Nothing is quite worse than getting your ice cube tray out of the freezer and then having a hard time getting the ice cubes out. If you're making a lot of ice cubes on a regular basis this can be extremely frustring.
Easy release ice cube trays are trays where the ice cubes come out quickly and easily with hardly any work or effort needed. They usually only require a simple twist of the tray, or they come with convenient silicone bottoms so you can easily pop out those tricky sticky ice cubes that get stuck.
Different trays have different pros and cons with some being better than others. Below I have compiled a list of the 11 best easy release ice cube trays on the market.
Some are simple and cheap plastic trays, while some are more expensive but fancier and made from stainless steel or have silicone components. Whatever your budget and needs there will be an easy release ice cube tray here for you.
1. Rubbermaid Easy Release Ice Cube Tray – Cheap And Just Work
ONE OF THE CHEAPEST OPTIONS – AND THEY JUST WORK!
This is probably one of the first times in my life I've listed a rubbermaid product as #1 on the list. Rubbermaid tend to specialize in cheaper products especially when it comes to cheap coolers and so their quality is usually lacking making them hard to recommend.
However, when it comes to easy release ice cube trays it's difficult to beat the super affordable Rubbermaid Easy Release Ice Cube Tray.
They are made from a hard plastic, often come in packs of 2 and can be picked up for as little as $1 each from your local dollar store.
And they honestly just do the job they are meant to do…make ice cubes that come out easily.
The ice cubes literally tend to fall out on their own as soon as you turn it upside down otherwise a simple twist of the tray is all you need to release the 16 cubes.
The trays are also STACKABLE which is a huge bonus and big space saver, allowing you to make loads of ice cubes relatively quickly in your freezer.
They are also durable. Many customers report that these trays will be able to last for around five years. Here are some of the other features of this product:
- BPA-Free
- Comes in a two-pack, which allows you to produce 32 cubes at a time
- Easy to clean the material
- Multiple color options available
One of the simplest but best ice cube trays on the market. Cheap and affordable these ice cube trays are also stackable, easy release and top-rack dishwasher safe. Highly recommended.
2. Ice Breaker Pop
EASY STORE AND RELEASE ICE CUBE TRAY WITH UNIQUE DESIGN
The Ice Breaker Pop is a really uniquely designed ice cube maker. It was originally backed on kickstarter and since being fully funded has gone on to make an improved version as well as some other products.
The unique thing about the Ice Breaker Pop is that you can use the one container to make the ice, store the ice and dispense the ice without ever having to touch the ice at all.
You simply fill the container with water, close the lid and store in your freezer any way you want. This is great if your freezer is fairly full as you don't need to neatly stack ice cube trays you can just put this tray anywhere.
Once frozen push and flex the sides to break up the pieces and then pull the sides apart with a POP and you've got your cubes.
Another great thing about the POP is that the ice cube tray is fully sealed whilst in the freezer.
If your ice tastes bad but your water is fine chances are odors and flavors from your fridge and freezer are getting into your ice making it taste terrible. Having a fully sealed ice cube tray fixed this problems giving you great tasting and hygienic ice.
This easy release ice cube maker is one of the most expensive options out there, so only worth it if you have the budget for it.
See the latest price of the IceBreaker Pop at Amazon
3. Gorilla Grip Silicone Ice Cube Trays
STACKABLE WITH SILICONE EASY-POP BOTTOMS
The Gorilla Grip Silicone Ice Cube Trays are a good alternative to the Rubbermaid trays. They also come with lids which makes them stackable. They are flexible with a silicone base which makes getting the cubes out of the tray simple.
You’ll be able to choose which color you want and choose from a variety of options. They also come with a lid which makes them easier to stack. It also means that you don’t have to worry about the water spilling out into the freezer and causing a mess. Plus, it will stop the water from absorbing unpleasant odors.
Here are some of the other elements that help set these trays apart:
- Food grade silicone
- Makes 14 cubes per tray and comes in packs of 2 or 4
- Dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning the tray easy
- Makes ice cubes 1.5 x 1.1 inches which are a great larger size
See the latest price of Gorilla Grip Ice Cube Trays at Amazon
4. Ecozoi Stainless Steel Metal Ice Cube Tray With Easy Release Handle
If you want to avoid plastic altogether and get a good ecofriendly ice cube tray then the Ecozoi Stainless Steel ice cube tray is an excellent product.
It's more expensive than some of the ice cube trays out there. It comes in at around $20-$30 depending on whether or not it's on sale and if you buy 1 or 2 trays at a time.
But it's a great product and extremely highly rated. Myself I like to avoid plastic where possible so this is a great option for that.
It also makes perfectly level ice cubes because the divider is an insert which lets some water underneath it so every cube evens out. It is also one of the best large ice cube trays on the market, making bigger cubes than other easy release ice cube trays on this list.
The easy release handle divides and pops out the ice cubes fairly easily (though you make need to hold down the tray with your other hand while you use it) but the downside of this handle is the product isn't stackable.
Still it makes 18 larger cubes in one go and it's a great ecofriendly product that is well worth the investment.
See the latest price of EcoZoi Stainless Steel Ice Cube Tray at Amazon
5. OXO Good Grips No-Spill Ice Cube Tray
PREMIUM STACKABLE ICE CUBE TRAY
When it comes to premium ice cube trays the OXO Good Grips No-Spill ice cube tray is one of my absolute favorite options out there.
It has basically everything you could want in an ice cube tray.
It's easy release, has a lid making it stackable and keeping out odors and it even completely stops spills in your freezer so you don't ever get water or ice anywhere.
The rounded cube design means that ice releases easily from the tray and you'll never be fighting to get the ice out.
Also the way the lid goes down tight means you can stack you ice cubes at a 45º angle and they'll still freeze just fine and won't leak everywhere.
The way they stack allows airflow under each tray meaning they'll freeze faster than some other trays. They will make white ice instead of clear ice but that's the same as every single easy release ice cube tray on this list.
This easy release ice cube tray makes 14 ice cubes and features a silicone spill-proof lid that allows you to place your tray at up to a 45º angel without any water spilling out in your freezer.
This is one of my favorite ice cubes trays and it's extremely easy to use. It's worth the slightly extra cost compared to cheaper alternatives.
6. LiyuanQ Ice Cube Trays
REWRITE THIS AS ITS USED IN ANOTHER POST
If you are looking for something a little more unique, you might want to consider using an ice cube tray that produces rounded balls. These are ideal for drinks like Whiskey. They will be able to keep the drink cool, but they will melt slowly.
This ensures that the taste of the drink won’t be affected. The balls will be two and a half inches thick, this will be enough to fit comfortably in most cups.
Because the tray makes ice spheres it makes that the spheres come out very easily and also this particular mold has an overflow area at the top meaning it won't spill. This is a problem many sphere ice cube trays have but it's been solved in this product.
It won't make clear ice even if you use distilled water but it is stackable so you can fit multiple in your freezer at the same time.
See the latest price of LiquanQ Ice Cube Sphere Trays at Amazon
7. Ice Topper Plus Ice Cube Tray
SEALED LIDS WITH SILICONE EASY-POP BOTTOM
These trays from PlateTopper have a few unique advantages. First, the lids are attached to the tray. This ensures that you won’t be able to lose them. It also makes them easier to stack and prevents you from overfilling the trays. Plus, it makes them easy to transport.
The lids are also air and water tight so there will be no leaking in your freezer and they will protect your ice from nasty odors and smells. They are made from a firm plastic with an easy-pop silicone base so the ice cubes come out easily.
Here are some of the other reasons why you might want to consider using these trays:
- Makes 16 cubes
- Should fit in most freezers and minibars
- Dishwasher safe
- Crack-resistant
- Comes with a one-year moneyback guarantee
See the latest price of IceTopper Plus Ice Trays at Amazon
8. WIBIMEN Round Ice Cube Tray with Lid
MAKE LITTLE ICE BALLS THAT COME OUT EASILY
If you want to get ice cubes for parties, you might want to think about using the WIBIMEN Round Ice Cube Tray with Lid. This will produce round ice cubes, which are best for alcoholic drinks, like whiskey. Plus, they will look more visually interesting. The design of the tray helps to ensure that each of the balls will have a uniform shape.
I didn't listen this product on my list of the best sphere ice cube trays but given how many spheres it makes and how it does it so quickly and easily I think I need to go back and update that list asap! Why not click here and see if I updated this list of the best sphere ice cube trays and where I placed this one.
The materials are free of BPA and other potentially harmful materials. Plus, they are easy to keep clean. All you need to do is rinse them out under the tap. They are made from a durable material, so they should be able to last for a long time.
This tray is also stupidly easy to use. Just place the bottom half in the sink and fill up. No need to fill up one ball at a time.
Then push down the lid until it's fixed into place. NOTE: Water will spill out the sides when you do this so make sure to do it in the sink.
Now you can place it in your freezer and make 33 smaller ice balls all at the same time. The trays are stackable too so you can save space and make lots of different ice cubes all at once.
Once ready take off the lid and the balls will fall straight out with a little twist of the tray.
See the latest price of Wibimen Round Ice Cube Trays at Amazon
9. Clink Ice Cube Trays with Lids
SMALL CUBES, STACKABLE WITH LID AND EASY-POP BOTTOM
If you're a big fan of nugget ice makers but you don't want to invest hundreds of dollars (and lots of bench space) into an Opal Nugget Ice Maker then having a small ice cube tray is going to be one of the next best options.
One of the downsides of a lot of small ice cube makers is that it's extremely difficult to get the nugget sized ice cubes out. However, with the Click Ice Cube tray the cubes come out easily and feature easy release silicone bottoms so you can manually pop out any cubes that don't come out easily.
It comes with a lid making it less likely to spill, stackable and also helps to keep out odors. This makes it a great small ice cube maker.
See the latest price of Click Ice Cube Trays at Amazon
10. Arrow Mini Ice Cube Trays
60 MINI CUBES PER TRAY
Even smaller than the Click easy release ice cube tray is the Arrow easy release mini ice cube tray.
This tray makes a whopping 60 ice cubes at a time, it's dishwasher safe and it's stackable in your freezer which allows you to make hundreds of ice cubes at a time in a very limited amount of space.
The ice cubes will fall out easily with only a few getting stuck every now and then. If ice cubes do get stuck then they are some good ice cube tray hacks that can help you to get the ice cubes out easier.
It's an affordable product and comes in a 3 pack. Well worth it if you want small ice cubes.
See the latest price of Arrow Mini Ice Cube Trays at Amazon
11. ARTLEO Ice Cube Tray with Bin
SMALL ICE CUBES WITH BIN FOR EASY STORAGE
One of the biggest flaws of most ice cube trays is that you don't have anywhere to store your ice cubes once you've made them.
The Artleo easy release ice cube tray comes with a storage bin so you can store hundreds of ice cubes at a time.
The tray itself is wide and makes 55 ice cubes at a time and the bin can store around 200 ice cubes at a time. So you'll always have enough ice to go around.
You can even use the ice collection bin as a way to make big blocks of ice. Simply fill up the tray around 2/3 full with water and place in the freezer. Then you can make large blocks of ice and smaller blocks at the same time. It's a very clever way to make ice cubes without a tray.
This product even comes with a little scoop to make serving ice easy and the ice tray itself is easy release so the ice cubes come out easily and without much effort.
See the latest price of Artleo Ice Cube Tray With Bin at Amazon
