Are you entering the kitchenware industry or purchasing ice trays in bulk, but feel confused about whether to choose silicone or plastic ice trays? Here is a comparison of the two products to provide you with a reference when choosing one for your business.
Ice Release Mechanism
Silicone and plastic ice trays have the same purpose: freezing water into ice cubes that are convenient to use. But their mechanisms for releasing the ice are different.
Plastic is a rigid material, so releasing ice from a plastic tray primarily relies on the user twisting it. When the tray is twisted, between the ice cubes and the tray, tiny gaps will be created, as air enters to equalize the pressure, the user can then easily remove the ice cubes.
But if the ice cubes do not form a complete shape or stick too tightly to the plastic ice tray, they become very difficult to remove. So, if you want to make it easier for your customers to remove ice cubes, plastic ice trays are not the most suitable choice.
You can choose silicone ice cube trays. Silicone ice cube trays are more flexible. Users can easily change the shape of the tray by simply pressing the bottom of the tray, causing the silicone bottom to sink inward and thus squeezing out the ice cubes.
Freezing Efficiency
Silicone typically has lower thermal conductivity than plastic, which may slow down the freezing process of silicone ice cube trays due to factors such as thickness. But if your customers require ice cubes with a complete shape and without any cracks inside, silicone ice trays would be an ideal choice, as the silicone can ensure uniform cooling of the interior.
Unlike silicone ice trays, plastic ice trays freeze faster because plastic, especially PP plastic, has a thinner structure. Plastic ice trays are a great choice if your customers want ice trays that freeze faster.
But when using plastic ice trays, the edges are more likely to freeze first than the middle, resulting in uneven freezing and potentially cracked ice blocks in the middle, making the appearance not very nice.
Low Temperature Resistance
As an ice tray, the environment where it stays the longest is the low-temperature environment. So, whether the ice tray can adapt to low temperatures is important.
Plastic ice trays perform poorly in this aspect. These trays may be rigid when they stay in low temperatures for a long time, and users may encounter cracks when twisting them. This will reduce the customer’s sense of use and cause some after-sales problems.
Compared with plastic ice trays, silicone ice trays are less affected by temperature. When you choose silicone as the material for the ice trays, your customers can safely place the trays in temperatures as low as – 40 degrees, and don’t need to worry about the trays becoming hard. The silicone ice tray can also be frozen many times.
Odor Migration
After your customers purchase the ice cube trays, they are likely to place them in the refrigerator. So you should consider whether the ice cube trays will absorb the odors from other items in the refrigerator. Because no one wants the ice cubes they take out to have the flavors of the food or other things in the refrigerator.
Food-grade silicone ice trays generally do not react with the odors of food, so your customers can safely place them together with the food. But it is also important to pay attention to the quality of the silicone. Some low-quality silicone ice trays still absorb the odors of other things.
When your customers are very sensitive to the taste of ice cubes, low-quality silicone ice trays and plastic ice trays are not suitable.
Plastic ice trays, especially those made of PP or PS plastic, have surface absorption, which makes them easy to absorb the flavors of the foods placed inside them. The absorbed odors are also difficult to completely remove through cleaning, which can cause the ice cubes to have an unpleasant smell as well.
Product Custom Flexibility
Apart from the quality of the ice cube tray itself, a more attractive appearance will also make customers more willing to purchase it. This requires choosing a material that is easy to customize.
Silicone, as a flexible material, can be made into an inverted structure, so it can be designed into a more complex shape. If your customers want the shape of the ice cubes to be more unique, like a bar might need ice cubes in the shape of a skull, then silicone ice cubes are the most suitable.
The silicone ice cube trays can also be customized in terms of color, size, and so on.
Although plastic ice trays can also be customized in colors, they are not suitable for customizing complex shapes, because plastic itself is hard and the ice cubes need to be able to be demolded in a straight line. The time and cost required for customizing plastic ice trays are also relatively high.
Which Material Is Better For Your Business?
If your budget is limited, you are mainly focused on the mass retail market, and the target audience doesn’t have high requirements for the quality and shape of the ice cubes. In this case, you can choose plastic ice trays.
The silicone tray is more suitable when you plan to enter the high-end kitchenware market or the target audience has high customization needs and requires complex ice cube shapes.
FAQ
Can People Use A Silicone Ice Tray In The Oven Or The Dishwasher？
Yes, users can safely use most food-grade silicone ice cube trays in the oven; however, it is still important to pay attention to the quality of the silicone. High-quality silicone can withstand temperatures ranging from -40°C to 230°C.
Those trays are also dishwasher safe, especially those made of high-quality silicone that meets standards such as FDA or LFGB.
Are Silicone Ice Trays And Plastic Ice Trays Safe For Food Contact?
Silicone and plastic ice trays are relatively safe when in contact with food. However, their safety largely depends on the material grade and compliance. For example, silicone ice trays must comply with standards such as the FDA or LFGB. The plastic ice trays should be made of BPA-free PP.
Do Silicone Ice Trays Require More Expensive Molds?
Compared with the molds required for plastic injection molding, the molds needed for silicone ice trays have a lower cost. However, this also depends on the complexity of the product and the production process.
If you need to custom silicone ice trays with complex shapes, the cost will increase accordingly.
Can Silicone Ice Trays Be Recycled?
The silicone ice trays can be recycled, but the recycling process is rather complicated. This is because silicone cannot decompose naturally and cannot be processed through the common roadside recycling procedures. Special recycling facilities are required to process or downgrade the silicone.
What Packaging Options Can Be Used For Silicone Ice Trays?
According to the product positioning and target market, silicone ice trays have different packaging methods. One of them is the standard retail color box packaging, which can print product information and instructions. It is suitable for supermarkets and retail stores.
If the budget is lower, OPP bags or simple plastic bags can also be chosen for packaging. In addition, there are hanging card packaging suitable for retail display and relatively high-end gift box packaging.
Can Custom Logos Be Added To Silicone Ice Cube Trays?
Yes, silicone ice trays can have logos added, and there are various ways to do it. Like raised relief, recessed engraving, and so on.
Final Thought
If you are looking for a silicone ice tray manufacturer, think about Legensilico. From design to production, Legensilico will provide the best service at every stage. Contact us right away for more silicone ice tray information!
