Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

[Thajeffski]

I'm getting tired of going to the gas station and paying 2 bucks a bag of ice (x2 or x3) every weekend........

I want an ice maker, but not an expensive one. I've been searching and I see one like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Red-Counter...ltDomain_0&hash=item255a205195#ht_2659wt_1137

However I was wondering if any of you have found a better solution..

I

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

Much lower tech, but I freeze water in Tupperware buckets then break it up with a hammer into the cooler. Works for me. It helps I have two upright freezers in the basement. HTH.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

Me too, but I leave one or two intact so I have a couple of ice blocks. That way I can put one of them on top of the crushed ice in the cooler. It all lasts longer that way.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

My brother-in-law lives on the river, bought an older refrigerator with an ice maker in it, uses it for ice, bait, cleaned fish, etc., keeps it in his garage, works out real nice and don't stink up mama's frig in house. Of course the electricity to run it could buy a few bags of ice, just depends on how much ice you need. For my needs, I just freeze 1 gallon water bottles in our frig for use in boat but it does take up freezer space.

 

[NBE]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I've often thought of trying to find some kind of a "small" ice machine also but right now I'm still using one gallon plastic milk jugs to make block ice. I usually get a bag or two of ice and then put the milk jug in there whole. You can also smash it up as described earlier. I find that when you do that you get bigger chunks that last longer.

Down here we have these small ice houses which are self-service and you can buy a 20 pound bag of ice for $1.50 each. That price is pretty reasonable so that is why I mainly use the milk jugs as block ice. One or two in each cooler along with some of the ice house ice and you're good to go for the weekend.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I've often thought of trying to find some kind of a "small" ice machine also but right now I'm still using one gallon plastic milk jugs to make block ice. I usually get a bag or two of ice and then put the milk jug in there whole. You can also smash it up as described earlier. I find that when you do that you get bigger chunks that last longer.

Down here we have these small ice houses which are self-service and you can buy a 20 pound bag of ice for $1.50 each. That price is pretty reasonable so that is why I mainly use the milk jugs as block ice. One or two in each cooler along with some of the ice house ice and you're good to go for the weekend.

I'm starting to get sick of the prices up here.

A 5lb bag of ice is 2 - 2.50 here.

A freakin 20lb bag would last me all weekend!!

 

[NBE]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I'm starting to get sick of the prices up here.

A 5lb bag of ice is 2 - 2.50 here.

A freakin 20lb bag would last me all weekend!!

Actually I was slightly wrong. There are two ways of getting ice...one is from a chute where once you enter your money ($1.50) you can dump directly into the ice chest/container. That is 20 lbs. The other, you can get it bagged for the same price but you only get 16 lbs in a bag. Still not a bad deal for a bag of ice. A couple of years ago when these ice houses first appeared the price was $1.00. Once they caught on the price of the ice got raised.

Your area seems ripe for some of these little houses. You could probably charge the same price as you pay now, just increase the amount of ice you get for that price. When I first saw them around here I was wish I had thought of the idea. Probably a good little money-making idea with not a lot of work involved. Just look up "Ice Vending Machines".

 

[bhammer]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I like the portable unit but you have to add the water and harvest the ice on a regular basis. The issue with them is that the ice in the bucket melts pretty quick. The one that I tried, I would fill up the day before and by the morning, it had used all the water and half the ice had melted. Most of these portable units work best if you harvest the ice while it's being made. I gave up.

What I am after is one of the large units. I found one at an auction for a restaurant that went out of business. It was a full size unit for $300. I was a little too late though.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

in Florida, there are free standing machines, sell 20# $150.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

in Florida, there are free standing machines, sell 20# $150.

wow, ice sure is at a premium down there... do they sell much at that price?

it's a drag here though too. 8 lbs for $2.25 round abouts. usually i get one or two bags a week. i figure it's just part of the price ya pay to go boating...

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I have had this one for 2yrs and love it !!. It makes all the ice I need or want for the day
I got it on ebay for $169 plus $25 shipping from Texas.
I'll never buy another bag of ice again !!!.

Specifications:

• NewAir AI-210SS Portable Ice Cube Maker produces ice in as little as 6 minutes of operation!
• Bright, sleek Stainless Steel case complements most environments
• Cubes available in three sizes
• Up to 35 pounds of ice per day!
• Twelve pieces of ice per cycle
• Connects to a standard household power outlet

 

[mpsyamaha]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

i keep hoping to find one on craigslist or something.

id love to buy an ice machine myself... its such a PITA to have to stop and get ice every time im going on the boat or to the beach. there is a marina near me that sells 40lb bags for $5, but having to stop there on the way out fishing every time really sucks. im always in a hurry to get out there.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

You know what would be a brillian inventon? something like a 20lb bag of ice that you dump water into and when it's done you take the shell off......and inside it is a full bag of cubed ice.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I have had this one for 2yrs and love it !!. It makes all the ice I need or want for the day
I got it on ebay for $169 plus $25 shipping from Texas.
I'll never buy another bag of ice again !!!.

Specifications:

• NewAir AI-210SS Portable Ice Cube Maker produces ice in as little as 6 minutes of operation!
• Bright, sleek Stainless Steel case complements most environments
• Cubes available in three sizes
• Up to 35 pounds of ice per day!
• Twelve pieces of ice per cycle
• Connects to a standard household power outlet

I saw that, but I don't want to have to fill it with water everytime and all the ones I saw only hold 2-4 lbs of ice in it's bucket ..

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

I get instant ice whenever my wife sees my Iboat charges on my credit card. Just sayin...

 

[bhammer]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

Jeff, this is the one that I have been eyeing for a couple months. The only issue is it holds 6lbs but makes 12lbs a day.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...log_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CDUQ8gIwAA#

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

that's getting closer! I could deal with taking 6lbs and putting it in the freezer and then letting it make six more over night..

Hmmm My birthday is Sunday......

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

but I don't want to have to fill it with water everytime

They also have one that you can hook a water supply to it.

I didn't feel like running another water line so I got that one.

I have 8 to 10 people on my boat drinking mixed drinks and never ran out of ice yet !!.


PS, How much ice are you planning to use in a day ??.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

They also have one that you can hook a water supply to it.

I didn't feel like running another water line so I got that one.

I have 8 to 10 people on my boat drinking mixed drinks and never ran out of ice yet !!.


PS, How much ice are you planning to use in a day ??.

I would like enough ice for the cooler for the weekend. usually about 7-10lbs does it..

I'm sure this would be great if I only wanted ice for drinks, but I'm talking about filling a normal cooler with ice from it on a Saturday morning..... then if I could refill it the next morning that'd be even better!

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Anyone have an "portable" "cost effective" ice maker at home?

usually about 7-10lbs does it..

That little ice maker would be great for you then.

I also make extra ice when I'm not doing anything and throw the ice in a bread bags
There's at least 30 bags in my freezer that I'll use for the beer coolers.

I also have a refrigerator on the boat so that helps.