How Does an Ice Ball Press Work?
Many companies have ice presses, and for the most part they all work the same way. There are some differences, such as the weight of each ice press half, the material the ice machine is made from, the way the ice melts and drains through the ice device, and even the pins (or slides) are different from devices to device. The most important difference between the ice ball presses is the ball size, though, for several reasons. The larger the diameter of the ball, the more your drink will dilute over time. However, a larger ball lasts longer so it truly is a give and take. The Pressice Barware Ice Ball Press team arrived at a 2.25" or 60mm sphere as its shape of choice. But stay tuned on this, as the company is working hard to revolutionize the ice press game with entirely new designs, sizes, and operations.
Science behind the Press Ice Ball Device
- Conduction. This is a universal rule of ice presses.Thermal conduction should be everyone's favorite subject in school, right? All jokes aside, this is the de facto most important principle in spherical ice ball machines. Whether copper or aluminum, each and every ice ball press relies on thermal conduction to operate. In essence, the metal is 'warm', and the ice block is 'cold'. When these differences in surface temperature are touching each other, it's a race to reach an equilibrium point. The ice press metal gets colder as the block ice gets warmer, and the larger the temperature difference (ie heating up the press) the quicker the ice block melts into the iconic ice press sphere shape.
- Gravity. Gravity is yet another universal rule of ice presses. The first thing you'll notice when unboxing the ice ball press is the weight of the machine. The Pressice Ice Ball Press, weighs 4.7 pounds, and there's a reason. With more weight, the ice device works faster. The specific heat of the aluminum metal is less than water, and as the cold is pulled out of the ice block, gravity does its magic. Stephen Hawkings once said that gravity shares the large structures of our universe, so on our scale the ice block doesn't stand a chance.
- Design. Now this is where we can have major deviations. There may be various materials used, such as copper and aluminum. These two are the most common. Some presses have handles, but those are entirely unnecessary for proper operation. One of the main design features that vary from ice press to ice press is the way that the water is vented out of the metal ice mold. In some versions, this vent comes out the side of the ice ball press, while in others, the vent shoots directly down through the central axis of the sphere. In the case of the Pressice Barware Ice Ball Press, the engineering team opted for the vent that extends directly down so that water is expelled from the metal ice cavity as quickly as possible. The vent design directly relates to how much water is spilled when transforming the ice block from the 4 cavity mold to the perfectly clear ice ball sphere.
Which Ice Press is Best?
Okay, so we're going to be honest. Copper and Aluminum are completely different materials. However, if we were to only compare them for effectiveness, copper would win. It's more conductive. BUT, when you factor in cost and how much marginally better a copper ice press is for 5 to ten times the cost of an aluminum press, it's hard to justify spending that extra money for marginal performance increase. All we can do as ice ball press manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, is provide the options for customers to choose from. At the end of the day, the best ice press for you depends on why you're buying it. If you're buying for party appeal, a custom ice press with artwork lasered may sate your appetite. Or step it up with a copper custom press. If it's simply about dilution, then any of the materials and designs will work. Just choose a design that has the biggest ice ball possible.
Does size of the ice press matter, or the size of the ice ball?
It truly does, especially if you do not plan to heat up the parts of the ice press prior to turning the ice block into a perfect spherical ice ball. The more metal that is in the ice press, the better it will perform. However, as mentioned earlier, the real key to speed when entertaining many party guests with the ice ball press, is in reheating the ice ball press in between uses. The reheat is done so quickly between the runs, and truly reduces the time spent actually melting the ice. But overall, the more mass in the ice press ice device, the faster the block will transform into a perfectly clear ice sphere.
How long does a metal ice press usually last?
The ice ball press is one of the most inert products to exist. It is two halves of metal that slide together to create a perfect sphere of ice from a frozen ice block. When you consider the sealing process, called anodization, that Pressice Barware does once the machining of the presses have finished, the product is virtually indestructable. Now, if you drop it on the steel pins, there could be a chance that it bends. But ice presses still work with dings, dents and scratches. We have an Ice company that creates three thousand ice balls a week, using a system of 3 ice presses, and have been for nearly 15 years.
Where should I buy my ice press?
Buy the best ice press on the market today. Pressice Barware has a unique product offering. We provide affordable ice ball presses with customization options in multiple finishing that is by far the best ice ball press on the market. Deep Red, Gold, Matte Black, and Brushed Aluminum ice ball presses are sold individually or in a kit. We offer wholesale ice press pricing and are distributed on Amazon as well. We made this product to help you avoid over paying for the bar craft drinking experience.
If you're still unsure whether you need one of our Ice Presses, check out our product video below. Happy Sipping!