Today, I want to share my experience with the Frigidaire Countertop Ice Maker, a product I’ve been eager to review for quite some time. There are numerous models in the market, but I decided on this one, given its popularity, a good reputation with over 5000 reviews, and an average rating of 4.5 stars.
Where to Purchase
The model I purchased on Amazon cost me about $105. I picked this model because of the brand name and overwhelmingly positive consumer ratings.
Ice Maker Review
This ice maker boasts the ability to produce up to 26 pounds of ice per day, and begins making ice in as little as six minutes. It can produce nine ice cubes roughly every 7 to 15 minutes and has a storage capacity for 1.5 pounds of ice, with the water reservoir holding 2.3 quarts of water.
Most Amazon reviews rave about the quantity of ice it produces. However, there were a few complaints about it being slow, not holding a lot of ice, and the lack of refrigeration. It’s important to note, this model isn’t a refrigerated one. So, if you don’t promptly remove the ice, it starts to melt, recycles back into the reservoir, and gets reused.
The Frigidaire Countertop Ice Maker has a straightforward design. The top control panel has indicators for ‘Add Water,’ ‘Ice Full,’ and ‘Power,’ along with settings for ‘Small’ or ‘Large’ ice cubes. Inside, you find an ice scoop and basket.
When I set it up and filled the reservoir to its max line, the machine started working almost immediately. In just over eight minutes, I had my first batch of ice. The cubes seemed slightly thinner in this first batch than in subsequent batches.
The ice maker isn’t particularly loud, roughly as loud as a food dehydrator. Over time, I noted that the machine took approximately one hour to fill the basket up with ice, producing about one pound of ice before stopping due to being full. After running it for seven hours, it made about six pounds of ice from six batches.
The large cubes took between 57 to 88 minutes per batch to produce, while the small cubes averaged around 60 minutes per batch. I didn’t observe a significant size difference between the small and large cubes, so it’s safe to say you can opt for either depending on your preference.
Now, onto the pros and cons.
The simplicity of use and consistent production of a good amount of ice are significant advantages. However, there are a few things to consider. For one, you need to check on it every hour to empty the tray. An alert function for a full tray would have been a handy addition. Additionally, as it’s not a refrigerated model, any unremoved ice melts back into the reservoir. There are refrigerated models available, but they fall into a different price range. I did notice that the ice takes some time to melt when left in the basket, typically several hours. Thus, although it’s not refrigerated, it does appear to be well insulated.
To summarize, the Frigidaire Countertop Ice Maker is a worthy investment, particularly if you host frequent gatherings, have a large family, or find yourself making ice regularly. Just remember, the frequency of emptying the tray and lack of refrigeration may need to be factored into your decision.
If you’ve used an ice maker like this, tell me what you think in the comments below.
I have one of these–i.e., the Frigidaire Ice Maker. It is better than the other brands that I have owned (in different price points). In my home kitchen there is no reasonable way to own a refrigerator with an internal ice maker. Indeed, we are a family that goes through a lot of ice! The standalone ice maker makes a lot of sense. Make ice, place in freezer, no more shortages! Keep the outside clean and the vents free from obstruction. Keep the inside clean from hard water deposits by giving it a good wipe now and then with a… Read more »
Thanks for the info Cathrine! I use it fairly regularly and I’ve been happy with it. I use filtered, softened water, which I’m hoping will help avoid some of the hard water problems.
We use filtered water also. Still, our CA water is quite hard so we do get deposits. Since your water is softened that should probably do the trick. But anyone who experiences deposits building up should drain the machine, wipe the reservoir with a solution of equal parts distilled white vinegar and water, wipe and agitate to remove deposits, then rinse with plain water. We’ve had ours for 5 years of near daily use!
If I can get 5 years, I’d be happy.
I found this ice maker get a yellow stuff in the water reservoir and the water fill. It is a little tough to clean
I haven’t experienced that yet, but I’ll be on the lookout for it. What kind of water do you use – tap water, filtered water, distilled water, etc?
I have had two of these machines. Both had the pumps quit after about a year and a half. Also cubes have a metallic taste.
I use mine regularly and I’ll let you know if I have any such problems!
We have had the Frigidaire countertop job for about 2 months. We only fill it with filtered water. It has been fantastic and working perfectly for a family of 4. Over the last week the cubes have become smaller and wimpier. They also have been taking much longer. Today it has made a few baby cubes. The water is flowing well and the fan and compressor kick on fine. Again we’ve had it since July 20th. It’s very clean with no dust buildup in rear or on the coils. I have done the reset and cleaned it. Still no cubes.… Read more »
Interesting. Have you figured out the cause? I have not encountered this yet!
I bought this, it lasted less than 1 year. 10 months in, it stopped making ice. I used it once a week.
Interesting, thank you for that info. I’m currently at 4 months with almost daily use, so we’ll see how long it lasts for me.
I have one I’ve had for about a year and a half. I’m moving and I went to clean it and dry it up and pack it I noticed yellow streaks on the right inside. So I got a flash light and I’m so pissed and besides myself well that metal rid on the inside. It’s rusting and rusted and dripping down into the water and getting in the ice. I’m surprised it hasn’t been more people haven’t seen or found it too. I just found it last night. But I’d check yours really good it is rusting inside and… Read more »
Thanks for the heads up! I haven’t noticed that yet but I’ll keep an eye out for it!
I purchased this Frigidaire countertop ice maker. After 6 months it quit working contacted service after 2 months they said to return I sent videos photos etc as requested. They only respond if you contact every few days. It will cost $50 to send a $89 ice maker. Bought because of Frigidaire name will never purchase another Frigidaire product. Customer service never did respond to last email!
That’s unfortunate. I appreciate the heads up and I’ll report back if it happens to me. So far it’s doing ok, but we shall see.