There are different types of ice. Not all ice cubes are the same. each type of ice cube varies in shapes and sizes. If you are having difficulty deciding which ice cubes to purchase, to make or to use we have listed in this post the different ice cubes as well as how each of the ice cubes are used and how they differ.
Different Types of Ice Cubes
Purpose of Ice Cube
Although all Ice cubes main role it to provide coolness to something, each differs in the purpose of how the ice cubes are to be used. This means that some ice cubes are used to cool soft drinks and other beverages, while some are used to preserve food. Most of the ice cubes are made using commercial ice maker since ice cubes have different shapes and sizes.
Whether you are using Ice to serve food or displaying food, deciding what ice cubes to use is important. This does not only helps with the presentation of the food itself but also helps with client satisfaction as well.
Listed below are the different Ice types. Read on here to know more.
Full Cube Ice
Full Cube Ice is also known as dice ice cubes or square cube. It is considered the most used and most popular ice cubes used for large volume applications such as bagging ice.
A Rhomboid shape ice cube that features a hard and clear cube. Similar to half cubes but doubles the size. Not only that, Full cubes is slow melting therefore allowing the drink to cool slower but for a longer period of time.
It is commonly used in restaurant, bars, catering services and convenience stores as well.
Half Cube ice
Half cube ice or also known as half dice cubes is considered to be the smallest amongst rhomboid shape cubes of ice. The Half cube ice slowly melts as compared to other types such as nugget or shaved ice. Since it is small, as compared to other types such as full or gourmet, this type can easily fit into a glass and keep the cooler without quickly watering down the drink.
Half Dice Cube ice features a solid, hard build cube ice with 100% ice to ice ratio. It is best used for bagging and most of the time when in a self service dispensing services (Ice retailing and Ice Dispensing).
It is used in carbonated beverages, mixed drinks, blended cocktail drinks and frozen cocktails.
Regular Ice Cube
Regular Cube is also known as Large Cube. These type of ice cubes are used mostly in bars that offers cocktails because Regular cubes have a slow melt rate as compared to other types of ice cubes.
The ice cube features a solid, hard build, rhomboid cubes making these type the ideal ice cubes in situations that require large volume applications of ice cubes such as for bagging and dispensing of ice. Although it is not recommended to be use in ice dispensers.
As mentioned, large ice cubes are ideally found in restaurants, cocktail bars, find dining and bars. Ice cube size is approximately 1 1/8” x 1 1/8” x 7/8”.
Since the cube is large and with the slow melting rate, it can provide maximum cooling capacity thereby ice consumption is greatly reduced.
Crescent Ice Cube
This type of ice cubes, from the name itself has a unique shape like a crescent or half moon. Because of its slender ice shape, allowing more room for more ice in a single glass with exceptional liquid displacement of the ice.
It features a hard, solid build. Melt Rate of Crescent ice cubes is slow allowing half moon shape to stay longer.
Crescent ice cubes are ideal for bagging and dispensing. Mostly used in restaurants, convenient stores and bars. It is also used in fine dining.
Gourmet Ice Cube
Similar to Large cube, Gourmet ice cubes are used mostly for cocktail drinks because it also has a slow melt rate. Other than that, it is mostly used for in special occasions such as a wedding and banquet services because of its fancy looking shape. It is also used in bars and restaurants as well.
Gourmet ice cubes features a hard, octagon shaped or can sometimes a conical shaped ice cube.
This type of ice cubes is appropriate for bagged ice, however, it is not recommended to be used in ice dispensers.
Chewblet Ice Cubes
These are nugget-shaped ice cubes that usually measure 2.5cm long. Chewblet ice cubes features as a chewable texture with an absorbent composition.
Chewblet Ice cubes are versatile in nature therefore it is used not only in restaurants and store but also in health care facilities such as hospitals.
Chewblet ice cubes tend to melt fast. Suitable ice cubes used for blending, fresh frozen foods in grocery store and convenience stores as well.
Nugget Ice Cubes
Nugget ice cubes is also known in other names such as Pebble Ice, Sonic Ice , Pearl, Cubelets, Pellet ice or Tubular Nugget Ice.
Ideally, nugget ice cubes are basically shaved ice formed into nugget shaped cubes. Nugget ice is soft, therefore it is easy and fun to chew with while at the same time preserving its hard solid texture. An ice produced by ice makers that does not usually stick together.
Although Nugget ice quickly melts, it is still best used for in drinks (cold drinks and soft drinks) and blended drinks as well such as frozen drinks such as cocktails and smoothies. It absorbs the flavor of the drink and is a chewy ice cubes since it can break down easily when being chewed as ice chewers.
It is used mostly in settings such as health care facilities as well as restaurants, bars and even used in convenience stores.
Flake Ice Cube
Flake ice is also known as shaved ice. It is soft and resembles a snow-type of ice. Between ice to ice ratio, Flake ice is within 73% of it.
To create a Flake Ice, the large block of ice is being shaved off. It means that the ice are shaped and molded according to one’s preference of shape and sizes depending on where you want this ice to do its purpose of cooling. However, the ice tends to melt as quickly as compared to other ice cubes.
Flake Ice cube is used for certain settings and application such as for therapeutic use wherein the ice will have to be molded on to something, it can also be used to cool chilled food such as seafood and meat and can also be used where the ice can be eaten.
It can also be used in health care settings in cases such as injuries where it cools the injury down without compromising or putting extra pressure on the injury that could further damage.
Conclusion
Despite the shapes, sizes and melt rate of the different type of ice cube varies, they all have the same goal and that is to provide coolness to something.
I hope that this guide has help you decide which type if ice cubes to buy or to make for that particular something that needs cooling. Let us know what you think.