Chill Out! I Tested 11 Popsicle Molds to Find the Best Ones for Making Delectable Frozen Treats

Popsicles inspire nostalgia. After swimming in the town pool for hours, my friends and I would plead with our parents to buy us an icy treat from the ice cream truck parked over by the track field. We usually won out, since it was hot and we were cute little five-year-olds. My choice was often a strawberry shortcake popsicle, but I’d be equally happy with a Flintstones push-pop or even a red, white, and blue rocket. These sweet treats are a reminder of carefree days, chlorine-bleached hair, and sticky fingers. 

I still love a popsicle on a hot day, especially one I’ve made. You can get creative with it and even make a boozy batch. Popsicles are also a fun treat to serve when friends are over: Fill a bucket with ice, stick a bunch of popsicles in it, and bring on the warm memories of summers past.

The key to this pleasurable icy moment is a good popsicle mold. While you could use wax-lined paper cups and plop a flat wooden stick in them (this is kinda how popsicles were invented, ya know), a mold lets you recreate a more iconic shape and won’t get bashed in the freezer. Former Serious Eats editor Kristina Razon tested popsicle molds in 2021, so I created a lineup that included her winners, along with some popular new kids on the block. I evaluated the molds on if they were messy to fill, if they fit nicely in my freezer, and if the popsicles were easy to remove from the molds.

The Tests 

• Fill and Move Test: I filled each set of molds with a recipe for mango yogurt popsicles. I noted if the molds were easy or messy to fill.
• Unmold Test: After freezing solid, I removed the popsicles from the molds and noted if I struggled. I then cleaned each set of molds per the manufacturer’s instructions. 
• Eating Test: I tried a popsicle from every mold (tough job, eh), noting how the popsicle stick felt to hold and if it was a neat or messy experience chowing down. I also asked five obliging volunteers to eat popsicles and note their thoughts. 

What We Learned

Flat Sticks Were Easier to Grip

While the stick might feel like an understudy, it actually plays a starring role in the composition of a popsicle. It holds it aloft, keeps your hand clean, and gives you purchase when you tug the popsicle from its mold. Grasp and pull, and out pops the popsicle.

Longer, flat sticks, like that of the Zoku molds, were easier to grip, while short, rounded ones proved slippery and were, embarrassingly, the source of a few hand cramps. You want a good grip on the stick so you can easily tug the popsicle from the mold. 

It Was Easier to Fill Top-Down Models 

Top-down models with slightly larger openings (like the Tovolo Groovy molds, which had 2.63  by 1.25-inch openings) were the easiest to fill. Most came with a tray that held them upright, making it easy to neatly pour the popsicle mixture inside. 

Side-filled molds, like the Lekue and Sur La Table Patterned Pop Molds, were difficult and messy to fill. It was hard to gauge when to stop pouring, so I’d often overfill the mold, but this would only become apparent when I covered the opening and the filling oozed out from the sides. 

Once frozen, popsicles made in side-filled molds were lumpy and often had air pockets. It’s also tricky to find a flat surface to rest the molds on—at least, in my chest freezer. 

T-Shaped vs. Straight Stick Molds

My freezer was jam-packed before testing popsicles—and after, well, popsicles are still tucked into every nook and cranny. I enlisted the help of my friends and family to help me make a dent in my popsicle pile, while also providing insights into how they were to eat.

Two camps quickly emerged: frozen treat lickers and biters. For lickers, molds with a T-shaped base (a stick to grasp and a horizontal platform where the popsicle meets it) like the Zoku were preferable since this slow and easy way of eating often results in drips. The horizontal part of the “T” helped catch these dribbles and also prevented the popsicle from sliding down the stick. But it also gets in the way of the last bite—my sister had to gently tug the last icy bit up with her teeth so she could finish it off. 

Popsicle biters found it much easier to wolf down a frozen treat if it’s simply stuck on a stick, like the Lekue and Onyx pops—nothing gets in the way. But it’s a much messier experience since you don’t have that hilt-like T-shape catching drips. 

Both styles have their fans and their pros and cons. So when buying a set of molds, perhaps consider how you like to eat popsicles.

Stick With Sturdy Materials—Silicone Was Too Floppy

I had high hopes for silicone molds since it seemed like they’d be easy to peel off the popsicles. Instead, it was a finger workout pulling the silicone away from the frozen treat, which immediately started melting from all the handling. 

Silicone molds got mashed in the freezer, and they were hard to fill evenly, resulting in pockmarked treats. Sturdy, solid molds like the plastic Zoku and metal Onyx were better at keeping the popsicles’ shape intact and were easier to remove—just run under hot water for a few seconds and tug the stick. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Popsicle Mold

Popsicle molds should be easy to fill, fit nicely in your freezer, and result in pristine popsicles with clean lines. Side-fill molds were messy. Instead, I preferred top-down molds with slightly wider openings. Avoid silicone molds, which are prone to getting mashed and produce pockmarked popsicles. 

T-shaped sticks provided a splash guard against drips, while simple vertical sticks made it easy to nibble away at the popsicle. Regardless of stick style, I preferred flat sticks over tubular ones. They were easier to grasp when pulling the popsicle out of the mold. 

Our Favorite Popsicle Molds

The Best Popsicle Molds

Zoku Classic Pop Molds

$20 at Amazon $15 at Sur La Table $15 at Ocado.com

What we liked: I easily unmolded beautiful, rounded popsicles from this set after a quick run under hot water. The molds fit nicely into my chest freezer (one that’s packed to the gills at that), and I liked that the holder was one continuous piece of plastic, keeping the popsicles contained and upright. The T-shaped sticks popped in securely so there was no leaking, and the flat sticks made it easy to tug the popsicles free. 

What we didn’t like: The horizontal part of the T-shaped stick made it difficult to eat the last bit of popsicle. The openings to the molds were a little narrow, though filling them was still mostly mess-free. They’re not dishwasher-safe. 

Key Specs 

• Number of molds: 6
• Measured capacity: 3.75 fluid ounces
• Materials: Plastic
• Dimensions of opening: 2.38 x 1.5 inches
• Dimensions of single mold: 4.5 x 2 inches
• Stick style: T-shaped
• Stick length: 2 inches
• Dishwasher-safe: No

Another Great Set of Popsicle Molds

Tovolo Classic Popsicle Molds Set of 5

$14 $12 at Amazon

What we liked: This set of molds was easy to fill, thanks to a near-oval opening. The molds slotted into a divoted holder, which held them upright, resulting in a crisply lined, perfect-looking popsicle. The T-shaped stick helped prevent drips, too. 

What we didn’t like: While the sticks were flat, they were also short, which made them harder to grip when unmolding the popsicles. The horizontal part of the T-shaped stick was hollow and held some of the popsicle mixture in it, making it hard to finish it off. Also, five molds is an odd number—literally and figuratively. 

Key Specs 

• Number of molds: 5
• Measured capacity: 4 fluid ounces
• Materials: Plastic
• Dimensions of opening: 2.5 x 1.38 inches
• Dimensions of single mold: 3.63 x 2.25 inches
• Stick style: T-shaped
• Stick length: 1.5 inches
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Larger Popsicle Molds

Tovolo Groovy Pop Molds

$25 at Amazon $20 at Macy's $22 at Wayfair

What we liked: If you want a big honkin’ treat, this set is for you. Each mold holds 4.5 ounces and unmolds a large popsicle with namesake grooves at the top. The divoted holder ensured neatly frozen popsicles, and the T-shaped stick helped minimize sticky fingers. I liked the wide mold openings, too, which made filling mess-free. 

What we didn’t like: The short, rounded stick was hard to grasp when removing the popsicle. Like the Tavolo Classic, the horizontal part of the T-shaped stick is hollow, so some of the popsicle mixture gets stuck inside. 

Key Specs 

• Number of molds: 6
• Measured capacity: 4.5 fluid ounces
• Materials: Plastic
• Dimensions of opening: 2.63 x 1.25 inches
• Dimensions of single mold: 4.88 x 2.5 inches
• Stick style: T-shaped
• Stick length: 1.5 inches
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Classic Popsicle Molds

Onyx POP004 Stainless Steel Popsicle Mold

$42 at Amazon

What we liked: This metal set makes classic popsicles—you know, the kind with wooden sticks poking out from the bottom. They’re petite and easy to eat quickly, which is good since there’s nothing protecting your hand from drips.  

What we didn’t like: Because the molds are made of stainless steel the popsicles melted more than others when I ran them under hot water. The resulting popsicles are messier to eat, since there is no horizontal beam propping up the treat (though there is a flat metal piece that you push the stick through before freezing, it’s removed when you unmold the pops). This set is also quite expensive. 

Key Specs 

• Number of molds: 6
• Measured capacity: 3.75 fluid ounces
• Materials: Stainless steel, silicone 
• Dimensions of opening: 2.25 x 1 inches
• Dimensions of single mold: 4 x 2 inches
• Stick style: Stick
• Stick length: Variable, since you insert a disposable bamboo stick 
• Dishwasher-safe: NA
  

The Competition

Also Good

• Ozera Popsicles Molds: This set was like a smaller version of the Tovolo Groovy Molds and made fine popsicles. It was a top pick in our previous test. 
• U.S. Kitchen Supply Jumbo Set of 18 Classic Ice Pop Molds: With 18 molds in this set, you could have a popsicle party. The sticks and molds were very similar to the Ozera molds, sporting similarly short, rounded sticks that were harder to grip. But in the end they made good popsicles. 
• Williams Sonoma Rainbow Pop Molds: This set is made by Tovolo and is essentially the same as the Tovolo Classic Molds, though for some reason it’s $8 more. 

Not Recommended 

• Lekue Large Stackable Ice Pop Lollipop: While this stacking set was cute (and stored well), the side-filled silicone molds were messy to top up. Once frozen, the popsicles were difficult to remove and were pockmarked. 
• American Ice Pop Maker: This was a terrible set that fell over like dominos as I filled each mold. The lid is also one large piece of plastic with slots in which you insert the sticks, which was messy. This single lid also trapped air, causing ice crystals to form on the bottoms of the pops. 
• Sur La Table Ice Pop Molds With Case: The molds are all attached in this set, which means if you want to unmold one pop by running it under warm water, you have to run all of them under water. The stick is also really short—a little more than a half inch—and hard to grip. I could barely tug them out. 

FAQs

Do silicone popsicle molds work?

I found that silicone popsicle molds were more trouble than they’re worth. They were difficult to fill and squished easily, and it was tricky peeling the molds off the popsicles. I’d go for a sturdy plastic or metal mold instead. 

What is the best material for popsicle molds?

In my tests, I found that metal and plastic molds were the best. They were easy to fill and unmold and produced smooth popsicles.

Can you put ice cream in a popsicle mold?

You sure can! If using store-bought ice cream, it’s best to let it soften a little bit before scooping it into the molds. We also have a few from-scratch recipes for this: strawberry shortcake ice cream bars and pudding pops. Yum!

How do you get popsicles out of the mold?

To unmold popsicles from plastic or metal molds, simply run them under hot water for a few seconds, then give the sticks a tug. 

How do you clean popsicle molds?

Many manufacturers don’t give explicit cleaning instructions, so to play it safe I’d recommend hand-washing the molds. That said, the stainless steel Onyx molds are dishwasher-safe and came out sparkling. 

What can I use instead of popsicle molds?

Wax-coated paper cups are a classic alternative to popsicle molds. Just fill the cup with your popsicle mixture and freeze for a little bit before adding a wooden stick (this helps it stick up straight in the center). 

What are the best popsicle molds for kids?

All of my favorite molds were easy to use and kid-friendly. Not to mention they’ll likely love the resulting frozen treats. 

Why We’re the Experts 

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Serious Eats. She’s been testing kitchen gear and writing about food for nearly four years. 
• For this review, Grace tested 11 sets of popsicle molds, making dozens of popsicles.
• Former Serious Eats editor Kristina Razon first tested popsicle molds in 2021. We included her winners, as well as some molds in the competition and new offerings, in our current lineup.