Cloudy vs Clear Ice: What's the Difference? Which is Better?

Ever wonder why some ice is cloudy, and some ice is clear? Well today you’re going to find out!

What Makes Ice Cloudy?

Ice that comes out of a kitchen ice machine or ice cube tray is usually white or cloudy in the middle. The reason this happens is because when water is put into a tray and left to freeze, it freezes from the outside in. The first thing to freeze is the cleanest, purest water—which means air bubbles, minerals and impurities get pushed towards the middle of the cube. That’s what causes the cloudiness.

What Makes Ice Clear?

Commercial ice machines usually circulate water over a plate/grid that is freezing cold. This causes ice to freeze from the inside out, or one layer at a time. The cleanest, purest water freezes, and the minerals, impurities and air bubbles continue moving along. So the clear ice cubes made by commercial ice makers are simply made of the purest water. That’s why they’re clear!

Why Clear Ice is Generally Better

Other than just looking nice—clear ice has some other benefits over cloudy ice:

Because it’s only water, it’s denser so it melts more slowly and lasts longer (air and impurities make it melt away more quickly)
Pure water makes ice taste better—therefore, whatever you put it in tastes better!
A cloudy cube will shrink because the air pockets will cause some evaporation, so you end up with less ice than you actually made.

You Have The Scoop on Clear and Cloudy Ice!

Now next time you notice a beautiful piece of clear ice in your drink or cooler, you’ll be in-the-know.

Commercial grade ice machines make clear ice cubes—and if you’re looking for the right ice machine that suits your needs—let us help. At Memphis Ice Machine Co., we clearly love ice machines, and want to make ice-making easy for you!