You just came out of the big party season, so your ice cube maker was probably working overtime for much of the last two weeks. This is the time when you often find out if things are not working properly. If your guests were commenting that something just did not taste right, it may have been the ice. Before you go into the heavy usage period for using the ice maker over the spring and summer, we can take a quick look at some of the more common problems that impact the flavor of the ice.
Dirty Water Filter – I already know there are some people that just asked “what water filter,†so no need to be ashamed. Any fridge with an ice maker or water dispenser is going to have a water filter. Depending upon use, the filter will have to be replaced every three to six months. They are not difficult to replace, as you can find a YouTube video for every model out there today. The filters can be a bit expensive, however, so make sure you are getting the right model.
Old Ice – when was the last time you used the last piece of ice in the bottom of the tray? If that ice has been sitting in the freezer for some time, it may have become old and stale, picking up some of the flavors of items that were put in the freezer. If you do not use your ice all the time, start turning off the ice maker when the tray is full so you work your way through all the ice instead of only taking it off the top. You can also make it a habit of dumping the entire tray once a month and cleaning it out to ensure you always have fresh ice.
Unwrapped Food – I hinted at this above, and it can be a real problem when it comes to flavoring the ice. Now, I use a vacuum sealer for everything I put into my freezer for this very reason. It ensures no flavors escape and influence other foods or the ice that are also in the freezer.
Bad Water Supply – this is the most obvious of them all. If you are not drinking your tap water because you do not like the taste, what do you think is happening to your ice? If that is the case, you may want to be a bit more aggressive with changing out the filter on your refrigerator. I would make it a habit of having a glass from the water dispenser once a week just to make sure you are okay with the taste of the water. Once the dispenser water starts to taste a bit off, replace your filter again.
