Phantom FAQ/Troubleshooting

General

Q: Is there a guide that shows how much water to use for each tray? 

A: Yes, we have a fill line guide that will show you. Check it out here.

Q: Are the components dishwasher-safe?

A: Yes! We recommend washing all of the components of the Phantom periodically to help remove any mineral buildup from your water and ensure smooth operation.

Q: How long can the ice be stored in the freezer? Do you have any recommendations for storage?

A: The ice can be stored for quite a long time in your freezer and maintain clarity. Depending on the defrost cycle of your freezer, a layer of frost can form on the surface of the ice over time but once you pour liquid over it, the ice beneath will still be crystal-clear. We recommend using an airtight container to store your ice- great options include our Storage Tubes, food storage containers, or large ziplock freezer bags.

Q: Why does my ice crack when I pour liquid over it?

A: This can occur because of the large difference in temperature between the surface of the ice and the liquid that you are pouring over it. If you let your ice "temper" outside of the freezer at room temperature for a few minutes before pouring liquid over it you can avoid this from happening.

 

Large Sphere Shape Tray

Q: Why am I missing the top of my ice ball?

A: First, make sure you are filling up the little overflow cups above each ice ball on the tray. Under certain conditions water can siphon out of the stainless steel container and reduce the overall volume. Make sure that the shelf you are placing the Phantom on in your freezer is level and once it is in the freezer, check around the outside of the container for signs of siphoning streams of water. If you see any, press on the silicone tray where it is occurring to stop it. You can also check on your Phantom about an hour into the freeze to ensure the water level hasn't dropped- if it has, top it off with water and you will get perfect spheres.

Q: Why am I missing the bottom of my ice ball?

A: You may need to add a few hours to your freezing duration. Everyone has different freezing conditions so the amount of time varies. The ideal scenario is to find the amount of time that results in fully-formed spheres and mostly water in the lower reservoir- this could happen anywhere between 18-32 hours depending on your exact conditions.

Q: Why am I seeing bubbles in my ice?

A: This may have to do with your water source. We don't recommend using distilled water as it will create bubbles in the ice but we have had success with a wide variety of water sources from all over the world. You can try a different source (tap or bottled water) to ensure the issue is not due to your water source. Another way to reduce bubbles is to either increase the temperature of your water at the beginning of the freeze (very warm to even hot water), or increase the temperature of your freezer closer to +5 to +10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Q: I am having trouble removing the ice spheres after they have finished freezing, how can I improve this process?

A: It is critically important to have all 11 of the small snap posts locked in securely to their respective holes prior to freezing. If even one of these is not locked in, water can get in between the two halves of the tray and cause issues with harvesting the ice. Before you lower the tray into the stainless steel container, hold it up by the handles and make sure there is no gap between the two halves of the tray. When your ice is ready to harvest, peel off the top of the tray from the "LIFT HERE FIRST" marked side- once you have it half of the way peeled off, roll the tray top towards you. This will add leverage to the lower arm that holds the bottom half of the tray and help to dislodge all of the ice balls from their connection to the lower reservoir.