On more than one occasion, I’ve been given the adivce to use hot water to make ice because it freezes faster than cold water. I’m not sure of the reasoning but I would believe it might have to do with energy. Maybe that the hot water uses more energy so it freezes faster?
The tray on the right is the cold water and the tray on the left is the hot water. I’m guessing it takes a few hours to make ice, so to see how well hot water freezes as compared to cold water, I checked on both ice trays after about an hour 15 minutes. (I was going to check back after an hour but got distracted by the cat who caught a baby bunny! Bunny is safe)
After one hour I picked up both trays and have to say that it seemed the cold water was freezing faster. I’m not sure if that was because it was closest to the freezer wall or if cold water does freeze faster.
After three hours. I can now see solid ice in each tray. The tray with the hot water has six solid ice cubes while the tray with the cold water has four. I really thought there would be more from the cold water since it seemed after the first hour that it was more frozen. But it looks like the hot water caught up and surpassed it.
So by using hot water you may have more ice cubes faster. As far as clearer ice, I can’t see any difference between the two.
[...] Does hot water make better ice cubes? [...]
REALLY?????
I’m very surprised. Like, really. Way to go!
I know if you boil water it makes cleaner water but I don’t know about warm water.
Well, i need to admit that i did not know this. Another technique to have faster ice cube. lol!
You would think the opposite effect? I’m sure there must be a scientific explanation as to why this occurs…
Thank you for the tip!
That was surprising yet interesting.
I’ll try it one of these days and will let you what will happen. 
Wow! That is truly interesting! I’ll keep that in mind when I have parties!
I had thought the hot water would offer a more clear ice cube. Perhaps bringing the water to a boil first and then freezing would make a cleaner or more clear ice cube as the boiling makes the water more purified. Do you have a water filter? I would think with a water filter the ice would be clear with hot or cold water and taste better.
Yes Hot water makes faster ice cubes than cold water.
It’s because of convection currents in the hot water allow it to shed the heat much faster.
Sorry you have done it a bit wrong. You should have tested them separately. You have to see the interior of your freezer as 1 single part that as a whole has to reach a certain temperature.
Well I think you waited too long untill checking. After 3 hours hot or cold water would have frozen in the freezer :p
@Ronald: I recommend ‘housewife’ to try this way too as Ronald suggested and see whether there is any change in the result. You have to note time in each case.
@Mkcoy: As per ‘housewife’ only few ice cubes had been formed in both trays, so it will take some more time for all the water to become cubes.
Correct me If I am wrong. – Simon
I expect that the Hot Water ice cubes are smaller.
more of that water evaporated before freezing, thus there was less to freeze.
Take both trays out, let them melt.
dump out the Cold Water tray & fill it with hot water this time.
Now put both in the freezer.
You have a fair comparison on volume of water now.
I’ll bet a quart of Ice Cream that the Cold Water tray will freeze first.
This is ridiculous! Hot water will always take longer to freeze because it must release more (heat) energy to change from a liquid to a solid. Period!
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Hot water will not always freeze faster than cold. I have tried it myself and the cold water froze over first. When the hot water does freeze first it is called the Mpemba effect. No on truly knows what causes this but it can happen.
My DH and I have argued about this but I never got around to trying it. I don’t think I will tell him what you discovered. Some things in life just make no sense. LOL