The title for this post may seem confusing at first; after all, an ice sphere press is a pretty simple tool! If your ice press is missing one of its halves, you should probably click off of this post and immediately reach out to whoever you bought your press from.
Aside from that, there are plenty of ice presses on the market that are just that: ice presses. While those ice ball presses could do a fine job based on what you need, you may be surprised to hear that the process of using an ice press goes beyond the press itself. We'll elaborate further below.
When your freshly-bought press arrives at your doorstep, the excitement is understandable. This piece of barware has the potential to level up every drink you make, from a simple whiskey on the rocks to a creative cocktail like the Rusty Nail. You tear up the packaging and take a second to revel in its weight and presence. After that, the next logical step is to put some ice in it and watch it go!
Wait a second...
Realization hits that to use an ice press, you need ice! And not just ice cubes from your freezer or a tray, but especially large ice cubes that are essentially made to be put in ice presses. Unfortunately, the cheaper ice press options will not come with this ice cube mold, resulting in your reluctant journey to Amazon to find and purchase a mold compatible with the press you just got.
A few days pass, the ice mold arrives and you've filled it with water and allowed it to freeze. Now you're ready! You go through the motions of popping the ice out of the mold, running the press under some warm water (because you read this nifty guide), and putting the ice inside the ice press. With the ice press working, a problem quickly arises: water is getting everywhere! You scramble to get a plate or a towel to put under the ice press as it works, but it feels like a hack rather than a solution, and an ugly one at that.
Whatever, crisis averted. The two sides of the ice press meet, signaling that it is done pressing the ice. You lift the top half of the ice press, and that first look at perfectly spherical ice is hard to forget. You reach for the ice and... it slips off your fingers. You resort to clawing it out with your nails, but refuse to think this is the only way you can take the ice out of the press. You're right! There are plenty of metal ice tongs designed to pick up ice, but you've likely guessed by now, that's an additional trip to Amazon and another unplanned expense.
Of course! Using an ice sphere press is a process that requires multiple accessories to create a flawless experience. Sure, you can hunt for those accessories after the fact, but you'll end up spending more than you wanted and having to wait longer to truly enjoy your ice press. Skip all of that and choose an ice ball press that comes as a full experience kit. While that sounds expensive, Bar & Craft has managed to include everything you need without the premium price that other ice press kits will charge you. Don't believe it? Check it out here and judge for yourself!
