There's no going back to silicone molds after using these. They are so easy to assemble, so easy to clean, and so easy to unmold. My soaps always come out clean with crisp lines, and I'm obsessed. This mold will NOT leak soap batter! I promise! I admit, I haven't tried these molds without lining them. Currently I line them with strips of parchment paper, which makes unmolding an absolute dream.