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Ice presses are seemingly straightforward tools that make a fantastic addition to any home bar, but seeing one in action for the first time often leaves viewers with more questions than answers. Forgive us, but today we're spoiling the magic behind the question of "how an does an ice press work?"
We can start off by addressing one of the most frequent misconceptions with ice presses. You see, the ice press inhabits a similar space in the industry as the far more common ice mold. An ice ball mold is a plastic or rubber mold of a sphere that is to be filled with water and left in the freezer, allowing the ice to freeze into the shape of a sphere. This is a popular way to achieve the ice sphere shape because of its cost-effectiveness, with many molds only costing between $10-20. There are some big differences between ice ball presses and ice ball molds, and we've covered them in this post in-depth for your convenience!
It's not uncommon to see ice presses being referred to as "ice molds," which is misleading given the presence of the other product category mentioned earlier. Funnily enough though, for an ice press to work it needs its ice to be made beforehand. This is why users must have their own ice molds that create large ice cubes that are compatible with an ice press. The size aspect is important, the ice cube needs to match the ice press because if it's too large, it won't fit between the pins, and if it's too small, the ice cube will instead turn into an ice cube with rounded corners instead of an ice sphere.
A common question asked about ice sphere presses for whiskey is that they appear to be mechanically pressing down on the ice. While it may seem this way, an ice press has no moving parts, motors, heating elements, etc. The product has a top half that is guided down two stainless steel rods to an identical bottom half. The "press" occurs because the ice press is melting away at the ice it touches, and as that happens, gravity is pushing the top half down as the ice that was holding it up gets melted away. When the top half meets the bottom half, what remains of the ice block that was initially inserted into the press has now become a perfect sphere of ice.
There are two variables to consider: the ice cube and the ice press. The ice cube is at freezing temperature (32 degrees Fahrenheit) and the ice press, when stored at room temperature, is going to be room temperature (68-76 degrees Fahrenheit). Because room temperature is much warmer than freezing, when the ice makes contact with an ice press, heat will transfer from the press to the ice, melting it.
Knowing that heat is an important factor in all of this makes understanding the different types of ice presses much easier. A large ice ball press can store more heat and press an ice cube quicker. An ice press made with a highly conductive material like copper will facilitate the transfer of heat quicker, also resulting in a faster press. A simpler (and cheaper) way to get an ice ball maker to work faster is to simply run the tool under some warm water in your sink. This will "recharge its battery" with heat and will allow the press to cut through ice like a warm knife through butter. We cover this concept in this page created for purchasers of the Bar & Craft Ice Ball Press.
Nope! The important takeaway is that an ice press seems magical when it's at work, but the real magic lies in its simplicity. An ice ball press is an incredibly solid tool, meaning it'll stand the test of time and continue to work reliably for a lifetime.
