Sphere ice makers
Sphere ice makers (ice ball makers) make big round ice that melts slowly and dilutes less. Choose 55 or 50 mm spheres for whiskey, old fashioneds and cold brew.
Slow melt
Speed
Chewable
Clarity
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Filter by feature or compare with other ice
Sphere ice makers · YH1600
Stainless Sphere Ice Maker
55 / 50 mm · One-touch clean · Stainless
$369.00USD
How sphere ice is made
Water circulates inside a spherical mold and freezes from the wall inward, pushing air bubbles out of the way for a clearer sphere.
Watch it in 3D- Water inWater fills the spherical mold and keeps moving.
- Freezes outside-inCopper coils chill the mold; ice grows inward and pushes bubbles out.
- Mold opensThe mold warms briefly and the halves part to release the sphere.
- Into the binThe sphere drops into the bin and the mold closes for the next round.
Specs side by side
YH1800 Quad Sphere Ice Maker | YH1600 Stainless Sphere Ice Maker | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice | ||
| Ice type | Sphere ice makers | Sphere ice makers |
| Ice size | 55 mm | 55 / 50 mm |
| Per cycle | 4 spheres | TBA |
| Daily output | TBA | TBA |
| Ice modes | — | — |
| Body & controls | ||
| Finish | Black | Brushed stainless |
| Controls | Digital display | Buttons + indicator lights |
| Highlights | — | — |
| Options | — | — |
| Power & packaging | ||
| Plug | UK, JP, ZA, IN and more | UK, JP, ZA, IN and more |
| Packaging | Paper tray optional · custom color box | Paper tray optional · custom color box |
| In the box | Ice tongs, User manual | Funnel, Ice tongs, User manual |
| Size & ratings | ||
| Dimensions | TBA | TBA |
| Rated power | TBA | TBA |
| Voltage / frequency | TBA | TBA |
| Net weight | TBA | TBA |
Specs marked TBA will be updated when official data is published.
How to choose a sphere ice maker
55 mm or 50 mm?
A 55 mm sphere (about 2.2 in) suits a standard whiskey tumbler and melts the slowest. A 50 mm sphere (about 2 in) suits a smaller old fashioned glass. The YH1800 makes 55 mm spheres; the YH1600 makes 55 or 50 mm spheres, so pick the size that fits your glass.
Why spheres melt slower
For the same amount of ice, a 55 mm sphere has about 55% less surface than 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes. Less surface touches the drink, so it melts slower and waters it down less.
Clear or cloudy
The cloudy center of ordinary ice is trapped air and minerals. In a sphere ice maker, water keeps moving inside the mold and freezes from the wall inward, which pushes bubbles out, so spheres come out clearer. Filtered water keeps more minerals out.
A machine or molds?
Silicone and insulated molds cost less, but they take freezer space and hours of waiting for a few spheres. A countertop sphere ice maker needs no freezer: it makes a batch, drops it into the bin and starts the next one. The YH1800 makes four spheres per cycle.
Questions and answers
More questionsIs sphere ice worth it?
If you drink whiskey or cocktails on the rocks, yes. A sphere has about 55% less surface than cubes holding the same amount of ice, so the drink stays cold with less dilution. For sodas and iced coffee, smaller ice such as bullet or nugget ice chills faster.
Compare the four kinds of iceWhat kind of ice machine makes spheres?
A sphere ice maker. Water circulates inside round molds and freezes from the wall inward; then the mold warms briefly, opens, and the sphere drops into the bin. The YH1800 makes four 55 mm spheres per cycle.
Watch it in 3DHow long does sphere ice take to freeze?
In a freezer, sphere molds usually take several hours, and clear-ice molds take longer. A sphere ice maker works in cycles instead, with no freezer needed. Cycle times for our models go into the specs once the official data is published.
Do sphere ice makers make clear ice?
Clearer than freezer ice. The water keeps moving while it freezes, which pushes most air bubbles out of the sphere. Hard water can still leave a slight haze; filtered water helps.