The advantages of silicone ice trays
A silicone ice tray is an ice tray made of silicone material, usually used to make ice cubes, frozen food or cold drinks. It has many benefits, some of which include:
Safe and non-toxic: Silicone is a food-grade material that does not contain any harmful substances, is non-toxic and tasteless, safe and reliable. This means that the silicone ice tray can be in direct contact with food without causing contamination to food or endangering health.
High temperature and low-temperature resistance: Silicone has good temperature resistance and can withstand high and low temperatures. Therefore, the silicone ice tray can be safely placed in the freezer to freeze ice cubes, and can also be used to heat food or drinks.
Soft and easy to release: Silicone ice trays are softer than traditional plastic ice trays, which makes the ice cubes easier to take out without squeezing or rinsing with water, and the ice cubes are not easy to break.
Long lifespan: The service life of the silicone ice tray is relatively long, because the silicone is wear-resistant and aging-resistant, and it is not easy to deform or break.
Easy to clean: Silicone ice trays are not easy to adhere to dirt and are easy to clean. Generally, you only need to wash them with warm water and soap.
Reusable: Compared with disposable plastic ice trays, silicone ice trays are reusable, which reduces the impact on the environment and conforms to the concept of sustainable development.
Multifunctional: Silicone ice trays can not only be used to make ice cubes, but also can be used to make frozen juice, ice cream, frozen jelly, etc., with great versatility.
The advantages of plastic ice trays
Plastic ice trays have low high and low-temperature resistance, high thermal expansion rate, easy to burn, poor dimensional stability, and easy deformation. Most plastics have poor low-temperature resistance, become brittle at low temperatures, and are easy to age; Silicone ice trays are resistant to high and low temperatures and are suitable for temperature ranges. -40 to 230 degrees Celsius, long life;
Plastic and silica gel belong to two different colloidal materials, mainly in hardness. The hardness of plastic is about 120 degrees, and the hardness will increase significantly and become brittle when refrigerated, while ice It is difficult to take out the mold after the block is frozen, and it is not easy to take off the mold, but it is easier to operate when it is first put in water for freezing. The silicone material is soft and hard, usually at 60 degrees, and the soft colloid is filled with water and placed It is not very convenient when it is put into the refrigerator, but the product after refrigeration and molding can achieve a very good effect on the handling effect. Therefore, each has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of functionality, and silicone rubber products are softer than plastics, have a long-term practical life, and have relatively high anti-fall and wear-resistant effects.
Aesthetics
The plastic material is basically a pure color, because the color needs to add a certain amount of pigment, so the color of the material is basically pure white and semi-transparent, and there is basically no surface addition effect.
The silicone material is different from its color glue material, which is also a pure silicone environmental protection material. It is more versatile than plastic in terms of color and appearance, has better aesthetics, and has more advantages in hand comfort!
cost comparison:
The commonly used material for plastic ice trays is PP thermoplastic material. The product is translucent white. It is a relatively environmentally friendly and safe type among various plastic materials. It will not produce any chemical reaction when it comes into contact with the skin, so it can be used for a long time. On the one hand, its material is slightly higher than that of plastic, but compared with silica gel, its material is lower, but the mold cost is higher, and the mold steel material is also different due to different processes
Silicone ice tray is a relatively expensive material among all rubber and plastic materials, but the high cost of the material also has its greater advantages. In addition to safety, environmental protection, softness and comfort, it has practical life and beautiful shape. A certain bright spot is that compared with plastic ice trays, the price of silicone materials is about 50% more expensive, and the cost of molds developed in the early stage is about twice as low as that of plastic ice tray molds.
As a professional silicone product custom manufacturer, Bubble-Silicone’s professional advice
From the perspective of the development of ice tray tableware, most consumers in China and most Asian and African countries use plastic ice trays. In Europe, the United States, and Australia, more consumers use silicone ice trays, so they choose ice tray materials. It still depends on the consumer’s own adaptability to materials and functions to choose.
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