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.
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
It uses a reservior. I'd probably figure a way to rig up a water supply. :-)
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.
Let us know after you actually do it. I suspect you're underestimating the true costs of ownership.
How does it make ice if not with water?
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.
OK, that's a deal killer
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.
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