Matt and I were sitting at our favorite bar, Hotel Del Mano in Brooklyn, when the bartender mumbled something about the Japanese. We were both a bit bewildered (we were the only Asians at the bar), but then he placed a clunky copper contraption in front of us. He told us that it was from Japan, and they make perfectly round ice cubes.

Oh, the Japanese.

He let us try it out– watch the above video for a demonstration (sorry it’s so dark, and loud). Basically, it’s two heavy copper cylindrical molds that you connect via two steel rods that stick out from the bottom portion. You place a regular ice cube in the middle, and watch the top part move down at a snail’s pace. When the top part can’t depress any further, disconnect the copper pieces, et voila! You have your ice cube ball. The design and simplicity of this gadget is brilliant.

Buy your own ice cube ball maker at the Japan Trend Shop, for the low price of $200. I want one!