Photo by David B. Moore

Whether in cubes or other shapes, ice keeps beverages cool and has given rise to a variety of nifty tools

1. GIVE IT A SHOT
Vodka goes down smoothly when served freezing cold in shot glasses that are made of ice. Just pop four “glasses” out of this freezer tray, fill them with vodka, and say “cheers.”

2. NO MELTING POT
To prevent the meltdown effect, an ice bucket—such as this stainless steel version—is an essential.

3. CHIP AHOY
Like the ice pick, the chipper is a tool that makes it easy to break large blocks into smaller parts.

4. PICK-UP ARTIST
To avoid germs and cold fingers, use tongs to take your pick.

5. ICE BREAKER
Using a pick requires proper technique: Place the ice block on a flat surface, drape cloth over the handle as a buffer, then strike with your hand at a 20-degree angle.

6. CLOSE SHAVE
The Mexican-style ice shaver lends itself to creating old-fashioned snow cones. Don’t forget the flavored syrup!

7. DAILY GRIND
Place regular-size cubes in an ice grinder to produce smaller chunks.

8. FROZEN FOOD
Using this clever ice tray, you can stir up a cocktail party with kabob-shaped frozen swizzle sticks.