The Viral Craft Ice Maker Who's Seriously Inspiring TikTok
Could #IceTok be the latest food trend to take over your social media feed, or will it melt away in a few days' time? Contrary to what you might think, the latest icy trend is not about crafting ice sculptures or enjoying a meal in a chilly locale, but trying out ice cube hacks to make your next sip a more enjoyable one.
While many people's freezers dispense oblong pieces of ice or are filled with cube-shaped trays, "craft ice" is all about different, more creative forms of the coolant, from hearts to spheres. Many may be happy with good old-fashioned pellet ice, but one TikTok account is proving that plenty of people are ready to celebrate the myriad ice options in the freezer drawer. Whether it's for the shape, flavor, or simply the whimsy of it all, it seems that one viral ice maker is turning the act of chilling a drink into a whole new form of self-care.
Are ice tray sales about to boom?
When TikToker @Nalae.Co revealed her freezer drawer to be filled with a plethora of ice cubes, many people discovered drink goals they didn't even know they had. From rod-shaped ice for your water bottle to sophisticated citrus spheres for cocktails and frozen coffee hearts that keep your cold brew from getting diluted, her ideas were plenty. Craft ice's different shapes, sizes, and added flavorings "make the drinking experience so much better," she purports. Most commenters on her video were inspired by her commitment to maximum drink enjoyment, saying, "This is the amount of extra I aspire to be" and "I need to reach this level of luxury." Another observed, "If someone was casually like 'what shape ice would you like?' I would not know how to appropriately express my gratitude."
The idea of craft ice is not necessarily new. Some LG refrigerators, for example, offer three different shapes in one maker, while upscale cocktail bars have been known to freeze flowers, herbs, and other ingredients in water. Still, plenty of viewers asked @nalae.co for her favorite products and tips for elevated ice, which she delivered in a follow-up video. Whether or not all of your friends' freezers will suddenly become filled with frozen energy drink balls, bricks of lemon juice, and other creative ice forms remains to be seen. For now, TikTok says it has found a "new obsession unlocked."