KitchenAid Shave Ice Attachment Review
A great upgrade for your mixer
Verdict
As if there weren’t enough reasons to love KitchenAid stand mixers, the brand has introduced another one in the shape of its Shave Ice Attachment. It’s easy to assemble and fit onto the stand mixer once you get the hang of it and even easier to clean due to dishwashable parts. The two blades allow you to create various textures, particularly if you go beyond water to milky and sugary mixtures. You can expect snow-like texture from the fine blade and nicely uniform granules or flakes from the coarse one. Although pricey, this is nevertheless a solidly built and handy accessory, compatible with all KitchenAid’s stand mixers, if you have already bought into the brand.
Pros
- Fits most KitchenAid stand mixers
- Very quick
- Dishwasher-safe accessories
Cons
- Needs a KitchenAid stand mixer
- Pricey
Availability
- UKRRP: £129
- USARRP: $99.95
Key Features
- CompatibilityWorks with existing KitchenAid 4.3L, 4.8L and 6.9L mixers.
- Multiple ice-shaving bladesFrom fine to coarse, you can vary the type of ice that you get.
Introduction
To increase the appeal of its already popular stand mixers, KitchenAid has introduced the Shave Ice Attachment that is perfect for a heatwave but can be used all year long to create interesting – and sometimes even healthy – desserts as well as slushy-type drinks and cocktails.
While this attachment isn’t cheap, costing more than many individual appliances out there, and requiring you to already own a KitchenAid stand mixer, it does offer variety as well as consistent results. It’s compatible with the brand’s 4.3L and 4.8L tilt-head mixers and the 6.9L bowl-lift mixer. I used it with the KitchenAid 4.8L Stand Mixer.
Design and Features
- Neat and compact design makes it easy to store
- It slots into the front of a KitchenAid stand mixer with minimal faff
- Fine and coarse blades and four mould cups enable you to try out a variety of textures
Decked in modest yet stylish matte white to match any KitchenAid stand mixer colours, the shave ice attachment is reminiscent of a round tin with a lid. But the so-called lid actually functions as a lever for the spiky ice cup pusher, moving it up or down as you twist it from left to right respectively.
At the bottom is where you attach the detachable ice cup, made of transparent plastic, which fits the ridged ice cup sleeve and a plastic lid fitted with one of the two blades – coarse or fine. For the assembly of the latter, you need to carefully observe the interlocking tabs, while the arrow on the ice cup simply needs to line up with the lock/unlock symbol on the main unit – not too different from assembling a jug blender.
The attachment’s square power shaft neatly slots into the front socket of a KitchenAid stand mixer – although it may require some initial tilting to get the fit right. Tightening the attachment hub knob on the mixer will keep the shaver securely in place. As you switch on the stand mixer, it will use the mixer’s rotating power to drive down the ice cup pusher.
The four moulds – which slot into each other when not in use – fit about 250ml of liquid each. While the lids cover them securely, these are not airtight, meaning they need to be stored upright to avoid any leakage upon first placing them in the freezer. The freezing time varies according to the mixture and the temperature of your freezer, ranging from 12 to 24 hours.
To start shaving, the frozen puck needs to be removed from its mould. It can be difficult to extract right after removing the mould from the freezer, so a little bit of loosening time might be needed. Alternatively, you can soak the bottom of the mould in water to loosen it.
Sometimes tempering – letting the puck sit at room temperature for up to 10mins – is recommended. This is more relevant for ice and recipes with higher water content. Tempering in this case helps it to give the ice a more attractive glistening, rather than a dull, appearance.
Performance
- Fine blade creates snow-like powder
- Coarse blade produces well-crushed ice
- About 5-15mm of frozen puck is left unshaved at a time
I started my tests by freezing some shop-bought strawberry drink and shaving it with a fine blade, which resulted in a pink snow-like texture.
To test the coarse blade, I shaved an ice puck, after letting it temper at room temperature for about 10mins. The ice was evenly crushed and perfect for a cocktail.
Trying out different textures, I froze a mixture of milk and condensed milk to make a Korean bingsu-style dessert. Different quantities of fat and sugar content produced varying results, with some akin to snow and others grainier with the finer blade, or flaky or mushy with the coarser one.
I also tried out healthier options – such as freezing mashed banana, and a smoothie mix of berries and coconut water that resulted in pleasantly light treats. Berries frozen with water were finely sliced, creating a nice option for a cocktail base.
I often noted a certain proportion of the frozen puck – roughly 10mm on average but ranging from 5mm to 15mm – stayed at the bottom of the ice cup and wouldn’t get shaved. While some residue can be expected, it’s worth bearing in mind with mixtures of different substances – so make sure any combinations are well mixed before pouring them into the mould.
While shaving, it’s best to keep rotating the bowl or use a particularly wide one, as the shaved ice is ejected from one narrow slot and can pile up easily. It’s also important to remember to remove the ice cup after finishing a shave because the residue will slowly melt and drip onto your worktop. Handily, all the parts are dishwasher-safe in the top rack besides the main unit, which can simply be wiped down.
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Should you buy it?
This attachment is a great accessory for someone who already owns a KitchenAid stand mixer and wants to flex its capabilities.
This attachment will prove quite pricey for someone who doesn’t already own a KitchenAid stand mixer.
Final Thoughts
The KitchenAid Shave Ice Attachment is a handy accessory that takes on the tricky task of crushing ice or other frozen liquids with ease, making use of the power of a KitchenAid stand mixer.
It’s best for minimal-effort, light desserts as well as crushing ice to the standard of a premium blender. However, for those who are mostly looking to focus on icy drinks, a blender may be equally appropriate.
How we test
Unlike other sites, we test every mixer we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as our main mixer for the review period
Tested with a variety of frozen items, including ice and berries.
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FAQs
No, it must be connected to a compatible KitchenAid mixer.
Yes, it can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
