Kick the Ice Bucket

Rapid Ice is a snug-fitting, 7-inch-long cylindrical sleeve permanently filled with a gel. You store it in the freezer until needed. When you’re ready to chill a bottle of wine, you slide the sleeve over the bottle. No muss, no water and only a brief wait.

Available in most wine shops. Retail price is $11.95; look for street prices as low as $6.95.

Chilly Receptacles

An icy Independence Day martini deserves a fine, frosty home. These martini glasses from Bohemia Art Glass are hand-blown by Czech artisans.

$60 to $85 at Tesoro, Beverly Hills; Blue Print, West Hollywood; Buyer Service, Beverly Hills; Bo Danica, La Jolla.