Iceball presses are fun machines that create ice balls, which are large spheres of ice. Ice balls are a fun and unique way to chill a drink while adding some style.
If you wanted to buy an ice ball press for your home, you might be wondering why ice ball presses are so expensive. I did some digging, and here is what I learned!
Why Are Ice Ball Presses So Expensive?
Ice ball presses are expensive because the materials and processes used to create ice ball presses are costly and precise. Moreover, ice ball presses are often designed to be used by various industries instead of households. Plus, the novelty of having an ice ball machine often adds to the price tag.
Are you interested in learning more unique factors that impact the price of an ice ball press? I made a list of reasons below, so read on!
1. Ice Balls Are Novelty Items
Firstly, ice ball presses tend to be expensive because ice balls are seen as a novelty in the beverage world.
Ice balls are fairly new, so many people are willing to pay more money to create ice balls and buy ice ball presses.
Therefore, ice ball press manufacturers are willing to raise their prices.
That said, the manufacturers are aware that their audience will still likely buy an ice ball press if they want one for its novelty.
2. Manufacturers Target Industries
While some people may buy an ice ball press for their home, it is unlikely that every home will have one.
Instead, ice ball press manufacturers’ target market is industries that serve beverages, such as bars and restaurants for alcoholic beverages.
Therefore, ice ball press manufacturers often create expensive ice ball presses.
Further, the ice ball presses will be used very frequently, so the ice ball press needs to be durable enough to handle the frequent use.
For instance, an ice ball press can easily cost $500 or more.
Lastly, this isn’t much for a business to spend since the ice ball press will generate more revenue, whereas a household would not get much use or value from an ice ball press.
3. The Functionality
Generally, different kinds of ice ball presses have different instructions, and each type will have a different price.
Therefore, you will be paying for how much effort you are willing to exert to make an ice ball.
Normally, cheaper ice ball presses are manual, so you have to use physical force and convection to make the ice ball.
In comparison, more expensive models are automatic, so you only need to press a button to create the ice ball.
If you only want an ice ball press for your home, you may be fine with a manual ice ball press.
However, restaurants, bars, and clubs need to buy an automatic ice ball press to keep up with their customer’s orders.
4. The Materials Used
Another common reason why ice ball presses are expensive is the materials used to make an ice ball press. Typically, ice ball presses are made from copper or stainless steel.
Usually, ice ball presses made from copper are more expensive than stainless steel ice ball presses.
That said, this is because copper is more expensive than stainless steel since copper conducts heat better. Moreover, the cost of turning these materials is very costly.
With that, manufacturers have to spend a lot of money buying, cutting, and molding these solid materials to make an ice ball press.
Naturally, cheaper alternatives on the market create balls of ice using silicone molds.
However, these alternatives are often difficult to use, do not create perfect ice spheres, and require many hours for the ice to become solid.
5. Anodization Process
Generally, almost all ice ball presses have a metallic sheen or unique color to enhance the way the ice ball press looks. However, the unique design adds functionality to the ice ball press.
Further, anodization is a process that makes ice ball presses have a metallic sheen.
However, the anodization process also protects the materials used to make the ice ball press from contaminants.
For instance, an ice ball press will likely be frequently exposed to water. Therefore, the anodization process adds a protective layer that protects metal items from rusting.
6. The Technique Used To Make Ice Ball Presses
Ice ball presses are not easy to make because an ice ball requires a certain technique to be made.
Unlike what most people think, an ice ball press is not a fancy mold to make ice spheres but a machine that instantly freezes ice spheres.
Therefore, ice ball presses utilize convection, heat, and pressure to create an ice sphere quickly, which is not an easy feat to achieve in a machine, which adds to the price of an ice ball press.
7. Ice Ball Presses Are Efficient
Another reason why ice ball presses are expensive is that they are efficient at what they do. For example, you can usually create an ice ball within seconds with a good ice ball press.
Further, if you use a regular ice mold to make an ice sphere, you will likely have to wait for hours for one ice ball to be made.
However, the ice ball press needs to sit for some time at room temperature first before you can use the ice ball press.
Still, this is why ice ball presses are best suited for industrial use instead of home use.
Also, most people will not need to have ice spheres for their drinks daily, so it may not be useful for households.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why espresso machines are so expensive, why refrigerators are so expensive, and why Festool is so expensive.
Conclusion
Ice ball presses are unique equipment pieces that can quickly make ice spheres to add novelty to various drinks.
However, ice ball presses tend to be very expensive, so you would normally find an ice ball press in a bar, club, or restaurant.
Generally, ice ball presses are expensive because they are made from costly materials meant for industrial use.
Moreover, ice ball presses are extremely efficient pieces of equipment that create novelty items.