Ice Cube Trays

The Best Ice Cube Trays and Creative Molds to Upgrade Your Drinks

Introduction: Small Tools, Big Chill

Ice cube trays might seem like minor kitchen gear, but they’re the unsung heroes of cool drinks, meal prep, and clever kitchen hacks. Whether you’re stocking up for cocktails, making coffee ice cubes so your latte doesn’t dilute, or freezing herbs and baby food, the right tray makes a surprising difference. In this guide I’ll walk you through popular options — like the Winning Willy Moulds, Hay Hay sticks and Zone Denmark singles — and show how to pick the best tray for your lifestyle.

Why Choosing the Right Ice Cube Tray Matters

Not all trays are created equal. Shape, material, and lid design affect how fast ice freezes, how easy it is to pop cubes out, and whether your ice picks up funky smells from the freezer. Pick the wrong tray and you’ll wrestle with brittle plastic, cracked silicone, or awkwardly sized cubes. Pick the right one and you’ll be tossing perfectly formed ice without a second thought.

Popular Trays and Molds Worth Trying

Winning Willy Moulds 2 Pack

Novelty molds like the Winning Willy 2 pack are perfect for parties and cheeky gifts. These silicone molds make distinct shapes that hold up well when frozen and are usually super easy to unmold. If you love entertaining or unique ice for summer gatherings, a two-pack format gives you extra capacity when guests arrive.

Hay Hay Sticks Ice Cube Tray — Ice Blue

The Hay Hay sticks tray produces long, thin cubes that fit into tall glasses and narrow bottles. These stick-shaped ice pieces melt slower than standard cubes because of their length, so they’re great for iced coffee or fizzy drinks. The ice blue color is attractive and often helps spot the tray in a crowded freezer.

Zone Denmark Singles Ice Cube Tray — Lupine

Zone Denmark’s singles tray focuses on compact, consistent cubes that stack well and are ideal for everyday use. A fashionable lupine shade can brighten your kitchen drawer, and the single-cube design means you can thaw small quantities without wasting a full tray of ice.

Dorre Isha Round Ice Cubes — 4 Pack (Black)

Round ice cubes made by Dorre Isha offer a classy look, especially in spirits and whiskey neat. Larger spheres melt slower than square cubes due to lower surface area, which keeps drinks chilled without becoming watery. A black silicone or plastic outer frame gives this set a modern look.

Hay Ice Cube Ice Tray — Light Blue

Simple, well-designed trays like the Hay light blue model are reliable and affordable. They’re great for households that need a durable everyday tray — stackable, easy to clean, and often dishwasher-safe. These trays are a solid baseline pick if you want dependable performance without fuss.

Hay Hay Ice Cube Tray — Pink

If you like a pop of color in your kitchen, Hay’s pink version brings personality to the freezer. Functionally similar to other Hay trays, the pink hue doesn’t change performance but makes it easy to distinguish trays used for different purposes, such as food versus beverage ice.

Hay Hay Sticks Ice Cube Tray — Lilac

Another stick-style option in a soft lilac shade, this tray is ideal when aesthetics matter. The long cubes are excellent for pitchers and tall tumblers, and the slim shape means you can freeze more ice in less space compared to bulky square cubes.

Lékué Container — White

Lékué’s white container is a clever multi-use piece: use it as an ice tray, a mold for chilled desserts, or to portion sauces and stocks. Known for flexible, food-safe silicone, Lékué designs often include tight lids and creative shapes, making them versatile beyond just ice.

Rig-Tig Freeze-it Ice Cube Tray With Lid — 2 x 7.5 x 7.5 inches

The Rig-Tig Freeze-it tray stands out because it includes a lid and a compact footprint of about 2 x 7.5 x 7.5 inches, which helps prevent freezer smells from tainting your ice and allows for neat stacking. If you store the tray in a busy freezer or transport trays between freezers, a lid is an underrated advantage.

Zone Denmark Singles Ice Cube Tray — Apricot

Zone Denmark’s apricot single-cube tray combines cheerful color with functional design. Like other single-cube trays, it’s great for portion control and freezing small volumes — perfect for households that rarely need ice in bulk.

Zone Denmark Singles Ice Cube Tray — Black

The black variant is a sleek, minimalist choice that blends with modern kitchenware. It’s discreet and practical for both everyday use and small social gatherings when you want neat, uniform cubes without colorful distractions.

Silicone vs Plastic vs Metal: Which Should You Choose?

Silicone: Flexibility and Release

Silicone trays are wildly popular because they’re flexible, which makes popping out cubes nearly effortless. They’re also dishwasher-safe and resist cracking in a cold freezer. If you’ve wrestled with rigid plastic trays, silicone is a forgiving upgrade — just watch for thin silicone that might warp over time.

Plastic: Sturdiness and Shape

Hard plastic trays keep their shape and are often cheaper. They’re good if you need straight-edged cubes for stacking or a tray that slides easily onto a shelf. The downside is that removing cubes can require twisting or tapping, and low-quality plastics can absorb odors.

Metal: Speed and Clarity

Metal trays, often stainless steel, can freeze water faster because metal conducts cold well. They can produce clearer ice in some setups and are extremely durable. Beware of potential stickiness — a quick dip in warm water helps release the cubes.

Choosing the Right Size and Shape

Think about what you drink most. For cocktails and whiskey, larger cubes or spheres are ideal because they melt slowly. For iced coffee, sticks or small cubes fit better in narrow tumblers and keep your drink strong. Standard cubes tend to be around 1 inch to 1.5 inches per side, while sticks often range from 4 to 6 inches long. Consider how much freezer space you have and whether the tray stacks or has a lid to keep ice fresh.

Creative Uses Beyond Chilling Drinks

Ice trays are multitaskers. Freeze leftover coffee into cubes for iced lattes, portion broth and herbs for cooking, or make individual fruit purées for smoothies. Silicone molds can double as candy or chocolate molds. Try freezing lemon juice, wine, or tomato paste in single-use portions — it’s a tiny time-saver with big payoff.

Care and Maintenance: Keep Trays Fresh

To prevent off-flavors, rinse trays after each use and occasionally soak in a mix of water and white vinegar to remove odors. Avoid strong-smelling foods in the same tray you use for drinking ice unless you want fruit-flavored water. For stubborn stains or cloudy ice, boiling water for a minute poured into the mold may help release buildup; just cool before refreezing.

Where to Compare Prices and Read Reviews

Comparison sites can save you time when hunting for the best deal or the exact color and size you want. Use a comparison platform to filter trays by material, lid option, and price point, and always check user reviews for durability and ease of release. Remember, a tray that looks great in photos might be flimsy in real life — real-user photos and long-form reviews are gold.

Quick Buying Checklist

Before you click “buy,” run through this quick checklist: 1) What material suits your use case — silicone for easy release, metal for faster freezing? 2) Do you need a lid for odor protection or stacking? 3) Is the cube shape appropriate for your glasses and use — sphere, stick, or classic cube? 4) How much freezer space do you have? 5) Read recent reviews for any recurring issues like cracking, warping, or staining.

Top Tips to Get Clearer Ice at Home

If crystal-clear ice matters to you, try boiling water before freezing or use filtered water and freeze slowly. Directional freezing — where water freezes from one side to the other — helps push impurities away from the final cube. Insulate three sides of the tray with a small cooler inside the freezer so the water freezes from top to bottom for clearer results. Bigger, slower-freezing shapes like spheres often look clearer too.

Which Trays Are Best for Parties vs Everyday Use?

For parties, novelty shapes like the Winning Willy molds or large sphere makers add flair and conversation. Stick trays are fantastic when serving pitchers or tall dispensers. For everyday use, classic single-cube trays from Zone Denmark or a reliable Hay tray in a neutral color give steady performance with minimal fuss. If you entertain often, keep a mix — pretty molds for guests and sturdy everyday trays for daily sipping.

Eco and Safety Considerations

Choose BPA-free plastics or food-grade silicone to avoid unwanted chemicals in your ice. Silicone and metal tend to be more durable, which means fewer replacements over time and less environmental waste. If you’re eco-conscious, prioritize reusable plastic-free products and avoid single-use ice alternatives.

Conclusion

Ice cube trays are small but mighty tools that influence the taste, texture, and presentation of your cold drinks and frozen portions. From colorful Zone Denmark singles and practical Hay trays to playful Winning Willy molds and the stackable Rig-Tig tray with a lid, there’s a perfect tray for every need. Think about how you drink, how you store, and how often you entertain — then match those habits to material, shape, and features. With a little planning and the right tray, you’ll never settle for watered-down drinks again.