If you’re like me, you love your refrigerator’s ice maker. The once arduous task of preparing a glass of ice, now only takes a few seconds. But whether you’re into crushed or cubed ice – bad tasting ice from your ice maker is never cool. We’ve outline some of the possible causes of and solutions for an ice maker that is producing bad tasting ice. 

1. Stale Ice – if you’re freezer’s ice maker is producing bad tasting ice, one of the first things to make sure of is that your ice has not simply gone stale. Ice left to sit in an ice maker may begin to taste poorly after as little as two to three weeks. As ice sits in your ice maker  it can absorb smells from the food in the freezer or fridge. Luckily, the fix for stale ice is quite simple: toss it out and let your machine produce a new batch.
2. Old / Uncovered Food in the Freezer – in the same vein as stale ice, bad tasting ice may be indicative of storing very old or unwrapped / uncovered food in your freezer. The fix here is also very easy: go through the freezer and make sure all food is properly stored in covered containers, plastics wrap, or sealable bags.  Also make sure the food in your refrigerators fresh food compartment is properly stored. The ice in your icemaker can absorb food odors, leading to bad tasting cubes.
3. Water Filter in Need of Replacement – your unit’s water filter is likely located on the back of your refrigerator and can be easily replaced. The water filter on your refrigerator should be changes at least once every 6 months, and more often if you use your water / ice marker frequently. It’s a good idea to keep an extra filter around the house.
4. Mildew in the Freezer – If you’ve check the water filter, properly contained your food, and replaced the old ice from your machine and are still experiencing strange tasting ice cubes it is possible that mildew had managed to enter your freezer. The solution here is a vigorous and thorough scrubbing of your freezer, as well as a careful inspection of all food items in your unit. Toss out any food that may be contaminated.
5. Bad Water Supply – your water supply may be temporarily or even permanently contaminated.  Impurities, minerals, salt and sulfur can all effect the taste and quality of your water.  Water testing kits are available at your local market or you may be able to turn off the water behind the refrigerator and remove the water line that goes from the wall to the filter to test the water coming from the valve. Let water pour from the valve into a bucket. Check to make sure there is no odor coming from the water and that the water is clean and clear. If the water supply is not healthy you may need to have a new filter professionally installed or if the condition is temporary (like city water maintenance), you may be able to flush the ice maker’s water lines.

If you’ve check the list above and are still having problems, consider replacing the ice maker tray which can also absorb food odors.