The Best Ice Cube Trays Our Allstars Recommend (2024)

Updated on June 27, 2022

Best Overall: Doquas Ice Cube Trays

Also available at Walmart.

Why It's Great

• Great value
• Silicone base for easy release
• Comes with lids

Grain of Salt

• Harder to remove many at once

This four-pack of ice cube trays was overwhelmingly the top choice from our Allstars because it comes with slide-in lids to prevent spills and enable stacking, and the set can make up to 56 cubes total — all for a mere price. "These are by far the best ice trays I've ever owned," Allstar Mary Burns says.

The trays are made from plastic and silicone, with silicone at the base for easy release. If you usually only need a few ice cubes at a time, these are a great option, allowing you to effortlessly remove individual cubes rather than all of them at once. Each cube has a maximum fill line, so you know how much liquid you can pour without making a mess.

The Details: Made from silicone; each tray makes 14 ice cubes; dishwasher safe

Best Silicone: Tovolo Perfect Cube Ice Mold Tray

Also available at Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Why It's Great

• Thick material
• Easy cube removal
• Square-shaped cubes

Grain of Salt

• Doesn't come with lids

This silicone tray is thick, durable, and flexible, making it easy to remove the cubes without bending and twisting. Including two 15-cube trays, this set can make up to 30 1.25-inch cubes perfect for chilling beverages and freezing foods.

Allstar Pat Bernitt has three of these trays and has been using them for about three years. "I use them to store homemade stock/broth, large batches of caramelized onions from the slow cooker, spaghetti sauce (for single servings), and even to freeze chili," she says.

The only con about these ice cube trays is that they don't include lids. This means you can't stack them on top of each other until the liquids are frozen solid.

The Details: Made from silicone; each tray makes 15 ice cubes; dishwasher safe

Best for Spill-Proof: OXO Good Grips No-Spill Ice Cube Tray

Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, and OXO.

Why It's Great

• Protective silicone lids
• Can be placed in freezer at any angle
• Low profile

Grain of Salt

• Cubes are on the smaller side

The OXO Good Grips No-Spill Ice Cube Tray is the most reliable option on our list as it features a silicone lid that seals water into the trays to prevent leaks and ensures your cubes won't absorb freezer odors. Because the lid snaps shut, the tray can be stored on its side without spilling everywhere.

The tray also has ergonomic handles on both sides so you can securely transport it to and from the freezer. The cubes have a rectangular shape, so we recommend this tray for making ice for everyday beverages and not so much for co*cktails and food preservation.

The Details: Made from plastic; makes 14 ice cubes; dishwasher safe

Related: The Best Margarita Machines for Happy Hour and Beyond

Best for co*cktails: Frost Silicone Round Ice Cube Tray Gray

Also available at Amazon.

Why It's Great

• Great for entertaining
• Slow-melting ice
• Large sphere-shaped mold

Grain of Salt

• Prone to spills when full

Allstar Patti Weiss loves this ice cube tray because it doesn't water down co*cktails. Thanks to the large sphere-shaped mold, the ice melts very slowly so you can take your time sipping. Best of all, you just need one cube per co*cktail.

When filling the molds, you have to add the water through a small hole. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a funnel, so we recommend buying one to make this process easier. When the water is frozen, simply use the tab to remove the top half and pop the cubes out. If you host large crowds, consider getting more than one tray so you can make several cubes at a time.

The Details: Made from silicone; makes four ice cubes; dishwasher safe

Best for Water Bottles: Lily's Home Narrow Ice Stick Cube Trays

Why It's Great

• Fits in standard-sized water bottles
• Comes with three trays
• Inexpensive

Grain of Salt

• No overflow rim

There's no need to force refrigerator ice cubes down your water bottle: The long, skinny shape of these molds is specially designed to fit into narrow bottles. This pack includes three trays, so you'll have no problem keeping multiple beverages cold for hours. As a bonus, the smaller cube size freezes faster than the larger ones, allowing you to make them in a rush.

The Details: Made from plastic and silicone; makes 10 ice cubes; dishwasher safe

Best for Easy Release: OXO Good Grips Ice Cube Tray

Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond and Target.

Why It's Great

• Sturdy and well made
• Sliding lid
• Affordable

Grain of Salt

• Tray has to lay flat

Plastic ice cube trays get a bad rap and for good reason — a lot of them require a lot of work to get cubes out. Not this plastic OXO ice cube tray, though. It provides the easiest release because when removing the ice, all you have to do is push down on one side of an individual cube and it comes out fuss-free.

"I've had this set for over a year, and I love it," Allstar Ashley Berger says. "The cubes pop out after one 'click' and are a good size for drinking!" And for less than $10, this tray is a no-brainer.

It looks similar to the OXO model mentioned above, but it has a plastic sliding lid instead of a flexible silicone lid. The nice part about this option is that you can slide the lid open a little or a lot to remove the exact number of ice cubes you need. Like all trays with lids, it prevents the cubes from tasting funky from the freezer.

The Details: Made from plastic; makes 14 ice cubes; dishwasher safe

Related: The Best Drinking Glasses For All Your Beverages

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