Intro
Since first writing my clear ice mold review years ago, the market has been flooded with competition. I haven’t bothered updating that article since most are roughly the same design, and I’m sure they work just fine. Recently, the team at The 91% Company reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in giving their NAISU N1 a try. It had a few design features that convinced me it was worth checking out.
In this review, I’ll cover everything from form to function and let you know why (or if) you should buy this clear cocktail ice mold.
Table of Contents
Ice Making Process
The NAISU N1 uses directional freezing to make clear cocktail ice—something that just about everyone now realizes is the only way to get crystal clear results.
Making spheres and diamonds is a straightforward process that shouldn’t require reading any directions, but they do provide some tips to achieving the best results.
First, fill the tumbler with water up to the line where the interior bends and then slowly lower the mold into the tumbler. You’ll feel the insert begin to fill and it will naturally begin to sink. Allow it to fully fill so there are no air bubbles. When done properly, some excess water should be pushed out of the tumbler.
Tap the tumbler all around the outside to dislodge any excess air bubbles that may have formed. Then firmly push the insert into the tumbler and give a few more taps on top.
Pop it into the freezer and wait 16–20 hours. I waited 18 for my first test run, and the ice was fully frozen.
The NAISU N1 includes some clever design that I appreciate. When it’s time to remove the ice, you’ll notice the freezing water has pushed the mold up slightly. Retrieving the ice is as simple as twisting the large handle and pulling. If you’ve read my other reviews about silicone ice molds, this retrieval process has always been a gripe of mine, but the NAISU solves it with the simple handle design.
Then, just as with any other ice, let it temper for a few minutes so you don’t cause it to crack when you pour whiskey or a cocktail onto it.
Clear Ice Quality
Overall, I’m very impressed with the clarity and quality of the ice. Both the sphere and diamond molds produce larger pieces of ice than molds I’ve previously reviewed. The sphere is 65mm (2.56″) and the diamond is 73mm (2.87″). The size of the diamond is impressive!
On my first test run, I give the molds a 9/10 on clarity and attribute that to the technique. The diamond was nearly flawless, but I had some gaps on the top and bottom because I either under filled or didn’t tap it hard enough to remove any air bubbles. This was easily solved with more careful filling. I ultimately did four test runs, and wasn’t able to produce a sphere that didn’t have a very small portion of cloudiness. Perhaps a larger lower chamber in the mold could resolve this.
The sphere will come out and have a small mold mark around the circumference which will quickly melt away when you pour liquid on it. The top mold mark from the water’s exit port is easily removed with a quick tap from a chef’s knife.
Personally, I wish the diamond had less facets to better distinguish it from a cube, but that’s just me being particular. The edges of the facets are a little smoother as opposed to the angular precision you’d find with a cube, but again, splitting hairs.
Aesthetics
The NAISU N1 isn’t a fancy show piece, but it is a well-engineered piece of hardware that performs as described. While some may consider only producing one piece of ice at a time a negative, I’m sure there are many people that will prefer this ice mold for that very reason—it takes up very little freezer space.
Build Quality
The build quality of the NAISU N1 is solid and straightforward. The vacuum-insulated tumbler is constructed of 304 stainless steel and the mold inserts are food-grade silicone, and are quite dense. The inserts have a simple “peg and hole” design that allows you to line up each half and snap them into place. They’re much easier to use than the design found on Wintersmith’s maker.
The tumbler itself offers a no-frills design and feels heavy duty. The kit comes with a lid in case you want to use the tumbler for hot or cold beverages, but I don’t see myself using it for anything other than making ice spheres or diamonds for cocktails.
Without any plastic or foam components, this ice mold is sure to endure heavy use.
Conclusion
The NAISU N1 is a thoughtfully engineered and well-made clear ice mold. It’s simple to use and should withstand the rigors of frequent use. The inclusion of the handle to facilitate removing the ice is a standout feature. The model for spheres is priced at $47 and diamonds at $49. This seems a little on the high side considering that comparably priced molds will produce 4-6 pieces of ice versus one, but this is a great solution when your freezer space is limited. The molds are also available to purchase without the tumbler for under $30, so you could buy one kit and then the other mold insert separately.
The NAISU N1 stands out for its simple, durable design, though there’s slight room for improvement in terms of clarity. It’s a great solution for those that don’t need to create large amounts of ice and are limited on freezer space. You can order the NAISU N1 directly from their website or on Amazon.
