If you’re going to organize a pool party, then ice cubes are gonna be the important item to make it successful. Almost all drinks require ice hence there would be high demand for ice cubes. You can not run to the store with ice bags during the party. Hence, you should know- how long does it take ice to freeze?
If you don’t know the freezing time of water then there could be a shortage of ice cubes. In this article, I’m going to answer all related queries. I’ll tell you some tips to reduce the freezing time of ice cubes.
So, keep reading…
Table of Contents
How Long Does It Take Ice To Freeze in Refrigerator?
Generally, water in the ice cubes tray takes 3 to 4 hours to freeze. However, it more depends on other factors like temperate inside the freezer, material of ice cube tray, size of ice cubes, and quality of water.
The ice maker inside the refrigerator takes 2 to 3 hours to freeze completely. Also, the frequent opening of the refrigerator can increase the heat loss, and the freezing time increases.
So, if you’re dependent on your refrigerator to make ice cubes for a party then start the production earliest (a day before the party time).
How Can I Make My Ice Freeze Faster?
If you want to make your ice freeze faster then follow these tips-
1. Use metallic tray
Plastic and rubber are insulators of heat and electricity. Hence, the cooling effect in plastic ice tray takes slowly. If you want to make ice freezes fast in the refrigerator then use stainless steel trays. Stainless steel is a good conductor of heat hence cooling effect will be faster.
2. Use pure water
Tap water has a lot’s minerals dissolved in it. Minerals present in the water reduce the freezing effect. That’s why pure water on the surface freezes first and impurities accumulate at the center of an ice cube. Impurities are also lead to cloudy ice cubes. Hence, always use purified or distilled water to freeze ice faster and get clear ice cubes.
3. Use hot water
Yes, it might sound a little weird but hot water freezes faster. This happens due to the Mpemba effect. Until 1960, this was not popular but Erasto Bartholomeo Mpemba a Tanzania schoolboy conducted an experiment and found that hot milk freezes faster than cooled milk. You can read about the Mpemba effect here.
4. Reduce the size of ice cubes
The size and thickness of ice cubes also affect the freezing time. If you want to make ice cubes freeze faster then use small size ice trays and fill them less so that water thickness is less.
5. Use countertop ice makers
Countertop ice makers are best for organizing outdoor parties. The quality of ice cubes is really good and it takes less time than the freezer. Normally, the freezer takes 2 to 4 hours to freeze ice cubes while countertop ice makers barely take 12 to 15 minutes. Also, the power consumption is also less than the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Does Hot Water Freezes Faster?
It’s due to the Mpemba effect. Hot water evaporates faster and also minerals and impurities of water are reduced due to boiling. Also, due to the high-temperature difference between cold surface and hot bottom, the cooling effect increases.
Does refrigerator ice makers faster than ice cube trays?
Yes. The ice maker inside the refrigerator maintains a lower temperature inside the freezing area. Some refrigerator ice makers have refrigerant coils that chill the ice trays and freezes water faster than ice cube trays.
Does saltwater make ice freeze faster?
No. Saltwater doesn’t freeze ice faster. However, saltwater is quicker to cool but not freeze.
Final Verdict
I hope you got the answer to how long does it take ice to freeze? Plastic and rubber ice trays take 3 to 4 hours to freeze water while the ice maker inside the refrigerator takes 1.5 to 2 hours. However, you can reduce the freezing time by following the above tips.