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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,936
Registered: ‎07-02-2015

Making the perfect clear ice cube

I always enjoy this amusing columnist, who also wrote the piece  I posted recently about  "how to boil an egg". 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/baby-its-cold-inside-in-search-of-the-perfect-homemade-ice-cube...

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,620
Registered: ‎03-27-2011

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

Interesting! I never realized an ice cube could be so important to some.

 

I gave up on icemakers in the fridge awhile ago. We are a small household and just didn't use it enough to justify the cost of the filters. It always seemed they were the first to act up as the fridge aged.  Although this summer was so hot I did consider looking into a separate small countertop one.

 

I identify with the woman that was the only one to refill the trays. Smiley Happy

 

I found trays that are plastic , have crescent shaped cubes, and 'pop' out fairly easily . They were bargains at a Big Lots. I hate wrestling with getting cubes out.

 

I remember visiting a friends house when an adolescent and her mother placed cherries in the cubes and I thought it was so fancy. When I stated that to my mother (head of household & worked full time) she said for me to be sure to enjoy them and thank her mother when I visited! Smiley Happy 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,936
Registered: ‎07-02-2015

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

[ Edited ]

I've been making my own cubes for years, using Brita-filtered water.  I gave up on my Sub-Zero's icemaker years ago after it seemed to need a repair every year, and tended to spit ice cubes all over the freezer when it actually was working. 

 

I have learned one thing about getting ice cubes to easily pop out of our Rubbermaid plastic trays---I let the trays warm up a bit after emptying them before adding more of the filtered water we keep cold in the fridge.  If I add cold water to cold trays, it tends to cause the cubes to pop out in shattered condition instead of whole.

 

Sophisticated stuff, this icemaking.  LOL!!

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,551
Registered: ‎09-16-2010

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

@novamc1: I have replaced two ice makers because the ice taste was horrible. I was told  by the repair man that my 18 cubic refrigerator did not have filters for the ice maker. He said that I needed to contact the local water company and request for the water llines and the water be tested. He indicated that if the water company refused to help that he could order a water filter and attach it to the back of the refrigerator to filter the water going to the ice maker???? When I called the water company I was transferred to three different people. They asked if any of my neighbors had water issues???? I said I had no idea but they should help me. I was told someone from the lab would call to schedule appointment , that was almost two weeks ago!!!! My freezer are is very small and 4 ice trays take up needed space!!!!  Anyone ever heard this or had similar issues and what can be done??? TIA- SouthernBee 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,936
Registered: ‎07-02-2015

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

@SouthernBee

 

I am still using a 20-plus-year-old SubZero, so can't speak for any other fridges, but I also had trouble with icemakers in the machines I owned before.  I soon will be buying a fridge  for our new home now under construction and assume most new fridges with icemakers  will include a filter.  They didn't have filters years ago.  I  certainly didn't know a repairman  could install  a filter in  machines that don't have them built in. 

 

I sympathize with your ice problem, but can't offer any advice.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,755
Registered: ‎03-15-2014

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

I've always made my own cubes.   It's not a bother in the least.  Smiley Happy

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,595
Registered: ‎12-23-2015

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

i dont have an ice maker in frig. when we bought it maria didnt want it. a few  months back brewing coffee for ice coffee started tasting and smelling like metallic.. i cleaned coffee maker then thru out and bought a new cm.my wife said maybe its the water.i said cant be. we never had problems with our water.so i started using britta water and coffee has been fine. and i fill ice cube trays with britta water allso. big difference. were in cranston ri. were are you? we have been in cranston 11 years and never had a problem with our warter until few months ago.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,470
Registered: ‎01-01-2015

Re: Making the perfect clear ice cube

I just make the cubes myself.

 

I keep the trays refilled after I empty them.

 

When we bought our fridge, we decided that we didn't want an ice maker because we had heard that they tended to need repairing out of all of the things that could go wrong with the fridge.