8 Best Ice Cube Trays, Tested and Reviewed
Level up your favorite beverage with fancy ice.
Reviewed by Nicole PapantoniouKitchen Appliances Lab Director
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From mini spheres and clear ice to long, frozen cylinders for water bottles, ice has transformed beyond the traditional cube. The social media trend showcasing many different forms (and flavors) of ice is still on a roll — hello, #icetok — and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. But you don't need an electric ice maker to achieve different shapes and textures; an ice tray can definitely do the trick.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, we recently put 12 ice cube trays to the test to determine which are the best for various beverages and uses. Our picks for the best ice cube trays include a budget-friendly selection from OXO, large spheres from Tovolo and clear ice that can fancy up almost any drink.
Pros
- Large cubes for additives
- Easy to unmold
Cons
- No lid
Dimensions: 4.5" x 7.12" x 1.5" | Weight: .03 pounds | Material: Silicone
For fancy ice with fruit, vegetables or anything else you want suspended, we recommend this silicone ice cube tray from Tovolo. The cubes are big enough to put in pieces of fruit so you can get that perfect Instagram-worthy shot of your drink. Plus, we found the silicone in this model to be sturdier and thicker than other silicone trays we've tested. Ice cubes slide out easily with a push.
This tray comes in nine different colors, too, so you can buy a few and color code them if you're looking to create different ice infusions.
Pros
- Comes with lid
- Overflow channels
- Easy to unmold
Cons
- Lid can stick
Dimensions: 1.75" x 5.5" x 13.63" | Weight: .5 pounds | Material: Plastic
If you're looking for a quality ice cube tray at a good price, you're not going to do much better than this tray from OXO. It has thoughtful features, like the cover that clicks into place and channels between cubes to allow water to overflow into other spaces.
There are large handles on each side for easy carrying and the trays are designed to stack in the freezer. We were impressed by how easily the cubes popped out when removing the ice. We did find in testing that the cover sticks a little and you have to push to get it to click into place.
Pros
- Stylish design
- Storage container for additional ice
Cons
- Can't stack things on top
Dimensions: 4.7" x 8.6" x 6.6" | Weight: 14 ounces | Material: Silicone, plastic
Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou has been using this ice cube tray from Lékué for years since she doesn't have an ice cube maker built into her freezer at home. She loves how easy it is to fill the tray. The fun shapes look good in drinks, and the included storage bin holds up to three trays' worth of ice.
The set comes with one ice cube tray that acts as the lid to the container that holds the cubes once formed, so note that you can't place anything on top of it while making ice. Papantoniou says the cubes are easy to pop out and after years of owning this tray, she hasn't noticed any odors.
Pros
- Different shapes
- Overflow hole on top
Cons
- Each mold only makes one cube at a time
Dimensions: 3.5" x 3.5" x 6.5" | Weight: .55 pounds | Material: Plastic, silicone
Papantoniou notes that even after years of use, the quality silicone on these Tovolo molds hasn't worn down. The hole in the center allows you to fill it to the perfect capacity and then overflow is released from the top lid. Handles on the sides make the tray easier to carry and help pop the ice out of the mold. Keep in mind, you can only make one sphere per mold at a time, but the set is sold in a set of two.
These come in a bunch of other shapes like lime wedges and a faceted heart. Molds of the same shape can stack on top of each other. This is also a favorite of GH Kitchen Appliance Lab Analyst Eva Bleyer, who uses the sphere molds in her home bar. "I keep these handy for making old fashioneds; it keeps our drinks nice and chilled," she says.
Pros
- Comes with lid
- Available in various sizes
Cons
- Not best for drinks
Dimensions: 11.75" x 5.75" x 2.5" | Weight: 1.1 pounds | Material: Plastic, silicone
Originally intended to freeze portions of soup for easy storage, these ice cube trays can make some seriously big cubes. The trays come with lids to stack easily and are available in various sizes including four 1-cup slots and 10 2-tablespoon slots. Once frozen, you can remove the soup and store it in freezer-safe bags.
To prevent food waste, experts in the Kitchen Appliance Lab keep these on hand to store dishes made during product testing, and have been able to store everything from leftover rice to beef stew in them.
Pros
- Makes clear ice
- Fill lines on insert
Cons
- Pricey
Dimensions: 10.5" x 5" x 3.75" | Weight: 1.87 pounds | Material: Silicone, plastic and styrofoam
We discovered this tray from Dexas while testing how to make clear ice, and we've loved it ever since. It's a more cumbersome process than just pouring water in a tray and putting it in the freezer, but we found that it produces clear cubes that are perfect for the aesthetic cocktail.
There aren't any handles but the sturdy tray is wide and thick so it's easy to grip. Inside the plastic insert there are lines so you can judge how much the silicone molds will displace the water so you don't run into an overflow situation. When you want to clean the tray, the plastic insert pops out easily, and we haven't noticed any odors.
Pros
- Ice is easy to remove
- Fits in narrow bottle openings
Cons
- Ice does not fit in all water bottles
Dimensions: 9.75" x 4.5" x 1" | Weight: 9.5 ounces | Material: Silicone
The tray stands out from the rest because it creates slim-shaped ice that fits nicely inside vessels with narrow openings, like water bottles. Each silicone tray makes 10 4-inch sticks and comes with a silicone lid that fits snugly over the ice. "The ice is very easy to remove and held a clean shape. I did like that the ice was long, since that means it fit water bottles nicely, but it's less universal for tumblers and the like," says Deputy Editor Sarah Gregory.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Makes perfect nugget-style ice
Cons
- Makes small batches
Dimensions: 6.5” x 7” x 3.5” | Weight: 2.45 pounds | Material: Silicone, plastic
Nugget ice makers can cost a pretty penny, plus if you don't have the counter space it might be out of the question for your home. Tovolo has a handheld option that makes nugget-style ice right in your freezer.
The Mini Ice Cylinder has small ice cube molds around the interior walls that create the small nuggets. To make the ice, fill the silicone cup with water and then insert the plastic insert to push out any excess. Once the water is frozen, you'll end up with tiny ice cubes within the interior walls of the cup. To release, squeeze the cup and all the small cubes will fall inside. The only downside: Each tray only makes enough ice for one or two people at a time, so take that into account if you need large batches.
How we test the best ice cube trays
To find the best ice cube trays, we started by researching and evaluating dozens of best-selling and highly-rated trays. We tested several of them in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab to see which performed the best.
We evaluated the performance of each model by noting how easy each is to fill and how well the ice de-molds. We also considered shape, size and taste of the ice. When it comes to ease of use, we evaluated the stability of each tray and if it is dishwasher-safe or requires hand washing.
We also considered models that our staffers have personally tried and loved through the years. We then narrowed our list down to our best-of-the-best picks.
What to look for when shopping for ice cube trays
✔️ Material: The most common materials for ice cube trays are silicone and plastic, but you can also find stainless steel versions. Plastic trays are more rigid and can be stacked on top of one another without damaging the ice, but it can be harder to get the ice out because it's not as flexible as silicone. Silicone is great for uniquely-shaped ice because it's easier to maneuver, but it doesn't stay flat when full and can become brittle over time.
✔️ Lid: Not only can a lid allow you to stack other items on top of the ice cube trays, it also keeps debris out of the water while it's freezing.
✔️ Size: As you can see from our list, there are more shapes and sizes of ice that can be made at home than the traditional cube. When buying a tray, think about what type of ice you like or what drinks you tend to make. For cocktails and alcoholic beverages, consider the Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds or the Dexas Ice-ology Clear Ice Cube Tray. These trays have a bigger surface area to help drinks stay cold without diluting your drink as quickly. If you're looking for smaller cubes that can make a nugget-style ice, consider a model like the Mini Ice Cylinder from Tovolo.
If an ice tray can't fit in your freezer, it's not going to do you much good. It's a good idea to see how much extra space you have (or how much extra space you can make) to fit in an ice cube tray without creating a Tetris situation every time you want to chill your drink.
Which is better, silicone or plastic ice cube trays?
Silicone and plastic trays have their strengths and weaknesses, but it depends on your preferences. Plastic trays have more stability and can take more of a “beating” in your freezer. Silicone molds need a flat surface and, depending on the model, can’t be stacked on top of one another like you can with most plastic trays.
With that said, silicone molds come in a wider variety of shapes and sizes than plastic trays. Silicone trays also make it easier to remove ice once it forms; you can often just push them out from the bottom of the tray. Removing ice from plastic trays requires a lot more twisting and turning, which can result in cracks in the tray over time.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Raena Loper is a contributing analyst and writer for the Good Housekeeping Institute. Raena has tested everything from food processors to egg cookers and more. Under the supervision of Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou, she conducted the most recent Lab test on ice cube trays.
Nicole Papantoniou is the head of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab and oversees testing of gadgets and appliances. Nicole has been testing recipes and appliances since 2013.
Nicole (she/her) is the senior director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She oversees all content and testing related to kitchen products, food, and recipes. She has worked at GH since 2019, and is a trained cook, published recipe developer, and seasoned product tester with nearly 15 years of experience. She has worked in test kitchens for national magazines and kitchen appliances brands, where she also helped develop products for the home cook. She earned a degree in journalism from SUNY New Paltz, graduated with a Grand Diplome in Classic Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute, and studied culinary nutrition at the Natural Gourmet Institute (both now part of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.)
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