Onyx 18/8 Stainless Steel # ICE001 18 Slot Ice Cube Tray

This review is for the set of 2 "Onyx 18/8 Stainless Steel # ICE001 18 Slot Ice Cube Tray," Sold by: Pure Essence Health. Purchased March 2015. I watched several of the stainless trays for some time, reading reviews and trying to sort out which I would take a chance on. These are not inexpensive trays and I didn't want to waste my money. My number #1 concern was that people said that the handles bent after one or two uses. I finally decided to take a chance, knowing that I could return them if they were cheaply made. I've used these trays for almost a week, filling and dumping the ice multiple times. I have had absolutely no indication whatsoever that either of my trays' handles might even be close to bending. These trays are super solid, including the handles. If I do have a problem in the future, I will definitely return and update. I want to back up here and state that when my trays arrived, my jaw literally dropped when I pulled the first one from the box. As a child, I used the old aluminum trays at my grandparents' house, so I think my brain was conditioned to still remember how light those felt in the hand. "Light" does not apply to these Onyx 18/8 stainless steel trays. And to clarify, I would not say that these are too heavy, but simply that they are "heavy," as in "solid." The bottom part of the trays are thick and feel quite dense. That's what I wanted in a tray, and I am MORE than satisfied with this purchase. The very first evening I had these, I filled them up, popped them in the freezer. I pulled them out a few hours later, making ice in them both twice before I went to bed that night. I had ZERO issues with cleanly getting the ice out with an easy lift of the handle. (No wrestling involved.) I filled the trays to just below the top of the ice dividers when I filled them with water. I recall how fractured ice was when I overfilled it in my grandparents' trays, so I learned then not to overfill. Even with using a lower level of water, I had more than enough ice from each tray. When I pulled the trays out to dump the ice, I didn't need to run water over them or leave them sitting on the counter for any length of time, as I wanted to see what would happen if I did that. I wanted to be able to report it here, since so many people reported needing to do those things. I have no idea if having hard water would make a difference, but just in case, I'll report that we have very mineral-rich (hard) water. Again, I'm reviewing the " 2 of Onyx 18/8 Stainless Steel # ICE001 18 Slot Ice Cube Tray, Sold by: Pure Essence Health." I love these and I have every intention of ordering two more.

Why do I use this title? I see a lot of reviews saying it doesn't work but that's because of several things: 1: people over fill it; this tray needs to be filled a small portion of the way up, not all the way to the ribs' end. 2: They didn't wait long enough. If you filled it high then you need to wait 2-5 minutes or run luke warm water over it and wait an additional minute. Otherwise, gently test the lever pulling it *up* (never fill it lever up to push down). If it doesn't crack very well, wait a while longer. 3: they damaged it. This is a sensitive device, if you force it you'll bend and warp the mechanism. You have to gently hinge it. 4: this is in regards to rust. If you keep it in the freezer except to occasionally wash it or to crack out some ice cubes it won't rust very quickly. If it does rust then a wire brush, some vinegar, and a little creme of tartar will clear that rust right up. Just make sure the brush is food safe and to clean with the grain. My review: this is an excellent device, I bought this as a personal moving out gift and have used it vigorously for about two weeks now. It freezes ice much faster than plastic, is very easy to use, and offers a great aesthetic appeal while eliminating waste or risking concerns about chemical leeching. I've avoided all the bad habits listed above or rectified them where necessary and it's worked just fine for these two weeks. No rust, no damage, easy to use every time. It will last you a lifetime and is good for the environment, all provided you take care of it.

I was a bit hesitant to purchase this tray because of the price. I got it for $30 (shipping included) and that seems kind of high to me. And yes, imho, value is important when reviewing a product. That said; I grew up using this type of tray. I think my mom was probably the last person in the USA to start using plastic trays-lol! My mom had the same trays until I was about 15 years old (then we got a frig with an ice maker), so I had a lot of experience using them. 1) This tray is definately heavier and sturdier and thicker than my moms. I'm guessing hers must have been aluminum. From some of the reviews, I was worried that this tray might be thin and cheap feeling (not the case at all). 2) Yes, the tray WILL stick to your fingers...if they are wet! Use dry hands and this shouldn't be a problem. 3) Don't pull the tray out of your freezer and try to release the cubes right away. If you do, it puts stress on the handle & will probably shorten its life. Plus, it will make the cubes splinter and crack (as a child, I liked little slivers of ice in my drink; not so much now that I'm older). INSTEAD, just let is sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. Sure, you can run it under some water if you are in a hurry for the cubes; but there will still be some cracking of the cubes from the water hitting the ice. 4) The ice cubes are a nice size, not small at all; perhaps some reviewers underfilled the tray? I filled mine to about 3 millimiters below the top of the dividers. 5) I don't get why some people are concerned about sharp edges? Maybe the got a defective tray. Edges definately not sharp with mine. I'd be hard pressed to cut or hurt myself with this. Plus, there is really no reason to be handling the bottom of the dividers anyway. You should NOT try to pry out the cubes. Let the tray sit on the counter for a few minutes & lift handle & if a cube sticks, just give it a light tap or push it out from the top of the divider. 6) On the subject of the handle. I doesn't seem any flimsier than when I was a child. And it should be very easy to pull up. If it is not (or maybe you have arthritis), again, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes or run it under the water. A child could pull this lever. 7) I had to use goo-gone to get rid of the label on the bottom (Why is it, in the year 2012, many products still have the labels/stickers that you have to pry off with chemicals? Come on people!). It was on there so thick, that hot water & dish soap didn't help at all. So, I got the tray yesterday and have made my first couple of trays of ice & am very happy with the product. I got it because my frig ice maker is having problems & the old plastic trays I pulled out of storage had an odor about them. I'm still in a bit of sticker shock over the price. I don't really know if it is worth the price; I guess that will depend on how long it lasts. If I couldn't afford this particular tray, I think I'd probably have gone with the Rubbermaid Servin Saver tray sold on Amazon.

These a brilliant. Strong, well made and won’t flavour the ice because they are stainless steel. If the tray is full it’s almost impossible to break out the ice cubes. Just wait for 10-15 minutes at room temperature and they will break apart easily.

Excellent piece of equipment. Leave it out a few minute's and the cubes will slide out easily. Ice cubes never tasted better.

I love that this is a healthy, high quality stainless steel ice cube tray. The ice never has a bad taste or smell and has zero microplastics! In order to get the ice out I leave it on the counter for about 3-5 minutes. Right before I pull up the handle I run hot water over the back. If I do this the ice pops out easily every time. It’s almost impossible to pop open straight from the freezer and I worry I’ll break it if I try. It’s not the easiest to use, but once you get the hang of it it’s awesome. I use this tray to make ice and fill a bucket because it’s not easy to take just a few cubes out. It’s a regular size, but doesn’t stack easily like most trays because of the handle. However using the bucket method you only need one tray. It works well, doesn’t leak and makes 18 standard size ice cubes. It’s expensive, but worth the money if you care about what you put in your body. I would buy this again and also recommend it.

Really good! Need to wait a few minutes before attempting to take them out but they are the perfect size and so convenient. The metal forms the ice cubes faster than plastic. I wish it was cheaper though.

It the pricey version.... It’s amazing, quick and does what it says it should. No more plastic and easy to get the ice out ... VERY easy. I worried about the price, going as green as you can is expensive, but I’m sure I would have wasted just as much trying to find the right one.... this is it!