Community Forums

Skip3370 · 12-10-2015, 01:48 PM

Does anyone have experience with portable ice makers and who makes a good one?

98Dynasty · 12-10-2015, 01:50 PM

I have had good luck with Magic Chef.

Statgeek · 12-10-2015, 01:59 PM

We used one in our previous MH. It worked great and although we no longer need it in our MH, my mom uses it in her home when she has visitors. The only down side to the one we had was that the it did blow out some fairly warm air from the side fan. This is by design, but it meant that whoever was sitting in the seat next to it got a blast of warm air on them. Not welcomed in TX Summers.

But in terms of making ice, it worked great and was pretty fast at it too.

vsheetz · 12-10-2015, 02:27 PM

You will see basically the same unit in a couple three differing capacities and differing names. But much all the same unit. I have the smaller unit I think with Magic Chef brand, bought from Home Depot on sale for somewhere around $100. Makes ice quickly. Ice is cold. Works well. Use it as backup if something goes wrong with ice maker in main refrigerator and the occasional party / get together.

vettenuts · 12-10-2015, 02:46 PM

I picked one up on clearance at Wal Mart for $50. Works great. Store it in the basement when traveling and put on counter when we need ice.

AlexCab · 12-10-2015, 02:57 PM

We bought Igloo from Wall mart dot com about $bucks and have used it two summers in Texas and S. Dakota with no prob.

450Donn · 12-10-2015, 03:32 PM

Check online at compact appliances. They sell a wide range of them. Our first one sat outside one winter and kind of went to pot after that. We ordered a new one and it was delivered three days later right to our camp site. Just be aware, they are not mini freezers. The ice is soft, and to be really useable needs to be hardened off in a deep freezer for a few hours.

bobsharon · 12-11-2015, 05:31 AM

I have had one. I have only one down note...it is kinda noisy which is noticeable if in the same area as you are. Combination of the fan, the water pump and ice dropping pretty much continuously.
Anecdotal info from friend who has gone through three of them (one igloo, two magic chef) he says the fan bearings have gone out in the them - they get real noisy and quit making ice.

doublehooked · 12-11-2015, 05:37 AM

We have one made by EdgeStar got it for about $ 139.00. Bought it from them directly online. It works great.

kcmusa · 12-11-2015, 05:43 AM

Just got one. first test was good. but it takes about one hour to fill the trey full.
on small I got 8 cubes every 7 min, on large about 9 min.

Pepper2 · 12-11-2015, 05:50 AM

Bought an Igloo for a little over $100. It works great. I think it can make 28 lbs. daily. We have not had to buy ice since getting it. Most brands are made by the same company, so price is the determining factor when choosing.

BeachDude · 12-11-2015, 10:38 AM

I picked up a Magic Chef MCIM30SST portable ice maker on Craig's List for $20 two years ago. It's a great machine, it can keep up with the Margaritaville blender on most weekends! But, it's one of the bigger "portable" ice machines out there.

I highly recommend checking out CL. There are many folks that buy portable ice makers, don't like how they work, (too big, too small, soft ice, noisy, etc), and then just want to get rid of it.

epj · 12-11-2015, 12:44 PM

We have a couple of them, the small size and the larger one. Don't use either one since we got the ice maker in the refrigerator fixed. They work very well and put out a ton of ice. The small one kept four adults and a lot cocktails full of ice during a week in Florida a couple of years ago. Always had plenty of ice, even for frozen drinks.

Scarab0088 · 12-11-2015, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doublehooked

We have one made by EdgeStar got it for about $ 139.00. Bought it from them directly online. It works great.

Probably the same as ours. Makes a tray of medium size cubes (makes 3 sizes which are actually tiny ice cups-and which will cool a drink faster than cubes) every 6 minutes!

One of the BEST things we ever got for the RV...so good it goes in the studs and stucco house for parties.

Item of note...the catch bin IS NOT a 'fridge, so ice left unused in the catch bin will just remelt into the water tank.
If wanting to make ice in advance, the ice must be moved to a freezer. We do not bother because it makes ice SO FAST.

Highly recommended!