You’re sitting at your favorite restaurant enjoying a nice glass of sprite when you suddenly notice that the ice cubes seem curiously clear. Then you start to wonder, Why does the ice in my home ice maker comes out so cloudy. If your ice cubes aren’t crystal clear, don’t worry! Here’s the reason why–plus we’ll tell you what you can do if you want crystal clear, restaurant quality ice at home.
Unless you purchased a top of the line ice machine (like the Scotsman Brilliance Gourmet Cuber or U-Line Clear Ice Machine), the cloudy, white center in your ice cube is probably not an issue with the ice maker at all.
In face, the cloudy, white center you see in the ice produced by your refrigerator ice makers is a completely normal part of the freezing process.
If your under counter ice machine is not producing clear ice as promised, then you likely need to call an ice maker repair specialist for service.
Most commercial and residential under-counter ice machines are specially designed to remove air bubbles, gas, particulates, and chlorine, which is why they produce crystal-clear, taste-free, odorless ice.
Why are my ice cubes cloudy?
Ice cubes become cloudy when water freezes quickly. Refrigerator ice makers freeze ice cubes in a tray. At the end of the freezing cycle, the ice maker advances and dumps the cubes into a bin. This type of fast freezing is what causes your ice cubes to be cloudy. But why?
The Facts About Ice Makers and Ice Trays:
As ice begins to form around the surface of the water, it creates an icy cover over the cube tray (you’ve likely seen this if you’ve ever impatiently tried to remove ice too early from the tray–there’s still a pocket of water in the middle of the cube). As the water begins to freeze, certain gases try to escape in the form of a bubble. When the bubble reaches the surface of the cube, it is trapped by the already frozen layer. This is what causes the cloudy, white center in the ice.
Ice machines that produce crystal, clear ice use an entirely different freezing process. Under counter machines make ice by freezing the ice layer by layer, forcing gasses and impurities out. No gas bubbles are trapped inside.
If you want to enjoy clear ice at home, we suggest investing in an under counter ice machine by Scotsman, U-Line, and Sub-Zero. These brands offer some of the best residential ice machines on the market.
Important Note: When making your purchase, be sure to read the product description and look for the “clear ice promise.”
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