If the ice maker is producing cubes but the ice tastes stale, plastic, metallic, or like freezer food, the ice maker is usually not broken. Bad-tasting ice most often comes from the water filter, the ice bin, the freezer environment, or old ice that has been sitting too long.
These steps apply to built-in refrigerator ice makers on Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, Frigidaire, Kenmore, and similar models with a water line.
Does this affect you?
Ice absorbs odors easily. It also carries whatever taste is in the water supply and can pick up residue from the bin, chute, filter, and water tubing. Work through cleaning and filter checks before suspecting a failed part.
Turn off the water supply before removing a filter or disconnecting any water line. Do not use bleach or harsh cleaners on the ice bin or maker because those are food-contact areas. Use warm water, mild dish soap, or diluted white vinegar, then rinse thoroughly.
Replace the water filter
An old filter is one of the most common causes of stale or odd-tasting ice. Most manufacturers recommend replacement about every six months.
- Find the filter location. It may be in the upper corner of the fresh-food compartment, behind the crisper area, or in the lower front grille.
- Check the filter status light if the refrigerator has one. A red or amber light means it is overdue, but heavy ice use can affect taste before the light changes.
- Remove the old filter using the model-specific release method and note the exact filter number.
- Install the correct replacement filter.
- Flush several cups of water through the dispenser and discard them to clear air and loose carbon dust.
- Dump the current ice bin and discard the next batch or two before judging taste.
Clean the ice bin and ice maker
Even with a new filter, residue in the bin or chute can affect every batch.
- Empty the ice bin completely.
- Look and smell for slime, discoloration, mineral film, or mustiness.
- Wash the bin with warm water and a small amount of dish soap, or use one part white vinegar to three parts water for mineral residue.
- Rinse well and let the bin dry completely before reinstalling it.
- Wipe the fill spout and ice chute where reachable, then discard the first full batch after cleaning.
Rule out freezer odors and old ice
If the water and bin are clean, the ice may simply be absorbing smells.
- Dump old ice if the household does not use much. Ice that sits for weeks loses freshness and absorbs freezer odor.
- Move uncovered meat, fish, leftovers, onions, or strong-smelling foods away from the ice bin and seal them tightly.
- Keep an open box of baking soda in the freezer and replace it every few months.
- If the refrigerator or water line was just installed, discard the first few batches. A mild plastic taste often fades as new tubing flushes.
If the tap water itself tastes bad, the refrigerator filter may not be enough. In that case, look at the home water supply, a whole-house filter, or a sink filtration system.
A persistent metallic taste after a new filter and thorough cleaning can point to an aging supply line or water inlet valve. Older copper-to-plastic conversions are especially worth checking.
If filter replacement, bin cleaning, odor control, and water-supply checks do not solve the taste, have a technician inspect the water line, filter housing, and inlet valve instead of buying filter after filter.
Sources
- Whirlpool – Ice From Refrigerator Tastes or Smells Bad (2025)
- GE Appliances – Ice Maker Ice Has an Odd Taste or Odor (2025)
- Samsung – Refrigerator Ice Tastes Funny (2024)