![Best Ice Cube Trays](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/lEY79QKTOHQZG05RGxGawZVZGJ0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-best-ice-cube-trays-tout-badge-c21d6fd949294c5eb262c300b460ce43.jpg)
Food & Wine / W&P
We’ve officially turned the calendar to spring, and with the change in seasons also come a few changes in our culinary habits. From swapping hearty stews for refreshing salads and oatmeal for smoothies, everyone likes to lighten it up and cool things down once the temperatures rise. Whether you dedicate your mornings to making cold brew or your evenings to a refreshing highball cocktail, using quality ice is important.
We tested 15 popular ice cube trays from brands including OXO and W&P to determine which trays made the best ice for our drinks. We also included a few options for sphere ice, large rocks, and storing leftovers. The best ice cube trays will be quality additions to your kitchen that don’t require as much space as a countertop ice maker — just in time for iced coffee season.
Best Overall
W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray
The frame of this tray is reinforced with steel, which is sturdy enough to prevent spills and make carrying a liquid-filled tray more stable.
This tray makes 12 cubes, so you may need to batch-make ice for larger groups.
W&P is a brand known for creating kitchen accessories that are quality-made and stylish, making them beautiful and functional additions to your everyday routine. Their Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray has a thick silicone design reinforced with a steel frame for easy, spill-free transporting. The tray makes 12 1.25-inch ice cubes that can be individually popped out (instead of cracking and dislodging a whole tray) with a push of the silicone cube base. The tray has a secure top, which keeps liquids within and prevents rogue cubes from falling out once frozen.
During our testing, we liked this ice cube tray's flexible but firm shape, which made it easier to fill and transport to the freezer without spillage. While we liked its convenient cover, which protected the liquid while freezing and kept freezer odors from leeching in, we wished it snapped on more securely. The cubes made using the tray were nice and solid, without any bubbles or hollow spots in the middle — though we noted they were a bit cloudy and had a thin layer of freezer burn on top if we overfilled the tray. This tray is compact, dishwasher safe, and easy to wash and dry by hand. Overall, this ice cube tray is ideal for a couple or small household that won’t go through more than 12 cubes a day. It's sleek and stylish, so it made opening our freezer every day feel a little bit more fun.
Material: Silicone, steel | Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 1.6 inches | Number of Cubes: 12 per tray | Cube Size: 1.25 inches | Cube Shape: Square
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Best Value
Jrisbo Ice Cube Tray with Lid and Bin
This set of four trays comes with a convenient storage bin.
Removing the ice cubes from the tray without cracking the ice proved to be challenging.
If you want to create ice in bulk for a cocktail party, you can’t go wrong with this collection of four trays from Jrisbo. Each silicone and plastic design creates 14 cubes, meaning you can crank out 56 cubes at once. Your purchase also comes with several handy accessories, including four metal straws, an ice scoop, metal ice cube tongs, and a plastic storage container that holds your trays as they freeze and keeps your cubes ready for drinks.
While testing this collection of trays, we liked how easy they made the process of creating large batches of ice at once. While the cubes created using these trays were on the smaller side, we found them to be the ideal size for nonalcoholic drinks like water or seltzer. Because this set comes with so many moving parts (four trays, serving utensils, a box, and a lid), there was a lot to wash at once, but scoring plenty of bulk ice made it worth it. These trays made it more difficult to remove the cubes than other silicone designs on our list. However, getting the hang of the necessary twisting maneuver was easy.
Material: Silicone, plastic | Dimensions: 10 x 4 x 1 inches | Number of Cubes: 14 per tray | Cube Size: 1.73 x 1.18 x 1 inches | Cube Shape: Rectangle
Food & Wine / Jennifer Zyman
Food & Wine / Jennifer Zyman
Food & Wine / Jennifer Zyman
Food & Wine / Jennifer Zyman
Best for Clear Cocktail Ice
ClearlyFrozen Clear Ice Cube Tray
These large ice cubes are slow to melt, making them a great option for someone looking to sip a spirit on the rocks.
Creating crystal clear cubes is a multi-step process.
We recommend this ClearlyFrozen pick for cocktail enthusiasts serious about ice and looking to achieve crystal-clear cubes. As the name suggests, it’ll help you mold pristine ice that looks great in a spring cocktail or mocktail. The multi-piece design comes with a silicone tray, as well as a larger container and foam surround, which help you achieve directional freezing, causing the ice to crystalize downward and pushing the dissolved air — which is what makes normal ice cloudy — through the holes in the bottom of the mold, leaving clear ice above.
Testing this ice cube tray was a multi-step process. To start, you’ll fill the included foam box with around two inches of water, then insert the mold and fill it with water to the fill line. You then place the entire unit inside your freezer until frozen, which takes about 24 hours for best results. The brand recommends using unfiltered water to achieve the best results, and the entire process takes a decent amount of time, not to mention a great bit of freezer space. Still, the results were impressive and this is a worthy splurge for cocktail connoisseurs or anyone willing to put in the effort it takes to achieve luxe cocktail ice.
Material: Silicone, plastic, foam | Dimensions: 12 x 6 x 6 inches | Number of Cubes: 10 per tray | Cube Size: 2 inches | Cube Shape: Square
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Best for Square Cubes
Cocktail Kingdom Cocktail Kingdom Ice Cube Tray
At 1.25 inches, this tray makes smaller cubes than many other true squares on the market, making them great for mixed drinks and cocktails.
This tray doesn’t have a lid or any gutters around the edge to catch liquids, so small spills while filling it (and putting it in your freezer) are common.
Spend any time at a bar that takes their cocktails seriously and you’ll notice a trend: Square is where it’s at. If you regularly play bartender at home, consider adding Cocktail Kingdom’s square ice cube tray to your home bar cart. Made from soft but durable silicone, this flexible tray makes freezing perfectly square cubes — and removing single cubes at a time — a cinch. The food-grade rubber won’t impart any flavor or odor to your ice, so you can sip your spicy margarita while enjoying the pure flavors of your tequila and lime.
During testing, we loved how this tray easily cranked out straight-edged squares that looked impressive but required little effort. They froze fast and solid, and while they weren’t crystal clear, they weren’t super cloudy either. Unlike some of the other silicone tray options on our list, this one doesn’t have a frame support of any kind and, because of that, it can be a bit difficult to carry while full of liquid to your freezer without spilling. The lack of structure also makes popping out cubes a two-handed job, but that didn’t bother us. This tray makes 15 ice cubes per batch. That’s one of the highest capacities on our list for a single tray.
Material: Silicone | Dimensions: 7.35 x 4.5 x 1.5 inches | Number of Cubes: 15 per tray | Cube Size: 1.25 inches | Cube Shape: Square
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Best for Sphere Ice
TINANA Crystal Clear Ice Ball Maker
The ice created by this mold is easily the most visually stunning on our list, making this tray a great option for seasoned spirit drinkers or anyone trying to impress.
This tray only makes four ice cubes (or spheres) at a time, so you’ll need to plan if you’re aiming to pour scotch or whiskey for a crowd.
Something about a perfectly round sphere of ice defies logic and instantly wows a crowd, making Tinana’s Crystal Clear Ice Ball Maker the pick for anyone looking to impress as an amateur mixologist. This design is just as functional as many of the higher-end sphere ice gadgets on the market, but far less expensive than pricier pieces that routinely ring up at three times the cost. While making spherical ice takes much longer than traditional cubes (24 to 36 hours, to be exact), this mold is otherwise pretty hands-off, so you won’t have to walk through multiple steps or confusing accessories to make gorgeous globe ice a reality.
This four-sphere silicone mold took top honors during our hunt for best sphere ice molds, and we loved it so much we had to include it here, too. All you need to do is fill the molds with water and place them within the larger insulted cube that helps prevent the ice from absorbing any lingering odors from your freezer. Wait 24 to 36 hours, peel away the silicone mold, and you’ll have four crystal-clear, perfectly round spheres to level up your go-to whiskey cocktail or Scotch on the rocks without diluting the flavor or concentration too quickly.
Material: Silicone | Dimensions: 8.46 x 7.48 x 7.3 inches | Number of Cubes: 4 per tray | Cube Size: 2.5 inches | Cube Shape: Round
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Best Compact
OXO No Spill Ice Cube Tray with Silicone Lid
If you buy multiples of this ice mold, they’ll stack seamlessly to take up minimal space in your freezer.
The cubes created by this tray can best be described as thin, rounded rectangles, a shape that may bother some ice purists.
Not all freezers have the space for multiple ice molds. Whether yours is filled with bulk meat or your favorite pints of ice cream, you can save space for the important stuff by opting for OXO’s space-saving ice tray. Like many OXO products, the design of this tray is packed with innovative features, like a thinner-than-average design and easy-stacking shape. A handy silicone lid prevents water from spilling out of the tray, regardless of what angle you stash it at.
While testing this tray, we were impressed by how little it disrupted the flow and storage throughout the rest of the freezer. These trays can be stored in many ways, from stacked atop one another to at precarious angles, ensuring you can sneak them into your freezer no matter how little space you have. The included silicone lid was a handy addition and it successfully kept liquid from leaking into the rest of the freezer, though it did take some fiddling to attach it securely. To remove the cubes, you do the traditional twist and crack method to the plastic tray. Another perk? The whole thing is dishwasher-safe.
Material: Plastic, silicone | Dimensions: 15.5 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches | Number of Cubes: 14 per tray | Cube Shape: Arched rectangle
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Food & Wine / Jason Horn
Best for Leftovers
Souper Cubes Freezer Tray
The 2-cup capacity of these silicone molds makes for the ideal serving size, so you won’t have to worry about defrosting too much and having food go to waste.
Each tray only has two molds, so you’ll have to buy a few if you plan on bulk-freezing meals.
One of our favorite ways to store leftovers is by batch-freezing them. Souper Cubes’ silicone freezer trays are a great way to save extras or batch-cook meals without crowding your freezer with bulky food storage containers. Simply put whatever you want to freeze into the 2-cup silicone molds (this buy comes with two trays, giving you four 2-cup molds in total), allow it to freeze, then easily pop it out and stash it in its frozen rectangle form in a gallon freezer bag until you’re ready to eat.
We loved that these Souper Cubes could freeze anything to perfection, from soups and stews to spaghetti, pesto, and pancake mix. During testing, we found that food popped out of the molds easily and without freezer burn, thanks to the included lid. While the molds aren’t meant for storage, they stack easily. All the parts were easy to clean, and nothing beats the convenience of defrosting just individual portions at once instead of a whole batch of food.
Material: Plastic, silicone | Dimensions: 11.5 L x 5.5 W x 2.5 H inches | Number of Cubes: 2 per tray | Cube Size: 4.125 x 4.25 x 2.25 inches (2 cups) | Cube Shape: Rectangle
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Food & Wine / Dana Fouchia
Best for Extra Large Cubes
W&P Store Extra Large Ice Cube Tray
These ice cubes are large and dense, so they take longer to melt and won’t dilute your drink.
True to its name, the cubes created by this tray are extra large, and you may have difficulty fitting them into some of your glasses.
People typically fall into two camps: One group loves having a bevy of ice cubes in their beverage so they chew on them in between sips or swish their iced coffee around intermittently; the other group is more purist, with a less-is-more attitude that translates to a desire for fewer ice cubes. If you fall into the second camp, you’ll want to shop for a tray that makes a literal iceberg that will melt slowly and keep your drink chilled to perfection — and this extra-large silicone tray from W&P does just that.
This ice cube tray has similar features to the Everyday Tray, including a flexible silicone mold, a firm steel frame, and a convenient storage lid. While W&P’s Everyday Tray makes aproachably sized cubes that measure in at 1.25 inches, the Extra-Large version freezes up hefty square blocks that are 2.25 inches. They’re a great option for anyone looking to chill their sip without the clinking of a ton of ice, or anyone looking to whip up impressive cocktails. That said, these cubes didn’t freeze clear like some of the other options on our list, a factor that may dissuade ice (or cocktail) purists in the long run.
Material: Silicone | Dimensions: 6.4 x 6.4 x 2.4 inches | Number of Cubes: 4 per tray | Cube Size: 2.25 inches | Cube Shape: Square
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Food & Wine / Danielle St. Pierre
Our Favorite Ice Cube Tray
We tested over a dozen ice cube trays in our quest for the best, but the number one spot goes to W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray. Not only is the silicone mold sturdy and easy to use and store, but the ice it creates is the ideal size for pretty much any drink you’re pouring, while the square shape gives your sip a modern and elegant touch.
How We Tested Ice Cube Trays
We tested 15 ice cube trays that differed in material, cube capacity, and size. Some ice cube trays were specifically geared toward a certain type of sip (like spheres meant for cocktails), while others served a more general purpose. Each ice cube tray was assessed on a variety of different elements and features, including:
![W&P Peak SIlicone Crushed Ice Cube Tray with hands holding silicone tray](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/xiMjLqgi0ZJjfjSCix5Mh3ZEvgo=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-tier-2-ice-cube-trays-test-wp-peak-silicone-crushed-protective-lid-arnesia-young-8-83948e6463814850998a4c4a2e724d79.jpeg)
Food & Wine/Arnesia Young
- Ease of use: We paid close attention to how easy the ice cube trays were to fill up with liquid and carry to the freezer, noting whether they were prone to spills or overflowing. We also assessed how well any included accessories were used, including whether lids went on easily or storage containers successfully corralled frozen cubes.
- Performance: Of course, the quality of ice each tray created was of peak priority. We made note of how solid cubes felt and how quickly they seemed to melt, as well as whether the cubes froze crystal clear (if that was the intention) or whether they had any freezer burn or frost on them.
- Versatility: As we assessed the cubes each tray created, we also took versatility into account, noting whether the type of cubes could be used in a variety of different beverages or if they were geared toward a single use (like just cocktails). In some instances, we also assessed the ice cube trays on their ability to freeze other things as well, such as leftovers or sauces.
- Ease of cleaning: We paid close attention to whether any of the ice cube trays left smells or flavors behind, as well as whether they allowed rogue freezer scents to leech into our ice. We also took note of how easy or difficult the ice cube trays were to clean by hand, as well as whether or not they were dishwasher safe.
![A hand holding a drink with ice from the Kitch Easy Release White Ice Cube Trays](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/DOalAN7IiVG6AX6SUzlDRccRq6w=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-tier-2-ice-cube-trays-test-kitch-easy-release-mary-claire-lagroue-6-f32d22f4975b47198ead4a16ac49dd8e.jpeg)
Food & Wine / Mary Claire Lagroue
What We Looked For
Material
One of the first things to consider when shopping for the best ice cube trays is what type of material your tray is made from. While there are many options on the market, the designs we tested for this piece were typically made from silicone, plastic, or some combination. Each option has perks, so it’s more about what material best suits your needs. Silicone ice cube trays often make it easier to pop out a single cube at a time. Plastic trays offer more stability (especially during the precarious liquid phase) and can sometimes be easier to stack.
![Glacio Ice Cube Tray on marble countertop](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/OMXaWsm57SwU5NDgfiVV-Qql6FA=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-tier-2-ice-cube-trays-test-glacio-small-silicone-lids-arnesia-young-3-d5378f1c1b6f4c7ab78926a976d16a07.jpeg)
Food & Wine/Arnesia Young
Cube Size and Shape
The size and shape of your ice cube are another important consideration when shopping for the best ice cube tray. Before purchasing a certain mold, consider what type of beverage you drink the most and tailor your pick accordingly. If you’re looking for a cube that will melt slowly and keep your favorite spirit chilled, your pick will be far different than if you’re looking to whip up bulk batches of ice for everyday use. Similarly, there are many different cube shapes, from modern squares to eye-catching spheres to make any cocktail look like it came out of a high-end bar.
![WP Peak Silicone Crushed Ice Tray with pink cocktail](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/erZx5MCrkU0n9AnAhaYV-dsM32w=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-tier-2-ice-cube-trays-test-wp-peak-silicone-crushed-protective-lid-arnesia-young-15-1c361f66cf624895abb46c8f86c8d675.jpeg)
Food & Wine/Arnesia Young
Design
It may seem like a broad category, but the design of an ice cube tray is one of the most important factors to consider before purchasing. You want to pay close attention to how your chosen ice cube tray is structured, including whether its design makes it stable to carry or easy to remove cubes quickly. Likewise, you’ll want to asses any additional accessories the tray comes with, such as lids, ice scoops, and storage bins.
![Hand holding W&P Peak Silicone Crushed Ice Tray with ice and rocks glass on counter](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/9lHQnycQvqc0zBIAMqxhMCc_1Dw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-tier-2-ice-cube-trays-test-wp-peak-silicone-crushed-protective-lid-arnesia-young-11-75f0224877ad450ab14d47396ed1fd65.jpeg)
Food & Wine/Arnesia Young
Other Ice Cube Trays We Tested
Strong Contenders
While the 8 ice cube trays that earned a spot on our list were the best of the bunch, we still found several strong contenders throughout our testing. The trays below are still quality options for your kitchen, falling short in just one or two testing categories that prevented them from making our best list. Here’s what stood out — and where they could have done better:
Glacio Small Ice Cube Silicone Trays with Lids ($17 at Glacio)
This duo of ice cube trays made the largest batch out of any on our testing list, with each tray cranking out an impressive 21 cubes. We loved the size and shape of these cubes, but the function of the piece left a bit to be desired. Not only was this tray a bit difficult to fill (we had to fill each cube up individually), but we also experienced a lot of overflow, which resulted in a near-solid sheet of ice atop all the cubes that had to be broken apart before we could remove them from the tray.
![Glacio Small Ice Cube mold with hands](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/Ugrn13WZs-eyfQlYaN2qsqnN7IU=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/faw-tier-2-ice-cube-trays-test-glacio-small-silicone-lids-arnesia-young-9-545b89afcf3549e1a43e4abb786970e1.jpeg)
Food & Wine/Arnesia Young
Joseph Joseph QuickSnap Ice Cube Tray with Cover Lid ($15 at Amazon)
This innovative tray featured unique integrated “switches” that are supposed to snap the chosen cubes from their form, allowing you to remove a few pieces of ice at once instead of dislodging an entire tray. While we enjoyed that feature, we didn’t love the shape the ice froze into, especially considering the switches gave each piece of ice sharp little teeth.
OXO 2pk Ice Cube Tray Light Blue ($20 at Amazon)
This inexpensive duo from OXO is under $20, making it a great option for anyone who needs a new tray last minute or a host who wants to crank out extra ice ahead of a big bash. That said, this design was not as user-friendly as others we tried, which is ultimately why it didn’t make our list. The tray is sturdy thanks to its hard plastic design, but the included lid is hard to get on and may result in some spilling.
Viski Whiskey Cube Tray with Lid ($15 at Amazon)
This silicone tray makes six 2-inch cubes per batch, with a tightly fitted lid that will ensure said cubes come out without freezer burn and in the most impressive square shape possible. During testing, we loved how large and slow-melting the cubes were, but getting them out of the tray felt a bit like a wrestling match, which left us docking this model a few points.
What Didn’t Make the List
Because we aim to bring you the best kitchen products on the market, there are inevitably a few items left behind on the chopping block that didn’t meet our rigorous testing criteria. In the case of ice cube trays, several designs by brands like Wibimen, Aussa, and Kitch did not earn a spot on our list, primarily due to a lack of user-friendly features, flimsy forms, and faulty accessories that don’t contribute to the mold’s functionality.
Our Expertise
Alyssa Longobucco is a freelance writer, editor, and stylist with a background in food, interior, and lifestyle content. She has over a decade of experience in the digital and magazine industry creating unique and innovative content for storied brands such as Food and Wine, House Beautiful, HGTV, The Knot, Domino, Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, Food52, Good Housekeeping, and more.