Ice, Ice, Baby: A fad is born

You might think it’d be a cold day in that infernal afterworld before ice—rather, chewing ice—joined Kobe beef, foie gras, truffles, and other delicacies as a food fad.

But that’s what has happened, according to “Chew This Over: Munchable Ice Sells Like Hot Cakes,” in the January 30, 2008, edition of The Wall Street Journal. Many fast-food restaurants, reports Ilan Brat, sell cups of ice to all those frozen-water eaters out there. A 32-ounce cup of the cold stuff will cost you 25 cents at a Taco Time near Seattle, for instance.

The story also notes that sales of machines that make easy-chewing ice climbed about 23 percent from 2003 to 2006. Still, that’s only 16,673 total units, far less than the millions of refrigerators and freezers sold each year in the United States.

But you don’t need a pricey separate machine to make your own “chewable” ice if you’ve got a fridge with a through-the-door ice dispenser. Most side-by-side refrigerators offer a crushed-ice dispenser, and some French-door models with ice dispensers also offer crushed ice. To get pieces that are a good chewing consistency, fill your cup with crushed ice, add some water to soften it, then chew away. Drink the water you add or drain it away—your choice. Remember, chewing ice can harm your teeth, according to the American Dental Association. (Note: The cubes shown here would not be considered quintessential chewing ice along the lines of the Chewblet, Nugget Ice, and Pearl Ice "varietals" cited in the WSJ article.)

Essential information: Read about refrigerators and freezers to find the best appliances for your home. And if you want to have some soda with your ice, read our report on home soda makers. For more on chewing ice, check out the Ice Chewers Bulletin Board.—Steven H. Saltzman

Comments

[Hal]

I am in need of a very good but easy to use pasta maker? Any ideas?

[alw]

Some families happen to need a larger volume of ice than a built-in can keep up with or perhaps the "ice-chewers" whom the above reporter has determined do not really need chewable ice are actually iron deficient pica sufferers. In any case, anemics, large families and cooks would be well-served by a comprehensive guide that did not exclude small, separate ice-makers in its kitchen appliance reviews.

[JCM]

Where can I find information to help me select a stand-alone ice maker: reliable brands, determining the correct output for my needs, and information I need to know or consider before making a decision?

[sdc]

Our family is large and loves having a stand alone ice maker. We have had a Kenmore Elite for the last eight years. It has been repaired about 4 times. This is an appliance that is fickle. It must be cleaned regularly by using a cleaning solution and by sweeping the coils. We have also heard that certain types of water are hard on ice makers. I think lots of families use ice makers and would appreciate information from Consumer Report on a reliable brand to purchase.

[Merrill Guice]

For your information, the ice from the portable machines is MUCH softer than crushed ice from the refrigerator door. I read you to rate products. Instead of getting on your high horse and dictating to me what kind of ice I should eat, just test the darn portable ice makers. It's called customer service.

[Sherry Geno]

I live in an area where plumbed ice makers are destroyed by well water. I've been looking for some comparison of portable or counter top ice makers and I haven't found anything helpful. Can anyone out there direct me to comparative info on portable ice makers?

[Cold]

This is very disappointing. I would love to be able to afford the $1500+ machines that produce clear ice (made by a different process.) I was hoping you could tell me which of the smaller portable machines makes the clearest and HARDEST ice. I find myself buying up to 50 pounds of ice a week which could justify a $300 range unit but I need SOLID ice from an energy efficient machine. Who can tell me which one that is?

[Ric W.]

Does anybody out there have a recommendation on a reliable, affordable, free standing ice machine?
I thought CR would should have a review, Oh well.

[Megan Barber]

I'm also disappointed CR does not have any info on stand alone ice machines. We also have a large family; new fridg w/ 'in the door' ice feature DOES NOT keep up w/ demand. Please CR - we're waiting!

[Elizabeth Williams]

Yes, please rate ice makers!

[Susie]

There are many consumers that are in need of these appliances for their travel trailers, bars, gamerooms or where 'city' water is unavailable. I fall into the later category and have chosen to not hookup my refrigerator to the well water to avoid the costly repairs associated with the minerals and to provide for a higher resale value later, should I need it. Please do not ignore the need for reviews of portable and midsize appliances for your loyal, but disappointed customers.

[zoracollie]

I joined this moment to read about portable ice makers. I bought one one line and it is of no value. If I return it It will cost over half the price pay shipping both ways and perhaps restocking.I told them it didn't operate in a manner that a consumer would expect, they are calling it "buyers Regret" wet dripping ice cubs as soon as they are released.

[zoracollie]

I just applied for a subscription and went straight to ice makers
I do not have an ice maker in my freezer. I ordered a portable ice
maker and it does not perform like anyone would expect. Ice cubes as soon as they are released are wet and dripping it is advertised to make up to 33 lbs in 24 hrs it made 2 gallons of water 8.4 lbs
roughly 17lbs. but it says up to. now there are many for sale refurbished. i have to pay shipping both ways and restocking charges. So I see why there are so many refurbished for sale. I am disappointed now that I ordered this service and there is not a word about portable ice makers.

[J Bodinar]

Re stand alone ice machines. I bought a Prodis machine in March, am now on third machine and this one doesn't work.

[joaniepony]

I didn't see this comment area until after I purchased a subscription to C R. It would be helpful if we could see a real index of items and brands,before we have to hand over personal information, like credit card information.

[CSherman]

I am so disappointed in Consumer Reports. Have had a Kitchen Aid under the counter Ice Maker for the last five years and have had to have it worked on 3 times and now is the fourth, possibly final repair. Went to find your recommendations for Ice makers and nothing! Get with it CR, not everyone has just a regular fridge with in the door ice.

[bret]

I,too, just now applied to CR for ONLY a review on
stand alone ice maker (under counter)recommendations
and am angry I wasted by subscription and didnt get
any reviews or recommendations.
Can I get a refund on my subscription?

[DBryant]

You've been reminding me for almost a year that my credit card expires before my renewal date with you. I now need your recommendation on ice makers. Wanna trade? My new expiration date for your recommendation?

[DBryant]

You've been reminding me for almost a year that my credit card expires before my renewal date with you. I now need your recommendation on ice makers. Wanna trade? My new expiration date for your recommendation?

[Joe]

Any suggestions on buying a machine to make fresh pasta at home?

[Gina Lazzari]

I also subscribed hoping to find useful info on under counter ice makers and trash compactors! Guess what? Nothing on either!
Very disappointing. You should strive for a comprehensive recommendation list. PLEASE ADD THESE APPLIANCES!!

[Linda Riek]

I also subscribed because I wanted to find out about ice Makers and can't believe you have nothing!!! I have a Kitchenaid that has been repaired more than 10 times and wanted to find out if there were any decent brands out there. Where do you go for this information if Consumer Reports doesn't test them?

[TMcIntosh]

I also would like information on a free-standing ice maker. My top of the line GE is very noisy, and even after 4 service visits, the problem remains. Please research these!
Thanks.

[Mary Lee Stubblefield]

I need to compate undercounter ice makers and trash compactors,just as several others have mentioned. Where is that info, please?

[Jerry Cayford]

Everything I want to say is said above by others. Please review ice makers.

[Emily]

I too searched CR looking for recommendations on a portable ice maker that we need for our church. Very disappointed that with all the comments posted to date, that CR has not done anything about it.

[Marm Molen]

Ice - ice we all want ICE. Will CR please rate table top and under the counter ice makers. There is a bigger demand than you might expect. Please do it!

[John Harper]

Please give us a review on residential ice machines.

[Helen]

We travel in an RV 6 or 7 months a year and a portable, counter top ice maker would make life a lot easier. You see, the freezer in the RVs are so tiny, that you can't fit a small bag of ice in there without taking up all the room your food needs.

Come on CR... what will it take for you to do a report on these units? I'd be willing to help, if that's what it takes... but I'd sure like to know which units to avoid as well as which ones perform the best. From the looks of the many posts above, there is quite a demand for info on these units. Won't you please consider this request?

[Rene]

OVERSTOCK.com and epinions.com offer user reviews ...

check out this portable ice maker with the 33 reviews:

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Stainless-Steel-Portable-Ice-Maker-with-LCD-Display/2505439/product.html#custreviews

[kathe]

I have a Kenmore Elite standalone ice maker. It will produce ice for about a week, then it gets clogged with what looks to be scale from the water. Does anyone know how to stop this problem, if maybe there's a filter that I could use?

[Joel Pollack]

How difficult would it be to test some counter top ice makers. Compared to the other items you have tested this ought to be straightforward. I am running out of time waiting for your report.

[Rikki]

I joined Consumer Reports just so I can have trusted help in finding quality appliances, and the portable ice-maker is already the 2nd product I need that is not tested. Not only is it not tested, but in the above piece entitled "Ice, Ice, Baby: A fad is born" the author is presumptuous as he asserts, "You don’t need a pricey separate machine to make your own “chewable” ice if you’ve got a fridge with a through-the-door ice dispenser." Well, there are many of us that do not have a fridge with an ice-maker, and for us it is not a matter of having "chewable" ice, but rather just having extra ice. I found myself nodding in agreement as I scrolled down the recent posts. PLEASE test the portable ice-makers for your CR members.

[Carol Garcia]

I can also add my disappointment to the above in not finding anything on icemakers. I was delegated the responsiblity of finding a replacement for the icemaker at work. It seemed logical to pay my own money to buy a subscription in order to make the best choice for our office and save my precious time. Shame on you guys.

[DLane]

We had a Kitchen Aid Portable Ice Maker that quit after 6 months. We took it to a authorized repair shop and they have now informed us we will get a refund because it is not repairable. We used our ice maker alot while camping (only using bottled water) so that we did not have to buy bagged ice everyday. I am disappointed that there are no ratings by Consumer Reports and in fact all comments seem to be from other people not able to find a reliable ice maker or any info on them at all. Please consider a ratings list.

[Sandy]

Like the others, I came here to find ratings on portable ice makers and found nothing. Please rate standalone ice machines - SOON! I see by the comments here people have been asking CR to do this for close to a year.

[Lisa jones]

I have had a Scotsman and now I have a Kitchenaid. Both have needed service multiple time. I definitely do no recommend the Kitchenaid. I am also disappointed in CR for not having followed up on this.

[Michael Brisson]

I need to install a stand-alone ice maker for a clint on a kitchen job and she wondered if there was any review on the model she'd chosen.

I couldn't find any on the web, and then came here but to no avail.

[SHE]

I have had both sub zero & kitchen aid standalone undercounter icemakers over the last 15+ years. Both had to be repaired numerous times & eventually replaced. My current model is not working. Based on my experience & the other reviews, sounds like none of these work well. CR should review these.

[Vicki Steffen]

Like the others above, am looking for sound advice on an undercounter ice maker and trash compactor. And, you have not reviewed any!!! Not everybody has a small family that gets enough ice from the refrigerator!! I use my subscription frequently, but am TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED at the lack of these 2 reviews.. Step up to the plate CR and do your job. There are many months of complaints about this. Jump to it!

[TED JENKINS]

I purchased a Kenmore under counter ice maker last summer. It works OK, but I had to completel;y disassemble it to clean it this winter, about 6 hours. I plan to replace it soon. I continue to look in Consumer Reports for info on under counter ice makers, to no avail. Please test them and publish an article. Thanks.

[martha hines]

I just signed up for Consumers report and I only needed info on the things I need for the kitchen and I can find nothing on ice makers or trash compactors..I thought everything consumers purchased were tested by you..I'm disappointed.

[Don Friesen]

I just reseached a Subzero model 315P. It needs a drain and you should spend the extra on the pump out model. This is a spendy item which I have not yet installed. Advantages are the ice is made upside down so the impurities run off.

[bfry]

Wow, also disappointed in NO reviews of trash compactors. I am purchasing a custom panel for one and would certainly like to have confidence in what I select--that it will work and not have to replace machine to a different model (and $$$ panel) unexpectedly.

[Maureen Eastvold]

Consumer Reports, you have fallen down on your job! Just look at all the demand for research on stand alone ice makers and you still haven't responded?! For those out there looking, I have had a U-line for 10 years now. It just bit the dust this week. I had two service calls on it in those 10 years. I am on well water, so the mineral content may have something to do with some of the problems I had with "freezing over" and not dropping the ice. I am looking for a replacement. HELP US OUT CR!

[Lynne]

Gosh, the posting here has certainly taken an ugly turn. I've been a member for decades, and my parents belonged for many decades before that, and I've never seen this sense of entitlement before. It's a non-profit lab, folks, not your personal beating boy.

You will find two brief recommendations for home ice machines here: http://www.galttech.com/research/household-DIY-tools/best-ice-maker.php. That's where I found a discussion of home pasta makers (or at least a summary of information they found elsewhere on the 'net).

[thomas nyvold]

we need reviews on ice makers. our GE profile has been repaired numerous times and now bit the dust. CR, where do you stand on a review ? anyone our there with any recommendations

[Hope Finch]

I would like to know which ice maker and trash compactor to buy.
We are wanting to replace an ice maker and we want to purchase a new trash compactor. It is important for us to know where and how to spend our money in our home in our kitchen. I have read many comments about the two in CR. It sounds like these kitchen appliances are not being assessed. These machines cost anywhere from $700 to $1500 each. This is a sizable investment. They cost the same as refrigerators, ranges, and dishwashers. Where should I spend my money for these two overlooked overpriced appliances?

[GINGER GREEN]

do you not do trash compactors, I need more information re trash compactors and which one is the most efficient. GG

[Suzanne]

I am looking for a good quality 12" trash compactor. Perhaps there is none and I would need to purchase a 15" model.
Does Consumer plan to test trash compactors any time soon?
Thanks.

[Pat G]

I too would like to see a review of home-use ice makers i.e. portable, undercounter, etc. The ice maker in my freezer doesn't keep up with our needs and I'm tired of buying bagged ice.

[James Smith]

Like many of your members I'm looking for ratings on a small counter top ice maker or a free standing one.

[Theresa Kurz]

Why isn't there a report on under the counter icemakers? They cost a lot of money and many seem to break down constantly. A report from you about residential ice makers would be extremely helpful. It's time....

[Babe French]

I too, am looking to purchase a portable ice maker to take camping.I have had a self standing (counter top) ice maker for years and love it.I purchased my first one in 1984 and never had any work done on it then in 1996 I purchased another just like it and it is still working today.It is a kenmore.but now I want a portable one.

[Dora Flesher]

Why in the world do you not rate stand alone ice machines? The are very expensive and ours has given us many problems. I need advice and ratings.

[Jim Willis]

Our Kitchenaid under the counter icemaker quit two weeks ago. Sears want $1200 to repair. We are going to buy a new one......but CR has not rated them....now what?

[Mar T]

Please review portable ice makers.

[LaVonna Vice]

I renewed my subscription for the sole purpose of seeing your reviews of free standing ice makers. I find it incredible that your have no information on them. Very disappointing|

[robertlee]

I need recommendations on ice makers for the home...I have an older refrigerator, and my kitchen island has the water supply, so I cannot have an ice maker in the refrigerator. Please review quickly as summer is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Inge K]

How many requests does it take for you to finally test portable icemakers ? This is the season - if you need a reason. Not that this isn't a handy appliance any time of the year, but NOW would be a great time.

[Janet F.]

PLEASE! Rate ice makers already!!!!!

[Claudio]

I to am looking for a portable ice maker. Would be niece if CR had a review on portable, under the counter ice maker.

[B Mitchell]

C.R. use to review under counter ice makers around 2000/2001. I was shocked also to find nothing about them now. What gives. Do they not answer their blogs ???

[Traci]

I was looking for a review of a portable ice maker, not for use at home, but for use for camping. When we go for 10 day trips where there are no hook ups and no store for 40 miles, it would be nice to use the generator and have an ice maker for the ice chests to compliment the small freezer in an RV. This would also be helpful when at a park with full hook ups. Can you tell us when you might be testing portable ice makers??

[Katrina]

Add me to the many posters who are disappointed that because a CR reviewer thinks these appliances are a 'fad' that they are not worth reviewing. Far from it. It was an insulting 'review' and no surprise that it elicited a less-than-enthusiastic response.

And in response to the above poster who was affronted that we, the paying subscribers, would dare to criticize or demand that certain consumer goods be reviewed - remember that while we may or may not have paid subscriptions for 'generations', the fact is that we are paying consumers, this is an in-demand household item in the 21st century, and yes, as the investors (so to speak) we are entitled to have some say as to what needs to be reviewed.

[Nancy]

We need to replace a trash compactor. There are not many options out there; a review would be very helpful. Take a break on all the digital cameras and look at a way to reduce volume at the landfill.