Stand alone home ice maker

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Our Kenmore refer is 8 years old, going on 9.

We just moved into ouf "new" home last year. Since then, the ice maker has died 3 times, doesn't make any Ice. The first time I paid Sears almost $300 for the repair. Since then I have removed and replaced the broken motor module.
I fugure I've put almost $500 into it.

We're not ready to get a New one yet.

So we are thinking of getting a stand alone external ice maker.

Sam's Club has one for $200, it's a Danby Ice Maker made in China.
It seems to have more good reviews than bad.

Any comment or other suggestions would be welcome.

Thank You

 

[LouisianaJoe]

There are 14 reviews here: Amazon.com: Danby DIM1524W Designer Ice'nEasy Portable Ice Maker with LCD Display, White: Kitchen & Dining

I always look stuff up on Amazon to see the reviews even if I do not buy there.

Search for it using Google and you will find several sites that have reviews.

I saw enough to make me not want it.

I also found this site that has several brands to compare: http://www.air-n-water.com/ice-maker.htm

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Thank You for the info.

It's a "why didn't I think of that" kinda moment.... DUH

 

[peyton]

We have a scotsman brand, no telling how much it cost. Wife got it while I was in Iraq. I have been happy with it.

 

[Iggy]

Here ya go!!

*Iggy quickly begins zig-zagging towards the nearest exit!!*

 

[rburg]

There are a lot of considerations. Yes, dependability of the icemaker is a huge consideration. But another equally important factor is what you want to do with the ice. It includes recovery time and how much you need.

I like ice. I'm perverted and I eat the ice. I love it. For me, large cubes are to be avoided. What I like best is crushed ice. Some of the machines do make that. The stuff I like pretty well are the machines that make sheet ice, then melt it into small squares with heated wires. I haven't seen one of those in a while. If I found one at a reasonable price, I'd own it.

 

[Farmer17]

Refrigerator icemakers are pretty reliable and very cheap. The stand alone icemakers are usually not reliable or cheap but they are fast at making ice. If you need a whole lot of ice, make it and store it in a freezer, but if you must have a stand alone unit be prepared for problems and expensive repair bills.

 

[Gary]

Have you considered buying a bag or two of ice and storing it in your freezer? Unless you use a lot I doubt that it would be too expensive?

 

[35Rem]

Is the water at your "new" house killing your in freezer unit? If so, wouldn't it do the same to the stand alone?
Just a thought...

 

[Hermann]

Our icemaker in the fridge quit working just last month, called up the repairman, he came replaced whole icemaker unit for less than 200$.
(Whirlpool brand).
I'd prefer the icemaker inside the fridge, external unit would need aditional energy and water connection - NO!- I want to keep it simple and by the way replacing the whole icemaker was a 15 minute 2 screws open/close job and the part is just 130US$.

 

[wheelgun28]

Once upon a time my dad made his own stand alone ice maker. He took a small upright freezer, installed a regular freezer ice maker. He then took out some of the shelves out then slid in a large plastic bin. It worked quite well, it was easy to install, drill a few holes. It didnt make giant amounts of ice but since the bin was big it could make ice all the time and just fill the bin.

I guess it depends how much you need and how often you need it.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Our Kenmore is over 8 years old(going on 9).

It came with the house when we moved in last year. since then, it has died 3 times.
Sears repaired it for $300 the first time. The next 2 times i removed and replaced the same part. All in less than a year.

Can't figure out Why the motor control module keeps burning out.

I'm retired and home most of the time, lately temp has been in the mid
80s and humidity isn't pleasent either.
So I go thru a lot of iced water. The Wife grumbles that when she comes home, she has little or no ice. I do try to save some for her.

The 3 dogs also like to chew on ice and I admit to giving ice to them too.

Which is why we're thinking of a small stand along ice maker.

Thank You for the comments, adds more things to look at or think about when looking.

 

[35Rem]

What about a small chest freezer to store ice in? Just empty the ice maker bucket into a bigger one in the chest freezer...

You'll have a place to store some Blue Bell Ice Cream, too!

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

The small freezer idea came up.

We already have a Gladiator in the garage. It is a converitble refer that can be a freezer/freeezer or refer/freezer.

It is "too far to walk to" just to get/make ice.

She wants it in the kitchen.

 

[Hofstet]

I bought the NewAir Ice Maker for $179 two years ago for my boat. It has worked flawlessly since the day we plugged it in. Makes ice extremely fast. I highly recommend it.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

When I hit the lottey, I'm gonna get me a big old commercial stand alone ice maker. I'm also gonna have a urinal in my bathroom right next to the built in sauna. Until then, I'll pee in the toilet, sweat outside on the porch and use the ice maker in my fridge. Also, I DO keep a 20 lb bag of store bought ice in the back freezer for cocktails (our water is lousy and I'm too cheap to spring for a whole house filter right now). Also I always keep a couple of tupperware square tubs of frozen water in the back freezer to use as block ice for fishung trips-sure beats paying $8 for a couple of 25 lb blocks. I thought the extra money I did have once was much better spent on a beer fridge than an ice maker.

 

[venomballistics]

Aloha,

Our Kenmore is over 8 years old(going on 9).

It came with the house when we moved in last year. since then, it has died 3 times.
Sears repaired it for $300 the first time. The next 2 times i removed and replaced the same part. All in less than a year.

Can't figure out Why the motor control module keeps burning out.

I'm retired and home most of the time, lately temp has been in the mid
80s and humidity isn't pleasent either.
So I go thru a lot of iced water. The Wife grumbles that when she comes home, she has little or no ice. I do try to save some for her.

The 3 dogs also like to chew on ice and I admit to giving ice to them too.

Which is why we're thinking of a small stand along ice maker.

Thank You for the comments, adds more things to look at or think about when looking.

can you draw up a schematic of the motor control module?
if its a case of what I think it is Im betting that 10 bucks in parts and a little solder will make for a controller that'll outlast you.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

Could I send you a photo instead?

Thank You