# Why are ice makers so dang expensive ???



## parrothead (Oct 1, 2007)

Looking to buy a used one and the prices are just outragous !!!!!!!!!!!! :banghead:bangheadI mean its frozen water. Can someone please explain to me why ??

Scott


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Copper, refrigerant, control boards, stainless steel, compressor. Ice machine aint any more than an a/c, it just one of those things.


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## saltfisher1 (Oct 8, 2007)

i know what you mean...I've been wanting one but they are high dollar....i will end up paying the full price soon though...i think it'll work out to my benefit and save money in the long run...might make some new friends in the neighborhood with free ice as well.


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## Coolmaker (Mar 22, 2009)

It must be that secret recipe!


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## 1bandit (Jul 17, 2009)

look at the Franklins on ebay, about half the price of the whirlpool or scotsman


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## costadelmarkid (Mar 10, 2009)

well we just gave away a huge ice machine. we stopped using it because it was water cooled so we only ran it on the weekends to have ice for fishing. my cousin started running an ice plant so we could get ice from him for free sowe gave it away.


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## ?MEGA (Jan 31, 2009)

i have one that needs to be a little TLC, anyone that wants it PM me


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## bamachem (Oct 2, 2007)

> *parrothead (7/18/2009)*Looking to buy a used one and the prices are just outragous !!!!!!!!!!!! :banghead:bangheadI mean its frozen water. Can someone please explain to me why ??
> 
> Scott


Hell, just go down to Home Depot and get the parts and put one together yourself. 

Can't get the materials and put one together yourself? That's probably why they cost so much then... :letsdrink:doh


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## 69Viking (Oct 30, 2008)

I have to agree that ice makers are way over priced. You can go out and find a small refrigerator/freezer with an ice maker in it for about $500 - $800 so why is it that every ice machine is $1,200 plus? You would think someone could build one that would be more affordable for the average homeowner. At $2 a 10 pound bag even ice is getting overpriced now.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

> *69Viking (7/20/2009)*I have to agree that ice makers are way over priced. You can go out and find a small refrigerator/freezer with an ice maker in it for about $500 - $800 so why is it that every ice machine is $1,200 plus? You would think someone could build one that would be more affordable for the average homeowner. At $2 a 10 pound bag even ice is getting overpriced now.


What people dont understand is ice machines are far more advanced and technical than a normal refrigerator. You have a lot more components and features. A refrigerator just has a evap and cond. to cool down the box, an ice machine has both of those plus hot gas valves, water valves and pumps, circuit boards, with some other things.


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## 69Viking (Oct 30, 2008)

> *Splittine (7/20/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *69Viking (7/20/2009)*I have to agree that ice makers are way over priced. You can go out and find a small refrigerator/freezer with an ice maker in it for about $500 - $800 so why is it that every ice machine is $1,200 plus? You would think someone could build one that would be more affordable for the average homeowner. At $2 a 10 pound bag even ice is getting overpriced now.
> ...


Why does it have to be different than the ice maker in my freezer? Trust me if I could figure out how to get that ice maker to dump it's ice into a larger bin I'd have more than enough ice for the weekendsbecause it produces ice pretty fast for a simple home freezer ice maker. I don't getwhy an ice make has to be anymore complicated. Youjust need a water line, ice maker, andlarge enough bin tostore the ice in.


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

> *69Viking (7/20/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Splittine (7/20/2009)*
> ...




Actually, in my refrigerator icemaker I have a drawer under it that can be removed and all of the shelves can be removed. It just so happens to be the exact same width as one of those small under the desk trash cans. I have one specifically set aside that I use. I set the can on the lowest shelf and remove all of the other shelves and let it just fill it up. This would never work for a fishing habit though. Not unless that's all I had in there.


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## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

I cant tell you why they cost so much, but I can tell you it's probably the best money I ever spent!! I'll never go without one now that I have one and see how much I use it. We actually shut off the ice maker in the fridge in the house because the filter system is better in the big machine. And at $2 for a 7lb bag, plus the time to go to a convience store, I justified the purchase price a LONG time ago!!! I have a Hoshzaki 200lb machine with a 150lbbin, and it's perfect for home use, and I have plenty of ice for fishing trips. I'm sure some more owners will chime in, and I bet they will also never go without one!!


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## Bud4u (Jul 9, 2009)

Its all about the turn around. Your fridgemay make about 20-25lbs in 24 hours. A C0330 Scotsman will make around 300lbs in 24 hours, thats 30 10lb bags of ice in 24 hrs compared to 2-3 bags from a fridge ice maker in 24 hrs.


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

> *Voodoo Lounge (7/20/2009)*I cant tell you why they cost so much, but I can tell you it's probably the best money I ever spent!! I'll never go without one now that I have one and see how much I use it. We actually shut off the ice maker in the fridge in the house because the filter system is better in the big machine. And at $2 for a 7lb bag, plus the time to go to a convience store, I justified the purchase price a LONG time ago!!! I have a Hoshzaki 200lb machine with a 150lbbin, and it's perfect for home use, and I have plenty of ice for fishing trips. I'm sure some more owners will chime in, and I bet they will also never go without one!!


How much was the one you bought? And is it the same one that DR Sapp advertizes?


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## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

Which ones make the nugget ice - is it the scottsman's I love that nugget ice for fishing and for drinks.


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## blkwtr (Oct 6, 2007)

I have a Kitchenaid ice maker. It cost about $1,000 five years ago plus I had to have a drain installed in the floor for it.

It makes 50 lbs. of crystal clear cubes each day and when I plan to go fishing or onan excursion,I bag ice a day ahead of time and easily have 100 lbs of ice for the drink and fish boxes.

I also fill three of those 3 ltr. bladders from wine boxes with fresh water and freeze them. Filling them is a little tedious but you can refreeze them over and over. They help keep the fish box cold and if push comes to shove, you could open the valve and drink the water.

Dennis


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

I did the math on it and decided it is better to just go use the twice the ice machines around town. Not only are ice machines expensive to buy, butthey break fairly often and the power they use is significant.

Maybe someone has one that doesn't break often but the one at the restaurant I worked at broke, the one at my friends shop broke, the ones at the fish houses (joe patti, the now goneamerican seafood) broke fairly often. Heck, the twice the ice machines seem to break down fairly often as well.


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## Rammer Jammer (Oct 1, 2007)

I have a 300lb Manitiwoc and can honestly say it's the best money ever spent. Although, I did have to have a local company come out to repair it last year (I've had it for almost three years now) because it quit working. Mostly just needed to be cleaned, but the service bill was $300. Other than that, it's been a great machine. The utility bill in the summer is not good because mine is in the garage and I think the ice melts in the bin faster than the machine can make it, so it runs constantly. In the winter, it's great because it hardly runs at all. I've considered buying a freezer and bagging ice in the summer and shutting the machine off until I run low. My unit is a little older and takes approximately three days to fill the bin when it's completely empty. All in all, like Tony said, it would be hard not to have one now that I've had one for so long.


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