http://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/gramatica/gramatica-britanica/hate-like-love-and-prefer Hate, like, love and prefer de English Grammar Today We can use hate, like, love and prefer with an -ing form or with a to-infinitive: I hate to see food being thrown away. I love going to the cinema. I prefer listening to the news on radio than watching it on TV. He prefers not to wear a tie to work. In American English, the forms with to-infinitive are much more common than the -ing form. There is a very small difference in meaning between the two forms. The -ing form emphasises the action or experience. The to-infinitive gives more emphasis to the results of the action or event. We often use the -ing form to suggest enjoyment (or lack of it), and the to-infinitive form to express habits or preferences. Compare I like making jam. He likes telling jokes. They don’t like sitting for too long. emphasis on the experience/action We have a lot of fruit in the garden. I like to make jam every year. I prefer to sort out a problem as soon as I can. If you prefer not to go camping there are youth hostels nearby. a habit or preference The -ing form is more common than the to-infinitive form after hate and love: I hate decorating. I’d rather pay a professional to do it. Would + hate, like, love, prefer When we use would or ’d with hate, like, love, prefer, we use the to-infinitive, not the -ing form: We would love to hear you sing. Not: We would love hearing you sing. They’d hate to cause a problem. Not: They’d hate causing a problem. I’d prefer not to give you my name. Not: I’d prefer not giving you my name. See also: Like Would like Prefer

Choosing between the TO + Infinitive and the gerund is easy if you remember the simple underlying rule. * To + infinitive => concrete action here and now; what one intends or desires now or in near future; subjective sense. * Verb + -ing => one's general routine or preference; something one has been doing; objective sense (more factual). Examples: 1. "prefer" -- A. If I like going fishing more than hiking => I prefer going fishing (to ...) - general fact based on past experience. -- B. If I want to go fishing this weekend => I prefer to go fishing this weekend - concrete intention for near future. (A) can go with the infinitive too, but (B) is definitely better with the infinitive. 2. General preferences can go either way because liking something in general means you like it now too. - I like going fishing == I like to go fishing. - I love watching old movies == I love to watch old movies. 3. But "will" and "would" mean concrete intention or desire, so the infinitive should be used. -- A. I would love to go out with you => I am excited to go out with you now or in the near future. -- B. I love going out with you => I liked going out with you in the past and still do. -- C. I would love going out with you => BAD - "would" is for concrete desire, so won't work with a gerund. 4. Some verbs can take either, but their meaning changes because of the above the rule. - I stopped smoking => I quit the habit of smoking which I have been doing until now. - I stopped to smoke => I stopped (what I was doing) in order to do something now, which is smoking. - I remembered seeing her => I recalled something I did in the past, which was seeing her. - I remembered to see her => I recalled that I had something to do, which was to see her.

The best explanation I've ever seen is in the book "English Grammar in Use fourth edition" Unit 59 pg 118 they say that: You can use 'prefer to (do)' or 'prefer - ing' to say what you prefer in general: e.g. "I prefer to live in the country" or "I prefer living in the country." Both are correct. The same applies to: " I prefer watching TV" and " I prefer to watch TV." Both are grammatically correct. Some other useful rules: I prefer something to something else. e.g. I prefer this coat to the coat you were wearing yesterday. I prefer doing something to doing something else. e.g.I prefer driving to travelling by train. I prefer to do something rather than do something else. e.g. I prefer to drive rather than travel by train. Last but not least: I would prefer + (to do) and I would rather (do) - e.g. I'd prefer to eat. I'd rather eat. This same book has an app where you can have plenty of exercises and all its material available.