This Stylish, Space-Saving Ice Bin Is Perfect for My Apartment-Sized Freezer

Living in New York City comes with loads of amazing perks — Museums! Broadway! Bagels! — but spacious kitchens aren’t usually on the list. (In fact, I think the concept of the “apartment-sized” refrigerator might just be an excuse to make city kitchens as tiny as possible.) And, while I have become a pro at efficiently Tetris-ing my groceries into the fridge, the freezer has been a tougher challenge. If you’re like me and want need ice at the ready at all times, then you’re probably used to sacrificing precious freezer space to some sort of trays-and-Tupperware-based system that ensures you never run out. Well not anymore, my friends. I’ve been using the Double-Layer Silicone Ice Cube Tray and Bin from Hubee for a few weeks now, and I’m a huge fan. Not only does this compact solution make and store ice better than any other I’ve tried, it’s also quite a looker.

This super-smart find first caught my eye because, well, look at it! Measuring just 9″ x 4.5″ x 4″, it’s like a miniature version of a cooler that your most stylish friend would bring to the beach and everyone else would “ooh” and “aah” over. It comes in two colors (dark blue and mint green), and you can choose an opaque plastic, transparent plastic, or stainless steel bin. Personally, I opted for plastic because I’d never ordered from Hubee before and was wary of spending more money than necessary, but knowing what I know now, the stainless steel option would definitely be worth the money… though honestly, you can’t go wrong no matter which one you pick.

Good looks aside, this system does a fantastic job at making, containing, and storing ice. The design features a silicone ice tray that nestles snugly between the lid and the bin, and it come with a second, smaller ice tray and a mini scooper that fit inside for easy storage when not in use. Just fill the tray with water (duh), rest it on the ledge inside the bin, and cover it all with the lid. Once the water becomes ice, dump the frozen cubes into the bin (pop them out from the bottom — no need to touch the ice or bang it on the counter), and fill the tray again. You’ll have a container full of fresh cubes and a second batch in production. As long as the new cubes are somewhat frozen, you can lift the lid and tray on and off to fill your glass without disturbing anything. The best part? Since everything is contained from the time you put in the water to when you pop the cubes out into your glass, no pesky freezer odors seep into your ice (yuck!).

My favorite thing about this Double-Layer Silicone Ice Cube Tray with Lid and Bin is that it allowed me to reclaim so much space in my freezer without sacrificing my ice-cold beverages. The whole thing fits in one neat little package inside the door! That gives me the entire rest of the freezer to Tetris-ize, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Take that, “apartment-sized” fridges!

Buy: Double-Layer Silicone Ice Cube Tray with Lid and Bin, $19.29