LG adds slow-melting ice feature to its $4,399 InstaView fridges

[midian182]

Cool: Are you a cocktail connoisseur with a sizeable disposable income? If so, then you may be interested in LG’s new refrigerator, which, at a cost of up to $4,399.99, can make spherical, slow-melting ice that doesn’t dilute drinks as quickly as regular ice cubes.

LG’s InstaView Refrigerators are able to make three, 2-inch diameter ice spheres in 24 hours. Each of the four models can store up to 25 of the fancy balls in the freezer draw bin, so you’ve always got some ready to drop in your expensive booze.

As noted by CNET, there are already dedicated machines available that make slow-melting ice, but they cost at least $2,000. One in particular is priced at $6,299, and it makes 18, 2.5-inch spheres in 24 hours—better than LG’s products, but at least those can also be used as fridges. There's always the option of just using molds, of course, which would save you many, many thousands of dollars.

In addition to making what LG calls “Craft Ice,” the company’s latest fridge line also makes crushed and cubed ice in the refrigerator door. There’s an automatic water dispenser that disperses exact amounts of fresh, filtered water for measuring drink mixes and recipes, too.

"LG is no stranger to offering first-to-market innovations that help make life good with forward-thinking technology for the home," said David VanderWaal, senior vice president of marketing, LG Electronics USA. "With the addition of LG Craft Ice to our award-winning InstaView Refrigerator lineup, the next step in the evolution of home entertaining is here to aid consumers with useful features sure to impress guests and make hosting easier than ever."

As the name suggests, the InstaView fridges come with tinted glass front panels. Users can see what’s inside by knocking twice on the outside to illuminate the interior—no more wasting valuable seconds of your life opening and closing the door. The fridges are also Wi-Fi connected and respond to voice commands via Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81648-lg-adds-slow-melting-ice-function-439999-instaview.html

 

[BSim500]

"As the name suggests, the InstaView fridges come with tinted glass front panels. Users can see what’s inside by knocking twice on the outside to illuminate the interior—no more wasting valuable seconds of your life opening and closing the door"

^ Article was written by someone who seems to have never used a fridge in their life... Seriously how long does it take the author to pull a fridge door open? Half a minute? Or the same 0.6s as everyone else? Now time how long it takes you to knock twice. The same 0.6s? But then if you see something you like you spend another 0.6s opening the door anyway thus taking twice as long as a normal fridge... I swear the human race's IQ dropped 30 points the day they invented that 'special' kind of 'solution looking for a problem' marketing for "smart" devices...

 

[ShagnWagn]

"As the name suggests, the InstaView fridges come with tinted glass front panels. Users can see what’s inside by knocking twice on the outside to illuminate the interior—no more wasting valuable seconds of your life opening and closing the door"

^ Article was written by someone who seems to have never used a fridge in their life... Seriously how long does it take the author to pull a fridge door open? Half a minute? Or the same 0.6s as everyone else? Now time how long it takes you to knock twice. The same 0.6s? But then if you see something you like you spend another 0.6s opening the door anyway thus taking twice as long as a normal fridge... I swear the human race's IQ dropped 30 points the day they invented that 'special' kind of 'solution looking for a problem' marketing for "smart" devices...

"Article was written by someone who seems to have never used a fridge in their life"
Probably the same type person who would spend $4400 so they can make spherical ice cubes?
Epic fail on making a "smart" (stupid) fridge.

 

[Vulcanproject]

"As the name suggests, the InstaView fridges come with tinted glass front panels. Users can see what’s inside by knocking twice on the outside to illuminate the interior—no more wasting valuable seconds of your life opening and closing the door"

^ Article was written by someone who seems to have never used a fridge in their life... Seriously how long does it take the author to pull a fridge door open? Half a minute? Or the same 0.6s as everyone else? Now time how long it takes you to knock twice. The same 0.6s? But then if you see something you like you spend another 0.6s opening the door anyway thus taking twice as long as a normal fridge... I swear the human race's IQ dropped 30 points the day they invented that 'special' kind of 'solution looking for a problem' marketing for "smart" devices...

I think you need to take it as a tongue in cheek comment rather than a deadly serious statement.......the whole article's tone lightly mocks the usefulness of these features relative to their cost.

Hence the comment about 'just using molds' for the ice spheres rather than shelling out thousands of dollars for this.

 

[BSim500]

I think you need to take it as a tongue in cheek comment rather than a deadly serious statement....

I know, but I never miss an opportunity to mock new dumb "smart" devices though... ;-)

 

[stewi0001]

I think you need to take it as a tongue in cheek comment rather than a deadly serious statement....

I know, but I never miss an opportunity to mock new dumb "smart" devices though... ;-)

The only real practicality in having the "InstaView" is that you can keep everything cool/cold while you look. In all honesty, this might not be a bad thing for me to have since my son has gone looking for something to eat in the fridge for extended periods of time.

 

[Vulcanproject]

The only real practicality in having the "InstaView" is that you can keep everything cool/cold while you look. In all honesty, this might not be a bad thing for me to have since my son has gone looking for something to eat in the fridge for extended periods of time.

I like the idea of transparent fridge doors but not enough to spend so much on one. If however I was so wealthy I could blow big money that way then I would too, so clearly there is a market for that kind of thing.

Same with the ice spheres, which I love for my drinks as they do genuinely increase the enjoyment of a slowly sipped dram of single malt. However I cope just fine with $10 molds off amazon that do the exact same thing!

 

[stewi0001]

Same with the ice spheres, which I love for my drinks as they do genuinely increase the enjoyment of a slowly sipped dram of single malt. However I cope just fine with $10 molds off amazon that do the exact same thing!

I would hope that the ice balls that this fridge make is a higher density since it is suppose to be "slow melting".

I went on a trip to Alaska once and at this lodge, they used glacier ice for drinks. Now that stuff takes a REALLY long time to completely melt.

 

[Skjorn]

I went on a trip to Alaska once and at this lodge, they used glacier ice for drinks. Now that stuff takes a REALLY long time to completely melt.

Think maybe it was because you were in Alaska and not the ice?

 

[ShagnWagn]

Same with the ice spheres, which I love for my drinks as they do genuinely increase the enjoyment of a slowly sipped dram of single malt. However I cope just fine with $10 molds off amazon that do the exact same thing!

I would hope that the ice balls that this fridge make is a higher density since it is suppose to be "slow melting".

I went on a trip to Alaska once and at this lodge, they used glacier ice for drinks. Now that stuff takes a REALLY long time to completely melt.

Ice is ice, in case you weren't sure:

"Is glacier ice colder than regular ice?

No - indeed, all of the physical, thermal and electrical properties of "regular icebox ice" and glacier ice are identical: density, viscosity, heat of fusion, latent heat, heat capacity, dielectric constant, thermal conductivity, absorption, emissivity, etc."
https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/...ce_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

Unless you have some other info?

The ambient temperature you were staying in was most likely cooler than you normally live in. If you are in an atmosphere you drink in that is 40 degrees, ice will "last longer" because the air isn't as hot as, say a beach at 90 degrees.

The reason spherical ice lasts longer is because there is less surface area for the liquid around to melt it. Thus, if you have a warm drink it will take much longer to cool it down.

 

[Digitalzone]

Fridge with glass door would be better.

 

[brucek]

I've been using molds for this for years. I would be tickled pink if my next fridge did this for me, especially if it always made them perfectly clear, which is not so easy to do manually.

As to how much of a premium I'd pay just for that, I don't know, but once you're putting fridges with custom facades to match your cabinets into into your home, $4,300 is nothing. Maybe this'll become another standard feature at the high end.

 

[DelJo63]

I went on a trip to Alaska once and at this lodge, they used glacier ice for drinks. Now that stuff takes a REALLY long time to completely melt.

Frequently, due to the quality insulation, the refrigerators are use as room-temp storage by not connecting to AC power :grin:

 

[Str8Shot]

Never realized I may need slow melting ice until this article.