If you’re a crafter and love making chocolates, the right mold is essential if you want the candies to come out just right. You can find molds of all sizes and shapes, which allows for some very creative products in the end. Most of these molds will be made out of either plastic or silicone.
The main differences between silicone vs. plastic chocolate molds come down to how they are made and how much they cost. We’ll tell you the pros and cons of each type of mold, so you can decide which one is right for you.
Silicone Molds
Silicone molds involve a curing process that involves two separate parts. The parts are mixed together, then driven through a cool barrel and screw. That mixture then gets injected into a hot mold, causing the heat to speed up the curing reaction until there is a solid product there.
Compared to plastic, silicone has much lower viscosity and therefore it can flash into spaces with a thickness of less than 0.0002 inches. When you purchase molds made of silicone, they’ll cost a little bit more than the plastic ones, but they are very easy to clean because you can put them in the dishwasher, which you cannot always do with molds made out of plastic.
Plastic Molds
Plastic molds are made the opposite way of silicone molds. Thermoplastic pellets are melted and conveyed through a hot screw and barrel, then injected into a cool cavity. Once in the cool cavity, the product hardens and becomes the desired shape.
The good thing about plastic molds is that they are reusable and are made for candies such as candy cups, pretzels, and lollipops, to name a few. While plastic candy molds are not always dishwasher-safe, all you do to remove the candies is flex the mold and the candies simply pop out.
Pros and Cons of Each
When you’re trying to decide between molds of plastic or silicone, the differences may seem small if you only make chocolate or candy periodically, but if you do this for a business and you’ll be buying a lot of molds and using them frequently, it’s good to learn these differences. Here’s some information you need to know either way:
Plastic Molds
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Easy to handle
Cons:
- Less shiny than silicone
- Easy to scratch
Silicone Molds
Pros:
- Shiny and bright
- Flexible
Cons:
- Expensive
- Require more care than plastic
Keep in mind that these molds can be used for both light and dark chocolate, as well as for many different candies and other types of sweets. Which mold you pick will depend on your budget, how often you create your sweets, and a few other factors. Keep the above pros and cons in mind when you’re researching different kinds of molds for chocolate and other tasty goodies.