(WAY)OT: Ice Cubes

avatar for misterorange
misterorange
Kamala, you're FIRED!
So far off topic, I hesitate to post this. But it's a legitimate question and maybe someone can help me out. I make ice cubes the old fashioned way, with those blue plastic trays.
I don't freeze food. There's nothing in my freezer except ice, and sometimes a bottle of vodka. I have not adjusted the temperature settings on my fridge since I bought it like 5 years ago. I never drink tap water, only bottled spring water, but for ice and coffee making, I have the "Pur" water filter on my kitchen faucet, and I change the filter cartridge religiously.
So here's my problem. Sometimes the ice freezes up nicely, so when you twist the tray slightly the cubes pop out perfectly formed. Other times, the cubes crack and shatter, leaving half the ice stuck in the tray and the rest flying all over the place. I always leave them in for at least 24 hours. I don't try and use them before they're fully frozen.
I notice that the well frozen ones seem to be more cloudy, and the ones that get all busted up are more clear. Can't figure it out. I do the exact same thing every time.
I've tried using spring water for ice, but that almost always results in the shattered cubes. I like the nice full cubes when I make martinis in a cocktail shaker.
Any suggestions?

19 comments

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avatar for gSteph
gSteph
4 years ago
You're right, way off (normal) topic.

I do not know.
But now I'm curious.
avatar for TheeOSU
TheeOSU
4 years ago
Doesn't make sense, it sounds like your icey is loco. 🤪
avatar for Eve
Eve
4 years ago
I don't think I've ever had a problem with ice shattering. I have three different trays and they're all silicone (one for regular cubes, one for giant spheres, and the last one is for humor and makes dick shaped ice.), and as long as I twist and turn the tray enough, the ice comes out pristine.
avatar for NAAAASTY
NAAAASTY
4 years ago
Freezer doesn't always stay same temperature the entire time. It'll fluctuate a few degrees up and down, maybe more or less so depending on what part of the freezer. Impurities in the tray and the water and temperature of water when placed in tray affects freezing point and time.

The ice gets chilled from the top down, trapping any impurities and air bubbles as it freezes leading the cloudy look.

Easiest suggestion is leave in longer. You can also buy ice or ice machine. Expensive, but something called clinebell machine supposedly makes perfectly clear ice.

NAAAASTY
avatar for misterorange
misterorange
4 years ago
@NAAAASTY
That's interesting. Maybe it's the time it takes to freeze depending on temperature when I put them in?
@Eve uses silicone trays. I've seen ones that have snap-on lids. Maybe that would keep the temperature more steady, less subjected to the cold air blower?
Or maybe as @TheeOSU said, I've just got a bad case of IceyLoco. Oh jeez, I hope not.
Okay... I'm going to Amazon now.
avatar for winex
winex
4 years ago
It's better to have a bad case of IceyLoco than it is to have ChickenShit.
avatar for misterorange
misterorange
4 years ago
^^ Lol
avatar for misterorange
misterorange
4 years ago
winex, you're clearly not adhering to the "ignore" discussion we had earlier. Lol.
avatar for skibum609
skibum609
4 years ago
My guess is that you're stacking the ice cube trays and its the ones on the bottom that get cloudy and shatter a bit when you twist them out. Put them side by side, its worth the space.
avatar for BuckMcNutter
BuckMcNutter
4 years ago
Try distilled water
avatar for misterorange
misterorange
4 years ago
@ski
You're right, I don't know why but I usually stack them. I've got plenty of space in the freezer. Gonna give it a try, and also try the silicone trays.
@mets1986
I'll give the distilled water a try too. I guess it's the purest form of H20.
Thanks guys.
avatar for skibum609
skibum609
4 years ago
I use two blue plastic ice trays that are about 20 years old. Brita pitcher. Side by side. Done. Did it tonight.
avatar for winex
winex
4 years ago
I only have 2 people on ignore - TrollBot and Sirlapsalot. I will probably take Sirlapsalot off ignore once the thread where he repeated the same message a few hundred times fades away.
avatar for dirtyburt
dirtyburt
4 years ago
It happened to me before.... Be consistent in how much H2O goes into the tray.
If you fill the tray to the top it will crack.
So fill the tray about 80% with H2O and you should be good to go. Leave room for expansion.
It took me about 1 1/2 gallon of Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka to figure it out.
avatar for chessmaster
chessmaster
4 years ago
I buy the ice in the bag. Easier to break up the bagged ice than twisting the ice cube tray.
avatar for Papi_Chulo
Papi_Chulo
4 years ago
We def need an "Ice Making" TUSCL group - hope Founder is listening/reading
avatar for gammanu95
gammanu95
4 years ago
Buy a fridge that dispenses the ice itself, like this one (I saw the commercial on TV last night):

Double the Fun with Craft Ice+
The flexibility to choose cubed, crushed or exclusive slow-melting round Craft Ice on demand just got better. 2020 LG smart refrigerators with Craft Ice have been upgraded to include the option to double the Craft Ice output – from three to six ice spheres – in the same amount of time.5 Owners of 2019 models can also enjoy the new Craft Ice+ feature via a software download when they connect their fridge to the LG ThinQ® app. With the ability to store up to 25 ice spheres in the freezer drawer bin and auto-replenishment, the new feature helps keep Craft Ice fully stocked for everyone.

LG refrigerators with Craft Ice are the industry's first to automatically make slow-melting round ice (measuring two inches in diameter) in the freezer drawer without the hassle and mess of filling and freezing molds. The innovation opens up a new frontier for home mixologists while also keeping sodas, iced coffee, and other drinks colder longer. LG Craft Ice refrigerators also feature ice in the door and a water dispenser that measures the exact amount (4, 8, 16 or 32 ounces) of fresh, filtered water, automatically turning off when done.
avatar for Papi_Chulo
Papi_Chulo
4 years ago
^ price?
avatar for datinman
datinman
4 years ago
It is surprising to me that so many guys making over $350K don't have ice makers in their fridge. 🙂
For rocks cocktails I don't want watered down too quickly I use this. Silicone allows you to push the cube out intact.
https://www.amazon.com/WP-ICE-KC-GR-Work…
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