The Ice Cube Tray: Beyond Just Ice

Invented in the late 1920s and evolving with flexible aluminum designs and lever mechanisms in the 1930s and 1950s, ice cube trays remain essential for cooling drinks and have expanded uses for freezing herbs, sauces, or baby food.

The top 3

  1. First Ice Cube Tray: Who Invented It?: While Dr. John Gorrie may have used ice-making methods in 1844, Fred Wolf Jr.'s 1914 DOMELRE refrigerator included a simple ice cube tray. The first flexible, all-metal stainless steel tray, the McCord, was invented by Guy L. Tinkham in 1933, costing $0.50 at the time.
  2. Top 3 Unexpected Culinary Uses for Ice Trays: Beyond water, ice cube trays excel at portioning and preserving: freeze leftover coffee to prevent watered-down iced drinks, herbs in olive oil for quick sauté starters, and blended fruit/yogurt for easy smoothie cubes.
  3. Clever Non-Freezing Hacks for Ice Cube Trays: Ice cube trays are surprisingly useful for organization: use them to sort small items like jewelry (earrings, rings), craft supplies (beads, buttons), or even desk drawer clutter like paper clips and bobby pins.

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