ALDI kitchen essentials you'll wish you'd bought sooner

It's functional and stylish.

I have a casual obsession with ice and cold drinks. Ice shapes, sizes, and textures are fascinating (albeit silly) and important to me. About a year and a half ago, like a goofy frozen water connoisseur, I started collecting various ice cube trays.

I have a set of square silicone trays, round ice molds, and even a set of little pebble-like molds with a container and scoop. loved The ice made with the latter mold was great, but the container made all the difference: Finally, I was ready to scoop the ice, but my newly refilled tray was frozen.So when my husband accidentally broke my beloved storage container, I was devastated and set off on a quest to find a replacement.

I needed something sturdy enough to store ice but that wouldn't easily crack when frozen. (I learned the hard way that traditional plastic containers crack easily when cold.) I was excited to see that ALDI was selling ice cube trays with built-in storage containers for $6.99, so I decided to give them a try.

This little gem turned out to be the perfect solution for keeping your delightful ice fresh, undamaged, and ready to pair with delicious drinks.

What I like about ALDI's Crofton ice cube trays

• It's not just an ice tray. It's a really clever storage solution that keeps plenty of perfectly shaped ice cubes at hand. If you're particular about ice, this affordable product is a must-have for your kitchen. The set includes a silicone ice cube tray that can make 49 ice cubes at a time and doubles as a lid, and a sturdy, stylish storage box that can hold up to 147 ice cubes. Available in three modern, trendy colors – Shark Black, Rose Pink, and Foggy Blue – this set is as stylish as it is functional.

• Perfect ice every time. The ice coming out of this tray is just amazing. Each ice cube is a tiny hexagon that adds an elegant touch to any drink. The silicone tray makes it easy to remove the ice without having to bang it against the counter like traditional plastic trays. The only small drawback is that due to the shape of the lid, the ice cubes around it only hold their shape halfway, but this small flaw doesn't take away from the integrity of the ice cubes. I was especially impressed with how the ice cubes kept their cute shape. Even in an insulated tumbler, these ice gems maintain their integrity, chilling your drink to perfection without melting slowly and making your drink watery right away.

• The best storage solution. The main reason I purchased this product is the built-in storage container. It may seem unnecessary, but having a proper container to store ice is a game changer. I love being able to make ice in bulk, store it, and then get to work on the next round straight away. This constant rotation ensures you always have fresh ice, which is super important for someone like me who consumes ice quickly.

Having the right container to store ice has transformed the way I enjoy my drinks: drinks taste fresher, stay colder longer (without the ice chips melting), and I find myself reaching for cocktails less often because they look and feel so special. If you're looking to ease into the world of low- or no-alcohol drinks, or if you want to take your cold drinks to the next level without breaking the bank, ALDI's ice cube tray and container combo is a summer must-have.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.