This silicone ice cube maker is a small lidded cup that freezes a batch of 1.3 cm (0.5 in) cubes around its inner wall; squeeze the soft sides and the cubes drop into your glass. It is for anyone tired of fighting a stuck ice tray.
The ice tray that comes out of the freezer welded shut
You want a cold drink. The tray is frozen solid, so you twist it one way, then the other, then rap it on the counter. Three cubes fly onto the floor, two stay stuck, and the rest land in the sink.
Twisting, whacking and refilling, every time
Bagged ice means another trip to the store. And an open tray sits uncovered in the freezer, picking up whatever the freezer smells of.
How the silicone ice cube maker works
The cup is made of soft silicone with thin fins inside that divide the inner wall into small cube cells. A plastic lid sits on top with a plug that fills the middle, so the water freezes in the cells around the wall rather than as one solid block. With the lid and plug in place, pour water in through the top, stand it upright in the freezer, and once it has frozen, lift the lid and plug out, hold the cup over a glass and squeeze. The silicone flexes, the cubes let go, and they fall straight into the drink. More kitchen fixes are in kitchen gadgets.
What it does well
- An easy release ice mold. A squeeze of the silicone frees the cubes; there is no rigid tray to twist.
- Small cubes that chill a drink fast. At 1.3 cm (0.5 in) they cool water, juice or a cocktail quickly.
- An ice cube cup with lid. The plastic lid covers the cup while it sits in the freezer.
- Straight into the glass. The cubes drop from the cup into your drink, not across the counter.
- Takes little freezer space. It is 7.5 cm (3 in) across and 6 cm (2.4 in) tall.
Specifications
| Size | 7.5 × 7.5 × 6 cm (3 × 3 × 2.4 in) |
|---|---|
| Cube size | About 1.3 cm (0.5 in) |
| Material | Silicone cup, ABS plastic lid |
| Colors | Blue (blue cup); grey or yellow (white cup with a grey or yellow lid) |
| In the box | One ice cube maker cup with lid and center plug |
Who it suits — and who it doesn’t
It suits a household that wants a small batch of ice at a time for iced water, iced coffee, juice or a cocktail. One cup makes one small batch, so it does not replace a full set of trays or an ice maker for a party, and the cubes are small, so it is not the cup for slow-melting whiskey cubes.
Questions people ask
How do you use a silicone ice cube maker cup?
Fit the lid with its center plug, pour water in through the top, and freeze it upright. When it is frozen, lift the lid and plug out, hold the cup over a glass and squeeze the sides; the cubes drop out.
How big are the cubes?
About 1.3 cm (0.5 in) each. They are small cubes that chill a drink quickly, and like any small ice they melt sooner than large cubes.
Does silicone make ice taste funny?
It can if the cup picks up freezer smells, which silicone does. Wash it before the first use, keep the lid on in the freezer, and rinse it between batches.
How long does it take to freeze?
No freeze time is given for it. Like any ice, it depends on your freezer; leaving it overnight is the simple way to be sure.
Worth knowing before you order
One cup makes one small batch; no cube count is given for it, so judge it by its size, 7.5 cm (3 in) across and 6 cm (2.4 in) tall. The color options differ: the blue option is a blue cup, while the grey and yellow options are a white cup with a grey or a yellow lid. Carry it to the freezer upright and filled below the rim, because a soft silicone cup full of water can splash on the way.
Next time you want a cold drink
The stuck tray comes back every time you want ice. With this cup, the next batch comes out by squeezing the sides. It travels in weeks rather than days. If it isn’t right for you, our returns and refund policy explains what happens next.
