The silicone makes it easy to pop out the ice. The included mini funnel is indispensable when filling the tray. The ice is definitely longer lasting than cubed which prevents watering down of the beverage. I found it easier to measure the water before filling to avoid overfill, approximately 2.5 oz, which leaves room for expansion during freezing. I will be trying other items, such as adding fruits, making ice cream or frozen yogurt balls, etc. I did notice a little overspill of water had formed a sheet of ice around the cubes but no big deal. I just discarded it with no effect to the quality of the ice. Good product.Nice ice balls. This makes a perfect size for our water/drink thermoses. I do have to hold the top down tight when I fill them up otherwise it overflows over the sides. It’s kind of weird that way but I’ve figured out how to do it so I get the most water in the ice ball tray. I wish it would snap down to create individual ice ball domes without having to hold it down. I do use it every dayRound ice was smaller than what I thought. Easy removal because movable silicone. Tips: Put top & bottom molds together. Put mold on a plastic (Tupperware lid) and fill each mold with funnel (included) with a measuring cup to the top of each mold. Then it’s easier to move whole mold to freezer by picking up plastic lid and move it to freezer. It took me a few tries to figure all this out. :)These are to die for! Great gifts as well!!!Doesn’t make perfect spheres. Not that’s you’d expect them to be “perfect” but the two sides don’t seal well enough so you get a large ridge around the ice cube, they also look like squashed spheresIt's a bit of "you get what you pay for." I am disappointed that no matter my technique, water moves between the layers of silicone and I've often gotten a block of ice with 6 round protrusions, looking a bit like a diorama of Tatooine. Or I get six little Saturns with a ring around them. A friend got a mold several years ago that he said produced perfect spheres and he even found a way to make crystal clear balls without the entrapped air giving them a whiteish center. This will do just fine, I only wish I didn't know it could be better. It serves the purpose.The cubes were easy to make. Just pour the water in the form and put it into the freezer.The spheres took some practice. First of all, the spheres are just under 2 ins in diameter (1 7/8") unless you count the thin ridge that encircles each sphere. The silicon form is two pieces and while they fit together, it took practice to get the forms to fit together well.Even when you have the forms together, water can still leak out if the forms separate while you are filling them. If this occurs, you will end up with water all over. The forms will separate if you pour the water in too fast and trap air in the form. The "gift" funnel fits in the hole for water but it doesn't allow air to come out unless you pour water really, really slowly. If you pour the water too fast, air will get trapped in the form and, as you add more water, the forms will separate. If any air does get trapped in the form and you put it into the freezer, the form will separate as the water freezes.To avoid trapping air in the form, you can either power water really slowly or slightly lift the funnel while you're pouring water so that the air can vent out. You have to be patient because neither method is fast.Removing the ice from the forms (cube or sphere) is easy if you run water around the form.You patience will be rewarded with nice large ice cubes and spheres! I really like them and use them for all my beverages instead of the ice cubes my freezer normally makes.If you're looking for oversized ice cubes, do not buy the round tray. The square tray is slightly larger which is the only reason I'm not returning the 2 pack. Larger cubes keep your cocktail colder longer without watering down the liquor.