Are ice cubes expensive? Or difficult to make?

[enuffalreadyffs]

No and no. So why do I feel extravagant when I use a lot of ice for my G&T? 🤔

Your thoughts, please.

Or do you have anything that feels extravagant but really isn't?

@rslsys I think @StCharlotte has it bang on.

Maybe try having a hot drink to dilute the cube, or perhaps hug a hot water bottle for 30 minutes.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

What I want to know is: who is buying those bags of ice cubes from supermarkets? I can sort of see why you might buy a few bags (about a quid each) if you realise you forgot to make any and your party guests are arriving in 10 minutes; but I rather fear there are plenty of folk who buy them not in a state of panic and keep them in all the time. Why, when they're so easy to make? In fact, if you're handy with a chisel, you don't even have to make the minimal effort to make them yourself - your freezer will do it for you

Me. I don’t know why but I hate making my own ice and getting them out of ice trays. So for a quid I much prefer having a massive bag of nicely made ice cubes I can quickly dive into to chuck into my drinks!

@enuffalreadyffs

No and no. So why do I feel extravagant when I use a lot of ice for my G&T? 🤔

Your thoughts, please.

Or do you have anything that feels extravagant but really isn't?

My mum definitely thought ice was a luxury, @enuffalreadyffs! Even on the hottest day, we got one ice cube in our drinks. Dh isn’t quite this bad, but even when there is a full bag of ice in the freezer, I have to specify lots of ice, if I want more than 2-3 cubes.

I’m confused. You’re talking about the 5kg bags right? I don’t know if any other type? Obviously they don’t fit in the freezer, they are not meant to.

I've only seen the ones that are about the same size (maybe slightly fatter) as a big bag of frozen chicken nuggets. They definitely would fit in most domestic freezers.

Again, no judgement at all against those who do. We all make our own decisions that favour convenience over cost in all areas of life - it's just that one person's 'that's a dreadful waste' in one thing is somebody else's 'it's so cheap, you'd be silly not to' in another!

I thought the grape idea was interesting and gave that a try this evening but found that were too piddly in my glass, and so have bunged a couple of honeydew melons in the freezer for tomorrow night and we'll see how that fares.
I'll let you know...

I use a whole handful of the frozen grapes also frozen blueberries, blackberries and so on. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to melon so that would be no good for me. Another advantage of using fruit is eating the gin infused fruit itself at the end.

@OrangeSamphire : Add more gin.
No plastic taste then from reusable cubes.

Come on MN all this ice waste. Using a bag a week is just frivolous.

I have an 8 cube ice tray and it will do me a week. Day 1 the family all have a cube I their drink for 5 minutes. Then we put them back in the freezer.

Day 2 we can use them again.

Day 3 I make sandwiches and chills them with the ice.

Day 4 they float in the soup I made

Day 5 we have one more go at them in a cold drink

Day 6 there is enough ice left over for the pets of the house.

(To the lady using the bath water I salute your thriftyness.)

Not necessarily extravagant. Wonderfully decadent though... yes

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

What I want to know is: who is buying those bags of ice cubes from supermarkets? I can sort of see why you might buy a few bags (about a quid each) if you realise you forgot to make any and your party guests are arriving in 10 minutes; but I rather fear there are plenty of folk who buy them not in a state of panic and keep them in all the time. Why, when they're so easy to make? In fact, if you're handy with a chisel, you don't even have to make the minimal effort to make them yourself - your freezer will do it for you

I buy a two kilo bag each week. two teenage boys and a spring water dispenser that they use endlessly. I couldn't keep up with making the ice and if it means they drink loads of water it's worth the weekly quid. Also. If I do make them with two water they taste the difference 🙄🤣

Ha ha

My Dd says “am I the only one who knows the recipe for ice cubes?”

I’m a bit lazy at filling up the trays

I've only seen the ones that are about the same size (maybe slightly fatter) as a big bag of frozen chicken nuggets. They definitely would fit in most domestic freezers.

Aaarrhh, that makes sense. Was wondering how people got them in the freezer. We definitely don’t have that size ice bag here. Ours are large, from the ground to knee height and pretty round (and heavy). Unless people had empty chest freezers I was wondering how people got them in! Makes sense now. It’s a little bag for drinking ice, not a huge bag for cooling drinks in large tubs.

[quote Marinaloves]@RantyAnty
Omg I love the ice machines in American hotels.
Though not in expensive ones I found out! I asked why not, and they said, you can call room service. Well i could, but actually I enjoy the ice machine!!![/quote]
Actually, many more moderate hotels in the USA, and motels as well, have ice machines on every floor. My mom managed a motel on Panama City Beach, a good solid 3.5 stars, basic but immaculately clean, and she had two ice machines on each floor, one at each end, AND one in front of the office.

@mananyt
I remember being in a hotel in the US where there was a huge tray of ice cubes at the bottom of the machine and you could just scoop them out - but there was a very small child rolling about in it... well it was hot!
I would only use those with an individual dispenser now.

@Wingedharpy while I absolutely love a decent local gin, I’m pretty sure adding gin to my iced coffee or my daughter’s iced tea would be a bad idea. Although maybe it’s worth a go 🤣