Giant Ice Cube Maker

Giant ice ball maker

Ice has long been a source of fascination for humans a substance that combines the essential element for life, but also the potential for so much more. From preserving food to cooling drinks, ice has become commonplace in restaurants, bars, cafes and our own homes. Making ice at home has gone from a recent novelty, when home freezing first became popular, to a staple in most households, and its no surprise that there are a variety of different ways to make and use it.

From giant icebergs to tiny crystals, ice has been revered for centuries as a way to change the temperature, texture and taste of a variety of ingredients. The increasing availability of ice and the enthusiasm for experimenting with it has led to a number of super chilled innovations that go beyond just throwing a couple of cloudy cubes into a drink.

Using ice in drinks

In some countries, ice has become an essential way of keeping cool and is added to drinks as standard, but in countries with cooler climates, ice is an appealing addition to drinks that has become more popular in recent years. An increasing understanding of how different drinks react with ice has made it an area of incredible innovation for cocktail makers, bar staff and other drinks connoisseurs. Some add extra ingredients or treat the water to ensure that the end result is crystal clear ice 

For those who really value the flavour of drinks, the ice added to them makes a big difference. Small ice cubes, ice shavings or crushed ice all have relatively high surface area to volume ratios which means that they melt quicker. Using larger pieces of ice has two benefits: firstly, the  ice stays colder for longer and cools the drink down more effectively, and secondly, with less melting, there is less water to dilute the drink and impact the flavour. 

Whiskey lovers, cocktail fans and others who like strongly flavoured drinks will appreciate the benefits of keeping their drink colder for longer and preserving the taste. For those who take their drinks really seriously, even the shape of the ice can make a difference. A sphere has the smallest possible surface area for its mass, and so it melts even slower than a cube or any other shape, meaning it is the optimal shape to preserve the flavour and temperature of the drink for as long as possible. 

Using ice in cooking

Ice has a number of useful properties that can be put to good use whenever you are planning a meal. It can be used to preserve the crunch and bright colours of fresh vegetables, to help dressings and sauces to emulsify and to keep salad leaves fresh and full of bite. 

Ice baths are useful ways to cool things quickly, from chilling boiled eggs for the perfect salad to setting custards and puddings. Using large pieces of ice in an ice bath can help to maintain a consistent cold temperature as they melt slower and so retain their mass for longer than smaller ice cubes. This means that the food is cooled quickly and evenly and there is no need to keep replacing the ice as often as you do with smaller pieces. 

Whatever you use ice for, a giant ice ball maker is a great addition to your kitchen equipment as it allows you to make perfect spheres of ice that are sure to impress. Whether you are hosting and want to impress your guests by chilling their drinks in style, or just want to indulge your love of a stiff, chilled drink without dilution, then a giant ice sphere is the way to go.