Sub-Zero Meets The Mixology Boom With The Ultimate Luxury Ice Maker

BusinessRetailSub-Zero Meets The Mixology Boom With The Ultimate Luxury Ice MakerByPamela N. Danziger,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Pam Danziger reports on retail, focused on the luxury consumer market.Follow AuthorJun 01, 2026, 12:13pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryDespite a 2.2% drop in U.S. spirits sales, consumers are demanding higher quality cocktails, driving growth in ready-to-drink options and emphasizing premium ingredients like ice. Luxury appliance maker Sub-Zero has launched a new undercounter ice maker, engineered for pure, slow-melting ice, to meet this discerning market. While the broader home improvement sector is stagnant, luxury kitchen appliance sales are robust, with Sub-Zero thriving. The company attributes its success to family ownership, enabling a long-term vision, North American manufacturing, and strong industry relationships. CEO Jim Bakke's commitment to independence and quality ensures Sub-Zero's continued dominance in the high-end market.Show More Young men and women drinking cocktail at partygettyAmericans are drinking less by demanding more from every pour. U.S. spirits sales dropped 2.2% in 2025—yet a mixology counter trend is driving demand for higher quality cocktails. Whether crafting cocktails at home, reaching for the ready-to-drink variety—the only category in the spirits world that grew last year, up 16% to $3.8 billion—or opting for no-alcohol “mocktails,” one ingredient cuts across every cocktail served: ice. Easily overlooked, ice quality can make or break a cocktail. For the most discerning mixologist, only pure, flavorless, slow-melting ice will do. Sub-Zero’s new 15-inch undercounter ice maker is built to meet that standard. It was engineered from the ground up by rethinking how ice is formed, preserved and delivered in the quietest way possible. Since its...