Chilled Out Creations

Your Freezing Guide

Good news first — your tray gives a great result with nothing more than ordinary tap water and a normal freeze. This guide is simply how to get the very best from it, from first pour to final serve. None of it is essential, so use as much or as little as suits you.

Getting the Best From Your Tray

Your personalised design will come through crisp and clearly defined either way. The reason the extra steps below help is simple — fine detail can trap tiny air bubbles, and the natural minerals in tap water can make the ice a little cloudier. Following the guide reduces both and gives you the sharpest, best-defined result your freezer can produce.

It's worth knowing that a small amount of cloudiness in the body of the cube is completely normal and harmless. It doesn't affect your design or your drink — it's a natural part of home freezing, and it's something every ice tray produces.

Slow directional-freezing systems do exist, but they freeze in one direction over a day or more, for far fewer cubes. Our trays are built differently — six fully personalised cubes, ready overnight — so a touch of internal cloudiness is simply part of that trade-off, and a fair one.

For the Sharpest Result (All Optional)

  • Distilled or filtered water
  • A small syringe (for designs with fine detail)
  • Freezer set to –15°C (5°F) or colder
01

Choose Your Water

Tap water works perfectly well and your design will still look great. If you'd like the cleanest result with the fewest bubbles, distilled water is ideal — it's just a few dollars at most supermarkets and carries fewer of the dissolved minerals and gases that cause cloudiness. Filtered water is a great middle ground.

02

Fill the Tray Slowly

Pour the water in slowly and steadily, leaving approximately 3–4 mm of space at the top. Water expands as it freezes, so a slight gap prevents overflow and keeps each cube clean and even. Pouring too quickly can trap air around the design detail.

03

Release Trapped Air

Gently tap the tray on your bench two or three times to encourage any trapped air bubbles to rise and escape. For most designs, this is all you'll need.

For trays with logos or fine lettering: a small syringe (under $5 at most chemists) is a handy optional extra. Use it to gently agitate the water inside each cavity and coax out any air caught in the detail. It's not required, but it's the finishing touch if you're chasing a really sharp result for photos or a special occasion.

04

Freeze Level and Undisturbed

Place the tray flat in your freezer and leave it undisturbed. A minimum of six hours is required, but overnight gives the best results. Actual freezing time varies between freezers — when in doubt, give it more time.

05

Release the Cubes

Remove the tray from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 2–3 minutes. This softens the silicone slightly and makes releasing the cubes effortless. Gently flex the base of each cavity upward and the cubes will pop out cleanly.

Pro Tips ¡ For the Perfect Pour

  • Pour around the cube, never over it. Place the cube in the glass first, then pour your drink slowly around it. The cube is ice, so liquid poured straight over the top starts to melt the surface and the design won't show up as cleanly. Pouring around it keeps the detail crisp and the cube looking its best.
  • Pre-chill your drink in the fridge beforehand. This reduces the thermal shock when the cube meets the liquid, which helps prevent cracking and keeps the design looking its best for photos.
  • Hosting an event? Freeze a test batch a day or two in advance. It gives you time to refine your technique and ensures you have a complete tray ready to go on the day.