Review on Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds (Set of 2) - Perfect for Chilled Drinks and Cocktails! by Melissa Cormier

There must be a catch. I've bought 2 sets of 2 and tried hot distilled water and room temperature distilled water with no success. Hot water resulted in 2 salvaged ice balls which were both muddy and cracked (and 2 fell apart). Room temperature results: 3 rescued cubes (and 1 that split into 2), also cloudy and with many cracks. I ordered a small fridge in the hope that putting the filled molds in would slow down the freezing process and help get crispier cubes. I've had relatively good results with other brands (both square and round in various sizes), but I'm still not getting "clear" dice and balls. To be fair the molds are well done but I was expecting much better results. Update: After some trial and error, my orbs keep getting better, so an update is guaranteed. There are some tricks. Distilled water! It turns out that using it in an insulated lunch bag slows the freezing process and results in cleaner balls. Rinsing them before adding them to the smoothie will remove the frost and make them look like large glass marbles. Not quite clear yet, but it's getting better. Don't waste time boiling distilled water. This method (without using an insulated lunch bag) resulted in very cracked balls that broke into pieces in the drink. If they included the ability to add and/or explain the use of an isolated container, I would consider upgrading to 5 stars. 4 of these sphere molds plus an insulated container for freezing is still about 35% of the cost of a Wintersmiths sphere mold and container.