Brain Freeze!
Can it be summer if there are no ices? Don’t answer that, it was rhetorical.
Some of our kids (and let’s be honest, ourselves) live on freeze pops. Often, though, we want something a little more substantial or, dare I say it, more complexly flavored. You can always buy popsicles and bars, but they’re often loaded with extra sugar, and they can be pricey, so whether it’s for health or wealth, you turn to DIY ices. Today we’re rating popsicle or ices molds, whatever you want to call them.
Which one is the best to cool you off this summer is the non-rhetorical question. The answer is not as easy as I thought it would be; it was a three-way tie for the win.
Testing, Testing
1. I filled the tray/mold with liquid. Was it easy to see the fill line, and was the mold steady and stable? Did the sticks insert snuggly and easily?
2. When I carried them to the freezer, how much balance did I need, and how steady did my hands need to be?
3. How easy was it to remove the ices once frozen? Did they need to go under warm water, or could they just be pulled out? Were there many ices per mold, and did they all have to come out of the freezer even if I only wanted one?
4. How neat/messy was eating? Was there a drip tray? How large was each serving size? Could I put the ices away for later?
Tovolo Classic Molds
Price: $13.99
Notes:
– Large serving size.
– Large storage footprint, but once frozen, easily stacked or wedged individually in corners.
– Very steady.
– You can remove only the amount you need.
– Need warm water to remove the popsicle from the mold.
– You can save the rest for later; cover goes back on easily as it’s individual molds.
– Has a decent drip tray.
– 5 molds per tray.
Stars: 4.5
WYOK
Price: $13.98
Notes:
– Easy removal.
– Sleek design.
– Medium-sized storage footprint.
– Medium serving size.
– Very stable in freezer.
– 4 molds per tray.
Stars: 4
XoYoZo Popsicle Molds
Price: $6.99
Notes:
– Small serving size (perfect for little kids, or a little refresher).
– Easy removal.
– Need a steady hand to place in the freezer.
– The sticks separate into two pieces — great for washing, terrible for losing.
– Comes with an extra stick.
– Medium-storage footprint.
– Has small drip tray.
– 7 molds per tray.
Stars: 4.6
Lekue Tropical Fruit Shaped Molds
Price: $20.38
Notes:
– Easily stackable – small storage footprint.
– Cute design.
– Pineapple mold needs water in the mixture so it doesn’t break at the narrow point.
– Removal takes some maneuvering.
– Really cute instructions and recipe suggestions.
– Pricey.
– 4 molds per tray.
Stars: 3.5
Zoku Safari Pop Molds
Price: $18.99
Notes:
– Requires effort to remove from mold.
– Cute design.
– Small serving size.
– Very stable.
– Pricey.
– Medium storage footprint.
– 4 molds per tray.
Stars: 3
Shpebs Popsicle Molds
Price: $7.95
Notes:
– Comes with funnel and cleaning brush.
– Pretty sturdy.
– Easy to remove without water.
– Funnel seems like a good idea, but I couldn’t see how much was poured, so I overfilled.
– Medium storage footprint.
– No drip tray.
– Comes with an extra stick.
– 4 molds per tray.
Stars: 4.4
Overall Winner: XoYoZo
This was really close, but the XoYoZo molds won because:
a) My sons said so.
b) You don’t need that steady a hand to get it to the freezer (which is its greatest drawback) compared to the need to use water to remove the ices from the Tovolo model (which is that model’s greatest drawback).
The serving size is preference. I love it for my little ones, and myself, truth be told. It’s the perfect nibble indulgent size without feeling like you’re “cheating.” It also wins for its price.
Note: Be as creative or as dull as you’d like to be in your ices’ creations. The easiest way to great flavor is to buy already mixed fruit juice like orange-raspberry-passion fruit (if you’ve never tried it — stop everything and do it now), or ready-made smoothie mixes (add a drop of water so it freezes more solid), and you’re good to go. You can look fancy by dropping in frozen blueberries, peach slices, strawberry bits, or whatever else you can think of.
Fun Fact: Cherry is the most popular popsicle flavor, and August 26th is national Cherry Popsicle Day. Who’s celebrating with me?
Shout-out to my kids who were only too happy to make (and eat) endless variations of popsicles within two days! Never again.
Originally featured in Mishpacha Magazine.
