What is something that is invaluable in an Aussie summer? Well if you answered air-conditioning, you are right. But that’s not what I am reviewing this time. I am actually thinking an ice maker. Ahead of the hot weather, that I am sure is coming eventually in Melbourne, I am road testing the Kogan Ice Sphere Maker.
We used to buy bags of ice from the servo, or 7-Eleven up the road during the summer. It was convenient to do, but took up a tonne of space in the freezer, and ultimately the cost adds up. A few years ago I recall paying $3.50 – $4 for a 5kg bag. Just looking at prices online now it’s $6 a bag.
We took the plunge and bought one that we have been using year round. It gets a workout during summer, and not so much in winter. It’s great because we make enough for what we need and a little extra, when we need it.
When the opportunity came to check out a possible upgrade, I wasn’t going to say no.
Kogan Ice Sphere Maker: First Impressions and Design
The Kogan Ice Sphere Maker is made largely out of stainless steel – the marketing says so. There are generous amounts of plastic elements of course – the tray, the drawer, trim for example.
It is quite beefy in size, measuring 248 x 344 x 413 mm and really dwarves my previous unit.
No real assembly is required. You should wipe down all the bits and pieces before use. The drip tray needs to be assembled – just two pieces to push together. But that is really the extent of the assembly.
The instruction calls for letting the unit sit in place for an hour before powering on. This gives the refrigerant time to settle after transportation.
The water reservoir sits below the ice tray, and requires the included funnel to help fill up. You don’t have to use it, but it would be simpler to.
Making Ice: Performance and Time
The process is simple. You put water in the reservoir, preferably cooled boiled or filtered water.
Turn the machine on and press on the “Ice” button and it will get going.
The process is not quick, so you do need to do some pre-planning. The unit spits out two spherical ice balls approximately 50mm in diameter every 55 minutes.
I didn’t time it precisely, but I can say the first batch took longer. After which it seems to settle to around the 55 minutes mark for two ice sphere.
The drawer can hold eight to ten ice spheres at any one time, and the Kogan Ice Sphere Maker will automatically stop unless some has been removed.
The good part of ice spheres in a decent size, is that they are slower to melt. That was always the issue we had with our previous ice maker, where the smaller oblong ice with the hollow inside just had too much surface area and tends to melt quickly into the drink.
The ice spheres here holds up a lot better, and I can actually sip at my drink and not worry too much about if the ice has fully melted and diluted it.
And if you are into an Old Fashioned, these are just the kind of ice you want in the drink.
During the process of creating the ice sphere, you can observe water running down at the back of the reservoir. This is entirely normal and you will be hearing that water flow for the ice making duration.
Hygiene and Maintenance: Other Features
To maintain hygiene, the instructions provides a recommended cleaning regime.
It is suggested to change the reservoir water every 24 hours, and run a cleaning cycle weekly.
The suggested cleaning solution is simply one part white vinegar and one part water. After running the built in deep in cycle, it is recommended to drain all the liquid, refill with clean water and run it again up to four times.
The draining port is at the back of the unit next to the power, and has a decent length of hose so you can run it into a container or straight to the sink if reachable.
Complaints: What Could Be Better?
What’s not so good with it?
Well it’s a pretty big unit to start with. You need some space and height, and a bit of clearance at the back for the heat to dissipate.
It is capable of making 42 ice spheres in a 24 hour period, but the drawer will only hold a maximum of ten spheres at any one time. So you will need to transfer them to the freezer and build your stockpile.
The unit isn’t quiet. It’s not screaming noisy but you definitely know when it is turned on and making ice. Plus that continuous water running sound may trigger some bladder reaction.
You will absolutely know when a pair of ice spheres have hatched as they get dropped into the tray with a solid thunk. Although, that said, there is an undocumented piece of silicone that is at the bottom of the storage tray that I probably should have cleaned and left in there to cushion the fall.
The storage tray is not cold enough to keep the ice frozen solid. Expect some mass loss if you don’t transfer them out regularly.
Lastly, those little indicator LEDs are BRIGHT.
Final Verdict: Is the Kogan Ice Sphere Maker Worth It?
If you are looking for an ice maker suitable for a party, the Kogan Ice Sphere Maker is not it.
However for a family meal, or if you are needing some quality ice spheres for your cocktail, then it will absolutely do the job – with some planning. It takes almost an hour to make a pair of ice spheres.
It is available from Kogan for A$279 (member price) or $299 for non-members. You could be enjoying that summer cocktail with ice spheres, instead of those servo / supermarket ice that melts too fast in your drink in time it takes for a delivery plus 55 minutes.
DRN would like to thank Kogan for providing the review unit.
