Ice: what Claude and GPT would buy

Two AI models chose on their own, with no web access. Nobody tested these products: this is what each one says, and how to check it.

Claude and GPT choose the same brand, Reddy Ice

In Grocery & Gourmet Food, Claude and GPT choose the same brand in 42 of 101 categories.

Claude Opus 5.5 · October 29, 2026

Reddy Ice (brand)

Reddy Ice is one of the largest US packaged-ice makers, and its plants and distribution give consistent, food-safe cubed ice wherever grocery delivery stocks it.

Not for: Cocktail enthusiasts who want large, crystal-clear cubes or spheres. Standard bagged cubes are cloudy and melt faster.

GPT 6.1 Sol · November 10, 2026

Reddy Ice (brand)

A straightforward choice for bagged ice to chill drinks, fill coolers, and keep food cold during gatherings.

Not for: Anyone needing dry ice or large, clear cocktail cubes.

Which one fits you

Canada and northern US availability

Arctic Glacier (brand)

Arctic Glacier is a major packaged-ice producer across Canada and much of the US, so it is often the regional bag your delivery order will contain.

Not for: Anyone outside its distribution area, where it simply won't be stocked.

Check before you buy

Cube type. Buy cubed ice for drinks and coolers and crushed or nugget ice for blended drinks and seafood displays. Crushed ice chills fast but melts fast. Larger cubes last longer in coolers and dilute drinks less.
Free-flowing cubes. Cubes should separate easily. Reject bags that are frozen into a solid block. A fused bag means the ice partly thawed and refroze in transit or storage, which is also a food-safety warning sign.
Producer quality standards. Prefer ice from producers that follow International Packaged Ice Association quality guidelines, which treat ice as a food product. Packaged ice is regulated as food, and good producers use filtered water and sealed, food-grade bags.
Use-specific format. Choose block ice for long cooler trips, cubes for short trips, and clear or directionally frozen large-format ice for cocktails. Block ice has less surface area and lasts much longer. Clear ice has fewer trapped air bubbles, so it melts slower and looks better in a glass.

Where to find Reddy Ice

Walmart
Instacart
Gopuff

Shops seen in search results on November 5, 2026. A shop missing here may sell it too. Nothing was checked by a person.

Brands that matter

Reddy Ice: Large US packaged-ice producer with wide grocery distribution.
Arctic Glacier: Major producer across Canada and many US regions.
Home City Ice: Regional producer in the Midwest and Ohio Valley.

What to avoid

Bags fused into a solid lump, a sign of thaw and refreeze
Torn or unsealed bags, which risk contamination
Using bagged party ice for food contact if the bag is not labelled as packaged food ice
Ordering crushed ice for long cooler trips, because it melts much faster than cubes or blocks

Questions

Why is bagged ice cloudy?

Dissolved air and impurities get trapped as the water freezes quickly from all sides. Clear ice is made by freezing slowly in one direction.

Can I use ice for drinks if it was made for coolers?

Only if the bag is labelled as packaged food or drinking ice. Ice sold only for cooling should not go into beverages.

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All of Frozen Foods