counter top ice makers

[jwhite]

anyone using one and want to comment ? I was in Walmart and noticed for the 1st time one of these icemakers and it looks like a great device for less than a 100.00 I watched a few youtube videos and it looks like a must have for me anyway.
it says it will make ice in 10-15 minutes I figure if your plugged in or running a generator why not make ice also.
I know I spend a lot of money on ice it always run short my last trip was 10 days lucky for me the place I was at sold it, but short of buying a really expensive 12volt cooler or a yeti this looks like the best of both.

[McDave]

I kinda thought about it, but it seems a little too good to be true. I understand it has a 2.5lb cap. and it makes ice in 10-15 min, but those two are not related. If you get 1-2 cubes /15m =4-8 /hr., a full load = 1qt.+ is that /day? But if it was always full at 2.5 lb, that's a couple large ice teas, or maybe 3 Jameson's?

McDave

[flboy]

I was just talking to my wife about an ice maker. I have seen those countertop units in use before. We are out camping now. I can make Ice in my freezer, but real estate in there is a premium when she is with me. We both like Ice in our tea and etc.. I have been looking at them and most people comment on having trouble with them after 6 months or so of continuous use. So many brands and price points. I could use some help choosing as well. I think we will end up with one for sure. Not sure if reliability is a function of the user in some cases. Machines need maintenance and some care. In any case, we would not be using continuously by any means.

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[jwhite]

What I saw on youtube was that if it's full it stops working so you need to keep emptying it and it said it would make 26 lbs in 24 hours.
so I guess if you cut that in half 13 lbs in 12 hours ?
I am going to buy one anyway use it at home and take it with me on trips, just wondered if anyone already has one and wants to comment.

[Bill n Robi]

I asked that question in another forum. The answer I got was they don't make ice like you are used to. It is a bit soft and instructions usually tell you to put them in the freezer to finish.

Still if anyone finds a good working one, post it here.

I bought our Rtic cooler just to hold ice, lasts 4 days of wine coolers.

[John61CT]

There are good ones and cr^ppy ones.

Low-end ones the tiny storage section is not in a freezer so you need to be ready when it drops or the meltwater gets recycled.

I doubt cheap ones would last too long bouncing around in a van.

The first batch so-called 15 minutes is tiny, really don't even get much in the first couple hours, and for their rated daily production need to be there to service it all day.

I would only get one with freezer-based storage capacity at least half a day's production.

Also better ones make "clear ice" as opposed to cloudy.

They ALL need to be regularly flushed out and cleaned or the nasty crud that collects stops it working. How frequently depends on water quality, some recommend using well-purified, filtered or even distilled in hard-water areas.

Almost all are weird shapes.

The best is Uline, big and pricey.

[lrrowe]

I have this one. Got it two years ago.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-Portab ... 3=&veh=sem

Love it. It does make ice quickly, no cleaning issues and I am satisfied with the quality of the cubes. If any one wants me to, I will get it out of the CT tomorrow and run a time test with some photos.

[John61CT]

Cool! How long between cycles once it gets going?

And how long do you think it would it take to make a bag's worth, like we buy, to fill a cooler?

If you don't get to empty it out right away, does that unit keep the storage bin frozen?

[lrrowe]

Ok, will run a batch of ice and capture the data. I do know that when the bin is full, it stops until some ice is removed. If not, the ice will then just melt and flow back in to the water bin. If I am around, I store ice in baggies and put them i to the freezer for use later. That is one advantage of having a 12/120v refrigerator/freezer.

[dexstrom]

I have this one. Got it two years ago.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-Portab ... 3=&veh=sem

Love it. It does make ice quickly, no cleaning issues and I am satisfied with the quality of the cubes. If any one wants me to, I will get it out of the CT tomorrow and run a time test with some photos.

We have the same ice maker, it's been great over two camping seasons now. We use ice for drinks, and it's plenty fast for that use. I make sure nothing goes in but clean filtered water so no cleaning necessary. Just be careful securing it for travel to avoid bouncing it around and breaking something.

[lrrowe]

I have this one. Got it two years ago.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-Portab ... 3=&veh=sem

Love it. It does make ice quickly, no cleaning issues and I am satisfied with the quality of the cubes. If any one wants me to, I will get it out of the CT tomorrow and run a time test with some photos.

We have the same ice maker, it's been great over two camping seasons now. We use ice for drinks, and it's plenty fast for that use. I make sure nothing goes in but clean filtered water so no cleaning necessary. Just be careful securing it for travel to avoid bouncing it around and breaking something.

Same here. Use filtered water and secure it tighly when traveling.

[working on it]

A question for anyone that uses one...how does high ambient temperatures affect the ice production? In my camping experience, from spring to fall, the average daily temperatures are in the 80's or higher; that would seem likely to cause a slower rate of ice production than inside an air conditioned home (on a counter or a bar). I guess you could put it inside your TD or TTT, and run your A/C all day, but I sure wouldn't (not in a 4x8; plus, the outdoors is where I came to hang out, not in the trailer). Aren't these ice makers using the same kind of refrigeration that will only cool 40-45 degrees below ambient? At 90 degrees outside, you wouldn't even get slush. Sorry, I'm not going to try one, here in Texas...it's just too warm year round.

[Bill n Robi]

A question for anyone that uses one...how does high ambient temperatures affect the ice production? In my camping experience, from spring to fall, the average daily temperatures are in the 80's or higher; that would seem likely to cause a slower rate of ice production than inside an air conditioned home (on a counter or a bar). I guess you could put it inside your TD or TTT, and run your A/C all day, but I sure wouldn't (not in a 4x8; plus, the outdoors is where I came to hang out, not in the trailer). Aren't these ice makers using the same kind of refrigeration that will only cool 40-45 degrees below ambient? At 90 degrees outside, you wouldn't even get slush. Sorry, I'm not going to try one, here in Texas...it's just too warm year round.

That was the gist of most replies I got. "It all depends" on "outside temp, humidity, your attentiveness, placement, and unknown factors"
Bought a cooler that keeps it for days, a frig that run on 12vdc....

[Bill n Robi]

A question for anyone that uses one...how does high ambient temperatures affect the ice production? In my camping experience, from spring to fall, the average daily temperatures are in the 80's or higher; that would seem likely to cause a slower rate of ice production than inside an air conditioned home (on a counter or a bar). I guess you could put it inside your TD or TTT, and run your A/C all day, but I sure wouldn't (not in a 4x8; plus, the outdoors is where I came to hang out, not in the trailer). Aren't these ice makers using the same kind of refrigeration that will only cool 40-45 degrees below ambient? At 90 degrees outside, you wouldn't even get slush. Sorry, I'm not going to try one, here in Texas...it's just too warm year round.

That was the gist of most replies I got. "It all depends" on "outside temp, humidity, your attentiveness, placement, and unknown factors"
Bought a cooler that keeps it for days, a frig that run on 12vdc....

[ParTaxer]

I ice down initially with a bag of ice. The ice maker can supplement that over the weekend. I'm satisfied with mine.