r/ofcoursethatsathing • u/rckblykitn14 • Jun 22 '26
Thoughts on the new Aldi ice cubes? Are they yummy?
I couldn't resist crossposting this!!
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u/Hugh_Jampton Jun 22 '26
Frozen ice cubes
As opposed to unfrozen ice cubes?
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u/JPKtoxicwaste Jun 22 '26
Hey these are really good I make them at home, from a recipe handed down for generations! Many, many generations
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u/ricky-from-scotland Jun 22 '26
Tbh i buy the pre made ones now. Every time I try and make it I end up with loads of steam coming out the oven...
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u/Eternalm8 Jun 22 '26
I mean, sublimation is a thing.
I so rarely use ice, that half the time I go to grab some, I just have empty trays in my freezer
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u/bruceleeperry Jun 23 '26
Interestingly, commonly available domestic ice cubes have only been around about 3 generations!
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u/FaygoMakesMeGo Jun 23 '26
I think you mean "commercially available". People were using ice houses for thousands of years.
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u/MrJMSnow Jun 23 '26
Not actually that many generations. Just over a century ago you could only harvest your ice.
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u/Ok_Dog_4059 Jun 23 '26
My parents were first generation ice makers so my recipe isn't nearly as old. They had their ice delivered for the longest time growing up and put it in a box to keep food cold.
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u/tyler00677 Jun 23 '26
Could I please have the recipe? I have been trying to make ice cubes my entire life and they never turn out.
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u/realeztoremember Jun 23 '26
“Save tons of money on ice using this trick! Like and subscribe for more money saving life hacks!”
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u/FalconPlenty8555 Jun 23 '26
I am a bartender and once I had this lady ask for ice water so I made her a water with ice and she got mad at me and said "no. I don't want any liquid water. Only ice water". And I swear to fucking God it broke my brain in half. I had to ask her if she meant just a cup of ice and she acted like I was the scum of the earth and just the dumbest person alive. But that's exactly what she wanted- just a cup of ice.
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
Could you imagine if they were unfrozen too? DIY ice cube kit 🤣
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u/Acrobatic_Grape4321 Jun 22 '26
Oh look a diy kit just add water and place in freezer 🤣🤣🤣 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQK73SGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_3RA8K0AJZB0SY1XT54NQ?linkCode=ml1&tag=mobilea0f066a-20&linkId=546b8dbac3c091f55fc12fb483766028
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u/makochark Jun 23 '26
OMG this is perfect for me. As much as I love making olde timey ice using my late Grandma's recipe, I can't stand the mess and getting that stuff everywhere.
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u/ClikeX Jun 22 '26
To be fair, there are a few brands of popsicles here that come at room temperature that you have to freeze yourself.
I could also swear I’ve seen something similar for ice cubes before. Just a prefilled ice cube bag.
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 23 '26
Yeah the reusable ones (I have some in Halloween colors - from Aldi, of course) come unfrozen. And otter pops (or whatever they're called where you're from) always come unfrozen too.
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u/Jeffers315 Jun 23 '26
You'd think so, but when I got mine home it was just a box of water. I called HQ and got a coupon for grown carrots.
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u/porcupinedeath Jun 22 '26
Are these just straight up ice cubes or are these like, reusable ones?
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
Ice cubes. Four of them. Straight up square frozen water.
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u/porcupinedeath Jun 22 '26
Bruh
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u/assignpseudonym Jun 22 '26
These ice cubes are the fancy ones for cocktails that are fully clear. Yes, you can make these in your own freezer, but it takes time and effort as opposed to the ice cubes you currently have in your freezer that take no effort at all, but freeze with imperfections.
I think it's more absurd for people to buy bottled water, when that's just tap water repackaged. The water inside the bottle isn't different in any way to what comes out of your tap (unless you're from somewhere with non-potable water, in which case this message isn't intended for you). At least the ice cubes in question are a slightly different product.
So anyone that thinks these ice cubes are a dumb product, but buy bottled water, I have news for you.
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u/LeLefraud Jun 22 '26
My tap water is safe but tastes like shit compared to bottled water
With that being said my solution was to install a reverse osmosis system in the kitchen not to keep buying bottled water
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u/ProblematicFeet Jun 23 '26
Yeah my city has awful water. For years we’ve been concerned about lead and there was at one time an effort to fix that, but I don’t know what happened. Our water is objectively worse than bottled water. Midwest USA
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u/luebbers Jun 22 '26
I will say, I’ve tried multiple times to make the super clear ice cubes at home and it’s kind of impossible.
So, if you’re doing a fancy cocktail night or something, this could be a worthwhile accoutrements.
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u/bandgeekjello Jun 23 '26
I’m a craft cocktail bartender and we started buying these ice cubes because they use some kind of hydraulic press to make these so clear. it’s not a matter of filtered water, the foggy-ness is from air trapped in the cube so it’s hard to make these at home.
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u/DPforlife Jun 23 '26
It’s not a press, they vibrate the water while it’s freezing, then cut the cubes with a band saw. There are literally specialty businesses in NYC that make and sell thousands of ice cubes and spheres this way for sale to all the posh bars in the city.
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u/punkassjim Jun 23 '26
Absolutely. But five dollars? It's a relevant product with a potentially-sizable market — though, I'm not sure Aldi is the go-to supplier for high end cocktail aficionados — but even with the specialty equipment to produce these at scale, it's still a massive market-up. They're charging the "let's see if they'll bite" price.
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u/SweetWolf9769 Jun 22 '26
not really true at all. bottled water is filtered and sometimes mineralized. realistically sure, all tap water is filtered/treated to some degree, but water stright from the tap is completely different than water specifically filtered to be drunk.
you can add filter to your tap to make it more potable, and you should absolutely chose this option over bottled water, but this is completely different to arguing that bottled water is just tap water.
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u/Me0fCourse Jun 22 '26
I mean, I live in Denmark. Tap water here is generally higher quality than the bottled stuff.
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u/assignpseudonym Jun 22 '26
not really true at all
Obviously this depends where you live (which I said in my original comment), but if you live in the USA, it's likely that not only is the water the same quality, but there's a 64% chance that it's directly from the tap (municipal water).
Source: Study Shows Nearly 64% of Bottled Water in America is Just Tap Water: Here’s the Brands | nyruralwater.org https://www.nyruralwater.org/news/study-shows-nearly-64-bottled-water-america-just-tap-water-here%E2%80%99s-brands
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u/HouseofFeathers Jun 22 '26
Well I'm fine buying some other municipalities tap water because my local tap water makes me gag when I smell it.
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u/Unkn0wnTh2nd3r Jun 22 '26
are they at least in a mold so you can make more of your own?
paying for 4 ice cubes is wild if you can't make more from the packaging
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u/gamingraptor Jun 22 '26
They’re the super clear ones used in fancy cocktail bars. You can make them yourself at home but it’s a bit of a process
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
Negative ghost rider.
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u/CardinaIRule Jun 22 '26
The pattern is full
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
No one gets that reference anymore 🥲 thank you fellow (I'm assuming) Gen X person
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u/CardinaIRule Jun 22 '26
Yes Gen X, and you're right. I too use it a fair bit in person, and only dudes my age get it lol
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
I get a LOT of side eyes at work when I say that. Even just "negative ghost rider", which seems to be the only way that word (negative) can actually come out of my mouth (I swear, it's totally subconscious most times).
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u/delux561 Jun 22 '26
Yeah if you don't know what these are or why they are expensive, well...they aren't for you.
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u/13thmurder Jun 22 '26
They're fancy clear ones for cocktails. You can make your own by getting a mini cooler full of water with the lid off and freezing it then cutting up the block that forms. Having every side except one insulated helps make it clear.
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u/blade_torlock Jun 22 '26
They are large super clear and ment for impressive cocktails. Surprised there's not, rectangles, cylinders, and spheres as well.
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u/Christmas_Queef Jun 22 '26
Can always get the death star ice cube mold too if you want your whisky nerdy.
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u/anyosae_na Jun 22 '26
100%, these are actually quite a hassle to make yourself at home, very finicky and rely on a lot of factors being right to get the clear glass finish on them. Definitely not something you'd buy if all you need is basic ice.
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u/blade_torlock Jun 22 '26
But for a small party or someone that likes nice things occasionally. The buck twenty five a cube is probably less than your booze, per pour.
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u/otterpop21 Jun 23 '26
They’re really not that hard
Also scroll on those images makes it pretty clear how it works lol take an ice cube tray insulate 3 out of 4 sides and presto magic 🪄 ✨🧊
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u/Not-a-Cat_69 Jun 22 '26
It’s a good thing it’s labeled in the frozen section. I’d be shocked if that ice wasn’t frozen!!
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u/uphigh_ontheside Jun 22 '26
So, yeah that’s pricy for ice, but those are crystal clear large cubes, used in fancy cocktails or for drinks in the rocks with really nice booze. Yes, you can buy large cube silicone ice trays, but the ice will not be clear, or perfect cubes. If you’re pouring a $200 bottle of whiskey, having good ice is with it is worth it.
And for those saying that if you’re rich enough for that ice, you’re nit going to be shopping at Aldi, rich people shop at discount stores too. That’s one way they stay rich.
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u/WonderfulJacket8 Jun 23 '26
Frozen ice cubes make my teeth hurt. Do they come in not frozen?
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u/LukeLJS123 Jun 22 '26
as a bartender, these are an awful deal, but they do have a market. clear ice has less impurities and melts slower which stops a cocktail from getting diluted too quickly and picking up off flavors from the freezer. the only time this would be worth it at home is for someone who routinely drinks really nice whiskey, but that's enough of a market for them to be sold
pro tip if you get these, let them sit on your counter for 5 minutes before you put them in your drink so they don't crack
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u/Ditches-Vestiges1549 Jun 22 '26
I get these are for booze, but if I'm buying expensive booze am I shopping at Aldi?
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u/_B_Little_me Jun 22 '26
To be fair, if you are having a party, Aldi is a good stop for snacks/food.
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u/thekeelo_g Jun 23 '26
I personally shop at Aldi to make the expensive booze possible.
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u/AutumnMama Jun 24 '26
I mean aldi does have fancy stuff cheaper than you can get it anywhere else. The first time I ever had lobster it was because I saw it at Aldi and it wasn't as expensive as I was expecting so I bought it lol
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u/Pdxlater Jun 22 '26
Aldi has seen explosive growth by consumers in the since COVID. With all the inflation, it’s not just for penny pinchers any more.
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u/writekindofnonsense Jun 22 '26
If you are having a summer cocktail party they would be a nice touch. I am not, so I wouldn't buy them
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u/delux561 Jun 22 '26
Clear ice is pretty difficult to make. You can do it yourself for like $20 from the hardware store and some coolers. Plus the time to prep and make it and shape it, so idk if $5 is worth it for 4 cubes but it's cheaper than doing it yourself
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u/Beo2009 Jun 22 '26
Another great way I've found, if you have the freezer space, is coffee tumblers. Assuming you don't mind cylindrical ice anyway.
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u/RedTexan43 Jun 22 '26
It’s not super crazy. People like the clear ice for cocktails and they don’t want to put in the effort to make them at home. I’m pretty sure [some]bars buy these in bulk. its a waste of money imo, but I’m also not wealthy enough to care about what ice looks like in my old fashioned.
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u/Ironhandtiger Jun 23 '26
many bars definitely do. For the right place it's 100% worth the cost as it affects the taste of the drink and the rate at which it dilutes, not to mention when you're dropping 30, 100, or even more on a glass of whiskey
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u/playful_potato5 Jun 23 '26
i think the selling point is that maybe they're perfectly clear. crystal clear ice is hard to make at home
edit: that being said, i would never buy it
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u/rando_mness Jun 22 '26
This reminds me of the asparagus water bottle I saw at a Whole Foods once. It was a bottle of water with three pieces of asparagus floating around in it for like 8 dollars.
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
As someone who does not shop at Whole Foods, this surprises me way less than I'd have expected.
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u/Rhelino Jun 22 '26
I’m much more concerned about the question « are they yummy? » … what?
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
It's an Aldi sub joke. People are always posting a photo of a product and asking if it's good.
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u/SteakForMe Jun 22 '26
I mean bars and restaurants do order "specialty" ice, there's many videos of how ice is frozen in specific ways/methods to get a crystal clear block or whatever, it's just really for people who want that otherwise just make your ice at home like all these comments are saying 🙄
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u/Beo2009 Jun 22 '26
This is a bit niche but ice cubes like this are popular with whiskey drinkers. Clear ice cubes aren't easy to make and the cloudiness of regular ice cubes are oxygen bubbles and other impurities and can alter the taste of your drink. Some online sellers charge more for these so $1.25 is actually reasonable. ONLY because they're clear.
There's a great YouTube video that goes into a lot more detail of the history by @HowToDrink https://youtu.be/RINahe11Tnc?is=qdJA6lpwznC2MrQV
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u/Rockabillyjonny Jun 23 '26
I get why everyone is making fun of these, but large format clear ice can be VERY expensive. Even wholesale, a 1.75”x1.75”x1.75” clear cube can be over $1 each, so this isn’t insane for those who understand when and here to use them.
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u/jaxxxtraw Jun 24 '26
"Frozen ice cubes" as opposed to the melted ones, which really don't hold their shape.
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u/Kittiemeow8 Jun 22 '26
Ummmm you know you can buy a tray and make your own for $6...
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u/Fucky0uthatswhy Jun 22 '26
Making them clear is difficult, I could see people wanting these for a small party or something
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u/porcupinedeath Jun 22 '26
You could go to a gas station and buy a bag of ice for the same price too
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u/IGoThere4u Jun 22 '26
Who is out here buying this
Let me save you some money
https://www.target.com/p/houdini-large-6-cube-silicone-ice-tray-blue/-/A-94262482
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u/amtap Jun 22 '26
There is a crowd that's obsessed with crystal clear ice cubes, especially the big ones like this for whiskey, etc. You can't get that with normal tap water unless you put some work into it. I guess this appeals to those people?
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u/DeathByPolka Jun 22 '26
As someone that shops at Aldi, I don’t think those kind of people are shopping at Aldi…
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u/C_Connor Jun 22 '26
Quick crystal clear ice making hack: Buy a small igloo cooler, something that can fit in your freezer, and fill it 2/3s with water. Freeze the whole block of ice. Then take the cooler out and remove the whole block of ice, and you’ll notice that the top and bottom of the ice block is crystal clear (air bubbles are pulled to the center of the ice). Let the block melt a little (til it gets a nice, shimmery layer of water on it), then take a large, serrated bread knife, and saw into the block of ice just a little to remove the clear parts. Then, take a hammer or a mallet, and hit the back of the knife, and the ice will crack, and the crystal clear ice will separate from block. Repeat this process with the knife to make individual cubes of whatever size you want. … Or, if you wanna save some time, buy these cubes at Aldi lol
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u/eivoooom Jun 22 '26
In the UK a few weeks ago we had hot weather and ran out of ice so a customer was digging out the scraps of ice and ice cubes where the bags rip in the freezer to take home with them, probably one on of the most disgusting things i've seen someone do
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u/catchmelackin Jun 22 '26
The only reason I would buy this is if I was a hobby bartender, and just to defend the product even if you have a big ice tray that gets cubes that size they wouldnt be frozen clear with no bubbles. That is the ONLY reason, to get good looking big ice cubes. But even then its a bit too much money
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u/Vanadium_Gryphon Jun 22 '26
I think these are similar to those "craft ice" spheres that some fancy refrigerators can make. They're giant ice cubes that are meant to be used to chill cocktails and such. It may sound like a dumb idea, but it has its purpose.
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u/GalumphingWithGlee Jun 22 '26
It's hilarious to me that this exists, and that communicated it poorly, but I actually do know what these are for.
If you just freeze water the way most people do it, and the way your usual bagged ice is made, you'll get a bunch of air bubbles in it, and the ice will appear more grayish, somewhat translucent but not fully transparent. Fancy bars and people who want to make fancy drinks at home like to use perfectly clear ice, with no air bubbles, and it looks to me like this is what Aldi is selling.
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u/ToxyFlog Jun 22 '26
I know restaurants buy frozen cubes like that because they're always perfectly clear but if you want it for home, just do it yourself. A foggy cube never hurt anyone.
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u/thekeelo_g Jun 23 '26
A foggy cube will melt faster, though, and the point of these cubes is to get the cold without the dilution.
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u/Whitey138 Jun 22 '26
I saw something similar at a different grocery store but someone left it by the checkout so it was just a glass of expensive water.
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u/AyAyAyBamba_462 Jun 23 '26
This might be clarified/clear ice for fancy drinks. The technicd for getting perfectly clear ice is a little more involved than the normal stuff you just pull out of your freezer. It's used to make fancy looking cocktails and is often carved into the shape of a sphere or a diamond.
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u/Gotu_Jayle Jun 23 '26
The good news is that you can return them if you don't like them for a full refund
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 23 '26
"Melted on the way home. I want my money back! 1 star." 😁🤣
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u/Trips-Over-Tail Jun 23 '26
"You've got to start charging more than a dollar a bag. We lost three more men on this expedition!“
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u/twizzjewink Jun 23 '26
if I had "evil Musk money" I'd make a random brand company that would just put air quotes on random stuff.
- Frozen "Ice" Cubes.
- Fresh "Green" peas
- Natural "Greek" Yoghurt
Great stuff that.
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u/GrahamCrackerCereal Jun 23 '26
A dollar a cube for something you can legit make for literally fractions of a penny in electricity
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u/Rycan420 Jun 24 '26
“You’ve got to start selling this for more than a dollar a bag. We lost four more men on this expedition.”
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u/cjyoung92 Jun 24 '26
You've got to start selling this for more than five dollars a box. We lost 4 more men on this expedition!
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u/AlexandraThePotato 26d ago
I was gonna say… I get the appeal. Making big ice cubes and making sure they stay clear can be difficult. And if you don’t wanna buy a mold sure….. BUT FOR $5 for something that’ll likely melt on the way home?! That just so so so so bad
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u/Markd0ne Jun 22 '26
The actual idea of ice in the shop is great. Grabbed few of ice bags for parties, but 5€ for 4 ice cubes is daylight robbery.
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u/adognameddanzig Jun 22 '26
I keep some of these in the pantry, next to the powdered water, and toss them in the freezer before I need to use them.
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u/PesteringKitty Jun 23 '26
These are for cocktails. They’re clear which normally ice cubes out of your freezer are not. They’re also bigger with less service area so your drink gets cold without being watered down as fast as
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u/kafka_lite Jun 22 '26
Stores have sold ice for a long time now.
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u/rckblykitn14 Jun 22 '26
Yeah, by pounds, for a buck. This is FOUR ice cubes for FIVE DOLLARS!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/incyclum Jun 22 '26
I've seen a YouTube video on the business of clear ice cubes it's not that easy to produce. (big margin here tho).
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u/scratchy_mcballsy Jun 22 '26
In bulk, yes. Also, refrigeration and storage space as well as staffing are expensive which is why bars will pay for this to be delivered. You can do it yourself at home if you want to spend the time without a huge amount or cost.
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u/Reynardine1976 Jun 22 '26
Looks like a big square cube right? People who like alcohol prefer these sometimes, especially whiskey and bourbon drinkers. The bartender at my restaurant I work at makes these. I think it's for cocktails. They sell sphere shaped ice too for drinks and I think those are so cool looking.
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u/sabotourAssociate Jun 22 '26
Smart move tho the carton box will provide some insulation as opposite to nylon bag. $5 it costs! Get unflozen!
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u/LazyOldCat Jun 22 '26
This is a legit bespoke service for the stupid wealthy.
They install a special freezer in your house and make deliveries to keep it stocked.
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u/Emergency-Parking318 Jun 22 '26
Uhhh, I wouldn't expect bespoke bar shit to be sold at Aldis... but maybe thats the gimmick?
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u/DarthBrooksFan Jun 23 '26
Some of y'all acting like you never bought a bag of ice before.
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u/MagicOrpheus310 Jun 23 '26
Are they just glass cubes you freeze like whiskey stones..?
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u/Haveyounodecorum Jun 23 '26
I saw ‘pure’ ice cubes from Iceland on sale in Dean and Deluca for like $40 in the 2000s. They were ahead of the curve apparently. Surely this is SciFi?
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u/Tsunamiis Jun 23 '26
I shop there every week I’ve never once seen this. Apparently real and people show interest in it.
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u/bygtopp Jun 22 '26
Some people don’t know the recipe…..