Author Topic: Automatic ice maker in your freezer because filling ice trays is so hard boo hoo  (Read 18296 times)

RapmasterD

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Yeah, we got one of those fucking ice makers with our new KitchenAid refrigerator 11 years ago. What a novelty. I really LOVE hearing the smashing of fresh ice in the middle of the night. And I'm always paranoid about the water line in the back of the refrigerator leaking. We had it replaced several years ago because of the ridiculous way the original line had been installed, and sure enough I noticed it leaking last night...badly. $235 later and it's now fixed. Do you know how many bags of ice you can buy for $235? Fucking automatic ice makers....probably warped my fucking floor.

MOTHER FUCKER!

End of rant.

hdatontodo

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Ahh yes. The whir whir gronk noise at 2am.

My prior house had a icemaker-ready refrigerator and I installed the unit.

It was like a cartoon when I drilled the basement water pipe for the saddle valve tap and gravity made water shoot across the basement.

arebelspy

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Why not just shut off the water at the back and use normal ice trays, if it bothers you?

It seems weird to me to rant about something you have complete, 100% control over.
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windypig

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I love my ice maker. The first ice maker i bought came with the first home i bought and it is a symbol of home-ownership to me. I couldnt get over how novel it was to have endless ice for my iced tea. Love it.

Worst case scenario is it leaks for 8 hours I always shut my water main when I am away from my house for more than a day.

jordanread

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Why not just shut off the water at the back and use normal ice trays, if it bothers you?

It seems weird to me to rant about something you have complete, 100% control over.

+1.

Cookie

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Turn the ice maker off if you don't like it!

Beric01

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Personally, I have no need for ice at all. Just not a fan of very cold drinks (or very hot ones).

galliver

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Last two apartments have had one in the fridge...not hooked up...taking up space... Is there a way to remove them? Probably should have googled it before now. The ones in the door are handy, though. And the water filters. Maybe not mustachian given the price of those fridges, but it's compact. I've only used them at friends' places so far, though.

Eric

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You're right that filling ice cube trays is not hard.  I've had 6 plus an ice cube bucket in my freezer for years. Until we moved into this apartment 10 months ago.  My first automatic ice maker.  IT'S GLORIOUS!!!  I'm in love.

agent_clone

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Why not just shut off the water at the back and use normal ice trays, if it bothers you?

It seems weird to me to rant about something you have complete, 100% control over.
Personally what bothers me is the fact that most of the smaller fridges (and I presume larger too) fridges have in built ice cube trays and dumping zone taking up about 1/4 of the freezer space.  From my point of view freezer space is at a premium, ice cube trays take up little room in the ones you buy separately, you can get ones with lids so you can put other stuff on top.  Why on earth do I want one in the good section of the freezer.
The few fridges I saw without the ice cube makers use too much electricity.

Ze-french-architecte

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There are some fridges that have a reservoir to fill instead of installing them on the house or appartment's plumbing !
That could solve the leaky issue.
But not the noise or space issues + laziness it creates. I would not buy such a sophisticated fridge. I use ice in my drinks 2 months per year at most. Drinking too cold is really bad for my digestion. Apparently everyone in France knows this and I am a retard for noticing it so late in life... (ha ha ha!) My husband was very curious when ice cold water was brought to him at a restaurant. He thought the waiter wanted to poison him.

Is it really true about efficient fridges all having this feature ? I thought only side-to side combined fridge/freezer had ice makers, and those are not very efficient. or used to be (6 years ago when I was still buying things new)

agent_clone

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Its not an ice maker per say, looking in my freezer there are 2 ice cube trays, and an ice cube holder.  I bought one of these: http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/280l-westinghouse-fridge-wtb2800wc/

Essentially I was looking for a fridge/freezer that had a certain amount of freezer space and used less than 410kWh.

An example of a more energy efficient fridge: http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/420l-electrolux-fridge-etm4200sdlh/ .  Note the size of the ice cube tray thing.

I like to eat crushed ice with cordial (the add to water kind) on hot days in summer, but I don't need the large ice cube thing for that.  I don't know if it's an Australian Freezer thing, or if it is more world wide.

GuitarStv

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When I bought my condo this summer, the seller offered to sell me his fridge for $200 because it was broken.  Turns out only the ice maker assembly was broken.  Since I rarely use ice, this ended up working perfectly for me.  Didn't think to check if the water was still on... d'oh... I'll be checking that tonight.

Spork

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Last two apartments have had one in the fridge...not hooked up...taking up space... Is there a way to remove them? Probably should have googled it before now. The ones in the door are handy, though. And the water filters. Maybe not mustachian given the price of those fridges, but it's compact. I've only used them at friends' places so far, though.

Yes... but... you may still have to google it.   They are usually a sort of plug-n-play unit.  And sometimes when you unplug it form it's internal electrical plug, there is a little "blank" you have to plug back in or the freezer won't run.  (You don't need to ask how I know... you can probably guess.)

galliver

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Last two apartments have had one in the fridge...not hooked up...taking up space... Is there a way to remove them? Probably should have googled it before now. The ones in the door are handy, though. And the water filters. Maybe not mustachian given the price of those fridges, but it's compact. I've only used them at friends' places so far, though.

Yes... but... you may still have to google it.   They are usually a sort of plug-n-play unit.  And sometimes when you unplug it form it's internal electrical plug, there is a little "blank" you have to plug back in or the freezer won't run.  (You don't need to ask how I know... you can probably guess.)
Good to know! Thanks!

Elderwood17

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They are easy enough to turn off. It seems the ice maker and through the door water dispensers make up half the repairs I hear people having to make on their refrigerators!  Bef pre we moved into our current house which came with a refrigerator with ice/water dispensers, we lived just fine without either.  Took a fair number of ice cube trays living in Texas but not a big deal!

RapmasterD

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Why not just shut off the water at the back and use normal ice trays, if it bothers you?

It seems weird to me to rant about something you have complete, 100% control over.

I want to complain to the forum moderator about this RIDICULOUS response. Oh come on dude---we're just kidding.

I have two shut offs in the house -- one for the main water and one for the sprinkler system. There is no independent control for the refrigerator. And turning off the ice maker doesn't do it either as that same line feeds the water dispenser inside of our refrigerator.

Now if you're telling me I can somehow shut that line....hmmmm...

arebelspy

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Look behind the fridge.
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4alpacas

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I love my ice maker.

I'm happy to see a rational thinker on this thread.  My icemaker is the best.  I have ice all of the time.  MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!

I also find my rice maker and crockpot magic-makers. 

Please don't take away my luxuries. 

Gone Fishing

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My parent's ice maker blew a line when I was a kid, amazing how much water can come out of that little 1/4" pipe in a short amount of time!  When we first dipped our toes in the rental business, an agent told us never to have an ice maker in any of our fridges, apparently they leak on a regular basis.   

Jack

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My fridge has (as far as I know) a perfectly-good ice maker... but it's plugged in on the opposite side of the room from where the idiot contractor (hired by the previous owner) installed the water line. Oh well.

RapmasterD

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Look behind the fridge.

Yeah I did. There is a line, and that is all.

RapmasterD

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#firstworldproblems

Yeah of course I know that. In fact Rob Ford and I were just torching up a big old rasta bone and we were laughing about it.

justajane

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Ice maker ice always tastes bad to me - like they absorb all the smells of the fridge. We disabled ours and just use trays. The next fridge we buy won't have one.

4alpacas

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Ice maker ice always tastes bad to me - like they absorb all the smells of the fridge. We disabled ours and just use trays. The next fridge we buy won't have one.

What kind of smells do you have in your fridge?  I put baking soda in a glass, and it handles all of our "smells."

Spork

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Ice maker ice always tastes bad to me - like they absorb all the smells of the fridge. We disabled ours and just use trays. The next fridge we buy won't have one.

What kind of smells do you have in your fridge?  I put baking soda in a glass, and it handles all of our "smells."

A friend of mine has this issue and ... her ice is just nasty.  I have the same brand fridge (but different year) and mine is fine.  In her case ... she just needs to do a full top-to-bottom clean of the fridge and freezer.   And maybe use tighter fitting lids on her leftovers.

justajane

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Ice maker ice always tastes bad to me - like they absorb all the smells of the fridge. We disabled ours and just use trays. The next fridge we buy won't have one.

What kind of smells do you have in your fridge?  I put baking soda in a glass, and it handles all of our "smells."

I've never had an ice maker (at least a functioning one), but many times at the houses of friends and family, as the ice melts, it just tastes bad. My theory is that there's not enough  turnover of ice and that they serve me ice that has been sitting there for months.

FWIW, I also think butter absorbs fridge smell.

4alpacas

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Ice maker ice always tastes bad to me - like they absorb all the smells of the fridge. We disabled ours and just use trays. The next fridge we buy won't have one.

What kind of smells do you have in your fridge?  I put baking soda in a glass, and it handles all of our "smells."

I've never had an ice maker (at least a functioning one), but many times at the houses of friends and family, as the ice melts, it just tastes bad. My theory is that there's not enough  turnover of ice and that they serve me ice that has been sitting there for months.

FWIW, I also think butter absorbs fridge smell.

I've never had a stinky ice situation, but I can understand if the ice is left around for a while.  Our ice is readily emptied--coolers for picnics, ice cubes in the dog's bowl, toss a few in the dryer to "steam" clothing, for iced tea, etc.

I don't think my butter sits around long enough to get freezer smell. I do regularly switch out the baking soda though.

Spork

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I don't think my butter sits around long enough to get freezer smell. I do regularly switch out the baking soda though.

LOL... Mine either.  We go through butter really fast.

Ze-french-architecte

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Agent clone,
I've looked at your links. It must be Australian, I have not seen big bulky boxes with huge dials in fridges in North america or Europe, I'm afraid. Must be some king of crocodile protection device built 'specially for you guys !!


solon

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I think the paper wrapping on the butter is there specifically to keep smells out of the butter. I've never had any problem with butter tasting like the fridge.

justajane

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Maybe I just have an extra sensitive palate....or an extra stinky fridge :).

agent_clone

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Agent clone,
I've looked at your links. It must be Australian, I have not seen big bulky boxes with huge dials in fridges in North america or Europe, I'm afraid. Must be some king of crocodile protection device built 'specially for you guys !!
I guess people use a fair bit of ice in the hotter months, but for where I live that leaves the other 7-9 months of the year...  I was perfectly happy with the ice cube holder that went in arm of the freezer in the previous fridge that I owned.  I don't use the arm area much at all in the freezer, so its a reasonable space for it.  I guess I'll try out the trays sometime in the next couple of months and see if it does something fancy for tipping them out to make it easier for me to have crushed ice...

iris lily

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I read somewhere that the most common form of home insurance payout is due to defective lines to those auto ice makers.

We don't have one. I hadn't thought about the noise, but yes, it likely would bother me. I like to use my friend's icemaker when I go over to her house to watch streaming shows on a giant tv. She's got all of the toys and I enjoy them but don't have to pay for them.

jordanread

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Look behind the fridge.

Yeah I did. There is a line, and that is all.
If you follow that line to the other side (not the fridge side) there is almost always a shutoff valve. I believe that most of the time it taps in under the sink. On my current setup, my line connects at the washing machine since it's closer. Also, there is usually a bar above the tray that the ice sits in. If you raise it up, it stops making ice.

gomike

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Look behind the fridge.

Yeah I did. There is a line, and that is all.

And if you follow that line to the water source you will find a shut off valve.

solon

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Look behind the fridge.

Yeah I did. There is a line, and that is all.

And if you follow that line to the water source you will find a shut off valve.

There has to be a shut-off valve somewhere. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to connect/disconnect the water line.

arebelspy

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Look behind the fridge.

Yeah I did. There is a line, and that is all.

And if you follow that line to the water source you will find a shut off valve.

Indeed. There must be, because what if you want to temporarily remove the fridge.

Water just pours out nonstop?  You have to turn off the water to the whole house?

Neither. You use the shutoff valve for that line.
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innkeeper77

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Note- the shutoff valve might not be in the kitchen. I just saw a house that had it running into the basement, with a saddle valve down there. It wasn't a well thought out setup.... but a shutoff still existed.

mm1970

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I fill so many ice trays.  So many.  There are at least two days a week I wish I had an icemaker.

Spork

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Note- the shutoff valve might not be in the kitchen. I just saw a house that had it running into the basement, with a saddle valve down there. It wasn't a well thought out setup.... but a shutoff still existed.

Yeah... especially in older houses.   My parents' house ran outside and around the house.   It tapped into a hose bib, where the shutoff was.  It was a really stupid setup that always froze in the winter.

RapmasterD

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Thanks all. I talked to a couple of multi multi multi millionaire plumbers this morning, who laughed in my face when I told them how much I spent for the fix. And these guys are as anti-MMM as you can get. They validated what you've pretty much said. So I'll find the f'ing shut off (if it's not in my crawl space) and the next time it goes berserkie that's it. Thanks again.

Spork

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Thanks all. I talked to a couple of multi multi multi millionaire plumbers this morning, who laughed in my face when I told them how much I spent for the fix. And these guys are as anti-MMM as you can get. They validated what you've pretty much said. So I'll find the f'ing shut off (if it's not in my crawl space) and the next time it goes berserkie that's it. Thanks again.

For a few dollars you can also get a shutoff with a sensor... so if the line does break, the shutoff turns off automatically. 

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I can't go back to the days of the Brita water pitcher in the refrigerator and ice cube trays. F that!

I can't imagine life without the built-in icemaker and water filter in the 'fridge. \

America is greatest country in world.

solon

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One of the great things about America is the clean water running from every tap. Why use a filter at all?

Timmmy

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I love my ice maker!

I have seen enough leaking water lines to be paranoid about it.  When I installed mine, I used a T fitting from the sink after the shutoff and then ran a PVC supply line just like the ones you use for your sink to the back of the fridge.  I am 100% confident that it will last way longer than the fridge. 

Don't use those stupid flexible copper lines with stupid saddle valves and stupid compression fittings to connect the line.  That's just asking for a leak. 

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I had a water line on an ice maker break once. It leaked all over the hardwood floors all night, warping the boards in a few places. If we'd been out of town that weekend it would have flooded the place. I'm also in the "and it tastes gross" camp, for the record.

jinga nation

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One of the great things about America is the clean water running from every tap. Why use a filter at all?

Have you ever tasted City of Tampa-supplied water from the tap? And worse, in our summer, from April to October? Uggh!
Gimme cold filtered water. NO to bottled water, especially Dasani and it's ilk. That's being sucked into the greatest scam ever.

Miamoo

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This is hysterical!  Just had a conversation with my frugal mentor about not being able to find new ice cube trays as my old ones are cracking and leaking.  (I have found some on amazon)

From me:

"My old plastic ones are cracking after ? years and I've been watching for new ones all summer.  Would you believe I've only found them at the $ store and those are pre-cracked?  Just found some on amazon tho and put them on my "Wish List" for the month.  All these amazon points from surveys are coming in handy for odds & ends.

I wonder if they've become rare because so many people buy the fridges with the ice makers built in.  (Lazy people.  Expensive add on and one more thing to break).

Another first world problem ha ha."

From her:

"Yup, buy a new 'fridge and get an ice maker that will break even before the plastic trays. Consumers Report is always writing about how the ice makers fail so soon so don't get that option."

How much trouble is it to fill the trays when empty and put them back in the freezer for more? 

Spend more money on a fridge with an ice maker/water dispenser, spend more money on running a water line to said fridge.  Spend more money when the stinkin' thing acts up and if you're not handy - call a plumber or repairman.

Makes absolutely no sense to me.  Especially if you want to save money.