Ice cubes are small, typically rectangular or square pieces of frozen water primarily used for mechanical refrigeration to chill beverages. When water reaches its freezing point of 32°F (0°C), its molecules expand and reorganize into a rigid crystalline hexagonal lattice, making ice less dense than its liquid form and allowing it to float. While domestic ice often appears cloudy due to trapped air bubbles, commercial methods like
directional freezing produce crystal-clear ice by push
ing air and impurities to one side. Beyond standard cubes, there are various specialized shapes such as nugget ice—popular for its soft, chewable texture—as well as crescent, bullet, and large-format spheres designed for slow melting in premium spirits.