Ice has become unexpectedly aspirational. Somewhere along the way, frozen water turned into a hobby, complete with specialty molds, cocktail tutorials and giant crystal-clear cubes that somehow make a drink feel twice as expensive.
Now, Aldi is getting in on the trend with perhaps its most surprising July Aldi Find: a box containing just four ice cubes. Yes, really. The popular grocery store’s new Crystal Clear Frozen Ice Cubes are now in stores, and at $4.99 for a four-pack, they’re almost guaranteed to spark opinions.
What is so special about Aldi’s frozen ice cubes?
These aren’t the cloudy cubes that come tumbling out of your freezer door. Aldi’s version measures about 1.8 inches across and is made with reverse osmosis (RO) purified water to create crystal-clear ice.
That isn’t just about looks. Clear ice has become something of an obsession among home bartenders because it’s associated with higher-end cocktails and bars. Removing minerals and other impurities helps create a cleaner-looking cube, while the large size means there’s less surface area relative to its volume. Combined, these factors help the ice melt more slowly, so drinks stay colder with less dilution.
In other words, it’s the kind of ice you’d use for an Old-Fashioned, whiskey on the rocks or a Negroni—not because regular ice doesn’t work, but because this looks more impressive in the glass.
Whether that’s worth $1.25 per cube is another conversation entirely.
When can I get Aldi’s Crystal Clear Ice Cubes?
The Crystal Clear Frozen Ice Cubes are part of this week’s Aldi Finds and are available now, while supplies last. If chatter on social media is any indication, the ice cubes may not stick around for long. The cubes have already sparked plenty of debate on Reddit and other social media sites, with some shoppers calling them ridiculous and others pointing out they’re actually inexpensive compared with the clear craft ice sold by specialty retailers.
If you’ve been looking for an easy way to give your Fourth of July cocktails—or even a simple glass of soda—a little cocktail-bar treatment, it may be worth grabbing a box.
Related:
- This $4.95 Aldi Find Is So Good, I Always Buy Two at a Time
- Why Do My Ice Cubes Keep Shattering?
- Cool Ice Cube Trays to Stock in Your Freezer
