In recent years, sphere ice cubes have become increasingly popular with consumers – and it’s not just because it looks great! There are many practical benefits to using sphere ice cubes in drinks such as lower ice melt and better tasting whiskey, scotch, iced coffee or cocktails.
With the right ice sphere cube tray, you can make your very own ice balls at home. Luckily, there are many great options available today.
The best ice sphere tray is the Berlinzo Premium Clear Ball Maker which makes crystal clear ice balls. The Trovolo Seamless Ice Sphere Maker also makes clear ice balls and comes in at a cheaper price and takes up less space however the quality of the ice spheres is a little less than the Berlinzo.
There are also a bunch of other great and more affordable options for people just looking to make ice balls but aren't too fussed about them being completely clear.
In this article, we’ll be looking at the best sphere ice cube trays available on the market today! We’ll also look at ice ball presses and how these differ from the trays. Regardless of how you decide to make your spherical ice cubes, you’re sure to love the elegance they add to your drinks!
7 Best Sphere Ice Cube Trays
By far are large the cheapest and easiest way to begin making ice spheres/ball at home is to use an ice mold specifically designed for that purpose.
When making sphere ice cubes, there are two main products that can be used. There are aluminum press molds, which we’ll look at later. However, there are also two-piece plastic trays that can be used to craft these ice balls.
These have proved to be an affordable and effective way of crafting sphere ice cubes. Generally averaging 2-inches in diameter, ice balls are known to melt slower than other types of ice when placed in drinks.
Whether you’re making cocktails or having your whiskey on the rocks, these products are game-changers!
#1: Berlinzo Premium Clear Ice Ball Maker (Top Pick)
While this product is more expensive than others on this list, it's more expensive for a reason…it makes better ice balls than any other product.
The Berlinzo Ice Sphere tray contains insulated walls so your ice will freeze from the top down, pushing out all the air into extra water placed below the ice spheres and creating a completely clear ice sphere.
Clear ice looks better and melts slower than white ice so for the premium feel in your whiskey, cocktails or iced coffee this product is worth the investment.
I also like that it makes balls that are 2.4 inches (61mm) in diameter, which is basically the largest ball size you're going to get without spending $1,400 in a top of the range Japanese ice press.
The downsides of this product is that is only makes 2 ice cubes at a time and it can take longer to make the ice cubes because of the insulation. Clean up also takes more effort as you'll have a frozen block of ice in the bottom of the insulated box that you'll need to remove (with hot water) before making more ice spheres.
Click here to read my beginners guide on how to make crystal clear ice everytime
However, this does come with a nice plastic storage bag that can store up to 6 ice balls and the quality of the product and the ice balls it makes is better than any other product on this list which is why it gets my #1 rating.
Buyers of this sphere ice maker from Berlinzo have praised the perfectly clear ice balls produced by this set.
See the latest price of Berlinzo Ice Sphere Trays at Amazon
#2: Tovolo Seamless Sphere Ice System (Value Clear Ice Cubes)
If you want clear ice cubes but don't want to save a bit of money (and space in your freezer) then the Tovolo Seamless Sphere Ice Maker is a great alternative option to the Berlinzo mentioned above.
It uses a similar method of insulation and a water tank at the bottom to freeze your ice spheres from the top down, pushing out all the air and making your ice cubes crystal clear.
The design of this makes 4 ice balls at a time and the form factor takes up less space in your freezer, which is why this is the product I personally chose to buy and own. However, the ice spheres aren't quite as clear as what the Berlinzo makes.
You can see in the image above that there are some bubbles in the ice spheres and it's not perfectly clear. So if you're making high end cocktails this probably isn't the mold for you.
However for me making iced coffees and simple mixed drinks at home when I have friends and dates over it does the job.
The quality isn't extremely high and some people can't seem to make clear ice balls with this product. That's reflected in its lower overall rating on Amazon. For better results you can try using distilled water to make clear ice as this can help with the process.
However if you want to save some money and still get a decent result it's worth a try.
See the latest price of Tovolo Clear Ice Sphere Trays at Amazon
#3: Bella Amazing Stackable Ice Sphere Ice Molds
This clear sphere ice cube mold from Bella Amazing is, well, amazing!
There are two-, four-, and six-packs available to purchase, so depending on how many ice balls you want to make there is an option for you. There are also different color lids available which adds a little bit of personality to these ice molds.
The BPA-free mold is designed to craft clean ice balls that will be perfect for your drinks. The ice balls will be 2.5-inches in diameter but they won't be clear and will have air bubbles trapped inside them.
They are a good, simple and very affordable way to start making ice spheres at home.
See the latest price of Bella Ice Sphere Trays at Amazon
#4: WIBIMEN Round Ice Cube Tray with Lid
MAKE LITTLE ICE BALLS THAT COME OUT EASILY
Originally this product didn't feature on my list of the best sphere ice cube trays but after I was looking at the best easy release ice cubes trays I found this product and realized how good it is if you want smaller ice balls.
This tray will produce 33 smaller ice spheres easily which is a HUGE amount of ice spheres compared to the other trays on this list that might only make 2-4 ice spheres at a time.
Simply fill up the bottom tray in the sink (no need to fill one hole at a time) and then push down the lid fixing it into place. You'll get some overflow so make sure you do this in the sink.
Then simply place inside your freezer and wait till they freeze. Once frozen remove the lid and the little ice spheres should come out really easily.
This tray is BPA free and a great aspect of this product is that it's stackable so you can make lots of ice spheres at the same time if you get multiple trays. Great for parties when you are going to be serving a lot of different drinks.
See the latest price of Wibimen Round Ice Cube Trays at Amazon
#5: Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds (Most Popular)
This mold from Tovolo is a great value purchase and can create two ice balls at a time. This clear mold has tight-fitting lids, which allow for easy ice ball creation. Not only does this mold feature a leak-proof design, but it’s also BPA-free and dishwasher safe.
The spheres are 2.5-inches in diameter which is a great size. Because they don't contain insulation the ice will come out white and contain air pockets.
From more than 23,000 ratings this is obviously one of the most popular ice sphere molds out there. Those that have bought this set had described it as a game-changer when it came to how they cool their drinks!
See the latest price of Tovolo Ice Sphere Molds at Amazon
#6: LEEBS Sphere Ice Molds
This silicone mold from LEEBS can create three 2.5-inch ice balls at a time. This product has a flexible, modern, and highly leak-proof design, which is also free of BPA. This is a great way to chill your drinks without diluting them!
Buyers have praised the effective design that allows them to craft ice balls without any fuss!
See the latest price of Leebs Ice Sphere Molds at Amazon
#7: Samuelworld Ice Cube Trays
This set from Samuelworld includes an ice cube maker as well as an ice ball maker. So whether you want round or square ice cubes in your whiskey this option has you covered.
With the ice ball maker, you’ll be able to make four 2.5-inch balls at once. This product is also created with high-quality materials that are free of BPA.
I love that this option gives me the diversity to make either spheres or large cubes and it's also extremely affordable.
See the latest price of SamuelWorld Ice Trays at Amazon
#8: Housewares Solutions Frozen Ice Ball Maker (Cheapest Option)
This ice ball tray from Housewares Solutions can also make four ice spheres at a time and when I looked on Amazon it was selling for half the price of any other product!
The silicone material is also BPA-free. When you purchase this tray, you also get a lifetime satisfaction guarantee – which is reflected in its thousands of reviews!
It's a very simple solution to make decent ice balls for your drinks. However, it won't make clear ice balls as you need insulation for that.
See the latest price of Housewares Ice Sphere Trays at Amazon
What About Sphere Ice Cube Presses?
Sphere ice cube presses present an alternative to the trays and molds we looked at above. These presses are typically made from aluminum. With one of these presses, it takes just a minute to craft the perfect sphere from a cube!
You’re likely to have spotted one of these presses at upscale bars and restaurants. However, you can now buy your own presses online! If you’d like to entertain guests with one of these presses, you should consider getting yourself one instead of a tray.
For these you'll want to first make clear ice cubes with tap water or (preferably) distilled or filtered water. Then place the cube in the ice press which will use the thermal properties of aluminum to quickly melt the ice into the desired sphere shape.
There are many great options for you to choose from. Below I've linked the Viski ice press however, there are even swankier and more expensive ice ball presses available to consumers, such as this press from Cirrus.
See the latest price of the Viski Ice Press at Amazon
