Ice Cube Trays Seem Simple Enough — And Yet Kitchn Editors Have Lots of Opinions

I am only slightly exaggerating when I say that getting new ice cube trays saved my marriage. My husband and I used to disagree over the proper way to fill the trays, when to refill them, and how to store them while they froze. The flimsy dollar-store trays weren’t cutting it and our relationship was paying the price for our cheapness. I ditched them in favor of these OXO Good Grips No-Spill Ice Cube Trays and now our relationship is all rainbows and butterflies all the time. Okay, maybe not all the time, but we don’t bicker about ice anymore.

I mentioned this during a Kitchn brainstorm meeting for Freezer Week and many staffers said they related to my woes. Even staffers who hadn’t found themselves in marital discourse admitted to having real feelings about ice cube trays. Because, when an ice cube tray is bad, it’s really bad. When it’s fine, you don’t think about ice all that much. And, when an ice cube tray is amazing, you don’t stop thinking about it. These are the ice cube trays that got ridiculous amounts of love during our heated discussion.

“I also love the OXO ice cube trays because they can be stored in your freezer at an angle without leaking — which is a life saver for someone with a jam-packed freezer like myself. You can fill them up with water, flip the lid into place, and stash them vertically between two frozen pizza boxes without any water dripping out. (They also look pretty nice, which is just a bonus!)” — Jesse Szewczyk, Studio Food Editor

Buy: Good Grips No-Spill Ice Cube Tray, $10 at OXO

“I don’t have an ice machine in my New York City apartment, but I love ice and always want it in just about every drink I have, including white wine and rosé (yes, I know, very unpopular opinion). Not only are these trays compact, but they also keep me from getting ice all over the countertop and from having to manhandle the ice cubes before I put them in my drink. I just push up from the bottom to pop the ice cubes out and plop them right into my cup.” — Rebecca Longshore, Director of Audience Growth

Buy: BNYD Easy Push Mini Ice Cube Trays, $8 for three

“What’s special about this ice cube tray is the bin that’s designed to be sold along with it. The tray (or trays, if you want to stack them) slips right into the top of the bin to act as the lid and then your already frozen ice has a place to live and you’ll never run out of ice. I’m telling you, if you don’t have a bin/system for ice that’s ready to be scooped up, you need to rethink your entire freezer system.” — Meghan Splawn, Food Editor

Buy: Made By Design Ice Cube Tray, $3 at Target

“The small, hexagonal ice cubes that come from this tray are aesthetically pleasing — they look like cute little gems — but, more importantly, they’re just the right size for iced coffee. Upon meeting the hot espresso, the cubes begin to melt a bit, giving off a bit of water to make something akin to an iced Americano. But they don’t completely melt, so you still get the satisfaction of crunching on ice after your coffee is long gone. These are the only ice cube trays I need this time of year.” — Lauren Kodiak, Managing Editor

Buy: Morfone Silicone Ice Tray with Removable Lid, $12 for two

“Look, I’m not that fancy, but I’m a huge fan of jumbo square ice cubes. And I honestly believe these trays are a must-have if you drink booze at home or mix up cocktails. They melt slower than other ice cubes and they’re also the one thing that helps me feel like I’m still going out to cool bars to meet friends.” — Lauren Masur, Lifestyle Editor

Buy: Tovolo Large King Craft Ice Mold, $9