I am thinking about buying a portable ice maker.
I saw one in Home Depot for like 200 bucks.
Anyone have any experiences with these things?
Are they too small to be worth while?
The one I saw makes about 35 Lbs of ice per day and does not conect
to a water supply.
Thanks

Ed Hayes writes:

I saw one in Home Depot for like 200 bucks.

At grocery store prices you'd have to use literally a ton of ice to break
even on the purchase. So this is strictly a convenience or quality
decision.

Your refrigerator-freezer will perform much better not making ice.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Ed Hayes writes:

I saw one in Home Depot for like 200 bucks.

At grocery store prices you'd have to use literally a ton of ice to break
even on the purchase. So this is strictly a convenience or quality
decision.

Your refrigerator-freezer will perform much better not making ice.


You'd have to use 1350 pounds (based on what I paid for 320 pounds today)
of ice to break even on a strict cost basis, but when you factor in
convenience, it may well be worth it. That trip to the store at 33¢ a mile
add up also.

OTOH, we buy ice for the drinking coolers at work. This machine will pay
for itself in one summer.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Ed Hayes wrote:
I am thinking about buying a portable ice maker.
I saw one in Home Depot for like 200 bucks.
Anyone have any experiences with these things?
Are they too small to be worth while?
The one I saw makes about 35 Lbs of ice per day and does not conect
to a water supply.


How does it make ice if not with water?



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message
. com...
Ed Hayes wrote:
I am thinking about buying a portable ice maker.
I saw one in Home Depot for like 200 bucks.
Anyone have any experiences with these things?
Are they too small to be worth while?
The one I saw makes about 35 Lbs of ice per day and does not conect
to a water supply.


How does it make ice if not with water?

It uses a reservior. I'd probably figure a way to rig up a water supply. :-)





--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Edwin Pawlowski writes:

OTOH, we buy ice for the drinking coolers at work. This machine will
pay for itself in one summer.

Let us know after you actually do it. I suspect you're underestimating the
true costs of ownership.

"Ed Hayes" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about buying a portable ice maker.
I saw one in Home Depot for like 200 bucks.
Anyone have any experiences with these things?
Are they too small to be worth while?
The one I saw makes about 35 Lbs of ice per day and does not conect
to a water supply.
Thanks

Yes, it will make up to 30 pounds of ice.

IF you keep putting in the water. It doesn't hook to a supply.

IF you keep harvesting the ice immediately. It doesn't store it below
freezing, and melting begins immediately.

IF you don't have a high demand reason for needing the ice. 33 pounds isn't
that much over 24 hours time, and will require you to stand there every 12
minutes to harvest it for that cooler, and then refill the reservoir.

The more expensive and larger units that connect to a water supply are more
useful. HD sells those too. Everstar brand, NSF rated, and from $800-$1000
for something that you actually CAN fill an ice chest up with. But, at that
cost, it's gonna take you a bunch of years to recoup the investment.

"Sunflower" wrote in message
IF you keep harvesting the ice immediately. It doesn't store it below
freezing, and melting begins immediately.


and will require you to stand there every 12 minutes to harvest it for
that cooler, and then refill the reservoir.

OK, that's a deal killer

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
.. .
Edwin Pawlowski writes:

OTOH, we buy ice for the drinking coolers at work. This machine will
pay for itself in one summer.

Let us know after you actually do it. I suspect you're underestimating
the
true costs of ownership.

After reading that you have to harvest the ice every 12 minutes, it is not a
consideration. That add considerably to the cost of operation. I'd have to
hire an ice maker.