Berlinzo Premium Clear Ice Ball Maker Mold - Large 2.4-Inch Crystal Clear Ice Balls for Whiskey, Cocktails, and Bourbon - Easy-to-Remove Ice Sphere Mold - (Ice Storage Bag Not Included)

This thing is AWESOME! It worked fantastic the first try. I had been hearing that these things have sort of a leaning curve I found it Simple and easy to use. My particular freezer it needs like 48 hours, but this could also be because maybe the water is a little to warm. I don't use a thermometer I just purchased my finger in the pot till it feels warm enough. I ordered extra bags for the big chunks left in the bottom. I bust them up and use those as well because they are about 85% clear.I even had a mishap with mine and the company got back to me quickly and helped me get a replacement piece.

I’ve been using the Berlino Ice Ball Maker for a few weeks now, and I’m impressed. It consistently produces large, solid ice spheres that elevate any pour—perfect for bourbon like this Woodford Reserve.Pro Tip for Crystal-Clear Ice:To get those satisfying, bubble-free ice balls, the trick is in the pour. Here’s what works best:• Use a slow, steady stream of water directly from the sink.• If you’ve got a filter on your faucet, even better. Some prefer filtered fridge water or bottled, but the key is avoiding bubbles while filling.• If any bubbles sneak in, let the filled mold sit for a few minutes before pressing the mold in and freezing. This lets trapped gas off-gas naturally, which gives you a crystal-clear result.In the photo, you can see the payoff—a beautifully clear sphere that melts slow and looks great in the glass.Highly recommend the Berlino for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted drink.

Crystal clear ice cubes! These are far greater than any ice mold I have ever seen!

The Tinana and Berlinzo are essentially the same ice maker with two different labels. But there are some differences between the two, and to my mind, they do not favor the nearly twice as expensive Berlinzo:1. Physically, they are 98% identical. The only physical difference between these is that the Berlinzo is sheathed in a hard plastic outer casing with a satin black finish and some small, but nice, graphics. Between the two, this gives the Berlinzo a more “formal” and “classy” appearance. Seriously, it looks nice. If that matters to you, while it sits in your freezer, then it’s your ice maker of choice. Or, perhaps you want to give one of these as a gift; the Berlinzo does look nicer. [FWIW, their exterior shipping boxes are both nice, but to my mind, the Tinana is nicer in its simplicity.] Other than the Berlinzo’s outer shell, they are identical, and their parts are interchangeable. However, I think this outer shell contributes to difference #2.2. Per their instructions, the Tinana should be allowed to freeze for 30 hours, while the Berlinzo requires 40-48. If you’re on any kind of clock, that’s significant. Other than the thin satin plastic shell on the Berlinzo, I can think of no reason why the two devices should have such significantly different freezing times. Interestingly, the Berlinzo instructions specifically state that you should not freeze it for more than 50 hours, else there is a risk of cracking the shell. That strikes me as a disadvantage, or at least a risk of disadvantage. I found the freezing times for both devices accurate.3. The Berlinzo comes with a nice plastic bag in which to store your spheres. Unfortunately, it’s not really big enough to hold more than one batch at a time. Ziplock is your friend here.4. In all other respects, the two devices produce identical, almost entirely clear ice spheres when you follow the instructed times for freezing. And if you don’t, they also perform similarly. Pulling either device out of the freezer six hours ahead of time will reveal a not-fully-frozen base, and partially formed (about 75%) spheres. Also, if you decide to use warm or even hot water to slow the freezing process further, you’ll need to adjust your freezing time accordingly. I do, and have found an additional six hours (for a total of 36) in the Tinana works well, while the Berlinzo requires its full 48.5. The spheres from both devices also benefit from tempering. Without tempering, they didn’t always crack, but they did sometimes. And with tempering, none of the spheres cracked when room temperature whiskey was poured on them. Most people recommend five minutes for tempering, and that makes sense if the spheres are kept in an ice bucket or bowl. I found that when placed in individual glasses, 2-3 minutes seemed sufficient to avoid cracking. YMMV.I have attached pics showing the spheres side-by-side. They are indistinguishable. I also did a 90-minute melting test, with images taken at 00:00, 00:30, 01:00, and 01:30, with a sphere from each maker in a glass containing 2 ounces of water. Granted, water and booze are not the same thing, and holding a glass will speed the ice melting process. But all I wanted to do was compare how a sphere from each maker would perform in the same environment. Short answer: they melted identically. And that’s no surprise since they are almost identical in their construction, and entirely identical in their method. For me, the performance of both the Berlinzo and the Tinana are 5 stars, with the Berlinzo docked one star for value and the additional 10-18 hours of freezing time.With respect to some of the less positive reviews:1. Yes, it’s difficult to remove the rubber molds from the freezing box. It gets easier after first use, but they’re tight for a reason. I’m older, and my finger strength isn’t what it used to be, but I managed to get everything apart.2. It’s not difficult to fill the container or to get the molds topped up. A gooseneck kettle is handy for topping off.3. There is occasionally a little bit of excess ice around the seams (see pics), but it comes off easily.4. Depending on your water minerality, you may find you get better results by boiling the water first, filtering it with a real filter (Brita doesn’t cut it), etc. Distilled or RO/DI water doesn’t always produce more clarity. The people who make the OnTheRocks version of this (I use their box for cubes) have some videos with recommendations for “fine-tuning” your ice. We have off-the-charts hard water in our house, and a whole house softener that reduces, but does not eliminate, the hardness. The tap water produced quite acceptable ice spheres.5. With respect to water “wastage,” don’t rinse that ice block down the drain. Let it thaw and use it to water plants or pets or whatever. It’s perfectly clean water. It’s only waste if you waste it. Don’t throw it away!

I bought a set of Berlinzo premium clear ice ball makers, along with an additional 2-cube silicone mold. When they arrived, everything was in perfect condition, and all the molds fit the container/reservoir perfectly.It takes approximately 18-30 hours to make a set of two clear ice cubes, depending on the following factors: 1) the temperature of your freezer, 2) the temperature of the water used, and 3) the placement in the freezer.Essentially, regardless of the shape of the ice you are making, here are some tips for the process:1. Tap the container/reservoir while adding water to remove any air bubbles caused by pouring.2. Slowly push the mold into the container/reservoir to prevent water from leaking between the mold and the container.3. If you plan to make clear ice repeatedly, rinse the mold and container with warm water before placing them back in the freezer. This is particularly important when using a "clear ice ball maker." The principle of clear ice is that a "slow and unidirectional" freezing process pushes air bubbles downward into the container/reservoir. If the freezing process is too fast, there's a higher chance of having some bubbles at the bottom of the ice ball.4. For ice balls, it's recommended to place the entire setup away from where cold air enters the freezer. The freezing time will be 20-26 hours, depending on your freezer's temperature setting.5. For ice cubes, placement in the freezer isn't as crucial. However, it's beneficial to keep the setup on a level shelf. Otherwise, there may be a chance of one uneven sides on your ice cubes, which could affect how they fit in your whiskey glass.6. The ice stamp press ring can be a lot of fun for kids to play with. However, keep in mind not to press the ice stamp too hard into the ice (or for too long). Otherwise, the brass can freeze with the ice, making it very difficult to separate them. On the bright side, your child will have a big ice diamond on their finger, which can be amusing to watch.When you pull the mold out of the container, please sure to pull it slowly and evenly. Don't force it out by pulling from only one side. If the mold and the container fit tightly without much of water leakage, and you did not leave it in the freezer over 24 hours, then it should come out easily.Lastly, why waste the ice? When rinsing the frozen container, you might find some partially or fully frozen ice at the bottom. You can remove this ice by rinsing the container with water. Once it's loose, take it out and save it for other drinks. While not as visually appealing, it's perfect for non-alcoholic beverages or kids' drinks.

Ice looks good. Easy to remove ice spheres from container. Happy so far.