When I moved into my new apartment in New York, my grandmother asked what I wanted as a housewarming gift. The first thing that came to mind was an automatic ice machine, as the freezer that came in the apartment didn’t make ice. After we went to get it and I set it up, I was fascinated. Inside the machine, I saw about six or seven metal coils. Those coils gather water around them and freeze the water into bullet shaped ice with holes through the middle of each piece. Once the ice is in its full form, it gets dispensed onto a little tray that pushes the ice into a bucket at the front of the machine. From there, the bucket fills up and I use the scooper that came with the machine to take a cups-worth.
Although uncommon, I chew on ice all the time and find it super refreshing, even though I know it’s bad for my teeth. This all started once I began loving iced coffee, and would eat the leftover ice from the cup. Ever since, it’s been a staple in my life. I find that the consistency of the this ice is softer, more of a snow cone texture rather than a solid rock hard ice cube. Once I began playing with the machine, I figured out that there are two settings, small and large. Although the machine needs to frequently be filled with water as ice is being made every a few minutes, it is well worth that wait as it exhilarates every drink, even water. To me, the best part is finishing the drink and having leftover flavored ice to eat. It also takes up a lot of counter space when I don’t have much to begin with, but again, it’s worth it.