Ice from a regular tray is cloudy for a simple reason. Water in an open tray freezes from every side at once, so the air and dissolved minerals in it have nowhere to go and end up trapped in the middle of each cube as a white core. Clear ice molds get around that with a trick called directional freezing: an insulated box keeps the sides and bottom from freezing, so the water freezes slowly from the top down and pushes the air and impurities ahead of it into a part of the mold you throw away. What is left is a cube you can see straight through.
These clear ice mold reviews cover seven molds and kits from Tovolo, True Cubes, ClearlyFrozen, Dexas, W&P, glacio and Pressice Barware. We compared them on what changes the result in your freezer: the size and number of pieces per batch, how long the maker says to freeze them, how much room the box takes up, and how each one separates the clear ice from the cloudy part. A single clear cube under a pour of reposado, a paloma or a margarita on the rocks is a small thing, but it is the kind of small thing a bar notices.
Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for, product specifications and verified buyer reports.
Quick verdict: which clear ice mold to buy
For most home bars, buy the True Cubes Clear Ice Cube Maker: an insulated mold that makes four 2-inch clear cubes from ordinary tap water, according to the maker, with nothing else to buy. If you want more ice per batch, the ClearlyFrozen Clear Ice Tray, Twenty-One 1.3-inch Cubes makes 21 smaller clear cubes at once for rocks glasses. If your freezer is tall and narrow, the Tovolo King Cube Clear Ice System stacks four 2-inch cubes in a column less than five inches wide.
The table compares the five standouts. All seven are reviewed in full after it, followed by how directional freezing works, how to choose a mold and answers to common questions. Whatever goes over the ice, drink responsibly and never drink and drive.
Five clear ice molds compared
One pick for each kind of home bar, with the piece size, count and freeze time each maker or listing states.
| Clear ice mold | Best for | Ice per batch | Freeze time (as stated) | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Cubes Clear Ice Cube MakerBest overall
|
Big clear cubes with no extra gear | 4 cubes, 2 in | 18 to 22 hours | View on Amazon |
ClearlyFrozen Clear Ice Tray, Twenty-One 1.3-inch CubesMost ice per batch
|
Hosting, smaller rocks glasses | 21 cubes, 1.3 in | Timing not required, says the maker | View on Amazon |
Tovolo King Cube Clear Ice SystemBest for narrow freezers
|
Tall freezer doors and side-by-sides | 4 cubes, 2 in | 12 to 16 hours | View on Amazon |
W&P Large Clear Cocktail Ice MoldBest dishwasher-safe
|
A small, easy-care mold | 2 in cube per mold | Not stated | View on Amazon |
Pressice Barware XL Clear Ice MakerBest for ice presses
|
Feeding an ice ball press | 2 cubes, 2.5 in | Not stated | View on Amazon |
Product images from Amazon. Sizes, counts and freeze times are as stated by each maker or listing; “not stated” means the listing gives no figure.
Our clear ice mold reviews, one by one
The seven molds below all make clear ice in an ordinary home freezer. Most use the same idea: an insulated shell around a silicone mold, open at the top, with a reservoir or a separate cavity underneath where the cloudy water ends up. They differ in how much ice they make, how big each piece is and how much freezer they take. Each review says who the mold suits, what the maker states and one honest reason to skip it.
1. True Cubes Clear Ice Cube Maker – Four Big Cubes From Tap Water
True Cubes makes one thing, clear ice, and this is its original cube mold. You fill the insulated mold with water, put it in the freezer for 18 to 22 hours, and take out four large 2-inch cubes. True Cubes says the mold mimics the way a lake freezes from the surface down, and that it works with regular tap water, with no special gadgets, tools or additives.
A 2-inch cube is the size most people mean by “a big rock”: it fills the bottom of a double old fashioned glass and, because it has less surface for its volume than small cubes, melts more slowly. That makes it a good match for a reposado or añejo tequila on one rock, a mezcal served the same way, or a margarita on the rocks you want to keep cold without watering it down.
The listing says the mold is BPA-free silicone. It also says the mold was named Best Clear Ice Mold by America’s Test Kitchen; that is the seller’s claim, and we did not read the ATK review for this page. The listing does not state whether the parts are dishwasher-safe, how big the mold is overall, or a warranty.
Why we like it
- Four 2-inch cubes per batch
- Works with ordinary tap water, says the maker
- Nothing else to buy or assemble
- BPA-free silicone mold
Key specifications
| Model | TC1 |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube |
| Piece size | 2 x 2 x 2 in |
| Pieces per batch | 4 |
| Freeze time | 18 to 22 hours |
| Materials | BPA-free silicone; insulated mold |
| Dishwasher safe | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits anyone who wants a few big clear cubes for a weekend pour and does not want to think about it: fill, freeze for a day, pop out.
Skip it if you host often; four cubes a day goes quickly once friends arrive.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Large 2-inch cubes
- Simple fill-and-freeze routine
- Tap water is fine, per the maker
Cons
- Long freeze, up to 22 hours
- Only four cubes per batch
- Overall size not stated
2. ClearlyFrozen Clear Ice Tray, Twenty-One 1.3-inch Cubes – Most Pieces Per Batch
ClearlyFrozen’s pitch is volume: where most clear ice makers give you two or four pieces, this one gives you 21. It is a BPA-free silicone mold that sits in an insulated foam box, and the maker explains the method plainly. The open top and insulated sides and bottom make the ice freeze downward, pushing the dissolved air that clouds ordinary ice through small holes in the bottom of the mold into a reservoir below, so the cubes above come out clear.
The cubes are 1.3 inches, smaller than a 2-inch rock, which suits a standard rocks glass, a margarita on the rocks or a few cubes in a paloma. Fill to the upper line instead and you get 1.3 by 1.3 by 2-inch rectangles. ClearlyFrozen says freezer timing is not required with this version, which means you do not have to catch it at the right moment before the reservoir freezes solid.
One practical warning from the maker: the foam box the mold ships in is part of the product, not packaging, and you need it for the tray to work. ClearlyFrozen sells a 10-cube, 2-inch version too (it appears in our ice ball molds guide); we chose this smaller-cube model here because it makes the most clear ice per round. The listing gives the size as 11.85 by 6.1 by 5.67, without units; we read that as inches. It offers a free liner replacement if you break one.
Why we like it
- 21 clear cubes in one batch
- Maker explains the directional freezing clearly
- Two fill lines: cubes or short rectangles
- Free liner replacement, per the listing
Key specifications
| Model | CF-2 |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube or rectangle |
| Piece size | 1.3 in cube, or 1.3 x 1.3 x 2 in |
| Pieces per batch | 21 |
| Freeze time | Not stated; timing not required, says the maker |
| Materials | BPA-free silicone mold, foam insulation box |
| Dishwasher safe | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits anyone who hosts and wants clear ice for every glass rather than a showpiece cube for one.
Skip it if you want a single big rock for a slow pour; these cubes are smaller than 2 inches.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Most clear pieces per batch here
- No need to time the freeze
- Cube or rectangle from one mold
Cons
- Bulky foam box takes freezer space
- Cubes too small for a single big rock
3. Tovolo King Cube Clear Ice System – Stacks Into a Narrow Column
Tovolo’s system takes a different shape from the boxy molds here. The four silicone cube forms stack inside a foam-insulated column that, assembled, Tovolo gives as 15 inches tall, 4.8 inches wide and 4.6 inches deep. That suits a freezer with height to spare but little width, such as the tall door shelves of a side-by-side refrigerator.
You fill it through a center tube with filtered water, Tovolo says, and the water flows down into each tray. Freeze for 12 to 16 hours and take out four 2-inch clear cubes. The maker describes directional freezing that pushes impurities down while clear ice forms from the top, and says the insulated foam and silicone trays help keep freezer odors out of the ice.
The parts are BPA-free silicone, nylon and foam. Tovolo says to wash the silicone trays and plastic parts in warm, soapy water, and the listing title says hand wash. Tovolo also makes a sphere version of this system; this one makes cubes.
Why we like it
- Narrow 4.8-inch footprint
- Four 2-inch cubes per batch
- Faster stated freeze, 12 to 16 hours
- Center fill tube feeds every tray
Key specifications
| Model | 81-22904 |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube |
| Piece size | 2 in |
| Pieces per batch | 4 |
| Freeze time | 12 to 16 hours |
| Materials | BPA-free silicone, nylon, foam |
| Dishwasher safe | No; hand wash |
Why we recommend it
It suits a freezer where width is tight but height is not, and cooks who want the shortest stated freeze among the 2-inch cube makers here.
Skip it if your freezer shelves are short; at 15 inches tall it will not fit under many of them.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Slim, stackable column
- Large 2-inch cubes
- Stated freeze under a day
Cons
- 15 inches tall when assembled
- Hand wash only
- Maker recommends filtered water
4. W&P Large Clear Cocktail Ice Mold – Small Mold, Dishwasher-Safe
W&P is a housewares maker known for its silicone ice trays, and this is its clear-ice option. The design is simple: a silicone cube mold inside an insulated sleeve that, W&P says, makes the water freeze from the top down, giving a 2-inch cube. Because it is a single compact mold rather than a large box, it is easy to tuck into a crowded freezer.
W&P is specific about the material. It says the silicone meets LFGB requirements, the European food-contact standard, and is BPA-free and lead-free, made in a zero-emission facility. It is also the only mold here whose maker says plainly that it is dishwasher-safe, which matters if you would rather not hand-wash silicone that has sat in the freezer.
The listing is not perfect. It gives a unit count of three without saying what the three pieces are, and one bullet talks about a sphere although the mold makes a cube. It does not state a freeze time. Read the listing photos before you buy so you know what arrives.
Why we like it
- Insulated sleeve freezes top-down, says W&P
- Compact single mold
- LFGB-standard, BPA-free silicone
- Dishwasher-safe, per the maker
Key specifications
| Model | WP-ICE-CM-GR |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube |
| Piece size | 2 in |
| Pieces per batch | Not clearly stated (listing unit count 3) |
| Freeze time | Not stated |
| Materials | LFGB-standard silicone, insulated sleeve |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Why we recommend it
It suits a small freezer and a cook who wants one clear cube at a time with easy cleanup.
Skip it if you want clear answers before you buy; the listing leaves the piece count and freeze time unclear.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Takes little freezer space
- Dishwasher-safe
- Material standard stated
Cons
- Piece count unclear on the listing
- Freeze time not stated
5. Pressice Barware XL Clear Ice Maker – 2.5-inch Blocks for a Press
This one has a narrow job. An ice ball press is a heavy metal mold that melts a block of ice into a sphere in seconds, and it needs a block a little larger than the finished ball. Pressice Barware says this is the only clear ice maker made specifically to produce 2.5-inch cubes sized for ice presses. It makes two per batch.
It uses directional freezing, the maker says, imitating the way a lake freezes, and works without special water. The components are BPA-free. The press is not included, which the title says plainly, so this is for someone who already owns one or plans to buy one.
You do not need a press to use it: a 2.5-inch clear cube is a striking rock on its own, though it will be too wide for some smaller glasses. Pressice Barware is a smaller brand sold mainly on Amazon, and the listing does not state a freeze time, overall size or warranty.
Why we like it
- 2.5-inch cubes, sized for presses
- Directional freezing, per the maker
- BPA-free components
- Useful even without a press
Key specifications
| Model | ClearIce |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube |
| Piece size | 2.5 in |
| Pieces per batch | 2 |
| Freeze time | Not stated |
| Materials | BPA-free silicone and components |
| Dishwasher safe | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits anyone with an ice ball press who has been feeding it cloudy cubes, or who wants the largest clear cubes here.
Skip it if you have no press and use standard rocks glasses; a 2-inch mold fits them better.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Largest cubes on this page
- Made for one clear purpose
Cons
- Only two pieces per batch
- Freeze time and size not stated
- Press sold separately
6. Dexas ice-ology Clear Ice Maker, Eight Cubes – Molds That Split Clear From Cloudy
Dexas, a long-running kitchenware maker, takes a slightly different route to clear ice. The ice-ology has two silicone molds: a tray and base that you fill with water, and a set of cube molds you lower into it. Dexas says the two molds separate during freezing to isolate the clear ice from the impurities, and you lift the cube molds out after about 12 hours.
It makes eight cubes at 1.37 inches each, between ClearlyFrozen’s small cubes and the 2-inch rocks. That is a useful middle size: big enough to melt slowly in a margarita on the rocks or a tequila and soda, small enough to fit two in a tall glass.
The silicone is food-grade and BPA-free, says Dexas, and the molds open completely so the cubes come out without a fight. The listing does not state whether it is dishwasher-safe, the overall size or a warranty, and it does not use the term “directional freezing”, so we describe the method in the maker’s own words.
Why we like it
- Eight clear cubes per batch
- Stated freeze of about 12 hours
- Molds open fully to release cubes
- Food-grade, BPA-free silicone
Key specifications
| Model | GCI8C-2728 |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube |
| Piece size | 1.37 in |
| Pieces per batch | 8 |
| Freeze time | About 12 hours |
| Materials | Food-grade, BPA-free silicone |
| Dishwasher safe | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits cooks who want a full tray of clear cubes overnight without a large foam box.
Skip it if you want a 2-inch rock; these cubes are noticeably smaller.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Overnight freeze
- Eight cubes at a useful size
- Easy release
Cons
- Two-part setup to fill
- Care and size not stated
7. glacio Clear Ice Maker, Two 2-inch Cubes – A Small Starter Mold
glacio is an ice mold brand sold mainly on Amazon, and this set is its clear-ice option in the cube version. The listing says the mold uses directional freezing to produce clear 2-inch cubes and is made from taste-neutral silicone. This version makes two cubes; glacio sells a four-sphere version under the same listing.
A two-cube mold is a sensible way to find out whether clear ice is worth the freezer space to you before you buy something larger. Two 2-inch cubes are enough for a pair of drinks on a quiet evening: a reposado on the rocks for you and a paloma for someone else.
That is about all the listing tells you. It does not state the freeze time, the overall size, whether it is dishwasher-safe or a warranty. glacio says removal is easy, without explaining how the mold opens.
Why we like it
- Directional freezing, per the listing
- Large 2-inch cubes
- Small commitment of freezer space
Key specifications
| Model | Not stated (glacio clear ice set, cube version) |
|---|---|
| Ice shape | Cube |
| Piece size | 2 in |
| Pieces per batch | 2 |
| Freeze time | Not stated |
| Materials | Silicone |
| Dishwasher safe | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits a first try at clear ice, for one or two drinks at a time.
Skip it if you want details before you buy; the listing leaves most of them out.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Big cubes from a small mold
- Sphere version available
Cons
- Only two cubes
- Thin listing details
How directional freezing makes ice clear
Cloudy ice is not dirty ice. The white center of a normal cube is mostly tiny air bubbles, plus some dissolved minerals, that were trapped when the water froze from all sides at once. As ice crystals form, they push dissolved air and minerals out of the way. In an open tray, the freezing fronts meet in the middle and everything they pushed gets locked in there.
Directional freezing gives the air and minerals somewhere to go. If you insulate the sides and bottom and leave the top open, water freezes from the top down in one direction, like a lake in winter. The clear layer grows downward and the bubbles collect in whatever freezes last, at the bottom. The idea was popularized for home bartenders by the drinks writer Camper English, who showed on his blog, Alcademics, that an open small cooler in a home freezer produces a block that is clear except for the bottom part.
Clear ice molds package that cooler trick into something that fits a freezer shelf. Most, like ClearlyFrozen, True Cubes and Tovolo, put a silicone mold on top of a reservoir inside foam, so the cloudy water ends up below the cubes. Dexas separates the two with a pair of molds. The result is the same: clear cubes on top, a cloudy part you discard.
How to choose a clear ice mold
Piece size. A 2-inch cube suits a double old fashioned glass and a slow pour; 1.3 to 1.4-inch cubes suit a standard rocks glass and mixed drinks like a margarita on the rocks. If you own an ice ball press, look for a larger 2.5-inch block.
Pieces per batch. Clear ice is slow. Most molds take most of a day to freeze, so a mold that makes four pieces gives you four drinks a day. If you host, the number per batch matters more than anything else: ClearlyFrozen’s 21 cubes against two or four from most others.
Freezer space. The insulation is what makes the ice clear, and insulation is bulky. Measure your freezer before you buy. Tovolo’s column is narrow but 15 inches tall; ClearlyFrozen’s box is wide and long; W&P’s single mold is small.
Timing. Some molds work best if you take them out before the reservoir freezes solid, which means watching the clock. ClearlyFrozen says its current version does not need timing. Stated freeze times range from about 12 hours (Dexas) to 22 hours (True Cubes).
Water. True Cubes, ClearlyFrozen and Pressice Barware say tap water works; Tovolo suggests filtered water. Very hard water leaves more minerals for the mold to push into the cloudy part.
Cleaning. W&P says its mold is dishwasher-safe and Tovolo says hand wash; most others do not say. Let foam parts dry fully before they go back in the freezer.
How we put these clear ice mold reviews together
We started from how a bar uses large ice: one slow-melting rock under a pour of tequila or mezcal, and clear cubes in a margarita on the rocks or a paloma where you can see the drink. We then looked for clear ice makers that use directional freezing or an insulated separation method, sold on Amazon in the United States from identifiable makers, and checked each one’s stock with Amazon’s product data before writing. Sizes, counts, freeze times, materials and care come from each maker’s Amazon listing; where a listing does not state something, we say “not stated”. We left out molds that were nearly sold out when we checked, including several ClearlyFrozen spear and combination trays and a Rabbit sphere mold, and molds already recommended in our ice ball and ice cube tray guides. We did not use these molds ourselves for this page, and we did not read published reviews from America’s Test Kitchen, Wirecutter or Serious Eats for it; where a listing quotes one, we say it is the seller’s claim.
Clear ice mold questions, answered
What are the best ice molds for clear ice?
For most home bars, the True Cubes Clear Ice Cube Maker: four 2-inch cubes from tap water, according to the maker. For more ice per batch, the ClearlyFrozen tray makes 21 smaller cubes, and for a narrow freezer the Tovolo King Cube system stacks four cubes in a slim column.
Which clear ice mold does Wirecutter recommend?
We did not read Wirecutter’s coverage for this page, so we cannot tell you what it currently recommends. What we can say is which molds explain how they work: ClearlyFrozen, True Cubes, Tovolo and Pressice Barware all describe directional freezing on their listings.
Why is the bottom of my clear ice still cloudy?
That is how directional freezing works. The air and minerals are pushed down into the last part to freeze. Most molds keep that part in a reservoir under the cubes; if the whole thing freezes solid, some cloudiness can reach the cubes. Taking the mold out a little earlier, or using one whose maker says timing is not required, helps.
Do I need distilled or boiled water for clear ice?
Not with these molds, according to most of their makers: True Cubes, ClearlyFrozen and Pressice Barware all say ordinary tap water works. Tovolo suggests filtered water for its system.
How long does clear ice take to freeze?
Longer than ordinary ice. The makers who give a figure say about 12 hours (Dexas), 12 to 16 hours (Tovolo) and 18 to 22 hours (True Cubes). Plan a day ahead of a party.
Our pick for clear ice at home
Buy the True Cubes Clear Ice Cube Maker if you want big, clear rocks with the least fuss. Choose the ClearlyFrozen 21-cube tray if you host, the Tovolo King Cube system for a narrow freezer, the W&P mold for easy dishwasher cleanup, and the Pressice Barware maker if you own an ice ball press.
For ice molds that are not about clarity, including sphere molds, see our guide to the best ice ball molds, and for everyday trays, the best ice cube trays. A clear rock looks best in a heavy glass, so our guide to the best whiskey glasses is worth a look, and for what to pour over it, read about tequila types. Or skip the ice-making altogether and see the drinks menu at Julia’s. Enjoy your drinks responsibly, and if you have been drinking, do not drive.