Serve restaurant style drinks, with an in home ice crusher

Some people, such as those who own or operate a bar, purchase an ice crusher for professional reasons. Others purchase one because they entertain often in their home. Often used to crush ice into mounds in order to be shaken into cocktails and other drinks, such as martinis, they can cool a liquid faster than whole cubes because of the amount of surface contact. Crushed ice in a non-alcoholic drink can also be a refreshing treat. Commercially, crushed ice is also used to make an ice bed in order to chill fruits and salads, such as those commonly found in restaurant salad bars or catered food displays.

Before choosing a model, it is important to consider how much ice you will need at any given time and how often you will need to crush ice. Some units can produce up to a quart of ice in just two minutes. Similarly, some can crush up to 50 pounds of ice in one hour. For home use, however, it is likely unnecessary to purchase an model that is capable of such a large output.

An electric ice crusher is the type most commonly found in homes. They are fully automatic and can chip ice into uniform shapes and sizes. There are also some models available that double as cocktail shakers and, therefore, are capable of making ice so tiny that it looks like splinters.