Anyone have an Ice Machine (free-standing)?

[prose3589]

I have a stand alone ice maker. Favorite appliance in the house. Best ice ever. Always full. No technical problems and the only time it is noisy is after I empty and clean it and it must refill. It has to work like a horse then about twice a year. Seriously even my dogs stand by the ice maker for ice when I open the door. I never realized how much I would love it. I believe i paid 1800 and it is a whirlpool.

 

[Katsmeow]

It sounds like all your problems could be solved by getting an upright freezer with an ice maker in it. It avoids the disadvantages of a refrigerator ice maker and solves you separate ice maker problems.

If you are set on the separate ice maker, though....

Here is the current version of the machine we have (ours is DC-33A without the extra characters). It is installed under the island countertop, on the opposite side of the sink from the dishwasher.

It says: "This Scotsman DCE33A-1SSD undercounter ice machine operates with a gravity drain, so waste water flows into a floor drain by gravity. If a floor drain is unavailable at the installation location, a unit with a drain pump will be better for that establishment."

https://www.katom.com/044-DCE33A1SS...utm_content=Undercounter Ice Maker - Specific

You need to talk to your contractor and the plumber and get a quote on whether you can put in a drain to tie into any other drain and to find out what it would cost to be put in a drain.

I have not done this in the kitchen. We are on slab and did remodel our bathroom. We moved our shower and then had to put in a line from the new area that tied into the old area. This did involve jackhammering the slab and putting in the line and tying it to an existing line.

We wanted to move our toilet over 6". However, I was told that redoing that would be extremely expensive (couple of thousand dollars) and it just wasn't worth it to us.

But, basically, you won't know until you ask and have them look at it and give a quote. I've had contractors tell me I didn't want to do X because it would cost $500 and that wasn't worth it to them personally when for me it was totally worth it. And, it could be that it costs more than you want to spend.

 

[old medic]

1st off... how much ice do you use?.... We do alot of camping using coolers and $2K would not be a good investment for us to cover the ice. Twice the Ice stations here its $1 for 20lbs...

If your water has good taste (or no taste), and just need a few cubes a day, then an in fridge maker or trays should be sufficient. Bad water get trays and use bottled water.

 

[Amethyst]

Thanks for the alternate suggestions; I want to avoid an in-fridge ice maker if possible. I have always disliked them for any number of reasons. And ice trays are a childhood memory, to which I'd rather not return.

I'd rather not have to compromise, if there's an option that doesn't cost the earth, or involve tearing up half the floor (same difference).

A countertop ice maker sounds interesting; the house has a small wet bar in the great room, where it could reside. But the models I've scanned online have some pretty bad user reviews involving leaks, sheets of ice that don't separate into cubes, terrible customer support, and so on.

 

[sengsational]

If I had installed the OP machine and it was "impossible" to tie into an existing drain using gravity only (which is actually pretty likely if on a slab), then I'd use a condensate pump which only turns on when the water level in it's catch basin rises. So you could expect an additional noise when the ice maker is refreshing it's water, and very occasionally when melting ice fills the basin. But it would not be making noise all the time. BTW, NavAir's description of operation is exactly the way my ice maker works.

 

[levindb]

We have a AGA/Marvel undercounter ice maker. Makes crescent shaped cubes just like the refrigerator does. There is no drain and no pump. Fairly quiet in my opinion, but I am old and may not hear as well as others. This may meet your needs.
There is no defrost cycle, so we have to turn it off occasionally...but having the extra ice in the warmer months of South Carolina is very welcome.

 

[cathy63]

Thanks for the alternate suggestions; I want to avoid an in-fridge ice maker if possible. I have always disliked them for any number of reasons. And ice trays are a childhood memory, to which I'd rather not return.

I'd rather not have to compromise, if there's an option that doesn't cost the earth, or involve tearing up half the floor (same difference).

A countertop ice maker sounds interesting; the house has a small wet bar in the great room, where it could reside. But the models I've scanned online have some pretty bad user reviews involving leaks, sheets of ice that don't separate into cubes, terrible customer support, and so on.

If you're thinking of a countertop model, Wirecutter just updated their test results on them last month: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-ice-maker/

 

[calmloki]

The things I'm unaware of! I just thought having ice made a drink cold. Totally missed the finer points. Per the Wirecutter article:

"Clear ice causes less fizzing than cloudy ice because it’s smoother and therefore has fewer nucleation sites (crevices from air pockets, in this context) where bubbles can form, according to David Reguera, a professor in the department of fundamental physics at the University of Barcelona. The upshot is that drinks won’t go flat as quickly.

As the professor puts it: “A rough ice surface facilitates the heterogeneous nucleation of bubbles of dissolved CO₂. Hence, smooth, crystalline ice without air inclusions will produce less bubbles.”"

 

[Amethyst]

In fact, the issue is that the pump is always running because the ice is always melting. The ice-making ("harvesting") noises are occasional, thus not bothersome.

We have had the unit serviced; it was deemed to be operating as designed.

If I had installed the OP machine and it was "impossible" to tie into an existing drain using gravity only (which is actually pretty likely if on a slab), then I'd use a condensate pump which only turns on when the water level in it's catch basin rises. So you could expect an additional noise when the ice maker is refreshing it's water, and very occasionally when melting ice fills the basin. But it would not be making noise all the time. BTW, NavAir's description of operation is exactly the way my ice maker works.

 

[gamboolman]

We had bad experiences with Leaks and issues with the Ice Makers.... so....

I like these and ms gamboolgal has gone along with using them, for now......

 

[Katsmeow]

Thanks for the alternate suggestions; I want to avoid an in-fridge ice maker if possible. I have always disliked them for any number of reasons. And ice trays are a childhood memory, to which I'd rather not return.

I do want to make sure that some of us and you are not talking apples and oranges.

I understand the desire to avoid an in fridge ice maker. I have one but I understand the objection.

What I suggested and someone else did as well as not that. We suggested an ice maker in an upright freezer if you are getting a standalone freezer. That would seem to avoid most issues. Most people don't fill freezers entirely full (for good reason) so there is more room there for an icemaker and it doesn't use it part of your refrigerator space. Also, you would avoid the need for the pump you have now since the ice would not be melting and draining.

If you don't want an upright freezer then this won't work but lots of people do get standalone freezers.

 

[Amethyst]

I'd love an upright freezer, but there's no room in the kitchen for one. The kitchen is adequate, but not huge...We'll be getting a side-by-side fridge.

I do want to make sure that some of us and you are not talking apples and oranges.

I understand the desire to avoid an in fridge ice maker. I have one but I understand the objection.

What I suggested and someone else did as well as not that. We suggested an ice maker in an upright freezer if you are getting a standalone freezer. That would seem to avoid most issues. Most people don't fill freezers entirely full (for good reason) so there is more room there for an icemaker and it doesn't use it part of your refrigerator space. Also, you would avoid the need for the pump you have now since the ice would not be melting and draining.

If you don't want an upright freezer then this won't work but lots of people do get standalone freezers.

 

[Amethyst]

To repeat, again: Used these as a kid. Don't want to go back to them.

We had bad experiences with Leaks and issues with the Ice Makers.... so....

I like these and ms gamboolgal has gone along with using them, for now......

 

[sengsational]

"Clear ice causes less fizzing than cloudy ice because it’s smoother and therefore has fewer nucleation sites (crevices from air pockets, in this context) where bubbles can form, according to David Reguera, a professor in the department of fundamental physics at the University of Barcelona. The upshot is that drinks won’t go flat as quickly.

Far be it from me to argue with a "professor", but my thinking was that "cold ice" from the freezer caused the degassing. Freezer ice temperature is around 0° F, whereas in most of the machines that are "always melting", the ice is closer to 32° F. Pouring a beverage over "cold ice" causes a layer of the beverage to freeze onto the outside of the "cubes" and I thought that was the cause of all of the excess fizzing.

 

[Walt34]

...then I'd use a condensate pump which only turns on when the water level in it's catch basin rises. So you could expect an additional noise when the ice maker is refreshing it's water, and very occasionally when melting ice fills the basin. But it would not be making noise all the time.

In fact, the issue is that the pump is always running because the ice is always melting. The ice-making ("harvesting") noises are occasional, thus not bothersome.

I'm puzzled - we have one of these condensate pumps in the basement that the dehumidifier drains into. The pump only runs about every 20 minutes or so and for a period of about thirty seconds. It does not run continuously. It is super reliable, the centrifugal pump is attached directly to the motor armature and the only other moving parts are the float that operates the switch. I take it apart once a year or so to inspect and clean.

From about April/May until November/December the dehumidifier does run continuously and drains a steady trickle into the catch basin of the pump, which only runs when the float rises and empties the catch basin.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-VCMA-...040456&sprefix=condensate+pump,aps,219&sr=8-2

 

[sengsational]

^ I've had a few of those. The one on the dehumidifier has been 100% reliable and, as you say, runs for a handful of seconds a few times per day when the dehumidifier is engaged. The one on the A/C in my last house would dry out over the winter, sticking the float valve. So I'd usually have a puddle in the crawlspace in the spring until I did a Fonz style bump, and we were then good for the rest of the summer. But I digress. The point was, I too was perplexed by a noisy always running pump in the OP machine.

 

[Sunset]

^ I've had a few of those. The one on the dehumidifier has been 100% reliable and, as you say, runs for a handful of seconds a few times per day when the dehumidifier is engaged. The one on the A/C in my last house would dry out over the winter, sticking the float valve. So I'd usually have a puddle in the crawlspace in the spring until I did a Fonz style bump, and we were then good for the rest of the summer. But I digress. The point was, I too was perplexed by a noisy always running pump in the OP machine.

Maybe OP's pump has a float and it's stuck on. Which is why the sellers unplugged when the house was being shown.

 

[Amethyst]

I mentioned that we had the ice machine serviced by a refrigeration technician, who said it was operating normally.

This thread has convinced me that many people do not actually read the OP

Maybe OP's pump has a float and it's stuck on. Which is why the sellers unplugged when the house was being shown.

 

[Walt34]

I mentioned that we had the ice machine serviced by a refrigeration technician, who said it was operating normally.

Yes, and people offered an alternative to a pump that runs continuously, such as having the machine drain into a catch basin that is emptied intermittently by a pump turned on and off via a switch attached to a float in said catch basin. As is done in a condensate pump.

 

[beanerwi]

i have had numerous houses with the Manitowoc Brand ice-maker. As with all you have to consider the amount of heat they generate. I have moved mine to the garage and just fire it up when I know a crowd is coming over or I need to bag some ice for the boat.

 

[Wille]

We have a small stand-alone ice maker in our bar. We use it when we have company. It is a bit noisy, but we like it.

 

[kgtest]

Nope. We can buy a bag at McDonalds for $1 and that is about 1 mile away. Machine works 95% of the consumption and we also have little ice packs and big ice packs that we don't keep frozen ...

I learned keeping an empty freezer is inefficient as well. We keep ours nice and full with ice cream hahaha

 

[catii]

We have a stand-alone ice machine that is silent, except when the ice is falling from the arm:


Whynter Stainless Steel Built-in Ice Maker - Item# 581975


Bought it at Costco in 2011 for $369. Simple, & works like a champ! Runs 24 X 7 X 365, too.

 

[jeffdavidson]

Opal Nugget Ice Maker

(You may also know this as "the good ice." Opal makes the chewable, crunchable, flavor-saving nugget ice you love. The Opal is an affordable, portable nugget ice maker for your home.)

www.nuggetice.com

$549 and WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Also sold here:

https://www.geappliances.com/appliance/GE-Profile-Opal-Nugget-Ice-Maker-OPAL01GEPKT

 

[jeffdavidson]

Newer model here for $629: GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker

https://www.geappliances.com/appliance/GE-Profile-Opal-2-0-Nugget-Ice-Maker-XPIO13BCBT