Crystal Clear Ice Cube Maker, 4 Large 2"x2"x2" Ice Cubes for Cocktails and Drinks, Silicone Mold for Pure, Bartender-Quality Ice - Great for Hosting and Entertaining, Whiskey Gifts for Men

I’ve tried so many clear ice systems that I’ve learned to accept disappointment. Either most aren’t that clear or those that come close are ridiculously difficult to separate. But right out of the box this device produced 8 beautiful cubes that weren’t all that difficult to separate out (read directions). I don’t get why it says 4 cubes because you clearly get 8 cubes with the two levels, but works for me and I’m happy to have eight cubes come out every time. And even if there’s a little frost on them when you remove them (and I do save them off into a silicone ice bag), as soon as the alcohol hits them they are crystal clear. So Zero disappointment with this device and I don’t expect that to change.

I’ve had other clear ice molds and this is the best for square cubes. Silicone molds prevent any cracking. The ice is clear in my drink and slower to melt. Easy to fill, just be sure to wait the recommended amount of time before taking out.

So far so good. A little tricky to take apart the finished ice cubes, but I’m getting a good handle of it. Takes a little familiarity, then it’s very easy afterwards. Nice crystal clear ice cubes every time. Cleaning and storage is an easy task. Loving!

UPDATE after one year:I'd buy this again in a heartbeat. If you care about cocktails, glassware and serving the best possible drinks to your friends and family, get this. In my earlier review I mentioned bottled or filtered water; update - totally unnecessary. Tap water is perfectly fine. Our freezer is set to 5F degrees. I don't think there's anything magical about the water or its temperature.Assemble the mold, fill it to within a quarter or eighth of an inch of the top, carefully place it in your freezer, then leave it alone for 16 hours. Take it out, LET IT SIT ON THE COUNTER FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, then grasp the silicone molds with your thumbs and index fingers and use your other 6 fingers to push downward on the rigid insulated portion; it should come off fairly easily.Then separate the lower silicone mold from the upper mold. You don't have to be gentle here: the molds are durable. If your freezing period was correct, the lower mold should be a mixture of ice and water.I remove the ice from the bottom of the cube mold by tapping it with a wooden spoon (over the sink). Once it's all off, put the upper mold face down on the counter, and push down on it... the cubes should loosen and come out of the mold. Immediately put them in the freezer. There's a storage unit available. If my storage unit is full, I just leave the new cubes in the upper mold.We recently purchased some Art Deco old fashioned glasses from Amazon and they're beautiful, but a bit too small for these cubes. So I take a (sharp) serrated knife and carve them into rough looking roundish cubes that look more interesting than the plain cubes. See 2nd pic above.TL/DR: Buy this if you care about cocktailsI’ve been using this for a week and a half, and it works really well. With the freezer set at 4°, it takes between 14 and 16 hours to make four beautiful, clear ice cubes. And guests really notice!Update: for best results, use filtered or bottled water. Fill to the fill line, let it sit for a while, then tap the housing to release any air bubbles lurking inside. With the freezer set at 5°, it takes about 16 hours to get fully formed cubes in the top mold and the proper icy/slushy mixture in the lower section. Do NOT use warm water to remove that icy mix from the underside of the top mold: you’ll damage the cubes and they’ll end up lopsided. I usually tap the partly formed “cubes” from the lower mold (which adhere to the top mold) with a wooden spoon to dislodge the extra ice. Then you can pop out your beautiful clear cubes. After sitting in the freezer a while (I put them in larger silicone molds I no longer use), I store them in a large ziplock bag. Still happy, still 5 stars.2nd update: the only issue I’ve had is an occasional bubble or two in the cubes. This is what I’ve landed on as my approach:1. Put the lower silicone mold in the insulated housing2. Fill the lower mold with bottled or filtered water3. Insert the upper mold into the lower mold4. Fill upper mold to fill line5. Carefully place in freezer set to ~5°F6. DO NOT TOUCH, MOVE, JOSTLE THE MOLD for at least 14 hours7. Remove from freezer after ~16 hours have passed, remove cubes8. Cheers!

Took it out a touch too soon, 16 hours, and the bottom of the cubes wasn’t quite perfect. But it worked exactly as advertised to an absurd degree. The water I used was just filtered tap water. Getting it apart wasn’t too bad, but I didn’t leave it too long.

This ice cube maker really does make clear ice cubes. I was skeptical and thought I’d be returning it but it really DOES work! Do I NEED clear ice cubes for my drinks? No, but it sure does make my glass neat and clean with a clear ice cube in it. With gin, you almost can’t see the cube in the glass.Doesn’t take up much room in the freezer. I have a bottom drawer GE freezer with two upper slide out drawers and it fits easily in the drawer. Easy to make cubes and store them in a ziplock bag so you can keep more than 4 around. This will be my next Christmas gift for friends and family who enjoy their bourbon and other cocktails with a large cube. It’s cheaper than buying a new freezer that can make clear cubes!!

Product quality and function = 5starsSize of cubes = 2 starThis product makes beautiful clear cubes with sharpe edges and really adds to to the aesthetic experience if you like that in your cocktails. Cubes are easy to remove if you follow the instructions and wait 5 minutes. The reason for the 2 star is the size. Cubes should be measured diagonally from corner to corner to determine if they’ll fit your glasses. This is edge to edge 2” and doesn’t fit my standard size rocks glasses.