The deciding specification is what each maker states about getting the contents out, because three publish a lever, one publishes a press or twist base, and one publishes thirty seconds of running water.
By the Lush Editorial Team·Researched & Compared
I compared what each maker states about releasing the contents, the slot and cube counts, the stated cube sizes, the lids, the extra tools supplied, the published dimensions and weights and the washing statements, across five reusable freezer trays using only each maker's own published text.
A pair of 304 stainless trays with a lever handle the maker states cracks and releases ice without twisting or banging, eighteen removable slots and a detachable insert for cleaning, six ice clips included, publishing 1.2 by 4.7 by 11.2 inches and 2.47 pounds.
A double layer tray with 18 slots per layer for 36 in total, a built-in dust proof cover, a lever pull handle stated to separate the cubes when lifted, and a detachable structure, in food grade 304 stainless steel at 4.7 by 11 by 2.2 inches and 2.7 pounds.
Two 18 slot stainless trays with a built-in lever on each, supplied with a stackable stand, an easy release handle, ice tongs and an ice pick, stated at 11.61 by 4.72 by 4.72 inches and publishing 3.11 pounds in BPA free 304 stainless steel.
Four trays of 12 for 48 cubes stated at 1.7 by 1.1 by 0.8 inches each, in plastic and silicone with a fitted lid, side notches to open it, a base you press or twist, a storage bin for finished cubes and stacking with the lid on, at 0.88 pounds.
A pair of 304 stainless trays with a lid, publishing cubes at 1 by 1 and a half inches that the maker states melt more slowly, at 1.04 pounds, with a release method the listing spells out: about 30 seconds of tap water on the base, then a wiggle.
| Model | Brand | Size (Capacity) | Weight | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Set Stainless Steel Ice Cube Tray for Freezer - Sq... | KH866 | Medium | 2.47 lb | Best for cracking a whole row at once |
| VBQFDPH Double-layer Stainless Steel Metal Ice Cube ... | VBQFDPH | 11.02x4.72x2.2 inches | 2.7 lb | Best for the most cubes in one footprint |
| 18-Slot Stainless Steel Ice Cube Tray with Easy Rele... | CiCixixi | 11.61 * 4.72 * 4.72 in | 3.11 lb | Best for a set that includes the tongs |
| Ice Cube Tray with Lid and Bin - 4 Pack 48 Cubes Sta... | NFK | Small | 0.88 lb | Best for freezing four things at once |
| Vortihive Stainless Steel Ice Cube Tray with Lid | Vortihive | Large | 1.04 lb | Best for large cubes that melt slowly |
A pair of 304 stainless trays with a lever handle the maker states cracks and releases ice without twisting or banging, eighteen removable slots and a detachable insert for cleaning, six ice clips included, publishing 1.2 by 4.7 by 11.2 inches and 2.47 pounds.
A double layer tray with 18 slots per layer for 36 in total, a built-in dust proof cover, a lever pull handle stated to separate the cubes when lifted, and a detachable structure, in food grade 304 stainless steel at 4.7 by 11 by 2.2 inches and 2.7 pounds.
Two 18 slot stainless trays with a built-in lever on each, supplied with a stackable stand, an easy release handle, ice tongs and an ice pick, stated at 11.61 by 4.72 by 4.72 inches and publishing 3.11 pounds in BPA free 304 stainless steel.
Four trays of 12 for 48 cubes stated at 1.7 by 1.1 by 0.8 inches each, in plastic and silicone with a fitted lid, side notches to open it, a base you press or twist, a storage bin for finished cubes and stacking with the lid on, at 0.88 pounds.
A pair of 304 stainless trays with a lid, publishing cubes at 1 by 1 and a half inches that the maker states melt more slowly, at 1.04 pounds, with a release method the listing spells out: about 30 seconds of tap water on the base, then a wiggle.
KH866 states a lever handle that cracks ice without twisting or banging, with eighteen removable slots and six ice clips. VBQFDPH stacks 18 slots per layer for 36 under a built-in cover. CiCixixi adds a stand, tongs and an ice pick. NFK supplies four trays of 12 with a press or twist base and a storage bin. Vortihive asks for about 30 seconds of tap water.
“One listing says easy release and means running water.”
Lush Food & Drink
One of the three with a lever. KH866 states a strong lever handle that cracks and releases the ice without twisting or banging. VBQFDPH states you lift the pull handle and the cubes separate smoothly, with no twisting or banging. CiCixixi states a built-in lever on each of its two trays. All three are 304 stainless, and none of the three publishes how much force the lever takes.
Because it is not a mechanism. Vortihive's title includes the phrase easy release, and its own bullet gives the method: run the bottom of the tray under tap water for about 30 seconds, then gently wiggle the tray from side to side. That is a trip to the sink and a wait, on a tray with no lever and no removable slots. The listing is honest about it, which is why it is worth reading.
NFK supplies the most at 48, as four trays of 12, which also means four things can be frozen separately and stacked with the lids on. VBQFDPH gives 36 in one double layer tray, 18 per layer. KH866 and CiCixixi each supply two trays of 18 slots. Vortihive publishes two trays and never states a slot count, so its total is unknown from the listing.
Only two, and they argue opposite cases. NFK states each cube measures 1.7 by 1.1 by 0.8 inches and gives the reason as fast chilling without watering a drink down. Vortihive states 1 by 1 and a half inches and states the larger cube melts more slowly. The three lever trays describe square or large cubes without measuring any of them, which matters if you are portioning stock rather than chilling drinks.
Three publish a cover of some kind. VBQFDPH has a built-in dust proof cover stated to block dust and odors. NFK has a fitted lid with side notches to open it, stated to block freezer odors, and the lid is what lets the trays stack. Vortihive has a lid. KH866 and CiCixixi publish no cover at all, so anything frozen in either one is open to the freezer.
Four say so. KH866 states a rinse or the dishwasher and adds that a detachable insert structure makes it effortless. VBQFDPH states fully dishwasher safe on a detachable tray. NFK states you can rinse, wipe or toss it in. Vortihive states dishwasher safe plus warm water and soap by hand. CiCixixi states only that the non-stick surface makes cleaning hassle-free, which is not a washing instruction.
Specifications come from the manufacturers' own published listings. Lush Food & Drink may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we research.
On a weeknight the only thing a freezer tray has to do quickly is let go. Three of these five publish a lever: KH866 states a handle that cracks and releases the ice without twisting or banging, VBQFDPH states a pull handle you lift, and CiCixixi states a built-in lever on each tray. NFK offers a soft silicone base you press or twist instead.
The fifth is the interesting one. Vortihive’s title says easy release, and its own instruction is to run the base of the tray under tap water for about 30 seconds and then wiggle it from side to side. That is a documented procedure rather than a mechanism, and it is the slowest answer to the question any of these five gives.
| Specification | KH866 | VBQFDPH | CiCixixi | NFK | Vortihive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How the contents come out | lever handle, no twisting or banging | lever pull handle, lift to separate | built-in lever on each tray | press or twist a silicone base | tap water for about 30 seconds, then wiggle |
| Slots per tray | 18 | 18 per layer, 36 in total | 18 | 12 | not published |
| Trays in the listing | Two | One, double layer | Two | Four | Two |
| Cube size stated, in | not published | not published | not published | 1.7 x 1.1 x 0.8 | 1 x 1.5 |
| Lid or cover | not published | built-in dust proof cover | not published | fitted lid with side notches | lid |
| Extra tools included | six ice clips | none | a stand, ice tongs and an ice pick | a storage bin | none |
| Published dimensions, in | 1.2 x 4.7 x 11.2 | 4.7 x 11 x 2.2 | not published | not published | not published |
| Size in the maker’s words | 28.5 x 12 x 3 cm | 11.02 x 4.72 x 2.2 in | 11.61 x 4.72 x 4.72 in | not published | not published |
| Published weight, lb | 2.47 | 2.7 | 3.11 | 0.88 | 1.04 |
| Material stated | food grade 304 stainless steel | food grade 304 stainless steel | BPA free 304 stainless steel | plastic and silicone | 304 stainless steel |
| Dishwasher stated | yes | yes | not published | yes | yes |
| Stacking stated | not published | not published | a stackable stand | stacks with the lid on | not published |
| Parts stated to detach | eighteen removable slots | detachable tray structure | not published | not published | not published |
What the table cannot tell you is how long any of these takes to freeze. Two makers claim stainless steel conducts heat quickly and accelerates freezing, and neither publishes a time or a temperature to support it. Nor does any listing say how much force a lever needs, which is the difference between one hand at the freezer door and two hands at the sink.
KH866 states the problem and the fix in one line: a strong lever handle that cracks and releases ice without twisting or banging. VBQFDPH puts it the same way, stating you lift the handle and the cubes separate smoothly, with no more twisting or banging to get ice out. Both are describing the failure mode of every flexible tray in a freezer.
CiCixixi states a built-in lever on each of its two trays and adds an ice pick and tongs for handling the result. All three are 304 stainless steel, and all three publish a weight above 2 pounds, which is what a metal frame with a moving part costs. None of the three publishes how much force the lever takes.
Vortihive is a 304 stainless tray with a lid and the phrase easy release in its title, and its own bullet explains the method: run the bottom of the tray under tap water for about 30 seconds, then gently wiggle it from side to side. On a busy week that is a trip to the sink, a wait, and two hands, for a tray with no lever in it at all.
It is not a bad tray for that. It publishes 1 x 1 1/2 inch cubes and states they melt more slowly, which is the point of a large steel cube. But if the reason for buying a reusable tray is speed, the listing itself tells you this one is the slow option, and it is the only one of the five that publishes a procedure rather than a mechanism.
VBQFDPH stacks two layers of 18 slots into one tray for 36 in a single footprint, with a built-in dust proof cover over the top. KH866 and CiCixixi each supply two trays of 18. NFK supplies four trays of 12, which is 48 cubes and the largest count here, in plastic and silicone rather than steel.
The counts matter differently on a weeknight than in a bar. Four small trays can be filled with four different things and stacked, which NFK states they do with the lid on. One double layer tray is one thing frozen twice as deep. Two trays of 18 is a middle answer, and the steel versions are the ones you can refill straight after emptying.
NFK states each cube measures 1.7 by 1.1 by 0.8 inches and gives the reason, which is fast chilling without watering a drink down. Vortihive states 1 by 1 1/2 inches and gives the opposite reason, a larger cube that melts more slowly. Both are honest arguments and they point in different directions.
The three steel lever trays publish no cube size at all. CiCixixi describes 18 large slow-melting cubes without measuring one, and KH866 and VBQFDPH describe square molds and 18 slots. For portioning soup or stock rather than chilling whiskey, that omission is the one that matters, because a slot with no volume is not a portion.
CiCixixi supplies the most: two trays, a stand, an easy release handle, ice tongs and an ice pick, and states the stand lets both trays store neatly in the freezer. KH866 supplies two trays and six ice clips. NFK supplies four trays with a storage bin the listing states holds extra cubes for later, which is the only listing here that separates making from storing.
VBQFDPH and Vortihive supply the tray and nothing else. On VBQFDPH that is defensible, since the dust proof cover is built in and the double layer is the feature. On Vortihive it leaves a lid as the only accessory, next to a release method that wants a running tap.
Two listings state the tray itself comes apart. KH866 states eighteen removable slots and a detachable insert structure, which is what makes a lever tray cleanable rather than a trap. VBQFDPH states a detachable tray structure for simple filling and quick cleaning. Both then state the dishwasher is fine, as do NFK and Vortihive.
CiCixixi is the exception and says nothing about a machine. It states a smooth non-stick surface that makes cleaning hassle-free, which is a claim about the finish rather than a washing instruction, and its listing includes an ice pick whose care it also does not mention. Four of five say dishwasher; the fifth says easy.
You want the fastest release and a measurable tray. KH866 states a lever that cracks ice without twisting or banging, eighteen removable slots, a detachable insert and six ice clips, and publishes 1.2 by 4.7 by 11.2 inches at 2.47 pounds, with 28.5 by 12 by 3 cm in its own words.
You want the most cubes in one footprint. VBQFDPH stacks 18 slots per layer for 36 in total under a built-in dust proof cover, with a lever pull handle and a detachable structure, publishing 4.7 by 11 by 2.2 inches and 2.7 pounds in food grade 304 stainless steel.
You want the whole kit in one box. CiCixixi supplies two 18 slot trays, a stackable stand, an easy release handle, ice tongs and an ice pick, at 3.11 pounds and a stated 11.61 by 4.72 by 4.72 inches. It publishes no cube size and no dishwasher statement.
You want four things frozen separately. NFK supplies four trays of 12 for 48 cubes at 1.7 by 1.1 by 0.8 inches each, with a fitted lid, side notches, a press or twist silicone base, a storage bin, and stacking with the lid on, at 0.88 pounds.
You want large slow cubes and will wait. Vortihive publishes 1 by 1 1/2 inch cubes in 304 stainless with a lid, at 1.04 pounds. Read its release instruction before buying: about 30 seconds of tap water on the base, then wiggle the tray from side to side.
These are the figures the five listings do not publish, and nothing above has been supplied in their place.
