Doesn’t it feel great when you have a solution for every issue? At Bekins, we want to give you all the answers. If you host or attend a holiday gathering this year, pay attention to the ice and drinks.
What’s the first offer made to guests when they arrive? “Can I get you a drink?” Whether it’s scotch on the rocks, a festive punch, your favorite pop, or a good old-fashioned glass of water, a cold and refreshing beverage is a must for guests and hosts alike!
As guests wait for the food to be served, they continue to drink and enjoy refills. The refreshments keep going through the meal, then continue to pour during the after-dinner mingling. Do you or the host run out of ice at some point? Or scramble to get more? There is an easy way to keep the ice flowing! This year, skip hauling bags of ice from the party store or emptying the ice bin in your refrigerator and invest in a dedicated ice machine from Bekins.
Some dedicated ice machines can produce and store up to 80 pounds of ice in a single day! If you are planning a new kitchen or remodel, think about one more idea, convenience. Some designers choose to put the ice machine somewhere along the exterior of the kitchen which allows guests to fill up their own glass while hosts prepare the meal. Otherwise, you dodge people while cooking or your guests may not bother to ask and just take their beverage without ice.
Ice Quality: Clear Ice vs Cloudy Ice
Not all dedicated ice machines produce clear ice, but almost all freezers produce cloudy ice.
One of our favorite demonstrations in the showroom compares cloudy ice to clear ice. We fill one glass with cloudy ice produced from a freezer and another with clear ice from an ice machine, then pour a soft drink into each glass at the same time. Our customers notice the glass with the cloudy ice immediately fizzes much more than the glass with the clear ice. Why? The clear ice is formed to freeze only water. Air and impurities from the water are filtered out by gravity during the freezing process.
The white clouds you notice in the cloudy ice are pockets of air trapped during freezing. The air reacts with the soda to create more fizz, which many people want to minimize when they drink pop. If they leave the ice in the drink for a few more minutes they will notice the second benefit of clear ice. Since it includes more water and less air, the ice takes longer to melt into the drink which keeps your beverage cooler for longer.
Finally, we encourage customers to pour some clear ice and some cloudy ice into separate glasses without a beverage, let the ice melt, then drink from each glass and see if you taste a difference. Some people do not like the look of the small cloudy ice lingering in the glass, referring to it as “floaties,” and prefer the taste of clear ice.
What’s Your Favorite Ice Shape?
Have you ever really thought about that? Some people have a favorite shape for ice, while others may not think about it. The shape and size will create a different experience. Ice cubes are the most common and standard ice.
However, some prefer nugget ice because you can fit more of it into a cup and it melts quicker which cools your drink more rapidly. This shape works well for those who like to chew their ice.
Gourmet, top-hat, or bullet ice offers an eye-catching presentation you often find served at upscale restaurants.
The crescent or half-moon shape contours better to the glass and creates an easy flow for the customer to enjoy their beverage.
What Do I Need to Consider Before Choosing an Ice Machine?
We already covered:
- How much ice do you want?
- Where should you place the ice machine relative to your kitchen?
- Which shape do you prefer?
Here are three other questions to answer before getting an ice machine.
- Will the noise of the ice machine affect any experiences? Ice machines can quietly produce ice, but the dispensing of ice can be noisy. When the ice forms, it then drops into the storage space. You will hear ice dropping onto other ice, but only when it drops which is not often during the day.
- Where are you getting the water and where are you draining the water? You typically plan for ice machines when building or remodeling a home because it is not like a mini-fridge you place in your basement or garage. Ice machines need a plan for getting water and draining water.
- How often will I clean the ice machine? You do need to clean your ice machine throughout the year to keep your drinks clean. The process is not complicated and often requires minimal work from the customer except to empty the ice storage, clean the bin with a rag, and press some buttons to start a thorough internal cleaning process. Click here to watch one of our Appliance Technicians clean one brand of ice machine in our showroom.
Try it before you buy it in our interactive showrooms! The best way to know if you like something is to try it before you buy it.
That is why we install ice machines in our showrooms so you can compare stainless steel options, custom panel options, and taste bullet ice, nugget ice, and much more.
Our trained Sales Professionals will help you find the best fit for your home.
