They work, but not as well as ice. A steel cube absorbs roughly 30 per cent of the heat a normal ice cube does. In return it adds no water at all. That makes them right for whisky and wine, where dilution ruins the taste — and wrong for a glass that needs to go from room temperature to properly cold.
Last updated 4 September 2026 · Written by the Lindner & Co editorial team
Why does ice cool so much better?
Because ice does not just sit there being cold — it melts. Going from solid ice to liquid water takes energy, and that energy is pulled out of the drink. It is called latent heat of fusion, and it is where most of the cooling comes from.
A steel cube has no phase change. It is simply a cold piece of metal warming up, and then only its heat capacity does the work.
| Material | Weight per cube | Heat absorbed | Relative to ice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water ice | approx. 16g | approx. 6.7 kJ | 100% |
| Plastic cube with water gel | approx. 15g gel | approx. 4–5 kJ | approx. 70% |
| Stainless steel | approx. 140g | approx. 2.0 kJ | approx. 30% |
| Soapstone | approx. 52g | approx. 1.4 kJ | approx. 21% |
| Granite | approx. 48g | approx. 1.1 kJ | approx. 16% |
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Note the weight. A steel cube weighs nearly ten times more than an ice cube and still cools a third as much. That tells you how much energy sits in the melting.
When are they right, and when are they wrong?
Right: for whisky, brandy and other spirits where you want a couple of degrees off without changing the strength. For a glass of wine that has drifted a few degrees too warm. For drinks you sip slowly over a long time.
Wrong: for a glass that needs to go from room temperature to properly cold. Steel loses to ice every time there. Wrong too for large glasses — three cubes in a pint glass are barely noticeable.
If a whole bottle needs to come down, neither steel nor ice is the right tool. The times for ice baths, freezer and the rest are here.
How long do they hold the cold?
Less time than people expect. A steel cube straight from the freezer sits at −18°C, but it stores little energy. In a glass it reaches the drink's temperature in 10–15 minutes.
That is enough for a whisky drunk slowly. It is not enough to keep a glass cold all evening.
For a whole bottle rather than a glass, the chiller stick works on a different principle.
Soapstone and granite hold even less, as the table shows. They are often sold as "whisky stones", but steel is measurably better than both.
What they cost in the UK
Prices checked 4 September 2026.
| Product | Price | Retailer |
|---|---|---|
| Lindner & Co stainless steel ice cubes | £22.95 | Lindner & Co |
| Vacu Vin Rapid Ice cooler sleeve | £15.95 | Wineware |
| Vacu Vin Rapid Ice Elegant active cooler | £22.95 | Wineware |
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Using them properly
Freeze them for at least four hours. Two hours is not enough — they feel cold but are not chilled through.
Use more than you think. Three or four cubes in a normal glass, not one.
Chill the glass as well. A room-temperature glass steals a good share of the cold before the drink notices anything.
Rinse and dry them before they go back in the freezer. Most do not survive a dishwasher over time — the surface dulls.
For wine, steel cubes solve a warm glass. To keep the whole bottle cold through a meal, a chiller stick in the bottle is the better tool.
Frequently asked questions
Do steel ice cubes cool as well as normal ice?
No. Around 30 per cent of the effect, because they do not melt. The advantage is that the drink keeps its strength and flavour.
How long do they need in the freezer?
At least four hours. Less gives noticeably weaker performance.
Are they better than soapstone whisky stones?
Yes, measurably. Steel absorbs around 2.0 kJ per cube against soapstone's 1.4 — and steel adds no stony taste.
Can they be used in wine?
Yes, when the wine is a few degrees too warm. To keep a whole bottle cold, a chiller stick in the bottle is more effective.
Will they scratch the glass?
Steel can mark thin glass if you drop them in hard. Lower them gently, or put them in before you pour.
How many do I need?
Three or four per glass. Fewer is barely noticeable, and since they do not melt the glass never gets fuller from using more.