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The W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray is the best choice for most people: it makes consistent 1.25-inch cubes, has a rigid steel frame for carrying, and includes a lid to help prevent spills and freezer odors. But the right tray depends on the drink. Choose Tovolo’s sphere molds for whiskey, W&P’s clear-ice mold for presentation, Kitch’s trays for easy release and high capacity, Onyx for stainless steel, or AiBast when you want several ice shapes in one set.
The six recommendations below come from Liquor.com’s April 2024 side-by-side home testing. The testing considered transport from sink to freezer, cube size, stackability, lids, release difficulty, appearance, freezer-flavor absorption, and how long the ice stayed frozen. Prices, colors, package contents, and stock change frequently, so confirm the live retailer listing before buying.
Quick comparison
| Pick | Best for | Material and format | Capacity | Lid | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray | Most kitchens | Silicone with internal steel frame; 1.25-inch cubes | 12 cubes | Yes, removable | Some cubes may stick at the bottom; lid is not attached |
| Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, Set of 2 | Whiskey and bourbon | Silicone; large spheres | 2 spheres | Not emphasized in the cited test | Spheres may not fit smaller glasses and take some practice to fill |
| Onyx Stainless Steel 18-Slot Ice Cube Tray | Stainless-steel construction | 18/8 stainless steel with divider-and-lever design | 18 cubes | No conventional cover noted | Release was slow and unpredictable in testing |
| W&P Peak Clear Ice Mold | Clear cocktail ice | Insulated top-down mold; one large cube | 1 cube | Part of the mold design | One cube per cycle, tall freezer footprint, and up to 24 hours to freeze |
| Kitch Easy Release White Ice Cube Trays | Easy release and value | Flexible plastic with high walls and handles | 16 cubes per tray | Not highlighted in the cited test | Plastic trays may crack with long-term use |
| AiBast Ice Cube Tray Set | Multiple ice shapes | Food-safe silicone molds | 49 spaces reported across the set | Yes, with filling accessories | Uses more freezer space; some shapes can be irregular |
Product availability and exact configurations vary by retailer. The table reflects the researched versions, not a guarantee that every current listing has identical contents.
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Our picks
1. W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray: best overall
The W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray is the most balanced option for ordinary drinks, cocktails, iced coffee, and occasional entertaining. Its 12 individually molded cubes measure 1.25 inches, a useful middle ground: larger and slower-melting than small refrigerator ice, but not so large that they overwhelm most glasses.
The flexible silicone body makes individual removal easier than twisting a rigid plastic tray. The internal steel frame is the important practical feature: it supports the tray while you carry it from the sink to the freezer, reducing the sloshing and spills that can make flexible silicone trays frustrating. A removable lid adds protection from freezer odors and accidental contamination. W&P lists the tray as dishwasher-safe and BPA-free and PFAS-free; its listed dimensions are 7.6 by 5.6 by 1.6 inches. See the current W&P product information before purchasing because the manufacturer page showed the tray sold out at the time of research.
#1 Best Overall
- ✅ Organize Your Freezer with a Complete Ice System: This ice cube tray with lid and bin set solves freezer clutter by combining 4 silicone ice cube trays, a central storage container, and a scoop. Keep your kitchen tidy while always having ice ready for daily drinks, cooking, or entertaining.
- ✅ Easy-Pop Ice Release with Secure Non-Spill Lids: Each silicone ice tray features a flexible bottom for effortless ice cube removal—simply push from below. The ice tray with lid has lift tabs for easy handling and minimizes spills when moving (note: lids allow airflow and are not airtight).
- ✅ Maximize Freezer Space with Stackable Design: These ice trays for freezer stack neatly to save vertical space. Perfect for compact apartment freezers, RV refrigerators, or organizing multiple ice cube trays for freezer for parties and home use.
- ✅ BPA-Free and Odor-Resistant for Pure Ice Taste: Made from food-grade silicone and durable plastic, these ice trays resist absorbing freezer odors. Ensure clean, tasteless ice for your cocktails, coffee, or family meals with these BPA-free ice trays.
- ✅ Versatile and Dishwasher Safe for Easy Cleanup: Create clear cubes or infuse with fruits for flavored ice. The entire ice bucket kits set is top-rack dishwasher safe, making cleanup simple and convenient after parties or daily use.
Liquor.com’s tester found the cubes attractive, consistent, and generally easy to release. The weaknesses are relatively minor but worth knowing: the lid is separate rather than hinged or permanently attached, and some cubes can remain stuck to the bottom instead of popping out immediately.
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Best for: a dependable everyday tray with a lid, rigid transport support, and cocktail-size cubes.
Skip it if: you need a very high-capacity tray, want spheres or clear ice, or cannot find it in stock.
2. Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, Set of 2: best for whiskey
Large spherical ice is a good match for whiskey, bourbon, and other spirits served in a rocks glass. The shape provides less surface area relative to the amount of ice than many small cubes, so it generally melts more slowly. That can reduce dilution while keeping the drink cold. This is a design advantage, not a promise that every sphere will last for a particular number of hours.
Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds, Set of 2 makes two large spheres in silicone molds. In testing, the spheres were relatively easy to extract and melted slowly. The molds are stackable and dishwasher-safe, according to Tovolo’s product information. The researched version measured about 3.5 by 3.5 by 6.5 inches as a set.
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Best for: whiskey or bourbon served slowly over one large piece of ice.
Skip it if: you need fast, high-volume ice or mostly use narrow glasses.
Rank #2
- ✅ LFGB Certified & Truly BPA-Free Safety: Crafted from premium, food-grade silicone and PP. These ice cube trays for freezer are independently certified to LFGB standards, ensuring no odors or chemicals transfer, for pure ice in family drinks and meals.
- ✅ Effortless One-Push Ice Release System: The flexible silicone ice tray bottom allows cubes to pop out with a gentle press. No more twisting or chasing ice across your counter—perfect for quick access to ice for your coffee or beverages.
- ✅ Spill-Resistant Lids with Lift Tabs (Note: Not Airtight): Each ice cube tray with lid features secure, removable covers designed with lifters for easy handling. They minimize spills during filling and stacking but allow airflow to prevent vacuum sealing.
- ✅ Space-Saving, Stackable Design for Any Freezer: These ice trays for freezer are engineered to stack neatly, maximizing vertical space. Ideal for crowded apartment freezers, RVs, or creating an organized ice-making station.
- ✅ Versatile & Easy Cleanup — Dishwasher Safe: Perfect for crafting clear cocktail ice or flavored cubes. After use, simply place the silicone ice cube trays and lids in your dishwasher's top rack for ultimate convenience.
3. Onyx Stainless Steel 18-Slot Ice Cube Tray: best stainless steel option
The Onyx stainless steel ice cube tray is for shoppers who specifically prefer metal over plastic or silicone. Its 18/8 stainless-steel construction should be durable and is less likely than many plastics to retain freezer odors. The two-part divider-and-lever design is intended to separate the cubes without the usual twisting motion.
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Treat this as a specialized, durable-material choice rather than an easy-release champion. Availability also varies between listings, so inspect the current product description carefully and confirm that it is the 18-slot, lever-style tray.
Best for: readers prioritizing stainless steel and durability over speed and effortless release.
Skip it if: you dislike waiting for a tray to warm slightly or need predictable one-handed dispensing.
4. W&P Peak Clear Ice Mold: best for clear ice
For an impressive Old Fashioned, a large clear cube can look better than cloudy household ice. The W&P Peak Clear Ice Mold uses an insulated, top-down freezing design. Water freezes from the top downward, encouraging bubbles and impurities toward the lower part of the mold rather than trapping them throughout the finished cube. W&P explains the principle in its ice essentials guide.
Liquor.com’s tester reported very clear ice from the mold. The tradeoff is production speed: it makes one approximately 2-inch cube at a time, takes up substantial vertical freezer space, and may require as much as 24 hours to freeze. Clear ice is not guaranteed in every freezer or with every filling and freezing setup; the result depends on using the mold correctly and allowing sufficient time.
This is a presentation tool, not a party-capacity tray. If you serve several drinks at once, you may need multiple molds or a separate everyday tray. W&P’s current catalog lists a Large Clear Cocktail Ice Mold, but list prices, sale prices, and exact configurations should be checked on the live product page.
Rank #3
- Make Enough Ice Cubes: Two ice cube trays are included. Each tray can make 14 ice cubes at once , so you'll get 28 ice cubes in total if you use all trays together.
- Sturdy and Durable: Made of silicone and PP material, our ice cube trays for freezer are sturdy enough to withstand long-term low-temperature storage without breaking. No longer worry about breaking easily. Besides, our silicone bottom is soft enough to release the ice easily, so twisting is no longer needed, which makes the ice trays even more durable
- Easy to Use: Just fill the tray to the max line, put the cover on, put the tray in your freezer until completely frozen, and lastly pop out the ice cubes. One thing to note is that you'd better wait about 30 seconds before opening the lid when it's frozen. In this way, opening the lid could be effortless. Besides, the tray is super easy to clean and dishwasher safe
- Stackable Design: The Ice Tray with a removable lid which can not only keep your ice away from any freezer smell, but also enables the trays to stack on top of each other perfectly. And the stackable design is beneficial to space saving, keeping your freezer clean and organized
- Easy to Release: The ice tray creatively combines plastic and silicone. Top 1/2 of the tray is plastic which helps keep its shape unlike full silicone trays. And the silicone bottom makes it super easy to release the ice. Thus, unlike the old rigid plastic trays, there's no fighting and twisting to get the ice out. Additionally, these trays make rectangular ice cubes which look great in any drink. They are perfect for baby food, cocktail, coffee, fruit, soda, juice, whiskey, etc. With these trays, you can enjoy ice drinks whenever you want
Best for: cocktail enthusiasts who value clarity and visual presentation.
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Skip it if: your freezer has limited vertical clearance or you need a large supply of ice every day.
5. Kitch Easy Release White Ice Cube Trays: best easy-release value
If the main problem with your current tray is wrestling it until your hands hurt, the Kitch Easy Release Ice Cube Trays are the practical answer. The flexible plastic design uses high walls, handles, and notched compartments. Instead of twisting an entire tray, you can push or pull individual sections to release the cubes.
Each tray makes 16 cubes, and the reviewed packages included two- and four-tray options. A current retailer listing corroborates the two-tray, 32-cube configuration, but confirm the package count before ordering. The trays were easy to fill, carry, stack, and release in testing, making them particularly useful for families, parties, and anyone who wants more output than a 12-cube cocktail tray provides.
The compromise is durability. The material is reported as BPA-free and dishwasher-safe, but the tester noted that the trays can crack over time. They are inexpensive and convenient, yet may not be the last ice trays you buy.
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Skip it if: you want a premium long-term material or a protective lid for strong-smelling freezers.
6. AiBast Ice Cube Tray Set: best variety set
The AiBast Ice Cube Tray Set is the most versatile choice when you want several formats in one purchase. The researched set combines large square cubes, spheres, and a honeycomb tray, along with lids and filling accessories. Liquor.com’s listing reports 49 total cube spaces across the set and describes the silicone as food-safe and odor-free.
Rank #4
- Generous Ice‑Making Capacity: The set includes 4 ice cube trays. Each tray makes 14 ice cubes at a time, delivering up to 56 ice cubes in total when all four are used together.
- Built for Long‑Lasting Use: Crafted from premium silicone and food‑grade PP material, these freezer‑safe ice cube trays are highly durable and resistant to cracking under prolonged low‑temperature conditions. The flexible silicone base enables effortless ice release with no twisting required, further extending the service life of the trays.
- User‑Friendly Operation: Simply fill each tray up to the marked max line, secure the lid, and place it in the freezer until fully frozen. For smoother lid removal, wait around 30 seconds after freezing before opening. These ice trays are also effortless to clean and fully dishwasher safe for hassle‑free daily use.
- Space‑Saving Stackable Design: Equipped with removable lids, these ice trays effectively shield ice from unwanted freezer odors. Their stackable structure allows neat vertical arrangement, maximizing freezer space while keeping your frozen area tidy and well‑organized.
- Effortless Ice Release: Our ice trays feature a clever dual‑material construction with a rigid plastic upper half to maintain stable shape, unlike fully silicone molds. The flexible silicone bottom allows ice cubes to pop out smoothly without twisting or prying. These trays produce neat rectangular ice cubes that complement all beverages perfectly. Ideal for baby food, cocktails, coffee, whiskey, soda, juice and more, they let you enjoy chilled drinks anytime you like.
The variety is useful: regular or honeycomb pieces can serve everyday drinks, while large cubes and spheres suit cocktails. It also lets you discover which format you actually prefer before buying specialized molds. The downside is freezer organization. Multiple molds occupy more room than a single standard tray, and rounded molds require more careful filling. Testing found some irregularity in the honeycomb and round pieces, along with a more involved filling process.
Because an authoritative current manufacturer page was not located, verify the live listing for the exact product name, contents, dimensions, and current package count. Do not assume every AiBast listing has the same configuration.
Best for: shoppers who want everyday cubes, spheres, and large cubes in one starter kit.
Skip it if: your freezer is crowded or you want the fastest, least complicated workflow.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose an ice cube tray
Match the ice to the drink
- Everyday water, soda, iced coffee, and mixed drinks: standard or 1.25-inch cubes are the most versatile. W&P’s Everyday tray is the strongest all-purpose choice in this group.
- Whiskey and bourbon: choose one large cube or sphere when slower melting and lower dilution matter. Tovolo’s spheres are the clearest match, provided they fit your glass.
- Presentation-focused cocktails: choose a clear-ice mold. It produces more attractive ice but requires patience and freezer room.
- Parties and family use: prioritize capacity and quick release. Kitch’s 16-cube trays are more practical than a one-cube clear-ice mold.
- Variety: AiBast offers several shapes in one kit, though at the cost of storage space and consistency.
Consider release method, not just material
Silicone is flexible and often makes release easier, but it is not universally perfect: some silicone trays can retain odors or flavors, and individual cubes may still stick. Plastic is generally economical and lightweight but can crack. Stainless steel is robust and less prone to absorbing freezer smells, but its rigidity and mechanisms can make release harder. Food Network’s buying guidance summarizes these material tradeoffs and also notes the value of lids and stackability.
A tray’s geometry can matter more than its label. Individual compartments, handles, notches, a rigid support frame, and a lever can all change how much force and waiting the user needs. Onyx demonstrates the limitation clearly: a durable material and clever-looking release mechanism did not translate into fast release in the cited test.
Do not underestimate lids and freezer space
A lid helps prevent spills while the tray is transported and limits exposure to freezer odors. This matters if the freezer contains uncovered leftovers, onions, seafood, or other strongly scented food. A lid also lets you stack another item above the tray, although the lid must fit securely and the tray still needs a level surface while freezing.
Measure before buying specialty molds. Sphere molds can be taller than standard trays, and the W&P clear-ice mold needs considerable vertical clearance. A product that fits the freezer but cannot be placed level is likely to leak or freeze unevenly.
Best Value
- ✅ Complete Ice Management System with Storage Bin: This ice cube tray with lid and bin set includes 4 silicone ice trays, 1 storage container, and a scoop. It's more than just trays—it's an organized system for making, storing, and serving ice without freezer clutter.
- ✅ Effortless One-Push Release with Flexible Silicone: The soft silicone ice cube trays for freezer bottom and wider cell design let cubes pop out with gentle pressure. No twisting or banging required—perfect for quick access to ice for your coffee or beverages.
- ✅ Spill-Resistant Lids with Handles: Each ice tray with lid features a textured cover with two handles for easy lifting. Designed to minimize spills during handling while allowing airflow, preventing lids from freezing shut.
- ✅ Space-Saving Stackable Design for Compact Freezers: These ice trays for freezer are engineered to stack securely, maximizing vertical space in small apartment fridges, RV units, or any crowded freezer.
- ✅ Versatile for Multiple Uses & Easy Cleanup: Create clear cubes for cocktails, flavored ice with fruits, or perfect cubes for soup and cooking. All components of this ice bucket kits set are top-rack dishwasher safe.
Understand why larger ice melts more slowly
Large cubes and spheres usually last longer because they expose less surface area relative to their volume. Less exposed surface means less ice directly contacts the warmer drink. The benefit is most noticeable in a drink served slowly, such as whiskey over ice. It does not mean a large piece will never dilute a drink, nor does it eliminate the effects of drink temperature, glass temperature, airflow, or freezer temperature.
Testing and evidence
The exact six-product lineup and award categories come from Liquor.com’s updated April 17, 2024 article, which reports side-by-side home testing. Its evaluation included transport, cube size, stackability, lids, release, appearance, freezer-flavor absorption, and how long the ice stayed frozen.
For context, Food Network’s February 2026 review describes testing trays frozen overnight and checking release, cracking, cube separation, taste and odor transfer, cleaning, and dishwasher performance where applicable. Good Housekeeping’s March 2025 review reports Kitchen Appliances Lab testing of 12 trays, including competing formats from Tovolo, OXO, Lékué, clear-ice molds, and water-bottle trays. These broader tests support the importance of release, odor transfer, cleaning, and freezer fit, but they do not change the six awards reported here.
Availability and buying notes
Retail prices and stock are volatile. The prices shown in older review articles are historical reference points, not current quotes. W&P’s Everyday tray was shown as sold out on the manufacturer page during research, and Onyx availability varied among listings. AiBast’s exact current configuration also requires live-listing verification. Before checkout, confirm the material, dimensions, number of molds, whether a lid is included, dishwasher guidance, and the seller’s return policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best ice cube tray for most people?
The W&P Peak Silicone Everyday Ice Tray is the best all-purpose choice in this tested lineup. It makes 12 consistent 1.25-inch cubes, has an internal steel frame for stable transport, and includes a removable lid. Its main drawbacks are occasional sticking and the possibility that it may be out of stock.
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They are often better suited to whiskey served in a rocks glass because a large sphere has less surface area relative to its volume and can melt more slowly than many small cubes. Check the sphere’s diameter against your glass before buying.
Is clear ice worth the extra effort?
Clear ice is worthwhile when appearance matters, especially in presentation-focused cocktails. A clear-ice mold usually makes fewer pieces, takes longer to freeze, and occupies more freezer space than an everyday tray.
What is the easiest ice cube tray to release?
The Kitch Easy Release trays performed best for shoppers who dislike twisting and banging conventional trays. Their handles, high walls, flexible construction, and notched compartments make release easier, although the plastic may crack over time.
The Bottom Line
Choose W&P Peak Everyday for the best balance of cube size, transport, release, and odor protection. Choose Tovolo for whiskey, W&P Clear Ice for visual presentation, Kitch for easy high-volume release, Onyx only if stainless steel outweighs release speed, and AiBast if you want several shapes in one freezer setup.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
