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OXO Good Grips Plastic Ice Bucket with Ice Tongs by OXO
Product SummaryManufacturer: OXO Brand: OXO Model: 1147000 Color: Gray Product features: - 4-quart ice bucket has double wall construction for insulation
- Internal moat keeps melted ice away from cubes
- Ice Bucket has soft grip for easy lifting and carrying.
- Ice tongs have sharp teeth to make grabbing ice easy
- Ice tongs have soft grips and locking switch
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of OXO Good Grips Plastic Ice Bucket with Ice TongsCustomer Review: Stylish Modern Ice Bucket Which Doesn't Skimp On Value Summary: 4 Stars
OXO Good Grips Plastic Ice Bucket is the "safe choice" your mother or father would be proud of you for buying. It's the ice bucket you saw a commercial for on TV that surprisingly wasn't horrible in reality. To be as concise as possible; it's a nice ice bucket that does it job and is reasonably priced with some very useful tongs included.
If you're an Ice Bucket aficionado of some sort, you probably have more working knowledge of the "better" choices out there. For the rest of us, an ice bucket has to do a couple of things properly. These are:
1) Keep Ice Solid for At Least 4 to 6 Hours
2) Easy to fill and use
3) Stylish enough for display to guests
Everything else not on the list is purely a bonus. On the most important point, the OXO Ice Bucket does an admirable job of keeping ice cubes in form for a good solid 4 hours. I got 6 hours out of the bucket on the condition the bucket was at least half full (50%). Understandably, the less ice in the bucket to start, the quicker the cubes inside would melt. Thus 4 hours is a very honest and admirable amount of time I have measured to have "working, normal sized" ice cubes still in the bucket.
Using the bucket is a breeze. The lid (which is see through) pulls back roughly about 3/4th of the way on its hinge to allow you full access to the very roomy interior. This means that you will never loose the lid or have it misplaced. The down side of having such a lid however is that it can interfere with anything beside the bucket in which the lid is leaning toward - so proper placement is necessary. Also - being see through - the lid isn't the best thermal insulator for the ice. If any heat happens to get inside this particular bucket, it's through the lid. Had OXO used a lid with the same materials they used on the side of the bucket, I could imagine ice longevity times would have increased substantially. Keep in mind that leaving this bucket out on very sunny days can significantly shorten your ice cube life due to direct sunlight shining right through. The lid is strictly a style over substance design about the ice bucket, and I can understand why they choose to do so since it does make it look very pretty. But it isn't very practical when you mill over it in the finer details.
Silver (or silver looking) ice buckets come to mind when talking about present-ability. This bucket really is for the outdoor poolside or the indoor bar in the design department. Black contrast with gray and a clear lid is really more modern looking no matter how you interpret style, so it's nice to have an ice bucket that doesn't look like silverware.
Nice little touches about the bucket is the included "moat" inside to catch melted ice water. Although I thought a more elaborate leveled straining system would be in place - it is basically 4 raised square pegs on the bottom of the bucket that use the space in between them as areas for water to pool. It's kinda simple looking and honestly just works out pretty well, even if the moat is kinda shallow.
The include tongs that come with the bucket are a huge selling point. Alone these quality tongs (and I do mean quality) would probably run you at least 10 dollars if bought separately at your local giant chain store or kitchen supply. What's nice about them is that when you put the tongs in a closed position, you can safely attach it to the side of the bucket on the hinge. It works out well, and is quite practical.
All in all, this is an excellent Ice Bucket for those of you out there really looking to stretch your money. Having used other Ice Buckets in the past, I can safely and honestly tell you that heavy silverwave ice buckets still do a much better job of keeping ice cubes. This OXO Good Grips Plastic Ice Bucket however, is for the "working man and woman" and is really solid in construction, ease of use and appeal.
Description of OXO Good Grips Plastic Ice Bucket with Ice TongsParty indoors or out with the Oxo good grips plastic ice bucket and ice tongs. The ice bucket is made of durable plastic that can weather the outdoors for any entertaining occasion. Double wall construction prevents sweating and keeps melting to a minimum, and an internal moat keeps melted ice away from cubes. A soft, comfortable grip on the handle allows for easy carrying and lifting, even when the bucket is full. The ice tongs have sharp teeth that grab ice easily, and soft grips and a locking switch provide comfort and convenience. The ice tongs rest on the side hooks of the bucket when not in use.
Ice Buckets & Tongs
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