Since I didn’t get a flu shot this year, I am stocking up on “sick supplies.” Soup. Applesauce. Crackers. Cola syrup.
But I really need an ice crusher or chopper, for when you’re so sick all you can keep down is crushed ice with some cola syrup. Up till now, which I’m sick, I crawl into the kitchen, wrap some ice cubes in a towel or plastic bag and wang away at it with a hammer. This is highly unsatisfactory, and just results in lint-covered bits of ice flying all over the kitchen.
I asked the local Shop Rite and local liquor store, and they hadn’t ever seen an ice-crusher. I know through Googling they exist, but don’t know if they’re any good or not—can anyone recommend a good model, or a store that sells them? Williams-Sonoma only seems to have ice-cream makers, not ice crushers.
These hand-cranked models work just fine for the purpose you describe. They won’t make “snow-cone” quality crushed ice (regardless of what the ad copy says), but for coarse chunks, they fill the bill.
Labdad, thanks, I think I will go on Target’s website and order one. chaoticdonkey, I’ve tried the Ziplock bag and hammer approach—damn bag breaks with the first whack and the ice flies all over the place. And when I’m sick, I’m not strong enough to pick up the refrigerator and drop it onto the ice.
Eve, I don’t know the contents of your kitchen, but I routinely make smoothies for breakfast in my blender using ice, frozen fruit, fruit juice, a raw egg, and so on. The ice-crushing feature is excellent on the Hamilton Beach and KitchenAid brands, but only so-so on Osterizer brands (yes, I’ve gone through three blenders). The Hamilton Beach machine was cheap, easy to use, and its only flaw was that its jar was plastic. I dropped something else made of hard plastic in accidentally and cracked the jar, and it “wept” from then on. The Osterizer replaced it, but was never able to blend smoothly. Large frozen strawberries would never get diced smaller than a blueberry, however, leaving big frozen “chunks” – no good. The KitchenAid 400 (600?) watt model was a shower gift for my fiancée and if I go through with the wedding I guess we get to keep it . It vaporizes strawberries; powders frozen mango; obliterates frozen blueberries. I have not chopped ice in it but I would bet dollars to donuts that it can’t last.
There are also machines specifically marketed as “smoothie makers” which will chop the ever-living hell out of anything frozen you put in them, but I’ve not test-driven those.
Consider adding a little cola syrup (or odwalla-brand “smart food” green drink) to the ice before blending – just the smallest amount of fluid in with the ice makes it chop much more evenly.
Check out ebay, they have about 100 different entries for ice crusher. That’s where i got mine, just like this one only used and $10 instead of new and $40. The iceomat is very stylish, but not as user friendly as the metrokane versions, the ice drips when you take the cup out, and makes a bit of a mess.
Ah, this is like the one my friend has. Got it for making martinis and stuff, but spent about a week crushing ice just because it was fun. You can buy it at the above link (WARNING: I know nothing about that site, I was just looking for my friend’s toy.)
He found it at one of those fancy kitchen stores where you spend $50 for a spatula, and where you can get all the stuff of the great Gatsby’s kitchen (see the movie, you’ll understand).
I’m shocked Williams-Sonoma didn’t have an ice crusher. I wouldn’t have been surprised if you said they didn’t have any ice crushers under $200, but none at all? (Or maybe it’s a very different type of store where you are…) You should be able to find a specialized ice crusher at Walmart or a similar store. Failing that, some blenders are strong enough to crush ice, and you can use them for other things. Or you could buy a fridge with an automatic ice maker and water dispenser – they usually have a crusher built in. =)
Where do you find cola syrup? That seems like a much harder thing to find than an ice crusher – it’s the kind of thing the drink manufacturers want to keep out of the hands of the people. =)
Try a 1 gallon Zip lock freezer bag, not the ziploc sandwich bags. They’re thicker and more resilient at freezing temperatures.
Don’t overfill them. If you only crush 8-16 oz of ice at a time, you can reuse each bag many times with minimal pinpoint leakage. A heavy can or jar makes an excellent crusher. If you use a glass jar, use on that is full of a thick fluid (like jelly) to minimize the risk of breakage. And don’t ake your frustrations out on the ice.
Of course, the crushed ice dispenser on the fridge door is a better solution. Especially when you hit 40 and your joints start getting cranky!
Hitting something with a hammer is unsatisfactory? Weirdo.
Anyway, I have to crush a fair bit of ice at work (don’t ask) and I use the following method:
cut the bottom 6 inches or so off of a 2 litre coke bottle, fill the bottom bit with water and stick it in the freezer.
when it’s frozen put that in a couple of plastic carrier bags (the supermarket ones) and bash repeatedly with a large mallet.
volia!
crushed ice for free.
I bought that Metrokane Retro Ice Crusher a couple of years ago. It should be fine for occasional use. The upper part is metal and is guaranteed, but the lower part is plastic and not guaranteed, and I tried to be careful with it because I thought that would be the first thing to go. However…
I put mine to fairly heavy use - one glassful of ice on weekdays and two on weekends. Yes, I have soda with lots of ice all year round. A few weeks ago the crank snapped off. I haven’t sent it back to them for replacement yet.
My backup technique is to take a cube in my hand and whack it with the bottom of a large table (soup) spoon. This doesn’t really crush the ice, of course.
I’ve always wanted an ice crusher or ice machine that makes the tiny cubes of ice, like the kind you get at Sonic, that you can eat. (I get sodas there, eat the ice and tell myself that’s the same as drinking a glass of water, so I’m being healthy, you see.) Are those hideously expensive or big?
I thought every kitchen in America with an electric toaster had an electric blender. And I though every American knew that if you wanted crushed ice, you threw some ice cubes in a blender.
I thought this because I thought every American not only had the means, but has actually made blender-created whiskey sours, margueritas, and pina coladas.
I can see young whippersnappers who grew up with freezer doors dispensing ice cubes and crushed ice not knowing about blenderizing ice cubes, but for a lady about town not knowing… <tsk, tsk> Stop staring at the bartenders and watch what they’re doing.
In a conversation on another board, someone said that they will sell bags of their ice. I’ve never inquired myself, but you could give your Sonic a call if ya gotta have it. And I agree- Sonic ice is yummy.
. It vaporizes strawberries; powders frozen mango; obliterates frozen blueberries. I have not chopped ice in it but I would bet dollars to donuts that it can’t last.