and car crashes while affected
- Vitamin B12 deficiency with frequent use, which can damage the spinal cord and nerves and cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking and loss of bladder control
- Mental health effects including psychosis and mood changes
It isn’t rare. In the 2022 to 2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 1.4 per cent of Australians aged 14 and over had used an inhalant in the past year, and nitrous oxide was the second most common. Doctors interviewed by the ABC in 2024 described patients with nerve damage and paralysis linked to heavy use, including a 16 year old.
If you’re worried about your own use or someone else’s, the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline is free and confidential on 1800 250 015.
Using nangs safely in the kitchen
- Only use food-grade nitrous oxide from a seller that checks age
- Only put chargers into a dispenser made for them, and check the dispenser for damage before you use it
- Don’t hold a discharging charger or a tank valve against bare skin, because the cold can cause frostbite
- Store tanks upright, away from heat and direct sun
- Never pierce or heat a charger or tank
Our guide to nitrous oxide has more on handling the gas safely.
What to do with empty nangs
Chargers and tanks are recyclable steel, but they can’t go in your yellow bin. Even an empty looking tank can still hold gas under pressure, and pressurised containers are a hazard in recycling machinery. Our guide to nang tank and charger disposal explains what to do with them.
In Melbourne, NangsBoy collects empty tanks for free when you add a delivery, for tanks you bought from us. Tanks from other brands and pickup only runs have a fee.
Buying nangs in Melbourne
Cream chargers are sold by retailers and by online delivery services. NangsBoy delivers food-grade chargers, tanks and dispensers across Melbourne, and our nangs delivery in Melbourne page lists the suburbs we cover. Cafés and venues buying in volume should see cream charger wholesale in Melbourne, and our FAQ answers the common delivery questions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a nang?
A nang is a small steel canister of nitrous oxide, also called a cream charger. It goes into a whipped cream dispenser to whip cream.
Are nangs and cream chargers the same thing?
Yes. Nang is the Australian slang. Cream charger, whipped cream charger, bulb and whippet all mean the same product.
What are nangs used for?
Mainly whipping cream. Cafés, bars and cooks also use them for flavoured creams, foams, cocktail infusions and nitro style coffee.
How many nangs do I need to whip cream?
One 8g charger for a 500ml dispenser. That turns 500ml of cream into about a litre of whipped cream.
Are nangs legal in Australia?
Yes, for culinary use. Selling or supplying them for inhaling is illegal, and states have their own rules on who can buy them and when.
What’s the difference between a nang and a nang tank?
A nang is a single 8g charger that screws into a dispenser. A nang tank holds anywhere from 640g to 3kg of the same gas and fills a dispenser through a regulator, and it usually costs less per gram.
Can you recycle nangs?
The steel is recyclable once the canister is depressurised, but not through kerbside bins. Check your council’s hazardous waste program, ring a scrap metal yard first, or use a collection service.
Get chargers delivered across Melbourne
We deliver food-grade cream chargers and dispensers across Melbourne in 10 to 15 minutes in the CBD and around 30 minutes to the suburbs, including late nights and weekends. Pay by cash, card or PAYID. All sales are 18+ for culinary use.