How do YOU crush ice?

[taxlady]

I tried using my Magic Bullet. That didn't really work. So, I put ice cubes in a plastic bag and whacked them with my meat tenderizer. That made lovely crushed ice, but it was noisy and destroyed the bag.

My dad had one of these:

What method do you use for crushing ice?

 

[LPBeier]

My fridge does it for me - I get semi-circle "cubes", crushed ice or cold water!

 

[taxlady]

My fridge does it for me - I get semi-circle "cubes", crushed ice or cold water!

And I thought $50 for an electric ice crusher was more than crushed ice is worth to me.

Wait a minute. We have been discussing getting a new fridge. We have two, but they are both over 20 years old. Hydro Quebec will even pick them up and give me $60 for each of them. Hmmm, maybe I should look at a model that comes with a built in ice crusher.

 

[CWS4322]

And I thought $50 for an electric ice crusher was more than crushed ice is worth to me.

Wait a minute. We have been discussing getting a new fridge. We have two, but they are both over 20 years old. Hydro Quebec will even pick them up and give me $60 for each of them. Hmmm, maybe I should look at a model that comes with a built in ice crusher.

Gosh--Ontario Hydro will pick up the old fridge (provided it is outside, has been plugged in for 24 hours, and still working). But OH won't pay for it. This is why we see so many "free to good home" fridges and freezers on Kijiji. We have several dead appliances (fridges/freezers) that are either not old enough or don't work. We use the freezers to store chicken feed...keeps the critters out.

My parents have one of the ice crushers pictured! I use the plastic bag - hammer technique. I cover the plastic bag with a terry cloth towel.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Behind my knee like a real man.

 

[Steve Kroll]

My fridge does it for me - I get semi-circle "cubes", crushed ice or cold water!

Ditto.

 

[Hoot]

hammer, plastic bag, towel à la CWS

 

[Steve Kroll]

hammer, plastic bag, towel à la CWS

My dad always had a BFH (if you don't know, don't ask) he used for the job.

 

[Hoot]

My dad always had a BFH (if you don't know, don't ask) he used for the job.

Yep.....We got one here....keep it in the bottom cupboard with the rest of the secret weapons....

 

[TATTRAT]

old school:

Hold ice in a towel, in your hand, and give a few whacks.

Also, still have a press crush:

Fortunately, I am in the "my fridge does it for me" camp now.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

...
My dad had one of these:

What method do you use for crushing ice?

Same method as your Dad! I had a plastic red and white "tritaghiaccio", ice grinder, and I used it almost every day during the summer, to prepare granita.
Then I gave up, because those wonderful mint, orgeat and tamarind syrups are authentic sugar bombs, no good for me anymore

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I take the ice, and place it carefully on a train track. After the train passes, I have crushed ice. This method also works great for pulverizing chunks of sugar or salt that clump together.I imagine it would be a great way to tenderize a tough cut of beef, too.

Just kidding. Bag and hammer guy here, though sometimes I just place a chunk of ice in the crook of my arm and flex the old biceps.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[taxlady]

My dad always had a BFH (if you don't know, don't ask) he used for the job.

Had to look up BFH. I think I will start using that term.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Had to look up BFH. I think I will start using that term.

BFH???

Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl?
Brothers from Hell?
Bus Fare Home?
Bundesfinanzhof?
Big Freaking Hammer?

 

[chopper]

I, too use a meat tenderizer and put the ice in a plastic bag. Would love to find the crusher like the one pictured in the original post. Two people have said that their dads have that one. I wonder why my dad doesn't have it...I could probably get him to give it to me. No matter, I will be looking at garage sales and thrift stores for one. I bet it does better than anything new I could find.

 

[taxlady]

Gosh--Ontario Hydro will pick up the old fridge (provided it is outside, has been plugged in for 24 hours, and still working). But OH won't pay for it. This is why we see so many "free to good home" fridges and freezers on Kijiji. We have several dead appliances (fridges/freezers) that are either not old enough or don't work. We use the freezers to store chicken feed...keeps the critters out.

My parents have one of the ice crushers pictured! I use the plastic bag - hammer technique. I cover the plastic bag with a terry cloth towel.

The terry towel sounds like it should do the trick. I hate the idea of throwing out a plastic bag every time I want a drink that calls for crushed ice. They recycle plastic bags in my municipality, but I would rather do the first R of "reduce, reuse, recycle".

I just checked the Hydro Québec website and it's $30 for a fridge at least 10 years old and still working. I think it was $60 before.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Refrigerator Does A Great & Neat Job

Interesting Post.

Also, prior to icemaking refrigerators, I would " hammer " the ice as a old friend who was a Bartender did !

If I had a hammer,

Kind regards,
Margi.

 

[MostlyWater]

This was a hot topic in our house recently as we got a much bigger separate fridge & freezer instead of the side by side with the icemaker.

We really only use crushed ice in drinks so we got a Ninja blender. If you want crushed iced for other things, you could either buy an ice cube tray with really really small holes or you could get an ice crusher.

I don't think the Magic Bullet can handle ice. Our Ninja has a tower of blades and 1000 wats of power. The MB is mostly for smoothies and herbs.

 

[taxlady]

I don't use a lot of crushed ice, so I am unwilling to spend very much for an ice crusher. Now, if I see a vintage one at a garage sale...

 

[CWS4322]

I, too use a meat tenderizer and put the ice in a plastic bag. Would love to find the crusher like the one pictured in the original post. Two people have said that their dads have that one. I wonder why my dad doesn't have it...I could probably get him to give it to me. No matter, I will be looking at garage sales and thrift stores for one. I bet it does better than anything new I could find.

When I go to MN later this month/next month, I'm hunting for that and for the ancient Chef's Choice knife sharpener--MINE. Hunting meaning they have SOOOOO much stuff, it is hard to find things that they haven't used in years, but both are most likely still there--they never part with anything unless forced!