Finding the best ice cube trays for tumblers can make a noticeable difference in how long your drinks stay cold. While there's nothing wrong with using standard ice trays, smaller cubes from typical trays melt quickly, especially if your tumbler lacks sufficient insulation. These melting cubes can dilute your iced coffee, cocktails, and other flavored drinks long before you’re ready for a refill.
Fortunately, there are tumbler-friendly ice trays available on the market that shape large ice chunks. These large ice cube trays allow you to produce slower-melting ice pieces that sit perfectly inside tumblers.
To help you choose the right ice cube tray, let's explore what makes the best ice cube trays for tumblers, including important qualities, material options, features, and the ideal shapes for keeping drinks cold. We'll also unpack why The Stainless Depot Company's silicone ice cube tray is perfect for your tumbler.
What Makes an Ice Cube Tray Good for Tumblers?
Choosing the right ice cube tray can improve how your tumbler performs throughout the day, giving you longer-lasting ice and a better drinking experience. Here are key factors and features to consider when comparing the best ice cube trays for tumblers:
Ice Cube Tray Lids
Some ice cube trays feature covers that block contaminants and prevent spilling. A silicone or plastic lid can also prevent your ice from absorbing unwanted freezer odors, keeping your drinks tasting fresh. This feature is helpful if your freezer doesn't have a separate storage bin for food, especially when items are stored close together. Lids also make it easy to stack multiple trays securely, saving space and reducing the risk of tipping or spills when moving trays in and out of the freezer space.
Ice Cube Size
The size of your ice cubes directly affects how quickly they melt in your drink. More compact cubes and crushed ice melt and dilute beverages faster than larger pieces. Large ice cube molds and specialized tumbler ice trays create thicker and taller ice pieces, which last much longer.
The reason for this is simple: Taller ice chunks have less surface area relative to their volume. This slows the transfer of heat from your drink to the ice, slowing the melt rate and keeping drinks cold for longer.
Ice Tray Durability
When choosing an ice tray for your tumblers, durability should be a key factor. A durable ice tray is essential for long-lasting performance and consistent results. High-quality trays hold their shape through repeated freezing cycles and resist cracking, warping, or breaking. Investing in a solid ice tray ensures you get reliable ice every time.
BPA-Free
Most ice trays are made out of plastic, so it's important to check that the plastic is BPA-free. BPA is a harmful chemical that can contaminate drinks, affecting their taste and safety. Always opt for plastic trays that are labeled "BPA-free."
Ease of Release
Ice release is an important part of choosing a tray. Some molds grip the ice too tightly, which makes removal difficult. A good ice molding design allows water to freeze evenly and release with gentle pressure.
Typically, silicone ice cube trays have a better release than hard-plastic ice trays. The flexible silicone walls can pull away from the ice without twisting or excessive force. This allows you to remove the ice easily, especially compared to rigid alternatives.
Is Silicone or Plastic Better for Ice Cube Trays?
Choosing between silicone and hard plastic ice cube trays impacts how your ice freezes, how easily it releases, and how long the tray lasts. Knowing these differences can help you pick the best option for your needs.
Let's break down the primary benefits of both:
Benefits of Silicone Ice Cube Trays
- Flexible design allows ice to slide out easily
- Durable and resistant to cracking, bending, or warping over time
- Resistant to stains and odors from the freezer
Benefits of Hard Plastic Ice Cube Trays
- Budget-friendly and widely available
- Sturdy structure holds its shape when stacking or transporting
- Easy to fill thanks to the solid frame and corners
Now, let's unpack each option's disadvantages:
Cons of Silicone Ice Cube Trays
- Can be too flexible, which sometimes makes filling without spills tricky
- May hold odors if not washed thoroughly or regularly
- Slightly more expensive than basic plastic trays
Cons of Hard Plastic Ice Cube Trays
- Ice can stick to the tray, making removal difficult
- May absorb freezer odors, affecting the taste of ice over time
- Less flexible, so ice portions are harder to remove
- Can crack or warp after repeated freezing cycles
Most tumbler lovers prefer silicone ice cube trays because silicone bends without cracking, making it convenient to pop out individual cubes, cylinders, and other chunks. This flexibility ensures the easiest release when working with various ice sizes and shapes.
Common Types of Ice Shapes for Tumblers
Ice cube trays come in many different shapes and styles. Understanding these options can help you choose the best ice molds for keeping beverages perfectly chilled.
Large Cylinder Ice (Best for Tumblers)
Large cylinder ice molds are the best choice for tumblers. Each mold creates a tall, hollow chunk of ice. This shape and size are optimal for tumblers because the ice has a smaller surface area compared to ice pieces, meaning it will melt more slowly. Additionally, these ice chunks are designed to fit perfectly in tumblers and keep drinks cold evenly.
Round Ice
While not as effective as a large single-cylinder block, rounded ice chunks are a decent choice, as they melt more slowly than traditional cubes of the same size. Their curved surfaces reduce the amount of ice in direct contact with your drink, which slows the melting process. This means less beverage dilution and more time enjoying your cocktail, iced coffee, juice, or another beverage. Rounded ice also looks stylish in tumblers, adding a polished touch to any drink.
Crescent Ice Chunks
These traditional half-moon-style ice chunks are a common choice for everyday beverages. They are easy to remove from most ice trays and fit in any tumbler size. However, because of their smaller surface area and thinner design, crescent ice melts faster than cylinder or rounded ice. Still, they're better than typical cube-shaped ice.
Traditional Ice Cubes
Traditional ice cubes are the classic square shape most people make at home or dispense from refrigerators. They’re easy to freeze, easy to use, and work well for general everyday drinking. While exceedingly common, these cube shapes have a greater surface area than the ice's volume. More of the ice is exposed to your beverage at once, absorbing more heat and accelerating melting.
Choosing the right ice shape can make a noticeable difference in how long your drinks stay cold. Remember that curved ice reduces the exposed surface area, slowing melting and keeping beverages colder for longer.
Spotlight: The Silicone Tumbler Ice Cube Tray Mold
If you're shopping for the best ice cube tray for tumblers, The Stainless Depot Company’s Silicone Tumbler Ice Cube Tray Mold should be a strong contender. It’s specifically engineered to produce slow-melting ice and fits snugly inside 20-oz, 30-oz, and 40-oz tumblers. The tray features three large cylindrical molds that slide easily into tumbler openings without getting stuck or needing to be broken apart.
The cylinder shape is the key to long-lasting cooling. Each mold creates a thick, tall ice column that melts far more slowly than standard cubes or crescent pieces. More ice mass and reduced surface exposure mean your drinks stay colder for hours, even in large insulated containers. This makes it ideal for iced coffee, water, juice, or any other beverage you want to keep cold throughout the day.
Made from food-grade, BPA-free silicone, the tray is flexible, sturdy, and easy to use. The nonstick silicone walls allow each ice cylinder to pop out cleanly with a gentle push, so you never need to twist, crack, or fight with the mold. Silicone also resists odors, staining, and deformation, so the tray maintains its shape and performance even after hundreds of freezing cycles.
The matching silicone lid provides another major benefit. It seals tightly to prevent spills and blocks unwanted freezer odors from altering the taste of your ice. The lid also makes stacking simple, so you can freeze multiple trays at once without tipping or leaking.
Available in both green and Hogg’s signature blue, this mold offers a clean look, excellent durability, and reliable, tumbler-friendly ice every time. If you want clean, slow-melting ice, this silicone tray is one of the best ice cube trays for tumblers available.
Best Ice Cube Trays for Tumblers FAQ
Do Cylinder Ice Cubes Melt Slower?
Yes. Cylinder and round ice shapes have less surface area relative to their volume compared to small cubed and flat ice. This slows the melting process and keeps drinks colder longer.
What Is the Best Quality Ice Cube Tray?
The best quality ice cube trays are made from durable silicone. They are flexible for easy ice release, resist stains and odors, and can handle repeated freezing without cracking.
What Material Keeps Ice Frozen the Longest?
A stainless steel tumbler with double-wall vacuum insulation is the best option for keeping ice frozen the longest. The insulated walls reduce heat transfer, which slows the melting of ice inside the tumbler. Pairing a high-quality stainless steel tumbler with large cylinder ice maximizes cooling performance.
Can I Use a Regular Ice Tray for a 40-oz tumbler?
Yes. There's nothing wrong with using regular ice within your tumbler. It's just important to remember that small ice cubes will melt faster compared to ice from the best ice cube trays.
The Best Ice Cube Trays for Tumblers Enhance Every Drink
Using the right ice cube tray can make a noticeable difference in keeping your ice frozen for extended periods. For the slowest melt rate possible, opt for large, cylinder-shaped molds. This ice slows the transfer of heat, maintaining beverage temperature and reducing dilution. You'll enjoy every sip of your beverage from first to last with the intended taste and temperature.
If you're searching for exceptional ice cube trays and tumblers, you can count on The Stainless Depot Company for great prices and premium products. Aside from our best ice cube tray for tumblers, we feature high-quality tumblers for individual sale as well as tumblers in bulk. Our stainless steel tumblers feature double-wall vacuum insulation, keeping your cold drinks cool without ice for up to 24 hours. Our containers also keep drinks hot for up to eight hours, so you can maintain the temperature of your coffee, tea, or hot water with ease.
Whether you’re enjoying a tumbler yourself or are interested in personalizing drinkware, The Stainless Depot Company has everything you need to get started. Our website features sublimation heat press machines, sublimation printers, sublimation blanks, and much more. You can also learn how to get started with customizing tumblers with our guides "What Is Sublimation Printing" and "How to Use the Sublimation Printing Process to Customize Tumblers."
You can rely on The Stainless Depot Company to offer high-quality products and guidance to make each drink more enjoyable.
