New Freezycup Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds Use Less Space in the Freezer
Summer is not yet over, so there’s still time to squeeze in a post about Life Without Plastic’s new Freezycup stainless steel popsicle molds. (Of course, there’s no rule that says popsicles can only be eaten in the summer anyway.)
But before I talk about this new mold, let me back up a bit. Two years ago, I reviewed the stainless steel popsicle mold from Onyx Containers. Many of us were excited about it because it was a great alternative to plastic or silicone. But, as I mentioned in that review, there were drawbacks. First, the steel stand that held the molds was coated in polyethylene plastic, plastic which actually was peeling a little bit on the one I received. I wasn’t crazy about that aspect of the design, but I was happy that the molds themselves contained no plastic.
What I didn’t know then was that one of my favorite companies — Life Without Plastic — had had a stainless steel popsicle mold in development for several years before the Onyx mold came out, but it took them until this year to release it because they were trying to avoid sourcing it from China. Jay from Life Without Plastic says that after many failed attempts, they went ahead and decided to work with a Chinese supplier whom they trusted.
Jay sent me a set of Freezycups to try out, so a few days ago, I decided to make some grape popsicles (made with 100% black seedless grapes from the farmers market — I blended them up, strained out the skin [but ate it separately for a little fiber and antioxidents], and poured into the molds. No added sugar necessary. Here are the pros and cons of this mold, as well as comparisons with the Onyx mold.
10/1/2016 Disclosure: I have recently become a Life Without Plastic affiliate. I consider the owners to be friends of mine and have profiled them in my book. They sent me the Freezycups and holder to try for free. If you purchase via links on this site, you are also supporting my plastic-free mission.
No Plastic Packaging
Whenever possible, Life Without Plastic ships its products without any plastic packaging. The Freezycups are packaged in cardboard boxes and cushioned with cellulose wadding (which feels similar to crepe paper.) No plastic.
When I wrote about the Onyx molds two years ago, I requested the samples be sent to me with no plastic packaging, so there was none in my box. But a few months ago, Diane MacEachern reviewed them on her blog Big Green Purse, and wrote, “The Onyx came packaged in lots of trashy plastic bags, which surprised me.”
Free Standing Molds Save Room in the Freezer
Unlike the Onyx molds, which are rounded on the bottom and therefore require a stand to hold them upright, Freezycups were designed with a flat bottom (no jokes or giggling, please), so a stand is not necessary. This means that you can store them more efficiently in the freezer and only take up as much room as the number of popsicles you’ve made.
Optional Plastic-Free Wooden Stand
If you do want a stand to help keep the Freezycups stable, Life Without Plastic has developed a plastic-free wooden holder made by a local wood craftsman based in their town of Wakefield, Quebec. The holder holds up to four Freezycups and is much more compact than the steel and plastic Onyx stand. The holes have different depths to prevent the Freezycup lids from bumping each other. Life Without Plastic recommends treating it with beeswax before using it, but it’s not absolutely necessary.
Reusable Bamboo Popsicle Sticks
Back when I reviewed the Onyx mold, the only sticks available were disposable wooden sticks. Since then, Onyx has begun offering reusable bamboo sticks (reusable as long as they are not chewed up), and Life Without Plastic’s Freezycups come with reusable bamboo sticks automatically. They can be hand washed in warm, soapy water. I did notice that the sticks got stained after the first use, but that wouldn’t bother me.
Bottom Line
If you’re going to make popsicles, and you want to make them without plastic, I think Freezycups are a good option. Me? I have sensitive teeth and don’t eat popsicles very often, so I am probably going to gift this set to a friend with kids.
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this is what i have been looking for, for a long time in iceland but is nowhere to be found! Tiny country. The shipping to Iceland is extreamly expensive. I will make someone buy it in USA for me. Good article :)
Where can I buy this ice pop mold in Philippines?
So glad Google brought up your blog in my search for an alternative to plastic Popsicle molds! Just ordered the Freezycups to replace our old plastic mold that my daughter left on the counter, the cat batted off, and the pup chewed to destruction. Can’t wait to try it and have one fewer piece of plastic in my kitchen.
Hi Beth,
I have the Onyx brand Popsicle molds and definitely agree with your review. They are great, but it sounds like the Freezycups are an improvement. I also prefer the shape of the Freezycup molds, the Onyx brand makes Popsicle that are, who do I say it politely, very phallic looking?
As a family with small children, we do love the option of making our own Popsicles which are a great healthy and cool treat in the summer, and even my 3 year old loves to make them (almost on her own) with our mini food processor.
You have enough of a problem with the shape of a popsicle by a brand to even mention such a thing? Wow…
I just returned my onyx moldsfor that exact reason… I couldn’t believe how ‘odd’ they looked. I checked with friends and all were howling with laughter… otherwise I liked them so much.
I LOVE these. Thank you, thank you for sharing. :-)
More room in the freezer for ice! Love it.
Grape pops! (and great post, Beth!) Yum! I’m posting popsicles all this week too :) I have to say though that I love my Onyx set. My kids (even the little one) love pulling them out and putting them back in if they are not ready. Great to have options :)
These sound awesome. I have been holding off getting a popsicle maker b/c of the plastic issue, and didn’t love the look of the Onyx one — I think someone mentioned that it had many pieces that were easy to lose. I’ve just been using an already owned ice cube tray instead. I’ll have to check these out. I like to freeze leftover smoothies as pops.
P.S. I wish they would make these in a slightly smaller size as well. Regular popsicles are a little large for my little ones.
Hi, Eco Novice! You could still use them. Just don’t fill them up all the way. Push the stick down further so it’s in the juice, and then when you remove the popsicle from the mold, push the round tray up so it’s right under the popsicle. Does this make sense?
Yes, great idea! I think I’m going to give these a try — looks like I was right to wait.
I got the onyx set as a gift and they make a great guilt free snack.
:) when I was out an ice cube tray I filled the pop molds with water and would let them melt a little in my hot tea and then dump them in.
thank you! i was looking for these
I just bypass the middleman and put the grapes directly in the freezer. Mini-pops. It’s seriously addictive.
I’ll have to try frozen grapes. My kids love frozen blueberries. And frozen strawberries in a cup of water make it a special cold drink. (The popsicle mold looks cool too, but popsicles are messier.)