Behind Better Ice A deeper look at how GLAZER mini works

Preface

In this handbook, we'll walk you through every detail of using the GLAZER mini.

Chapter 1 covers how to use the product correctly and addresses common questions.

Chapter 2 helps you choose the right water source—turns out, mineral water is one of the best choices for clear ice and the tap water could be the second.

Chapter 3 explains how different temperatures affect the freezing time and the resulting ice clarity. These are general guidelines; actual results may vary depending on your environment.
Finally, Chapter 4 provides the theoretical foundations we found behind the clear ice-making process.

Troubleshooting

1. Why is the top part of my ice missing?

• Reason: The mold wasn’t completely filled with water.

• Solution: Insert the mold into the liner more gently.

2. Why does my sphere ice look like an egg?

• Reason: The mold was pressed too tightly into the liner, causing deformation during freezing.

• Solution: Gently place the mold into the liner, avoiding pressure.

3. Why are there needle-like bubbles in the ice?

• Reason: Water with very low ion content and impurities provides no nucleation sites during freezing, resulting in uncertain freezing patterns.

• Solution: Use water with slightly higher ion concentration, such as tap or mineral water. Avoid purified or distilled water. (See Chapter 2 for details.)

4. Why are there clear bubbles in the ice?

• Reason: As the temperature drops during freezing, the solubility of gases in water decreases, causing bubbles to form. Some of these bubbles don’t fully escape the mold.

• Solution: Try setting the freezer temperature higher to allow more time for bubbles to escape before freezing completes.

5. Why is the bottom of the ice cloudy?

• Reason: Bubbles tend to gather around the vent at the bottom during the freezing process.

• Solution: Make sure the vent path is clear and freeze at an optimal rate to allow gases to escape.

6. Why are there tiny holes around the base of the ice?

• Reason: The air bubbles were not fully released through the bottom vent holes. Since our mold freezes from top to bottom, the air releases as the temperature drops and moves downward, but is blocked by the mold walls.

• Solution: Keep your freezer at a slightly higher temperature and avoid any vibrations.

7. I can't pull the mold out of the liner.

• Reason: The mold was pressed too tightly into the liner, causing deformation during freezing.

• Solution: Gently place the mold into the liner, avoiding pressure.

8. How do I use the plastic cup (liner)?Can it be reused? Is it sold separately?

• Solution: Use one, keep the other as a backup. Yes, it’s reusable. You can order extras from our store.

Chapter 1 - How can I select my water type?

Based on tests conducted on dozens of water sources, we have found that water with a TDS level between 30–50 mg/L tends to produce significantly clearer ice. Water with TDS levels either above or below this range typically results in less transparent ice.

From our experience, we can infer that mineral water, filtered tap water, and some municipal tap water often fall within this optimal TDS range and are therefore more likely to produce clear ice—though actual results depend on the specific characteristics of the water source used.

Purified water, due to its extremely low ion concentration (always 0), often leads to the formation of needle-like air bubbles within the ice. Conversely, water with higher ion concentrations can cause the bottom of the ice block to appear cloudy.

In the following section, we compare the effects of different TDS levels on ice clarity and outline the patterns we have observed.

Purified water - A | TDS 0

Purified water - B | TDS 10

Mineral water - A | TDS 34

Mineral water - B | TDS 44

Mineral water - C | TDS 52

Tap water HK | TDS 59

Mineral water - D | TDS 119

Mineral water - E | TDS 176

Mineral water - F | TDS 231

As shown in the image series, we conducted sampling tests on water sources with TDS levels ranging from 0 to 230 mg/L. These sources included distilled water such as Watsons, purified water like Bonaqua, and a variety of mineral waters with increasing ion concentrations—including Fiji, Evian, VOSS, Acqua Panna, and Dasani... The trends we observed were as follows:

At TDS levels of 0 and 10 mg/L, needle-like air bubbles appeared within the ice. As the TDS increased, these bubbles became less pronounced and eventually disappeared. At a TDS level of 34 mg/L, only minimal bubbles were visible in the ice sphere. When the TDS fell within the 44–59 mg/L range, the ice spheres became fully transparent. Beyond 100 mg/L, the bubbles reappeared in a more granular form, resulting in a cloudy appearance. Among the mineral waters tested, Evian had the highest TDS value.

Our findings confirm that while we recommend using mineral water with an appropriate TDS level to produce clear ice—especially given its compact volume, which makes it ideal for freezing multiple ice shapes even in smaller freezers—mineral water is not the only viable option.

Properly filtered or naturally balanced tap water that falls within the optimal TDS range can also produce crystal-clear ice, making it a practical and accessible alternative for many users.

In the next section, we will explore how the choice of water impacts freezing speed and structural integrity of the ice.

Chapter 2 - How long should you leave the mold in the freezer?

Freezing time is often considered the most critical factor in making clear ice, and the primary variable that directly affects freezing time is the temperature of your freezer. In this section, we will detail the approximate time required for completely freezing a clear ice ball at various temperature settings and demonstrate the resulting ice clarity achieved under each condition.

Please note: The water used in all tests within this section has a TDS of about 40 mg/L. And the initial temperature is room temperature.

In -25°C | Takes 16 hrs

A little cloudy at the bottom.

In -20°C | Takes 24 hrs

Almost clear with some needle liked bubble.

In -15°C | Takes 30 hrs

Super clear

In -10°C | Takes 36 hrs

Super clear

In -5°C | Takes 42 hrs

Super clear

Under optimal water conditions, it has been demonstrated that the lower the freezer temperature, the slower the freezing rate and the longer the total freezing time—resulting in better ice clarity. With the exception of ice frozen at -25°C, which showed visible accumulation at the bottom, ice produced at other tested temperatures exhibited high transparency.

To further explore how ice forms inside the GLAZER mini, we conducted a time-lapse study of the freezing process at -15°C. This investigation revealed that the volume of crystalline ice grows progressively slower over time until full solidification is achieved.

Let’s take a closer look at how clear ice develops during the freezing process.

Time Lapse of mineral water (TDS 40)

After 12 hrs

Ice begins to form on the top surface, with internal sheet-like crystals growing downward.

After 16 hrs

Outer surface solidifies; more sheet-like crystals form and start to intersect.

After 20 hrs

Upper part fully freezes into a solid dome; the bottom starts to freeze.

After 24 hrs

Bottom surface flattens and begins to protrude downward.

After 27 hrs

Still requires more time to fully freeze.

After 29 hrs

Ice completely forms.

This naturally led to the question: how does the freezing curve differ for water sources with significantly lower or higher TDS levels? To investigate this, we conducted additional tests using purified water (TDS 0) and Evian mineral water (TDS 230).

Using the same methodology and freezing conditions, we recorded their freezing behavior and outcomes. The results are as follows.

Time Lapse of purified water (TDS 0)

Time Lapse of Évian mineral water (TDS 230)

Chapter 3 - Technical Reasons.

In this chapter, we will explore the reasons behind the observed phenomena related to ice formation. By referencing third-party literature, we aim to support our experimental findings with external evidence. The discussion will include: why changes in TDS levels lead to corresponding changes in the outcomes, and why the transparency of ice varies with different freezing temperatures.

How TDS Works – A Balance Between Nucleation Promotion and Crystallization Inhibition

The relationship between total dissolved solids (TDS) and ice formation follows a characteristic inverted U-shaped curve, governed by the interplay between thermodynamic and kinetic factors.

At low TDS levels, dissolved ions (e.g., Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) and particulate matter (e.g., CaCO₃ microcrystals) act as heterogeneous nucleation sites, significantly reducing the activation energy for ice nucleation. These sites facilitate ordered molecular alignment at relatively mild supercooling conditions (e.g., –5°C), in contrast to the homogeneous nucleation in pure water, which typically requires extreme supercooling (~–38°C).

However, at high TDS levels, the system exhibits crystallization inhibition due to several mechanisms:

Freezing point depression (Tf=Kf·m) increases supercooling depth, inducing stochastic nucleation and leading to polycrystalline and turbid ice.
Viscosity rise, as predicted by the Debye-Hückel theory, restricts molecular diffusion to the growing ice front, reducing crystal growth rates and increasing inclusion of liquid entrapments.
Hydration shell formation around ions (e.g., Na⁺, with a hydration radius ~3.6 Å) disrupts the hydrogen bond network, suppressing directional crystal growth and promoting dendritic defects or amorphous regions.

Thus, TDS influences ice clarity and microstructure through a balance between nucleation enhancement at low concentrations and crystallization retardation at high concentrations. The resultant ice quality is determined by the competition between nucleation thermodynamics (G) and kinetic barriers (diffusion, phase separation), explaining the non-linear trend observed.

Great idea. Not always 100% clear ice as advertised

Great a proper ice cube

Ideal ice mold I’ve ever had!

Ori’s mold produces super high quality clear ice when the skill is right. I ordered more than five times from them every shape comes out great. Love the sphere best

My fifth order

This is my fifth order from ori. Ice mold is good and the smoker is even better

Love it!

Huge hit

My RPG playing son was very happy with this and is now enjoying some of my bourbon cooled down with a clear D20 of crystal clear ice.
The unit is solid and works great. Will need to get some more.

The best ever

It’s make normal whiskey to another level ! So Dope

Pretty good. Seems to work very easily. Ice isn't completely clear but it's pretty close. Only the bottom quarter of an inch isn't clear.

Great gift

So far so good

I purchased the golf ball and the skull. Both arrived fairly quickly and as described. I have done the golf ball and the skull golf ball came out pretty much like advertised almost nearly crystal clear the skull however has something right down the middle, but it was my first one in that maybe I didn't clean it good enough or something on my part I have previously owned the plane round from another supplier and we have included pictures of it compared to the skull much much nicer on the skull obviously would purchase again just curious right now as to how long the plastic cup will last they do however, send two so when I find the first one breaks, I got plenty of time to order extras from the company overall, it does what the advertisement says

Good product

Easy to use and works well for what it is. Only criticism is the plastic liner split after only 6 uses during the ice breaking stage. Additionally, the ice isnt as clear as I would like. I use good quality water but still get some whitening within the ice ball.

Te entreda hielos muy buenos, solo hay que leer bien las instrucciones, como que tipo de agua usar, y revisar bien que sellen los vasos

Solidly made and easy to use. Really makes a drink all the more special. Definately something I recommend.

This was gift for a friend of mine. He absolutely loves and appreciates it. He loved the mold quality and I would expect him to look into some more molds into the future

Grosse Klasse, da kommen garantiert weitere Bestellungen

Great quality and my husband loved this as a Christmas gift!

Love it!

Makes perfect 20 sided dice cubes! Got it as a gift for my son. He loves it!!

Pretty Good Whiskey Ball

I do like this overall, easy to use and makes a nice ice ball for your drink. I'm having issues with it being clear though, the bottom of the mold seems to have a lot of imperfections (bubbles, etc.). I've tried cold water, hot water, not sure what makes the difference. It's not enough for me to not like the product.

High Quality and Convenient

Really easy to use, Great conversation piece too

Perfect for the whiskey loving nerd!

I saw the d20 ice cube on a social media ad and knew I had to have one. I also got one for my brother and my best friend from childhood (we all played D&D together as kids)

The mold is easy to use and works really well. I’m attaching a picture of my first try which was mostly clear with a little clouding at the bottom. I’m passing the water through a Brita filter next that should help.

I’ve had other “large ice cube” molds like this before but this is by far the best quality. I wish they’d make a Death Star mold. The one I have doesn’t work nearly as well and easily as this one…

Great Product

It’s essential to order additional cups and silicone bags to prevent your ice sculptures from melting.

amazing

These ice sculptures are incredible and incredibly easy to use. I must definitely add more to my collection.

Clear ice?

The ice is clearer, but not clear as shown in the ads

Wasn't sure

Saw the add, checked it out, bought a ball set-up. Wow , beyond expectations and so easy to use.

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Behind Better Ice A deeper look at how GLAZER mini works

Preface

Troubleshooting

1. Why is the top part of my ice missing?

2. Why does my sphere ice look like an egg?

3. Why are there needle-like bubbles in the ice?

4. Why are there clear bubbles in the ice?

5. Why is the bottom of the ice cloudy?

6. Why are there tiny holes around the base of the ice?

7. I can't pull the mold out of the liner.

8. How do I use the plastic cup (liner)?Can it be reused? Is it sold separately?

Chapter 1 - How can I select my water type?

Chapter 2 - How long should you leave the mold in the freezer?

Chapter 3 - Technical Reasons.

How TDS Works – A Balance Between Nucleation Promotion and Crystallization Inhibition

GLAZER mini | Take ICE Easy!

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