Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-04-2006, 06:13 PM   #1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
BigMoneyJim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Nomadic in the Rockies
Posts: 2,720
Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

Does anyone have any experience with small, standalone ice cube makers? I'm an apartment dweller tired of not having one built into my fridge, and I just started googling for something I can put on my counter top.

The major stores don't seem to carry a selection, but they are available by mail. The low end appears to be between $200-$300 with bottom-dwelling prices hitting $150.

If anyone bought one or has a link to consumer ratings I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!
BigMoneyJim is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-04-2006, 08:18 PM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
cute fuzzy bunny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

Bag of ice from the grocery store once a week for a buck will outlast any icemaker...

Next are ya going to be asking about anyone who puts in tequila pipe lines...
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
cute fuzzy bunny is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 03:45 AM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,252
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

I replaced the icemaker in our 10-year old fridge last year. I cost about $90. If you add the valve, that's another $35 I think. So I think you could retrofit your fridge's freezer to have an automatic icemaker for less than $150 including taxes. A place like www.repairclinic.com will sell a whole kit, but after checking prices there, I just went with the local appliance parts store because I didn't want to wait a couple days.

If you don't own your fridge in the apartment, I guess this would not work because you would have to get a water line into the freezer. OTOH many fridge's are already plumbed for an icemaker.
LOL! is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 04:50 AM   #4
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
ladelfina's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,713
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

Quote:
small, standalone ice cube makers
I think they call them "trays".




I knew I guy whose family had a beer tap in the kitchen from a keg in the basement.. late '50s early '60s.* According to him, this was not unusual in Milwaukee. (!?)

I started out ready to pooh-pooh this idea but I went to a site called Compact Appliance, and the device they sell does indeed look pretty.. uhm.. cool! ($239). They have reviews on the site but there is only one for this item; it is 5 stars, though.

If I were on a tight budget but just generally needed more ice than I could make/store in my regular freezer, I might check out their tiny freezer unit, which is only $89. You'd have to use trays and wait, though. If you regularly have impromptu parties where you need a lot of ice right away, I might splurge on the icemaker. In a rented apt., I wouldn't want the responsibility of retro-fitting.. what if the water line leaked or something and caused damage?

I saw a very extensive positive review of another model here, complete with lots of pictures of the device.
ladelfina is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 08:51 AM   #5
Moderator Emeritus
Nords's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ladelfina
I think they call them "trays".
In our house they call them "kid's chores".
__________________
*

Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."

I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
Nords is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 09:27 AM   #6
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
cute fuzzy bunny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

I cannot WAIT until another 7-8 years goes by...
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
cute fuzzy bunny is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 09:48 AM   #7
Moderator Emeritus
Nords's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by (Cute Fuzzy Bunny)
I cannot WAIT until another 7-8 years goes by...
Me either!
__________________
*

Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."

I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
Nords is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 09:53 AM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
cute fuzzy bunny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
cute fuzzy bunny is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-05-2006, 10:05 AM   #9
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

My fridge has an ice maker, but we don't use enough ice to even keep it busy.
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire

...not doing anything of true substance...
HFWR is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?
Old 02-08-2006, 03:41 PM   #10
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: No. California
Posts: 1,858
Re: Apartment / Portable Ice Makers?

My icemaker broke....so I'm resorting to ice trays.
KB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Apartment Hunting BigMoneyJim Young Dreamers 8 03-22-2007 05:13 PM
Portable DVD Player Outtahere Other topics 3 12-06-2006 10:17 AM
China Makes Ultimate Punishment Mobile. Does It Play Ice Cream Truck Music? poboy Other topics 12 06-18-2006 01:13 PM
Yaktrax, to prevent slipping on ice. Howard Other topics 8 02-02-2006 06:10 PM
Starbuck: free ice cream MJ Other topics 4 06-29-2005 05:56 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:19 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.