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Anyone have a portable ice maker?

MiMi
10 years ago

I was wondering if anyone here has a portable, counter top ice maker?... I do not plan on using it on the counter top, I have plenty of room in my pantry. The ice maker in our refrigerator just cannot keep up with us in the summer. My husband golfs every day and makes a huge Bubba Keg of ice water and I make a lot of tea in my Mr. Coffee Tea maker and fill the pitcher with ice and let it brew over the ice..... So, am wanting to hear from someone that might have one, what brand and if you are happy with it?.. I am aware that they do not keep the ice froze, the melted ice is recycled back into ice...
Thanks for all opinions and or suggestions...

Comments (2)

  • ekbecker1
    10 years ago

    I have the Emerson IM90T. I got it for myself for Christmas. It was $120 or so at Target. I love the thing!

    Personally, I absolutely HATE the crescent ice cubes that are made in refrigerator ice makers. They are fine for using in a cooler, but they do not work well in a drinking glass. The Emerson makes a bullet-shaped cube...it's hard to describe. It's like a cylinder but one end is rounded.

    My favorite feature is that I can use water from my Berkey purifier and the ice is tasteless. It is not clear like bar ice, but it is tasteless.

    There are a couple of quirks that you have to be willing to deal with, however. For one thing, you have to keep it filled with water because if it runs dry the motor can burn out.

    Another quirk is that it does take a while to make ice. Each individual cycle is pretty quick compared to having to freeze water in trays, but it does take quite a while to accumulate a big batch of ice.

    As you already know, it does not keep the ice cold so you have to remove the ice periodically and put it in the freezer. I wait until there are 2 or 3 cycles of ice in the basket and then I "decant" it to a ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. Once the ziploc bag is full I move it down to my basement freezer and keep a stockpile there. When I need ice, I get a bag out of the chest freezer and put it in the bin of the icemaker in my kitchen freezer (the same icemaker that stopped working after 2 months and makes the dreaded crescent cubes).

    My solution for these little quirks is that I pick a day every few weeks when I'm going to be around the house all day and I run the thing all day and make a big batch of ice. I set my oven timer for 30 minutes and when it goes off I decant the ice and refill the water and set the timer to go off in another 30 minutes. It's a little bit of a process, but it's worth it to me to have a better shape of ice that's been made from purified water. That being said, when I do my kitchen remodel I am still planning to get a fridge with an icemaker but I will use that ice for using in a cooler or for chilling wine. . . not for consumption.

    I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

  • MiMi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you.. glad to hear what you have to say.. I am actually getting ready to go to Target and look at theirs... so far I am leaning toward the Magic Chef that has to be ordered from Home Depot or Walmart but yours just might be the one.. I appreciate it.. thank you very much!