# Portable Ice Makers



## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

Any one using the portable/counter top ice makers instead of buying bags of expensive ice? Good brand and realistically, can I get 20 lbs a day out of one? This is the one I had my eye on: 
*Newair AI-215SS Stainless Steel Portable Ice Maker with 50 Lbs. Daily Capacity $239.99 shipped from amazon.*


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## AlanC (Jun 16, 2010)

I have an igloo brand ice maker and it does a good job. But it was less than $100. Not sure how much ice you'd really get from that model. But we figure we've already recovered our initial cost in less than a month.


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## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

AlanC said:


> I have an igloo brand ice maker and it does a good job. But it was less than $100. Not sure how much ice you'd really get from that model. But we figure we've already recovered our initial cost in less than a month.


alanc,
is there a "hopper" to hold the ice or do you have to empty it ever hour or so? I plan on opening a chartering business and will be living out of my 27' 5th wheel for the summer. space is not the issue, buying 2-3 8lb bags of ice at $2 a bag is going to get expensive everyday. I even entertained the idea of a small chest freezer to make my own blocks of ice but even a small freezer is space consuming.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

I too would like to know if one of these inexpensive models work. I looked into an ice machine some time ago but was looking at the restaurant professional models that require installation to filtered water, drain, and power - not to mention they were in excess of $1000.

My cheap solution today is that freeze gallon and 2-liter jugs and put those frozen in my fishbox at the back of the boat along with one or two bags of ice. Works well as we still have ice in the box when we return after a full day.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

google some reviews on newair unit - does not sound reliable.


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## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

privateer said:


> google some reviews on newair unit - does not sound reliable.


privateer,
that's what I would love to door but have you ever seen the freezer compartment on a RV frig/freezer combo? I can only hold about 40 walleye fillets then I have to head home 2 hrs away to empty freezer. absolutely no room for a 2 liter bottle and the fillets. wally world has the igloo for about $100, good reviews but only makes 26 lbs ice in 24 hours. newair was 50 lbs. at the same rate. 

anybody else have experience with ice makers, brands, etc.


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## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

my other option was to buy a used/scratch dent chest freezer but I have to leave it outside the RV. Any other RV'ers leave a chest freezer outside and do they freeze even if the outside area temp gets into the 90's? But what sucks with society, I have to bolt down, chain it, padlock, motion sensing alarms to keep someone from 5 finger discounting it and my fillets.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

I don't have that problem. I have one of the old 1960's chest freezers in my lake house garage. Keep half of it in jugs of ice and the other half is in family fish.

Can you put a locked freezer outside your camper - have seen other folks do this at hunting camp. I have put a small chest freezer in the back of my truck with a generator when returning from western state elk hunts. Have since found that dry ice, packing, and almost any decent (not crazy $$) coolers will keep everything hard rock frozen for days if you close it and leave it...


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## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

privateer, 
that's my best option is a chest freezer outside the RV but...worried about how well they do outside when the temps hit in the 90's or more.


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## AlanC (Jun 16, 2010)

gunnysargent12 said:


> alanc,
> is there a "hopper" to hold the ice or do you have to empty it ever hour or so? I plan on opening a chartering business and will be living out of my 27' 5th wheel for the summer. space is not the issue, buying 2-3 8lb bags of ice at $2 a bag is going to get expensive everyday. I even entertained the idea of a small chest freezer to make my own blocks of ice but even a small freezer is space consuming.



There's a hopper and yes you have to empty it frequently.


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## meats52 (Jul 23, 2014)

AlanC said:


> I have an igloo brand ice maker and it does a good job. But it was less than $100. Not sure how much ice you'd really get from that model. But we figure we've already recovered our initial cost in less than a month.


We have an Igloo brand icemaker also. I would think to get 26lbs of ice in 24 hours you would have to empty it as soon as it is full so it will start making more ice quickly. When the basket is full it stops making ice until you empty it or the ice melts down enough for it to start making ice again. It's not like a icemaker in a fridge because it doesn't keep the ice frozen for a long time while it's sitting in the basket. We usually fill 1 gallon Zip-Lock bags and put them in the freezer. It takes about an hour and a half or so to fill 1 bag.


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## cumminsmoke (Aug 13, 2013)

I am putting a small chest freezer at the camp this weekend. I talked to a buddy and he said a friend of his puts a small piece of that old plastic they used to put on roofs on top of his for shade. I run 2 liters and small Gatorade bottles, last all day in the cooler. I give them a quick rinse and back in the freezer. I'm done buying ice, I figure it will cost me about $8 a Month electric to run the freezer. If you mix your bottle sizes it seems to help.


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## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

found a new chest freezer on craigslist so I'm going that route. I read somewhere that somebody used the old battery boxes to make a block of ice. Low and behold, I had 2 spares collecting dust in the basement. I cut about 3" off the height but..still left the handles to lift the "boxes" out of the freezer when the ice block is done. The plastic on the battery boxes are much thicker than a tupperware or sterilite plastic boxes and I think would last longer. 

I agree, done buying ice. The cheapest in Conneaut, OH is $.99 a bag of 8 lbs. at Orlando Bros, I have been using, at a minimum 3-4 bags a day for the fish box and food cooler. With the price of a chest freeze and the 2 free battery boxes, this concept will pay for itself in 1 summer. After the 1st summer, I'm stickin' it to the man.


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## Atwood (Sep 6, 2005)

Spend a hundred on ice cube trays and a hose. You can have a chest freezer full in no time.


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## cumminsmoke (Aug 13, 2013)

Atwood said:


> Spend a hundred on ice cube trays and a hose. You can have a chest freezer full in no time.


Sure why not......you could use about anything. Spray pam in all the trays before you freeze them for easy removal. I was even thinking about the above mention of old battery trays, that would make some very nice blocks. Id buy new ones though so you don't have old battery acid in them.

Here is another thought on the deep freeze.
why not sit your cooler in it the night before, put about an inch deep of water in it and let that freeze, it would make a good base. Then keep the 2 liters on top of them till the lid won't close.

I just realized im getting excited about making ice, WTH is wrong with me.


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## gunnysargent12 (Jun 3, 2014)

cumminsmoke,

yeah.....you're getting out of control over this issue.The cooler is a god idea, but....my cooler is a 100 quart, won't fit. The cooler is as big as the chest I'm getting. Good concept. Maybe we should take these ideas to the "Shark Tank" and see if they want to invest in us.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

I reuse my frozen bottles of ice too. I also plug the fishbox (drain just happens to be size of the generic rubber boat transom plug) so that it will hold a few inches of water. toss the fish in the ice water, they will keep with no problem... Hit the marina, drain the box, toss the fish into cooler on dock to take to cleaning station. Yes it does take a little more time to handle fish at the dock but I don't have to try and lift a couple hundred pounds of walleye at one time... I prefer the slime to the backache!


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

One thing to add, salt. Put a little salt in the water of your 2 liter bottles. Just like when making homemade ice cream, salt makes the ice colder. I use 2 liter and 32oz Powerade bottles, and a good 5 day cooler. I've actually had bag ice partially melted, put a couple 2 liters and a couple 32 oz bottles with salt water ice on top, and it will refreeze the ice.


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## beetlebailey (May 26, 2009)

wife used gallon ice cream pails. 3 or 4 keeps the cooler cool. SETTLE DOWN ALAN!!! lol


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

gallon milk jugs for me, and they work way better then ice cubes just add a little water to put the fish in.....also have a 5.3 cubic ft upright freezer for trips to the gulf to freeze and store fish for the month....makes it back home no problems,even when I don't add dry ice, but I almost do anymore , I have found a place that has dry ice open 24hrs for our 2am leave time


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