Vremi Silicone Ice Cube Tray
If you find yourself constantly using ice cubes, it maybe time to invest in the best cube trays. Ice cubes can be used in many ways and include but are not limited to keeping your drinks cool, keeping food from becoming spoiled in a cooler, making smoothies, and cooling off your body. If you don’t have an automatic ice cube maker, then you are stuck with ice cube trays. While automatic ice makers may have the advantage of volume, some of the best ice cube trays create unique shapes that contribute to the overall experience of your drink.
Also, keep in mind that not all ice cubes are created equal. Spherical ice cubes are often used in single malt whiskies to minimize the melt time of the ice in order to preserve the original flavor of the whiskey. While the average ice cube tray creates rectangular shaped ice cubes, you can really be quite creative with the design of your ice cubes. Not all of the best ice cube trays are created equal. Some are much easier to remove ice cubes than others. Ice cube trays also vary in terms of material, the number of ice cubes per slot, and the size of each ice cube. Most importantly, pay close attention to the design of the ice cube and the method to remove the ice cube from the tray. The last thing you want is an ice cube that is stuck in the ice cube tray.
Best Ice Cube Trays Reviews
- Vremi Silicone Ice Cube Tray with Lid – 2 Piece Set (Top Pick)
- Glacio Silicone Ice Cube Trays Combo (Set of 2)
- Spirit Stones Steel Whiskey Stones
- Lily’s Home Ice Cube Trays for Sport & Water Bottles. 3- Pack.
Vremi Silicone Ice Cube Tray with Lid – 2 Piece Set
If you want the best ice cube trays that is simple and gives you standard sized ice cubes, the Vremi Silicone is the way to go. First and foremost, they are made of premium food grade silicone which is both sturdy and very flexible. These dishwash safe trays are great for making ice cubes for various beverages and hold 21 cubes (1.3 inches on each side) on each tray. There is a lid to go on top of each tray and allows you to stack them on top of each other to save space in the freezer.
The silicone is safe for the freezer and the dishwasher and the lid is made of BPA free plastic. We really like the ease of removing ice cubes on this tray and is probably the selling point of the Vremi Silicones. To pop out the ice cubes, you simply push up from the bottom of the tray at whatever ice cube slot you want. The ice cube easily slides out without you having to twist the entire thing and removing more ice cubes than you need. We also like the fact that the water level is set in a way such that you can overfill the ice cube slots and end up with one connect sheet of ice on top. Overall, this is a simple and affordable ice cube tray that is extremely easy to remove ice cubes individually.
Glacio Silicone Ice Cube Trays Combo (Set of 2)
If you are in the mood for large square and spherical ice cubes, the Glacio Silicone are the best ice cube trays for you. Let’s face it, larger ice cubes look cooler in drinks and they also melt slower. These ice cubes are designed to impress your friends with you knowledge of ice cubes and whiskey, although they can definitely be used in other occasions. You can also make spherical or square popsicles with these. The spherical cubes not only look fancy, they also serve a purpose: to minimize the melt time of the ice cube.
A sphere is the geometric shape that has the maximum surface area to volume ratio, so its melt time is minimized. The Glacio silicone trays are made of food grade silicone and are 100% safe to be used with all kinds of liquids. They are BPA free and FDA approved. There are 6 slots in both the ice ball maker and quare ice tray. The squares are 2 inches on each side and the balls have a diameter of 1.75 inches. These fit in all standard sized whiskey glasses. To remove the ice cubes, you simply have to push on the bottom. These ice cubes are easily removed and the trays are non-sticky.
Spirit Stones Steel Whiskey Stones
If you want the best ice cube trays that actually go into your drink, you should consider the Spirit Stones by SubZero Stone Co. For those of you who don’t know what whiskey stones do, they are stainless steel ice cubes that hold ice and are directly placed into your whiskey. These stones will keep your whiskey undiluted as the ice melts inside of the steel and also make your whiskey nice and cold.
These whiskey stones from Spirit Stones are sealed 100% so that there is zero leakage. It takes about two hours for this whiskey rocks to freeze and they also keep your drink colder for longer. Since stainless steel transfers heat rather slowly, the ice inside the stone melts slower than if the ice cube did not have the steel protection. Don’t worry, the Spirit Stones are 100% food grade safe and are ok for the dishwasher. There is also no steel aftertaste and it is completely odorless as well as BPA free. All in all, these whiskey stones are a perfect solution for anyone who wants to enjoy a cooled down whiskey without having to worry about dilution from ice.
Lily’s Home Ice Cube Trays for Sport & Water Bottles. 3- Pack.
Lily’s home ice cube trays are great for those who want to drop an ice cube in a bottle with a small cap. Each tray comes with 10 slots that are shaped like sticks so they fit pretty much any opening on any bottle. These ice cubes are about ¾ inches long and freeze pretty rapidly. The trays are made of plastic but the individual slots are made of silicone. To remove ice you simply need to push the back of the slot and the ice should pop right out.
These ice sticks are great for those who like to carry around water bottles and soft drinks and need a temporary burst of cold. The Lily’s Home trays are all BPA free, dishwasher safe, and contains no harmful toxins or chemicals. The plastic and silicone are odorless and don’t make the drink taste funny in any way. Overall, these are the best ice cube trays for those who want test tube like ice cubes that can easily slide into any container.
Choosing the Best Ice Cube Trays
It really does come down to personal preference when picking the best ice cube trays for your kitchen. Since there is not really anything tangible to measure the quality, there really isn’t one best ice cube tray. There is simply an ice cube tray for every occasion. More importantly, there are a variety of different shapes and sizes and this is probably the most important factor in determining whether or not you will be buying an ice cube tray. Please see below for a list of factors you should consider when looking to make ice for your drinks.
Shape: The shape of the ice cubes is probably the most important factor to consider. While most people think of ice cubes in the traditional cube like form, there are many different options available. If you have kids, there are ice cube trays in the shape of different things kids like from dinosaurs to gummie bears. If you are an avid whisky drinker, there are spherical ice cubes so that you minimize the melt time of the ice cube and have something fancy to show off to your friends. Believe it or not the shape of the ice cube affects its melt time. In general, the larger the ice cube, the longer it takes to melt. You also have to consider surface area to volume ratio. This is why a sphere of ice melts the slowest: it has the highest surface area to volume ratio. Also, you may want to consider thin and long ice cubes to put into bottles where the opening is small.
Size: Some people like smaller ice cubes and some people like big chunky ones. Smaller ice cubes will make your drink cooler faster while big ones will take longer to bring your drink down to a cold temperature. However, larger ice cubes will keep your drink colder for longer. This is due to a basic law of thermodynamics and has to do with heat transfer. Larger objects such as ice simply take longer to melt and reach an equilibrium temperature with the drink. Also you should consider the fact that if you want bigger sized ice cubes you will have to settled with less slots on your ice cube tray. You may also need to consider the amount of free space you have in your freezer as well.
Durability: The durability of your ice cube trays has a lot to do with the material that is used to make it. Generally speaking, most ice cube trays are made of plastic because it is flexible yet strong. You should find one with some flex to it as you will need it to crack open the tray and remove the ice cubes. You should also have a tray that is durable in case you bend it too much and break it. Most ice cube trays are designed to withstand brute force but some of the cheaper ones may break if you use too much force
Functionality: You should be seeking to buy ice cube trays with enough functionality to make your life more convenient. The ability to get ice cubes out is a big factor and some ice cube trays have built in mechanisms for easily removing ice cubes without having to twist and bend the tray itself. There are even some ice cube trays that are made of an insulation material and can be used as an ice cube itself. You dump the entire tray into a drink and the insulation along with the ice inside keeps your drink extra cold.
