Ice-making water purifiers see surge in sales

In an apartment in Chengdu, Sichuan province, 28-year-old Luo Yufu invited his friends over for weekend cocktails. Instead of clunky ice trays or store-bought bags, he taped a sleek device to his counter. Seven minutes later, perfectly clear ice cubes tumbled into glasses — made from filtered water and sized for whisky.

"I used to buy my iced drinks, but now I enjoy making my own at home using my new ice maker," said Luo. "It's more fun, and I can experiment with different flavors and customize the ice to my preference."

With social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, or known as RedNote, overflowing with tutorials for homemade iced lattes and cocktails, a growing number of young urban consumers in China are turning their homes into "personal beverage labs".