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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- Wow. My COVID hair is getting out of
Control! Alright alright I’ll go to the barber! This episode was one that Marius really wanted to do for a long time and so we did it. We attempt to answer the question:
“Can you make pebble ice at home?” Hopefully this is something you guys find useful! Cheers!
Glassware:
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Pebble Ice Tray:
amzn.to/3knPnWz
The one we used in video:
www.target.com/p/houdini-ice-...
GE Opal Nugget Ice Maker
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The whole reason people want this kind of ice is because it's soft and satisfying to bite down on. They never even do a review of it's core appeal!!! I don't care if tiny trays make tiny cubes if it doesn't give the same experience
I learned it's bubbles... means carbonated water vs a machine destined for it. I'm thinking about getting a Soda Stream type machine to make carbonated nontonic water to make ice out of. Problem is I use it to keep my mental issues that require chewing to keep me from eating everything in the house. I suspect the amount of CO2 I would go through to get the same crunch wouldn't make it price worthy. Still doing research to find cheaper ways to make my water have bubbles to freeze and make proper chewing ice
@@DearPrudencrdoes that work? I’ve accidentally left many a bottle of seltzer in the freezer and it seems like essentially all the CO2 migrates out of the water in the freezing process even though the bottles are unopened. But maybe a small portion stays in the ice, the issue is I’d think you’d need to freeze it in the soda stream bottle to do that but that’s impossible to get out. If it was just in trays I’d be impressed it worked
@@DearPrudencrso I’m afraid it might be near impossible without a commercial machine that could somehow freeze it under high pressure
I have those blue trays. I usually do a few rounds of freezing 3 trays at once. Pop all the cubes out into a plastic container and put back in the freezer so you're ready whenever you need a beverage.
That's what I do when I actually stay on top of it! Lol
I would pre-freeze either the plastic container or, if I felt especially lazy, both the sealable container and a metal sheet tray so that I could launch the cubes onto it with a satisfying clatter and then funnel them into the plastic box rather than carefully orienting the tray over the container. But that's just my OCD tendencies, maybe yours like something different.
Honestly I have to give this point to Marius because this video is worth it just to see a review from someone I trust on those blue trays. I've seen them in target and was hesitant, but now I'll probably pick up a couple!
Nice to see that the cheap flexible tray works so well. Thanks for going through the trouble of making this comparison video.
This is great! Thanks, Marius, for pushing Leandro to do this! I love these equipment episodes.
GE Opal all the way. Pricey, yes, but worth it to have nugget ice available 24/7 without messing with trays.
I like the idea of the tray for sure! That makes such a cleaner looking cocktail with that pebble ice. Opal is always end goal!
Whoah, I had no idea Sonic sold ice. I’ll have to check it out one of these days.
Cool episode and a great idea to show more approachable solutions for home bartending. Thank you to Marius for insisting on making this episode!
I randomly saw that tray at Target yesterday before seeing this video and bought it. The biggest issue is the labor to get each piece out of the tray - but it does work well.
My recommendation if you're going with the ice crusher route (I have an Opal ice maker, personally, it's pricey but if you can afford it it's worth it) is get one that has a suction cup bottom, they usually have a level release. That'll help keep the unit in place as you crank and overally makes it more efficient. Not much more expensive than the one shown here.
Love this episode! Appreciate that you did do it as there was no way I was gonna find this ice with no sonic or chikfila within 3 hrs of my place!
Thank you! I am not a mixologist, but I been looking for ways to cheeply make crushed ice to chew on to relieve my chronically dry mouth instead of chewing gum all the time. This is super helpful.
Fyi-Anyone living near a Parkers gas station they sell "chewy"ice, which is essentially pebble ice by the bag. 10lb bag for about $3.00
My freezer got no room for no 10 pound bag of frozen water
“It’s All linked below.” With that kind of Arthur Fonzarelli ‘Eh’-feel. 😎😆
It would be cool to see an updated ice cube video like this that compares the phantom ice maker and some of the other top contenders
Great review guys. A nice pebble ice machine sounds great, but it is true they are quite expensive. I need to place a tips jar. hehe Cheers!
Love this episode, I've been contemplating about getting those trays at Target for the last month or so.
I see those ice crushers at the thrift store all the time, usually vintage ones, they are super cool looking, cheap, fun to collect and make pretty nice ice.
I think this video is missing a disclaimer - pebble ice is NOT the same as crushed ice! Pebble Ice is shaved ice that has been reformed into little pebbles. The air trapped inside during the process means that it isn’t nearly as crunchy, which is why people call it “soft ice.” That’s also why it so hard to get, because the machines that make it are fairly complex as far as ice machines go. Crushed ice, on the other hand, is just small bits of ice - no trapped air bubbles.
I do think the small ice tray is pretty nice though - you don’t get the same texture but you at least the same cube size and even-ness. I’ve tried a variety of crushed ice methods, including one of those ice grinders and IMHO they are all lacking consistency. Crushed ice is hard to make uniform, you always end up with big chunks and smaller flakes, no matter what you do and what temperature your ice is.
yes, crushed ice is not the same. unless you have a pebble ice machine, these little pebble ice trays are probably the closest you can get.
The Opal Machine is awesome though
When I found out how much pebble ice machines were I found this exact tray at Target, I keep them in a ziploc bag in my freezer. They keep very well and is a good substitute.
Do they fuse together in the freezer? Do they melt faster than regular size cubes?
I like the blue pebble ice trays. Looks like a good alternative if you are only making a couple of drinks.
4:12 - Thank you so much for emptying out the first tray all the way. My OCD was screaming when you left just a couple of cubes in there. 😅
That's the thing that made me think about saving up for an Opal. I'm looking for as many ways to make life simpler as I can.
Leandro was about to fall asleep at the beginning of the video until Marius spoke up hahaha But For real this was cool content! Would love to see more of this kind of stuff, like how to upgrade a homebar at various price points, especially with this stuff that just makes it more and more professional!
Personally I was gifted one of the blue trays for Christmas, and I‘ve been freezing trays and popping them into a freezerbag, so I can grab a scoshe whenever I need! Its‘ been especially useful for stirred down drinks where I‘m not quite sure when its done, but don‘t want to over dilute, I can easily add a bit of ice until its right!
I really love the content on this channel.
I've been using the manual ice crusher since ages for cocktails. Works wonders.
Can't beat the classics
There's also pebble ice bags (usually also branded as "crushed" ice). You fill them with water and they have little pebble compartments. Put the bag in the freezer, when frozen you manipulate it a little to break up the little connections between the compartments and get the pebbles out. Single use plastic product though, so I'm liking your reusable choices.
I have the Houdini trays and after a while they became too much effort for too few drinks. But they’re a great idea. After watching this, I am more convinced to invest in the Opal and a chest freezer when my bar is built! 🤑🤑
Found that tray at target 2 weeks ago! it works well and the water freezes fast, but it does takes time to build up the supply to make 2 or 3 drinks worth of ice. Learned that lesson the hard way when I tried to use one trays worth of ice to make a zombie.
Cool video. I actually have 7 of the pebble ice trays and a canister that I keep in my freezer. Works good for me.
I hear everyone talking about sonic all the time but chik fila sells it too. ✊
Oh nice to know!
I know what I'm doing on my lunch break! Thanks for the heads up 😁
I just went and picked some up It's actually cheaper than Sonic! Two bucks a bag
@@ChristianWeitenberner yes it is cheaper! Might be a smaller bag though, I think.
I didn't know that, thanks
I have 3 of the first trays. That will make me two Painkillers.
The chad tray vs the virgin $600 machine.
This was good. You presented some good options and the Opal is linked below!!
LoL
I got 4 of those blue pebble ice trays for my tiki drinks! Just a pain in a butt that you need multiple trays to make one drink!
I'm going to get the blue tray. I don't have the patience to crank that grinder...that would end up sailing out the door into the backyard for sure 😂
I bought 3 target-type trays on amazon for about $4 each and they work great, its just a pain to get them all out of the tray before the first ones freeze. gotta put them in a box, freeze them, then break them up a couple times. works great when it comes to cocktail time though
Think it's still missing a link to the ice crusher. Thanks for the comparison video! My partner doesn't love the sound of my bashing my Lewis bag at all hours of the night, so something quieter would be useful!
Your "Quarantine"-hair looks just fine, although you could probably also rock a buzz cut without it looking weird XD. Out of all these the crushed ice cutter is probably the most practical one for a homebar since you don't need to make and store different sized ice. Unless you happen to be making a ton of different tiki drinks in quick succession.
Only 13 seconds in and .. another point for #TeamMarius for I was also thinking “Thank you! I’ve been looking for a solution to this... forever.” 👌🏽🙏🏽
(I am Like #188)
I'd been thinking about getting one of those trays
I have the opal and LOVE it. Definitely worth the money if you have it or can save up for it. My only negative..... Is cleaning it every week. I find it very tedious and I'm nervous the "inside" isn't getting cleaned good enough. I check the tubes regularly for any signs of mold or algae.
I got my hands on a two pack of mini cube trays from bed bath and beyond for four bucks, they make a slightly larger cube than the blue trays do, probably closer to the size of the opal ice.
FYI... for those with a Sonic, a 5 pound bag cost $2.00. Push the EASY button! Time is money.
really helped thx 🍻
Love your work
Thanks :)
good video. thank you!
I just use a Hawaiian shave machine. The texture is like snow but I can tightly pack the glass and it covers more surface area so it doesn’t melt too fast.
Great for something like a Mojito, but think it'll dilute too quickly for say a tiki cocktail or a julep.
Haven’t had that problem yet. Because I pack the ice tightly with a muddler.
Seems like all of these options are going to melt at the same rate. They all present alot of surface area between ice and drink and I think the rate of melting will be determined by how fast heat can move into the glass (this is the thermal bottleneck).
Great video, as ever. I didn't realise that Opel only makes pebble ice. Seems even more expensive now.
I have like 4 of those houdini pebble ice trays it is meticulous getting it out but i agree it does give some nice pebble ice
I also for some reason have like 3 out of 4 of these Products. Opal and both Trays. Haha. Opal for sure but that lil tray does make some great ice.
I bought a Frigidaire nugget ice maker for 340 and it's awesome
I would just get this because I have an ice chewing addiction o.o
I would like to see the bin of nugget ice after it spends some time in your freezer. There is a reason why refrigerator ice makers use crescent shaped cubes. How long can you keep it before its lumped together?
Thanks so much for this video! I have been hesitant to pick up something for pebbled ice cocktails for years but these blue trays looks awesome. Do you have any approximation on how fast the water freezes with the blue tray? The cubes look small enough that one could have a set done in an hour(Depending on the place in the freezer).
They actually freeze pretty fast but you may need to pick up a few to freeze to make it more streamlined
@@freepour absolutely. Im unsure if I could cheat by stacking them vertically to save space since that might slow the process, but id most likely buy 4. (2ish per drink)
There's a few machines like the opal out there now that aren't as expensive. I'm hearing mixed reviews of all of them though (most complain about the noise level, but that's people not knowing what they're getting into in many cases.)
FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ
KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
NewAir Nugget Ice Maker
The company that made Leandro's Opal I believe was bought by GE and sells the original as: GE Profile Opal
However they recently released a newer model GE Profile Opal 2.0 that I'm strongly considering for my home bar.
I’ve had similar trays before and had problems with them leaving a white residue on the glass after.
I tried putting them just in water and I noticed that they actually had an off taste as well so I gave them up and got one of the crank crushers. I did prefer the look of the cubes though. Maybe my trays were just a cheap silicone.
Oh crazy. I’ll have to keep an eye on my trays. Wonder why that could have happened?
I have that same icecrusher but with a suction cup attached to the bottom so it doesn’t slip. Unfortunately the ice crusher itself is in my case prone to breakage
Where are those first two glasses from? I don’t see them in the Amazon store.
They're from Amehla Co here's an affiliate link that helps our channel at no extra cost :) amzn.to/3sqaJp9
We'll add them to the amazon store :)
I bought 12 on Aliexpress for 2 bucks a piece. I put them all in the freezer. When frozen I take them out and after they warm a little I smack the trays against the edge of a bucket and the ice comes out fairly easy
I had two of such crushing machine for ice, bought in different prices and unfortunately both of them broke in the same way - the plastic teeth below metal cutters - plus in cheaper version it rusted quite quickly - so I would not buy third one - but true it gives you crushed ice in relativly quick way
best way to go is mallet & lewis bag i think. way easier than grinding, dont have to deal with carefully filling a tray. you dont get the consistency of pellet ice, but it works pretty much the same
That's how I do mine. More cathartic than grinding too! 😉
Don’t give those to Leni Loud, she freaks out and calls pebbled ice “baby rocks”.
honestly I just use crushed ice or cubes instead of pebbles, I'll be a patron at a bar if I want some really cool ice
To each their own :)
Really cool ice...pun intended?
Clean editing at 2:00
Blue tray, all the way.
ive looked at that houdini thing so many times wondering if it would work well so iguess that answers that question
Do they melt faster than larger cubes?
I have a bunch of these molds and they make pebbles just fine, but thank the spirits that Sonic is nearby and they sell ice by the bag because emptying the mold is a pain in the absinthe.
I purchased about 4 of the blue trays from Target last year and use them regularly, so here is my review. Marius questioned if it freezes quickly, and it does. It freezes in about 30 minutes. I take a prep day if I know I’m using them during the week/weekend and make enough to fill about 2 1 gallon ziplock bags and store those in my freezer. I love the shape of the ice but it’s so tedious, but I know I can’t afford to buy an Opal and I don’t really want to have to schedule a trip to Sonic whenever I’m feeling the need for pebble ice. Overall they are a quality alternative to machine ice but you’re gonna have to put the work in (especially for tiki parties 😂)
I found them totally comparable to Opal
Ice and maybe even a little better looking :)
Do they fuse together?
also, where are those glasses from!?
They're from Amehla Co here's an affiliate link that helps our channel at no extra cost :) amzn.to/3sqaJp9
It would be cool if that ice crusher thing did a song and then all the chipped ice exploded out the top with a spring and a woman's head attached to it that screams as ice dust flies out of her wide open mouth. Just a thought. Ok, back to my cave.
Where are those two glasses from?
This may be sacrilegious but I just use crushed ice instead of pebble ice, faster and the drink is fine 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Chick fil a sells the pellet ice as well. $1.50 a bag. I was about to buy the opal then realized how many bags I can get for $600…..
This show started with a whole lot of half glass full vs half glass empty. 😅
I’ve been known to ask the seafood counter at certain grocery stores to fill up a cooler with ice and they have been game.
As long as its pre-fish!
Chick-fil-a sells their pebble ice as well. $1.50 per 5lb bag.
Good to know!
Great, I can get to one easier than a Sonic! Thanks!
I bought a 3 pack of the mini ice cube trays and make it in bulk. It freezes pretty quick too. 🧊 I’ll tag ya on insta with one of my cocktails with those lil nuggets.
Thanks for the tag!
My Grocery sells so called "crushed ice" wich is actually pebble ice, für 2 bucks per 4,5 pounds, this has been my solution so far. (that or try to only crush my regular ice not as much ;))
I feel for your frustration and impatience. Next time dip the tray in some water and dump in a vessel first
The Sam Neill of crushed ice.
How has the Opal held up? I keep waiting for an update video before buying now that you’ve had it for awhile
LOVE IT! never failed. Probably one of the best pieces of equipment I’ve bought
@@freepour thanks!
That shirt is awesome! Don’t see it on the store though :(
This short we don’t make anymore :(
Would freezing soda water in those trays give you soft nugget ice?
🤔
First time (honestly) that I’ve heard it called pebble ice. It is described by many in the sports world as “rabbit pellets” due to its shape and size.
Because you want to be reminded of rabbit droppings while drinking something
Review would have been much better if you crunched the ice and compared the textures to see which one was the closest to Sonic
Think I'd rather save up for the Opal than going with those small trays.
Add Tijuana Flats to the list, they’ve never charged me.
I got some of those silicone trays. I have to say no on those. I am going to return them. A waste of time and water, in my opinion. I might try one of those crank machines.
The only place reasonably close to me that has Pebble ice is Jimmy Johns. When I asked them if they would sell me their ice they acted as if I was mentally insane. They were so confused.
If only they knew....
Seeing you struggling with the tiny ice cubes to get them out is painful to watch. Quick tip. Just run a cold water on a BACK of the tray for a couple of seconds and then they should go out a bit more easily.
I’ve never liked those blue trays. The ice always sticks for me and it’s such a pain to get it out.
Honestly I just pulse the cubes in a blender. Is there a particular reason why you shouldn’t do that? If you do it quickly it doesn’t melt and my cocktails keep pretty chilled without over diluting.
Just that the motor of the blender creates heat which will melt your cubes but you could refreeze I guess :)
How about tiny clear ice.
chick-fil-a will also give you ice
I have a Sonic near me but I live in Phoenix and the water here is nasty. Here, most restaurants’ “filtered” water (and ice) tastes like trash. 🤢
Where da links at?
lol, updated. Here's the Amazon version of the trays amzn.to/3knPnWz
Hi Leandro, what do you think of a purpose sewn Calico bag for normal sized ice to then bang with a wooden mallet? Steve the Bartender uses that method. You have here shown other options but I don't know if available in England. I have a rock tray for 6 rocks, also 3 normal trays. Yet to make clear ice!
Nick from York
Yeah you can do that. The quality of the I’ve would be different though. That’s more crushed ice and what I’m talking about in this video is more pebble Ice. When you smack Ice with a mallet you produce a lot of shaved ice in the process.