Hi. You really shouldn't put the ice cubes directly in the blender. Usually those of domestic level or quality are not prepared for this. You must break them into smaller pieces before. While they can do this job they are not the ideal machine. That is why they do not last apart that their quality should not be good even if they are sold as originals. A good trick is to crumble the cubes by wrapping them with a hard cotton cloth (jean type) and hitting them with a rolling pin. regards