Why are Iceball Presses so Expensive?

Iceball pressing is a creative way to break the ice into smaller appealing chunks or spheres. Iceball presses are used commercially for businesses and at home as well.

Iceball presses are essential for people who take their ice-making seriously.

An iceball presser will work excellently for frozen treats like slushies.

You may have noticed that iceball presses are expensive if you’ve tried to shop for them, which may be intimidating to the average pocket.

Why are iceball presses so expensive? Are iceball presses so expensive because of certain unique features? What are these features? Is an iceball press worth breaking the bank?

Why are iceball presses so expensive?

Several factors make iceball presses so expensive. Allow us to walk you through them.

Target market

More often than not, iceball press manufacturers consider commercial businesses like restaurants and bars their target industries.

Unlike home iceball presser enthusiasts, it is more sustainable for commercial establishments to purchase an iceball pressing tool that is considered expensive. The prices of iceball presses are the way they are partly because their target customers are businesses, not individuals.

Novelty ranking

This is yet another factor that makes iceball presses so expensive. The iceball press’ design and general function are considered innovative and unconventional. For this reason, many regard iceball presses as a luxury item.

Specific function

Some iceball presses require manual input, while others are purely mechanical, which means you can press your ice into spheres without applying physical pressure. Mechanical iceball presses are usually more expensive than their manual counterparts. So if you want a mechanical iceball press, be prepared to spend some more.

Production materials 

The primary materials used in producing most iceball presses are copper, stainless steel, or aluminum. It often costs a lot to buy, cut, and reshape the solid metal material into iceball presses. This is why most ice ball presses are so expensive.

Iceball presses made from copper are usually more expensive than aluminum or stainless steel iceball presses. This is because copper is considered a high-end, more conductive, and more challenging metal than aluminum or stainless steel. 

Production process

The production process is a major factor that makes iceball presses so expensive. When iceball presses are made, they go through a process called Anodization. The Anodization process gives the metal a protective sheen coating that prevents it from rusting due to constant exposure to water. Unfortunately, this extra coating for protection adds a few extra bucks to the prices of ice ball presses, and that’s why they can be so expensive.

What are iceball presses made of?

Most iceball presses are made of copper or aluminum metals.

Aluminum iceball presses are cheaper than copper iceball presses. 

Some iceball press manufacturers use aluminum for production because it is cost-efficient for them and their customers. But when it comes to thermal properties and getting the job done in a flash, copper iceball presses win the round.

As we mentioned earlier, copper iceball presses are more conductive, which means they can melt and shape the ice faster than aluminum iceball presses. The only downside to copper iceball presses is the extra hundreds of dollars you might be spending on them.

Are they worth the trouble for your beverage business? Maybe. But for your home? We are not so sure about that.

How do iceball presses work?

As complicated as these presses sound, they only take 30 to 60 seconds to shape a block of ice. Here’s how they do that.

  1. When the ice goes into the iceball press, the aluminum or copper quickly transfers heat to the ice, melting it.
  2. While the ice melts, gravity pushes the ice down into the mold of the iceball press. It is this mold that shapes the ice.

How does the copper iceball maker work?

A copper ice ball maker will work the process (see above) as an aluminum iceball maker. However, since copper is 1.7 times more conductive and three times heavier than aluminum,  a copper ice ball maker shapes your ice faster than an aluminum ice ball press.

How long does an iceball press take?

An iceball press takes between 30 and 60 seconds to mold ice fully.

Benefits of buying iceball presses

For your beverage business

  • Your customers enjoy the luxurious ambiance that a piece of shaped ice in their drink offers. The little things matter when it comes to customer experience. 
  • Iceballs do not melt as quickly as ice cubes because they are bigger. As a result, Iceballs will take longer to produce a watered-down version of drinks, giving your customers more time to enjoy their drinks.

For home use

  • Iceball presses are an efficient way to cool your drinks at home and make excellent frozen treats.
  • Iceball presses cater to your enthusiasm if you love its aesthetics.

How are iceballs made?

With an iceball press. Here’s how:

  1. Place the iceball press on the tray. Then remove the top part so the ice can go in.
  2. Put a sizable block of ice into the opening of the iceball press and return the removed top part.
  3. When the ice has melted and pushed into the mold, the lid is removed, and the ice is extracted.

Do iceballs last longer?

Iceballs last longer than ice cubes. Here’s why.

Icecubes are smaller than iceballs, and this makes them melt faster.

Iceballs will keep your drink cool while melting at a slow rate.

How many ice balls does LG Fridge make?

About a dozen ice spheres a day.

Are ice spheres better than ice cubes?

We believe that ice spheres are better than ice cubes. If ice cubes are all you’ve known, you might raise an eyebrow at what we said but hear us out first.

Unlike any other shape, a sphere has a small surface area per volume. This allows you to have less ice touching your drink, therefore less dilution of your drink. A 10 out of 10 cooling technique if you ask us.

Alternatives to traditional iceball pressers

If you would rather have a more affordable alternative to traditional ice ball presses, this part of the post is for you. Here are three pocket-friendly alternatives to ice ball presses that still get the job done.

Glacio ice cube mold

Although inexpensive, the Glacio ice cube mold will task longer than your regular iceball presses. After filling the silicone molds with water through the hole at the top, you’ll need to let it sit in the freezer for 18 and 24 hours before scooping out the ice. 

After several usages,  the silicon molds often take on a plastic taste that can reflect in your iceballs.

Cumulus iceball press 

This is a more affordable iceball press kit. However, a significant downside to the cumulus iceball press is that it produces smaller-sized iceballs than conventional iceball presses.

Simpletaste iceball mold

Making iceballs with the simpletaste iceball mold is similar to making iceballs with the Glacio ice cube mold. They both take about 18 hours to be ready in the freezer, and the ice tends to taste like plastic.

By Luong Tan

Luong Tan, the creative and passionate founder of Bourbono, is a multi-talented individual with a deep love for the culinary arts. An accomplished food blogger, cookbook author, and former Ambassador of US cuisine in Vietnam (2015-2016), Luong has been on a mission to share his appreciation for food with the world.

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