With the weather heating up, one way to try and keep cool is by having a steady supply of ice on hand for your summer drinks.
Whether you prefer ice cubes, crushed ice or small bullet cubes, you can now buy it in bag or make it yourself.
However, it’s important to keep the ice fresh every time. If you have ice cubes hanging around your fridge for too long, it can pick up odors from food, giving it a strange, smelly taste, like left over lasagna.
“Stinky ice is no fun. It’s really just a great way to ruin a nice drink,” said Dan Wroclawski with Consumer Reports.
It’s a common issue and your refrigerator may be to blame.
“This usually happens when ice has been sitting in your ice maker or ice bin for several weeks,” said Wroclawski. “It’s had time to absorb smells from the fridge.”
It’s especially common in older, single evaporator models.
“Cold air passes between the freezer and fresh food compartments, making it easier for your ice to get smelly,” Wroclawski said.
If it happens, dump the bin and start fresh.
“If some of it smells, likely all of it smells,” said Wroclawski.
Once you’ve dumped the ice, clean the bin. If it’s not dishwasher-safe, wash it by hand with baking soda and warm water.
You can also add baking soda near the ice to absorb odors.
Products to help keep your ice fresh
If you make ice the old-school way, skip silicone trays. It can absorb fridge odors and make ice taste funny.
Instead, Consumer Reports recommends Rubbermaid’s plastic ice cube trays or Oxo’s ice cube trays that have a lid.
When it comes to ice makers, GE’s Opal 2.0 Stainless Steel was top rated, and is known to be fast, quiet, but pricey.
Newair’s Countertop nugget-maker didn’t land as high in the rating bit is more budget-friendly.
If bullet ice is your thing, Consumer Reports liked the Vivohome Electric Portable Icemaker.
For countertop ice cube makers, its recommended to clean them to prevent mold and mildew, as well as the ice cube trays.
Washing them once a month can also help keep “smelly ice” away.
