When it comes to consuming anything chilled, it’s the ice that makes the drink. And no, not all ice is created equal. There’s inferior ice, like those large cubes that take up the whole glass, or half moons that are inexplicably underwhelming. There’s ice that tastes like it was pulled directly from a picturesque Montana mountain stream and ice that tastes like the smell of a hospital. You know what I’m talking about.
Read More: The Best Countertop Ice Makers of 2023
All ice will make your drink cold, and many would argue that’s its only purpose. I’m here to tell you there’s so much more to a cube of ice than reducing base temperature. Ice is about enhancing the experience of your drink, adding dimension to it, and expanding your view of what sipping a beverage can even be.
This is why pebble ice is the superior kind.
Pebble ice takes the experience of drinking a beverage and adds a satisfying crunch you can only get because of the strategic size of the crystallizations. Pebble ice is made softer so you can bite it without spurring an emergency dentist appointment. It makes your drink chewable and much more fun to consume. Whether it’s a cocktail, your morning iced coffee, or an afternoon Diet Coke break — pebble ice is king.
Making pebble ice at home like the kind you drink in a $14 cocktail at your local bougie speakeasy used to be no small feat, but now the countertop pebble ice maker has made it possible. You can scoop a handful of delectable, perfectly-sized nuggets of frosty water any time, all for the low low price of a few hundred bucks.
If you’re ready to accept your pebbled destiny, then we’ve gathered a few miracle pebble ice makers below. Go forth and frost yourself.
GE Profile Opal 2.0
GE’s luxe pebble ice maker, the Profile Opal 2.0, can make a batch of ice in as little as 20 minutes and has an advanced self-cleaning system so you avoid mildew growth, or worse. The ice made is designed to be chewable rather than hard cubes that’ll break your canines, and it can crank out 24 pounds of ice per day so you never run out. It also comes with the ability to sync up with an app and connect to WiFi so you can monitor levels and schedule ice-making. This seems somewhat unnecessary, but it’s a “smart” feature that’s there nonetheless.
Thereye Countertop Pebble Ice Maker
This pebble ice maker from Thereye is designed to make it easy to refill and deposits 30 pounds of ice a day, with an initial ramp-up time of just 15 minutes for the first batch. It has a 3-quart reservoir which means less frequent refills and has a self-cleaning feature that can be run easily before ice production so you ensure you’re getting the freshest batch possible.
Silonn Pebble Ice Maker
This small, compact pebble ice machine is perfect for smaller households with less demand. It can make 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours and has a capacity for 44 pounds of ice. It has an automatic self-timer so you can choose when your ice gets freshly made and an LCD screen makes it easy to reference which mode your machine is in.
Joy Pebble Ice Maker
This pebble ice maker lets you choose between different ice sizes and has a smart indicator to detect when it’s full and the machine can pause production. It’s made with a high-quality compressor that works quickly, quietly and efficiently without unnecessary energy usage. It works in 6-8 minute cycles once it gets going and produces 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours.
Gevi Countertop Pebble Ice Maker
This Gevi pebble ice machine is another convenient option for your kitchen counter with a 29-pound capacity and the stainless steel housing makes it a sleek pick as well. The thick insulation keeps ice cold as long as possible, with 70% retention at 12 hours. It also has a large capacity, 4.8 pounds, so you’ll have plenty of capacity.
What Is Pebble Ice?
Pebble ice is man’s solution to wanting to chew ice, but also wanting to have teeth at the age of 60. The impetus to chew ice is universal, as the combination of the satisfying crunch and spread of chilly morsels throughout your mouth is as intoxicating as the cocktail you’re sipping itself. However, crunching down on crystalline structures is a demerit on almost every dentist’s report card for a reason, which is why smaller, rounder ice is a better alternative.
Pebble ice is ice that’s been made smaller, rounder, and easier to chew. It also gives your drink a slushie feeling that’s extra satisfying in the summer. Pebble ice makers are specially designed to make ice of this variety, making them a great purchase for an amateur at-home mixologist.
What to Consider Before Buying a Pebble Ice Maker
If you’re purchasing a pebble ice maker, chances are you’re already familiar with pebble ice and are aware of its irrevocable superiority. As with any kitchen appliance, there are a few factors you should consider before making one of these bad boys a member of the family and a regular part of your daily routine.
1. How Bougie of a Price Point Are You Looking For?
Pebble ice makers run the gambit of pricing, from just over $100 to $500 and beyond. Every price point can make pebble ice, but some have larger capacities and faster production speeds. Based on the size of your household and how many cups of ice you scoop a day, you can assess how fancy your machine needs to be. It might seem silly to spend the cost of an iPad on a machine that makes frozen water, but if you have a lot of demand a more expensive machine may be necessary.
2. Is Everyone in Your Family Obsessed With Ice?
If you’re the only one in your household who has seen the light when it comes to high-grade ice, then you can go with a smaller machine. If everyone in your family prefers pebbles in their multiple daily beverages then a more expensive machine may be necessary. After all, nobody wants to pour their afternoon Spindrift lime pick-me-up mocktail to find the ice maker drawer barren. Also, you should prepare for everyone to start loving pebble ice as soon as it’s available to them.
3. How Much Counterspace Do You Think Is Reasonable to Dedicate?
None of these machines require plumbing to set up and operate, a definite plus for uncomplicating their usage. They should, ideally, be positioned in a stationary spot on your counter rather than moved in and out of a cupboard like other appliances can be, so you’ll want to make sure you have room. Most of them take up more space than a blender but less than a toaster oven. It’s always a good idea to measure your space before ordering and check out the specific dimensions of each machine, so there are no surprises when you unwrap it.
