There is no better feeling than taking a sip of an ice-cold drink on a hot day. You really do take your drink to the next level by adding ice.
People will always appreciate it if you have ice available for their drinks too. So if you are having a gathering, it’s a great idea to make some ice cubes ready for your guests.
Picture this, you don’t have long until your party starts and you have absolutely no ice. There’s no time to run to the store to grab a bag of pre-frozen ice, so what do you do?
If you need ice quickly, of course, you can ask a friend to pick some up on the way. However, if your guests don’t mind waiting for the ice to freeze, how long will it take?
Well, you have come to the right place as we have the answer! In a standard plastic ice tray, it will take three to four hours to completely freeze ice cubes in your freezer.
If you’re still unsure what the standard ice trays look like, well they are the trays that hold up to twelve ice cubes. When you get a new freezer, you may actually receive one of these with your purchase.
Depending on the size of your ice cube tray, your ice cubes may be ready faster. If you have any smaller, novelty cube trays, your ice may begin to freeze a lot quicker than the other trays.
On the other hand, if you have a larger ice cube tray, then it may take a lot longer. When we talk about larger ice cubes, we’re kind of talking about those ice spheres which fill a tumbler glass.
They look amazing paired with a scotch.
At what temperature does water begin to freeze?
A huge factor in freezing ice cubes quickly is having your freezer set to the correct temperature. It should be on your instruction manual when you purchase your appliance.
The temperature settings can be found inside the freezer, so you can easily check and adjust it if needed.
Water will turn to ice when it gets to a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature for your freezer should also be set at this. This temperature allows the contents of your freezer to be stored safely for a longer period of time than in a refrigerator.
You should always check that your freezer is closed properly before walking away from it. This is also important to note if you are having a get-together and guests are helping themselves to ice from your freezer.
If your refrigerator is not closed properly then you risk the contents of your freezer beginning to defrost, including your ice cubes.
If this happens to your freezer, you should either cook or dispose of any thawed food as it will not be safe to eat if refrozen or cooked the next day. Your ice will have turned back into water which is less than ideal if you need it for your refreshments.
The benefits of adding ice to your drink
There are many benefits to adding ice to any drink. The first one is, of course, to keep your drink cool. A cool refreshment after a long hike or enjoyed with a friend is just what the doctor ordered.
Drinking a cold drink instantly refreshes your palette and revitalizes your beverage. Whether you are adding ice to water, soda, liquor, or tea, it instantly makes your drink much more enjoyable.
Another benefit of adding water to your drink is that it doesn’t add any unnecessary calories. As ice is just frozen water, it has no calories, fat, protein, or carbs.
There is also nothing toxic added to your drink by placing ice cubes into your cup. You can make your drink a lot more exciting by adding ice cubes and also not add any unwanted calories. Imagine if ice cubes had calories? That would be a sad world!
Another great advantage of adding ice cubes to your drink is the adrenaline rush. That’s right! If you add ice to your cup of water, it will stimulate something in your brain which will release adrenaline.
This has a similar effect as to what having a cup of coffee would. You will be alert and ready for the day, whatever the challenge!
The last benefit that we are going to discuss today is how there is less washing up with an ice cube tray. You must have seen the trend of reusable ice cubes recently.
If you haven’t, they are plastic cubes filled with liquid that can be washed and reused over and over again.
Sounds like a great invention until you see the washing up pile the morning after! Ice cube trays are much more manageable in our opinion!
Summary
We hope that we have answered your question on how long do ice cubes take to freeze.
If you’re having a party or if you plan to have an ice-cold beverage straight after work on Friday, it could be a good idea to pop them in the freezer the morning before. This will ensure that you have plenty of ice cubes ready for as many drinks as you fancy!
Remember that it takes three to four hours for a standard ice cube tray to freeze completely. So you may have to sweet talk your guests for a while before then!
Always ensure that your freezer is set to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and that it is shut properly. This will help keep the freezing process on track whilst you are out and about during the day.
Lastly, remember just how beneficial adding ice to your drinks can be! It can help cool your body and kickstart your day if added to water.
If you’re lacking focus, why not try an ice-cold glass of water? Maybe you will have the most productive day of your life! Let us know how it works out for you!