Top 5 Best Defrosting Trays 2023:
- A-STAR Defrosting Tray For Frozen Foods
- THAT! Thaw That Frozen Food Thawing Plate
- Qchef MW1832 DFTBlack Quick & EZ Defrosting Tray
- Zabika Defrosting Tray for rapid thaw
- CQ Essentials | Time Saving | Rapid Thaw Food Defrosting Tray Plate Set
If you want to save food from spoiling, freezing it is the best and easiest solution. However, when it comes to defrosting, it can be a tricky and messy process. It takes a lot of time, and most often you’re forced to cook half-frozen food.
With a defrosting tray, you will not have any of these problems! A defrosting tray is a handy kitchen tool that is very efficient in thawing frozen food.
Whether you’re craving a mouth-watering steak, delicious chicken, or healthy vegetables, the quickest and most effective way to defrost it is definitely with a defrosting tray.
There are many amazing defrosting trays available on the market. To help you choose, we’ve decided to test them and make this list!
So, if you’re curious to find out about the best defrosting trays, keep on reading!
5 Best Defrosting Trays In 2023: Detailed Reviews
1. A-STAR Defrosting Tray For Frozen Foods – Best Overall
A-STAR defrosting trays are a top choice when it comes to quality and performance. It defrosts frozen food three times faster than traditional defrosting! The thawing time depends on the size of the food, but on average, it will defrost any food completely in about 60 minutes!
This defrosting tray is made of premium food-grade aluminum for efficient and even heat exchange. It also features a layer of non-stick coating which makes it very easy to clean after use.
Any possible mess due to thawing is reduced to a minimum because you get a drip tray included! The drip tray collects all excess fluids without leaving a mess on your kitchen counter, and it also prevents any bacteria build-up!
A-STAR defrosting tray doesn’t need hot water, electricity, or any other source of power to work. The aluminum board draws heat towards the food on the tray and defrosts it at an even rate, which means you will never be left with half-frozen food.
Defrosting food in hot water is not recommended because it can lead to the development of harmful bacteria, and if you try to thaw food in a microwave, you risk losing flavors and nutrients. With A-STAR defrosting tray, you can defrost anything in a healthy way while keeping all the rich flavors intact!
Pros
- Premium food-grade aluminum tray
- Drip tray for excess liquids included
- The mess is reduced to a minimum
- Three times faster than traditional defrosting
Cons
- Some users complained that the surface feels a little rough to the touch
2. THAT! Thaw That Frozen Food Thawing Plate – Premium Choice
One of the best high-end defrosting trays is this one by THAT! Inventions. It thaws frozen food on your kitchen countertop without any power source or heat. It also defrosts food two times faster than the traditional defrosting process and it doesn’t destroy the flavor, unlike the microwave.
The sleek design and shiny metallic color make this a stylish tool that will be a great addition to your modern kitchen. The tray was designed to have a sturdy aluminum construction with a microfine structure that maximizes the rate of heat exchange between the frozen food and the tray’s surface at room temperature.
Thaw That defrosting tray operates without any electricity or batteries. The micro fins ensure heat exchange by dissipating cold and drawing warmth towards the surface.
Another amazing thing about this tray is that it has a water reservoir. All excess liquids that appear during thawing will be caught in the drip-catcher on the sides of the tray. It doesn’t make a mess and you don’t have to worry about harmful bacteria getting on your kitchen counter.
This defrosting tray is very easy to use and clean. However, it is not recommended to put it in a dishwasher. If you want to use it for a long time, make sure to always wash it manually. It is also convenient to store since it doesn’t take up a lot of space.
Pros
- Microfin structure optimizes heat exchange
- Works two times faster than traditional defrosting
- Comes with a drip-catcher
- Stylish design
Cons
- Not exactly budget-friendly
3. Zabika Defrosting Tray for rapid thaw – Ideal For A Large Family
Zabika defrosting tray is one of the largest defrosting trays on the market. With the 14 x 8 x 1 dimension, it is ideal for large families since you can use it to defrost up to six steaks!
You can also use it to thaw pork chops, chicken breasts, or lamb chops and it should take from 30 minutes up to one hour to completely defrost them, depending on the room temperature. With smaller items, such as vegetables, fish, prawns, or sausages it takes even less time.
This defrosting plate is made of high-quality, food-grade aluminum without any toxic chemicals. It also has a non-stick coating which makes it very easy to use and clean.
Zabika defrosting tray doesn’t require any electricity or batteries to work. It is more hygienic than soaking food in water or defrosting it in the microwave. Not only does it stop bacteria build-up, but it also keeps all the original flavor and nutrition.
On top of all this, the tray weighs only 1.55 pounds which means it’s very lightweight and perfect to take to an outdoor barbecue or camping! Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a water reservoir, so there may be some mess afterward.
Overall, this is an amazing choice if you’re looking for a large defrosting tray that can thaw a lot of food very quickly and efficiently!
Pros
- Large size but lightweight
- Quick and efficient defrosting
- Non-stick food-grade aluminum board
- Keeps all the flavors and nutritions
- Reasonable price
Cons
- No liquid drip-catcher
4. CQ Essentials | Time Saving | Rapid Thaw Food Defrosting Tray Plate Set – 2 Size Set
In this CQ Essentials set, you get two defrosting trays of different sizes for a very reasonable price! This means that you can use one for your veggies and the other one for something else, like meat or fish, and have an entire meal defrosted very quickly!
Both trays have identical designs and they only differ in size. They are both made of high-quality, super-thick aluminum that conducts heat efficiently and evenly. You don’t have to worry about cooking half-frozen food, because this tray will thaw everything you put on it very quickly and at the same rate.
Like most other defrosting trays, this one doesn’t need any power or batteries either. It is much safer and healthier to use compared to microwave or traditional defrosting by soaking food in the water. With a tray, all nutrients and flavors will remain untouched for a delicious meal.
The trays don’t have a liquid drip-catcher but they are enforced with rubber edges. This will keep them stable and stop them from moving if water gets between the tray and your kitchen counter. You can always put paper towels beneath the tray to make the cleaning process easier afterward.
Both trays have a non-stick coating which makes them very easy to clean, and you can always just put them in the dishwasher and not worry about it!
Pros
- Two different size trays for the price of one!
- Premium, super-thick aluminum board
- Non-stick coating
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- No water reservoir
5. Qchef MW1832 DFTBlack Quick & EZ Defrosting Tray – Budget-Friendly Option
If you’re looking for a simple defrosting tray, then this one by Qchef is the best choice for you. It is a medium-sized tray, with dimensions 12×8 inches which makes it a perfect size if you’re usually cooking for no more than three people.
The tray has a simple yet effective design. It is made of high-quality aluminum which is an amazing conductor of heat. It draws cold away and pulls warmth towards the food for optimal thawing. It thaws food in half the time of the usual, traditional defrosting process and it doesn’t allow any bacteria build-up.
Thanks to its dimensions, this defrosting tray is also a lightweight and portable device. You can store it in your kitchen cabinet or hang it by its hanging hole.
There is also a layer of non-stick coating that makes it very easy to clean. This is a great feature especially because there is no liquid catcher on this tray, so it can get a bit messy. Always make sure to put paper towels underneath the tray to prevent mess as much as possible.
Be careful not to put this defrosting tray in a dishwasher. The manufacturer recommends washing it by hand because it’s delicate and can get damaged easily. But, thanks to the non-stick coating, washing it manually will be a piece of cake!
Pros
- Simple and effective design
- High-quality aluminum tray
- Non-stick feature
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Extremely budget-friendly
Cons
- Doesn’t have a liquid drip-catcher
Benefits Of Using A Frosting Tray
The best thing about defrosting trays is that they are made of materials that provide high thermal conductivity. They help bring the temperature of the food placed on the tray closer to the tray’s temperature.
The whole process is actually very simple. When you place frozen food on the tray, heat from the tray is transferred to the food, and the food temperature increases while the temperature of the tray decreases.
The tray will stay relatively close to room temperature because of its contact with air. This means it is able to continue bringing up the temperature of the food.
There are many benefits that come from using defrosting trays. First of all, they are time-saving. A defrosting tray reduces the thawing time for frozen food by half. It is also proven that defrosting trays are a safe way to defrost food because they prevent bacteria build-up during defrosting.
When you defrost food the old-fashioned way, it will take a lot of time for the whole thing to defrost and you’re often left with a partially defrosted piece of meat. With a defrosting tray, you don’t have to worry about this, because the tray thaws all parts of the food at the same rate.
Many people choose to defrost frozen meat in a microwave, but if you’re concerned about the negative effects of microwave use, you should definitely get a defrosting tray. You will never want to use a microwave for defrosting again!
On top of all this, defrosting trays are very compact and it’s easy to store them. They don’t take up a lot of space so you can simply put them in your kitchen cabinet.
Things To Consider Before You Buy A Defrosting Tray
Before you decide which defrosting tray to buy, there are some things you should consider. It’s important to think about size, material, whether it has a non-stick feature, and so on.
1. Material
Most defrosting trays are made of aluminum. Aluminum is a very efficient conductor of heat and it is able to pull the heat from the air and transfer it to the food. This way, food thaws eight to ten times faster than it usually would. Always make sure that it is antimicrobial, food-grade aluminum due to safety reasons.
Sometimes, but rarely, defrosting trays are made of copper. These trays are usually more expensive because copper conducts heat even better than aluminum. The downside of copper trays is that it scratches easily and is more difficult to clean, so they have to have an aluminum coating for easier maintenance.
2. Size
You should choose the size of a defrosting tray according to your needs. Most trays are approximately 11 inches by 8 inches. They are large enough to defrost two or three steaks so it’s a good option if you usually cook for one or two people.
Some of the largest defrosting trays are 14 inches by 8 inches, and they are a better option if you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed since they can defrost three to six steaks at once or an entire meal for one or two people!
3. Non-sticky Feature
Non-stickiness is one of the crucial features of a good defrosting tray. When food defrosts, moisture develops. This condensation combined with the cold temperature of the food can cause the food to stick to the metal surface, making it much harder to clean! This is why it’s important that you choose a defrosting tray that has a non-stick coating!
4. Water Reservoir
As we already mentioned, the thawing of the food on the tray produces a lot of moisture. This moisture can quickly accumulate on the surface, overflow off a flat tray, and spread on your kitchen counter. This not only makes an annoying mess, but it also spreads harmful bacteria.
Some trays have a built-in water box that collects water so you can easily get rid of it once the defrosting process is done. If you get a tray that doesn’t have this feature, we recommend you put paper towels underneath it to soak up the excess liquid.
Final Thoughts And Recommendations
If you’re tired of waiting for the food to defrost in the traditional way, or you don’t want to lose flavor and nutrients in a microwave, then you should get a defrosting tray!
The only question is, which one? We’ve decided to make this list of best defrosting trays on the market, and we hope it was helpful to you!
After careful consideration, these are our top picks and recommendations.
Best Overall: A-STAR Defrosting Tray For Frozen Foods
- This rounded board with an effective drainage system will defrost any food quickly and efficiently. It will not leave any mess nor allow bacteria build-up! A-Star defrosting tray is our top choice and it comes at a very reasonable price!
Premium Pick: THAT! Thaw That Frozen Food Thawing Plate
- With embedded heat pipes and a microfine structure that promotes heat exchange, this defrosting tray will thaw your food in the fastest and most efficient way! Its elegant metallic design will fit perfectly into your modern kitchen. The only flaw is the above-average price!
Best Budget-Friendly Option: Qchef MW1832 DFTBlack Quick & EZ Defrosting Tray
- If you want a simple and effective tray that will get the job done for an affordable price, then this one’s for you! It is made of high-quality aluminum, it’s easy to clean and maintain, and the price is more than reasonable!