When we want a nice, cold drink during the summer, ice cubes are what we reach for to ensure that our drinks are cool and refreshing. We know that ice cubes are kept in the freezer, and the freezer is where the cubes can be made. When we run out, we go out and search for more or make our own. But, how long does it take for water to freeze into ice?
It can take approximately three to four hours for a standard ice cube tray to make ice in a home freezer. While this is a general approximation, various factors can lead to it taking longer for your water to freeze into ice or possibly make the ice quicker.
Continue reading to learn more about how long it can take for ice to freeze. Also, continue reading to learn what factors can affect the rate in which your ice freezes as well as some tricks that can help you to freeze ice faster.
How Long Does It Take for Ice to Freeze?
In an average home freezer, it can take anywhere from around three to four hours before ice cubes are completely frozen in a standard ice cube tray. There are some factors, however, that can make for this process to take longer. Some of these include:
- The material the ice cube tray is made of
- The temperature of the freezer
- The number of items that are in the freezer
Each of these listed above can cause the process of freezing ice to take much longer.
At What Temperature Does Ice Freeze?
Water will freeze at a temperature of 32° Fahrenheit or 0° Celcius. These temperatures are known as “freezing points” because water freezes at these temperature levels. If the temperature is above these, the water will not freeze. Water can still freeze if the temperature is lower than the “freezing point”.
Factors That Make Up for How Long an Ice Takes to Freeze
If you have put water in your freezer to freeze into ice but have found that after around three or four hours that the water still has not frozen, it is possible that one or more of the many factors that can influence the rate ice freezes is at play.
The length of time that it can take for water to freeze is not solely dependent on the temperature being at or below the freezing point. There are other factors that can cause the length of time to extend. Below are some of these factors.
Ice Cube Tray Material
The material that your ice cube tray is made of can affect how long it would take for the water to freeze into ice. Ice cube trays are often made from plastic, but there are some that are made from materials such as silicone and metal.
Metal ice cube trays can help the water to freeze faster, while plastic ice cube trays can cause the process to take longer.
Ice Surface Area
The surface area of the ice can affect how long it will take to freeze. Ice tends to freeze from the outside to the inside. If the ice cubes are bigger, it can take longer as the temperature has to stretch out along the area in order to completely freeze it.
Ice cube trays that have a larger area tend to freeze faster as there is more space between the cubes of ice. If the cubes are too close, this can cause the surface area to be greater which causes for the ice to freeze at a slower rate.
Ions and Minerals in Water
Any impurities in the water can cause it to freeze slower. This is because these ions and minerals may have different freezing points compared to the water, so it would take longer to freeze these impurities. If these impurities are left unfrozen, the water will not freeze.
Temperature of Freezer
As previously discussed, water freezes at a temperature of 32° Fahrenheit or 0° Celcius. These temperatures are considered to be the freezing points of water.
The temperature inside your freezer can determine the length of time that it can take for the water to freeze into ice. Despite all freezers being considered cold, you can set your freezer to be warmer or colder depending on what you are storing inside.
Of course, it should be noted that the colder freezer temperatures will help to freeze the water into ice faster when compared to warmer freezer temperatures.
Too Many Items in the Freezer
The amount of stuff in your freezer can also have an affect on the rate in which the water will turn into ice. The cold air and temperature of the freezer is used to freeze both the food kept in the freezer as well as the water.
If there is a large amount of food kept in the freezer, the air may be used more to freeze them rather than the water. This can cause for a longer amount of time to be needed to freeze the water into ice.
How Can I Make Ice Freeze Faster?
It is highly likely that you want your ice to freeze as quickly as possible. If this is the case, there are some steps you can take that can help decrease the length of time that it would take for the water to freeze into ice.
Boiling the Water
It may seem strange, but hot water tends to freeze faster than cold water. This weird phenomenon has been the basis for various videos on the internet where people take boiling water and set it outside when it is cold in order to see how quickly it will freeze.
This process can also be used to freeze ice cubes. Known as the Mpemba effect, it has been found that boiling hot water can freeze at a rate that is approximately 15% faster compared to cold water or room temperature water.
Using Stainless Steel Trays
As previously discussed, the material that your ice cube tray is made of can have an affect on how quickly the water will freeze into ice. Stainless steel, as well as metal, trays are not as insulate as the plastic trays that are often used to freeze ice.
Since they are not as insulated, it takes less time for the ice cubes to freeze as the temperature of the tray will decrease faster.
Smaller Ice Cubes
Smaller ice cubes have a smaller surface area. This means that the cubes will freeze quicker since there is less space that needs to be covered.
Turn the Temperature Down
Cooler temperatures are known to help ice freeze faster than warm temperatures. You can turn down the temperature of your freezer, so it is colder. This can help to decrease the amount of time it will take for the water to freeze into ice.
How Do You Keep Ice Frozen?
While it is in the freezer and kept at a constant cold temperature, your ice will remain frozen. It will begin to melt, however, once it is exposed to a higher temperature, such as room temperature.
If you are planning on traveling and want to take your ice with you, it is best to plan on keeping the ice in a cooler. There are different types of coolers that you can choose from that are designed to keep whatever is inside it cooler. Each of these coolers are designed based on how they will be used.
There are coolers that are designed for shorter trips. These coolers are often made of soft nylon or polystyrene foam. They provide only a moderate amount of insulation.
There are coolers that are designed for longer trips. These coolers tend to have better insulation as you want what is kept inside to stay cooler for longer. These coolers are often made of plastic.
Under no circumstance should you use a metal cooler. These will get very hot very quickly and will melt your ice faster.
Final Thoughts
Ice is a great way to make drinks cooler. While you can go to the store to buy your own ice, you can make ice yourself in your freezer at home. It typically takes approximately three to four hours for water to freeze into ice.
There are some factors, however, that can make the process of turning water into ice take a longer period of time. Some of these factors include the material of the ice cube tray you are using, the surface area of the ice, the temperature of your freezer, and the amount of items you keep in your freezer.
If you find that it takes longer to freeze water into ice in your freezer, it is highly likely that one or more of the factors listed above could be the reason. There are some steps you can take, however, to quicken the rate at which your water freezes into ice.
These can include turning down the temperature of your freezer or boiling the water before freezing it.
