Zipzicles Help You Make Popsicles in a Pinch (Even In a Tiny Kitchen)

Item: Zipzicles
Price: $2.99 for 12 on Amazon
Overall Impression: Great alternative to popsicle molds; perfect for parties, kids, and one-off freezing herbs and leftover smoothies.

I’ve owned popsicle molds on at least two separate occasions. I used them once or twice and they gradually made their way to the back of my cupboard, only to be rediscovered again on my next apartment move. And both times, these cute little molds didn’t make the cut, losing their prime cupboard space to a salad spinner or blender. Now when I see a dreamy popsicle recipe, I remember the fate of popsicle molds in my kitchen and pass.

No longer. Enter Zipzicles, which fit anywhere and let you go everywhere, popsicle in hand.

Characteristics and Specs: 12 heavy duty BPA-free plastic bags with zip tops, like ultra-narrow Ziploc bags, basically.
Favorite details: The substantial plastic and zipper top make these easier to fill than I had expected. They require no storage space and make whipping up a few popsicles a breeze.
Potential problems: While they do fill easier than expected, they are still a little more time-consuming than traditional popsicle molds. Also these are one-time use, so there is waste involved.
Good for small kitchens? You bet! They lie flat in a drawer and take up almost no space until you need them.

The key to making Zipzicles work is your ability to fill them. The packaging recommended using a funnel or baster (the latter I think would work great, but alas, it also didn’t make the cut in my kitchen about three moves ago). Funnel it was.

I stood the bag up in a tall glass container with the funnel on top so I could fill it easily. The plastic is similar to a heavy duty freezer bag, which means it holds up well, unlike the thin plastic of a sandwich baggie, for example. Each bag is marked with a fill line and provided the filling hasn’t crossed it, is easy to zip closed.

Filling becomes somewhat tedious — I kept trying to come up with a method of standing several bags up at once, but couldn’t come up with a better way. If you’re planning on making more than 12, definitely seek out a more efficient method or an assistant. If you happen to have a test tube holder (you know, just laying around), or another contraption that would hold 12 tall and narrow bags upright, that would work great here.

The manufacturer suggested freezing these upright in a tall glass. I used a tall plastic measuring cup and they froze without issue.

I have to admit, the first thing that attracted me to these were childhood memories of Flavor Ice (remember those?) on a hot summer day: sugary, icy single-serving perfection. Zipzicles work the same way when frozen, just snip off the top and push the frozen filling up as you eat, high fructose corn syrup optional of course.

→ Find them: Zipzicles, $2.99 for 12 at Amazon

Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.