If you and your family enjoy drinking or serving ice-cold beverages, or you frequently entertain guests, an ice bucket can be a great addition to your home. Backyard barbecue? Bring some ice out. Party in the basement? Bring the ice down with you. Romantic evening planned? Keep your drink chilled by resting it in an ice bucket filled with a slurry of ice and water. No matter where you and your drinks go, an ice bucket can help you serve a variety of beverages over ice. Then, you and your guests won't be constantly traipsing back to the kitchen every time you need a few cubes. To help make things a little easier, here are some of our favorite ice buckets. FineDine Double-Wall Stainless Steel Ice Bucket Stay FrozenThe double-wall insulation on this ice bucket keeps your ice frozen solid for hours. Best OverallFind on Amazon If you’ve been on the hunt for the perfect ice bucket, know that there’s a reason this one rose to the top of this list. It’s got just about every feature you would want in an ice bucket. The double-insulated walls and the airtight lid help keep the ice from melting, so you can enjoy actual cubes for hours. Additionally, there’s a strainer at the bottom to keep your ice up and out of any meltwater. This way, you and your guests don’t have to go fishing for your ice. This ice bucket also comes with a pair of tongs so that you don’t have to reach into the container to grab some ice. This is a more sanitary way to serve and helps keep everyone’s hands from touching the cold ice. Finally, this great product has a handle, so you can easily get it to your party. It’ll make entertaining so much easier. Pros Good size for a small gathering (3 quarts) Lid has a hook to stay on the side of the bucket so you don’t lose it Sleek stainless steel design looks great Cons The tongs aren’t the best quality. They’re smooth on the edges, so it can be a little tricky to grab ice and keep it from falling. You might want to replace the tongs or get a scoop to use instead. Oggi 7311 Ice Bucket Stop the SweatYou aren't going to have to constantly wipe the condensation off the sides of this ice bucket. It's wrapped with polypropylene to keep it (and therefore, your counter) nice and dry.Best No-SlipFind on Amazon Sometimes, ice buckets can start to sweat. When this happens, you’ll have unsightly drops of water all around the outside, which will eventually drop down onto your table or countertop. To help you avoid puddles at your party, go with this ice bucket. Made of stainless steel, it features a black polypropylene wrap to help prevent condensation. And as an added bonus, this wrapping is non-slip, so it’ll prevent the bucket from sliding around on your table. The scoop that comes with this ice bucket is another perk. You won’t be trying to grab the ice with tongs; instead, you can quickly grab a whole scoop. On top of that, you won’t have to worry about misplacing the lid, because it’s attached to your bucket. This feature makes it really easy to flip it down after each use. This will help keep your ice frozen for a long time. Pros Comes with a scoop, and has a space on the side for storing it so it won’t get set down on the counter The combination of stainless steel and black polypropylene is very modern looking Attached lid is see-through, so you can easily keep an eye on your ice supply and know when it’s time to refill Cons The attached lid makes it a little harder to clean and dry between uses The handle can be a little sharp in places, so if yours is, you can typically get rid of any sharp spots with sandpaper SAMMART Collapsible Bucket Space-SaverThis folding ice bucket won't take a ton of room in your cupboard, but it will keep your ice, well, icy when it's time to use it. Best for TravelFind on Amazon Ice buckets are great, but they take up a lot of space when you’re not using them. If you’re looking for a compact ice bucket, give this one a try. When you’re not using it, you can collapse it down to help make storage easier. When it’s time to fill it with ice, you can quickly pop it open and put the ice in. There’s also plenty of room inside for your beverages, if you prefer guests to be able to grab something already chilled. It’s the perfect bucket to bring along to the beach, on camping trips, or anywhere else. Then you can grab a bag of ice or two when you arrive and dump it inside. When it’s not filled, this one is very lightweight. The handle makes it easier to carry it around, even if it’s full. You can select from several different fun color options, so you can pick one that matches your style. It’s a great bucket that you can use for so many things — not just your ice. Pros Easy to store. There’s even a hole in the handle so you can hang it up and keep it out of the way Super large capacity (2.6 gallons) so you can buy a bag of ice and use this anywhere Versatile — it’s not strictly an ice bucket, so you won’t have a single-purpose product Cons It’s not double-wall insulated, so your ice will melt more quickly than in some other styles There’s no lid, so you’ll have to make sure nothing flies into your ice that shouldn’t be there. It may work better to use for holding beverages in ice that your guests can help themselves to. OXO Good Grips Double Wall Ice Bucket Tongs with Teeth Tired of reaching your hands into that freezing ice bucket? This one comes with a pair of tongs that have the texture they need to grip that pesky ice.Best TongsFind on Amazon This compact ice bucket comes with some great accessories to help make your event one to remember. What we love about this one as that the included tongs have teeth on the edges, so they actually work. This makes it simple for your guests to help themselves to ice without feeling like they’re constantly dropping the cubes before they make it into their cups. The tongs hang from the side of the bucket, so they’re always nearby and ready to go. This bucket also comes with a garnish tray, so you can keep slices of lemon and lime ready for your guests. They’ll feel well taken care of with this ice bucket. The bucket itself is also great. It’s a good size for small gatherings, holding just over three quarts of ice. Additionally, the bottom has a built-in reservoir to help keep your ice out of the melting water. What’s more, the bucket is double-insulated to keep your ice frozen for your entire party. Pros Great accessories Plastic lid flips back for access and easily flips down after each use so you can keep your ice clean The garnish tray fits inside the ice bucket for convenience, or you can set it off to the side Cons Between the reservoir at the bottom and the attached lid at the top, you’ll have to be very careful when washing this ice bucket. The material itself cleans easily, but it can be tricky to get the nooks and crannies dry before you store it away Frequently Asked Questions How do I clean my ice bucket? You need to wash your ice bucket by hand. The materials they are made from are typically not dishwasher-safe, so if you try to put it in the dishwasher, it’ll likely get ruined. Use hot, soapy water to wash it with, and rinse it thoroughly. Make sure you let it dry completely before you store it away. That way it doesn’t get musty. How large of an ice bucket do I need? Ice buckets come in different sizes. To decide which one will work best for you, think about what you’ll be using the bucket for. Do you need one large enough to hold a bottle of champagne? Or are you just hoping to stop your ice from melting at a gathering? Once you know what your primary use will be, you can find an ice bucket that will accommodate your needs. The most common sizes are roughly 3-quart and 6-quart, so choose the larger one if you want to keep a bottle in there.