New refrigerator with or without ice maker?

O C Diver · Aug 30, 2018

Getting ready to buy a new refrigerator/freezer. I can buy the exact same unit with or without an ice maker. Trying to decide if it's worth the extra $300. I don't use ice and often travel alone. While I can remove the ice tub when not in use, the ice maker takes up valuable space in the 2.4 cuft. freezer. I also have a stand alone ice maker that I'm thinking about removing as I rarely use it and would prefer to have another cabinet in that space.

If you have a smaller boat (with an RV or apartment refrigerator) would you be willing to give up freezer space for an automatic ice maker? If I were drinking 100 year old booze over ice, frankly I'd rather have my ice made with spring water instead of municipal water from my boat's water tank, but then I drink beer from a bottle.

As a side note, this unit's (10 cuft. refrigerator) power consumption goes up by 33% when making ice.

Ted

kchace · Aug 30, 2018

I think you answered your own question. You don't use ice, it takes up freezer space, uses more power and costs more money.

Ken

dhays · Aug 30, 2018

O C Diver said:
Getting ready to buy a new refrigerator/freezer. I can buy the exact same unit with or without an ice maker. Trying to decide if it's worth the extra $300. I don't use ice and often travel alone. While I can remove the ice tub when not in use, the ice maker takes up valuable space in the 2.4 cuft. freezer. I also have a stand alone ice maker that I'm thinking about removing as I rarely use it and would prefer to have another cabinet in that space.

If you have a smaller boat (with an RV or apartment refrigerator) would you be willing to give up freezer space for an automatic ice maker? If I were drinking 100 year old booze over ice, frankly I'd rather have my ice made with spring water instead of municipal water from my boat's water tank, but then I drink beer from a bottle.

As a side note, this unit's (10 cuft. refrigerator) power consumption goes up by 33% when making ice.

Ted

I agree with Ken.

BTW I discovered this really cool device that allows you to make ice in any compartment that consistently stays below 0 C. You fill this device with water and place it in the compartment. After a reasonably short amount of time, the liquid water is converted into ice. It might just be what you would be looking for on those rare occasions when you want some ice on board.

You may have to Google it but I imagine you might be able to find one.

caltexflanc · Aug 30, 2018

kchace said:
I think you answered your own question. You don't use ice, it takes up freezer space, uses more power and costs more money.

Ken

Exactly, I wonder why you asked?

We loved having an ice maker in the fridge and a dedicated one out on the aft deck. We had all sorts of uses for ice. But that was us, not you.

Bigsfish · Aug 30, 2018

Ted

I have a like new ice maker that has water running over the ice that I can give you.

O C Diver · Aug 30, 2018

caltexflanc said:
Exactly, I wonder why you asked?

We loved having an ice maker in the fridge and a dedicated one out on the aft deck. We had all sorts of uses for ice. But that was us, not you.

Perception, expectations of guests and down the road resale. While I tend to outfit my boat for my needs and desires, I also consider what friends and guests may want or expect. I known that may sound silly, but most of us have made concessions to things on our boats that were unimportant to us. An example might be when replacing a head, choosing one that was much quieter to flush or maybe was sized like a home toilet instead of a toilet sized for a small child.

Ted

RT Firefly · Aug 30, 2018

Greetings,
Mr. OC. You can buy an awful lot of ice for $300. Let those moochers in Ft. Pierce buy their OWN ice!

Pretty well the ONLY time I can see you might need ice is for an ice bag to ease the pain of the night before BUT the same thing can easily be achieved by those soft gel freeze packs that you can keep in the freezer...

O C Diver · Aug 30, 2018

RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
Mr. OC. You can buy an awful lot of ice for $300. Let those moochers in Ft. Pierce buy their OWN ice!

Pretty well the ONLY time I can see you might need ice is for an ice bag to ease the pain of the night before BUT the same thing can easily be achieved by those soft gel freeze packs that you can keep in the freezer...

Mr. RT, the ice isn't for others at the dock, prefer to spend my nights on the hook where ice isn't available.

I may drink a few adult beverages, but I don't drink enough to ever regret it. It's more entertaining to watch others do it.

Ted

dhays · Aug 30, 2018

O C Diver said:
Mr. RT, the ice isn't for others at the dock, prefer to spend my nights on the hook where ice isn't available.

I may drink a few adult beverages, but I don't drink enough to ever regret it. It's more entertaining to watch others do it.

Ted

When I first got our NP43 one of the things that I found I really liked was a bit of ice for an adult beverage. Since I also don’t ever drink enough to become intoxicated, I don’t need much ice. I have an ice tray and will empty it into a freezer bag that I keep in the freezer. It give me a bit of ice when I want it without costing me any money.

BruceK · Aug 30, 2018

The no ice version. You or a buyer can add a countertop plug in icemaker as and when needed.

Simi 60 · Aug 31, 2018

We took out the icemaker in favour of the extra freezer space.
Its easy to use ice cube trays.

High Wire · Aug 31, 2018

We have a Rigid freezer box on deck. Any time we stop in a maiina, we can pick up a bag of cubes for a couple bucks that lasts for weeks. Even without power cubes will last for days.

Bay Pelican · Aug 31, 2018

Another thing to consider, from what I have heard more than 50% of modern refrigerator repairs have to do with the ice dispensers in the door. The added complexity of the circuit boards is a continuing problem.

ghost · Aug 31, 2018

First thing I do when I start a trip of more than a couple days is plug in the stand alone ice maker and start making ice. One of those ice makers without a freezer. I then transfer the ice to my frig/freezer and chest freezer until full. As food comes out of the freezer, I replace it with ice. When everything is full and solid frozen, I can turn off the freezer for a day at a time when at anchor and save on my daily amp-hour budget. It’s a way of storing energy, like cheap battery capacity.

Just one more element to consider.

FF · Aug 31, 2018

Go to a yard sale and purchase a few ice trays.

Keep one operational , and you will have almost all the freezer space for your use.

Should you plan a party , by a $2.00 bag of ice , or put in a half dozen ice trays the night before.

KISS

O C Diver · Aug 31, 2018

Have decided against the ice maker in the freezer and will either do trays or a countertop unit. Making ice with a countertop unit through the inverter while underway seems like a good option.

Ted

twistedtree · Aug 31, 2018

O C Diver said:
Perception, expectations of guests and down the road resale. While I tend to outfit my boat for my needs and desires, I also consider what friends and guests may want or expect. I known that may sound silly, but most of us have made concessions to things on our boats that were unimportant to us. An example might be when replacing a head, choosing one that was much quieter to flush or maybe was sized like a home toilet instead of a toilet sized for a small child.

Ted

It’s pretty funny. I often find that by gathering and organizing my thoughts and putting them in writing often answers my own question, or comes pretty close.

I also worry about precluding things that other owners might find important. In your case, perhaps keep the small ice maker so someone can reinstall it if desired. We did exactly that on a previous boat since we didn’t need a full bar at every turn.

toocoys · Aug 31, 2018

We have an undercounter ice maker up on deck. Makes 23lbs a day.

O C Diver · Aug 31, 2018

twistedtree said:
It’s pretty funny. I often find that by gathering and organizing my thoughts and putting them in writing often answers my own question, or comes pretty close.

I also worry about precluding things that other owners might find important. In your case, perhaps keep the small ice maker so someone can reinstall it if desired. We did exactly that on a previous boat since we didn’t need a full bar at every turn.

I had been leaning towards no ice maker in the fridge, but sometimes it pays to see if you're in the 10% minority, apparently I'm not. Will probably keep the other unit in place till next spring and see if my thoughts change. Watched a few videos on the countertop ice makers, pretty impressive.

Ted

ranger58sb · Sep 1, 2018

We found ice trays in our relatively-small freezer compartment took up too much room, didn't leave enough room for food... and the constant opening of that door increased how often we had defrost.

Since then, we got a $100 portable countertop icemaker, works fine.

-Chris

Dwk · Sep 1, 2018

O C Diver said:
Have decided against the ice maker in the freezer and will either do trays or a countertop unit. Making ice with a countertop unit through the inverter while underway seems like a good option.

Ted

Which refrigerator have you decided to purchase without ice maker?

O C Diver · Sep 1, 2018

David Kimmel said:
Which refrigerator have you decided to purchase without ice maker?

Summit FF1119B

Ted

Bigsfish · Sep 1, 2018

My dad had a fridge and freeze in a boat about 60 years ago, he liked and adult beverage but didn’t like trays or an ice maker. He found a product which was a hollow plastic container about the size of an ice cube that was filled with water or perhaps a jel that would freeze and keep beverages cold. I remember he had about 50 of these critters that he could throw in the freezer and drop them in his drink. He always drank cold beverages. Not sure they are even available today.

sdowney717 · Sep 1, 2018

2.4 cu ft fridge is too small to waste on an ice maker.
Maybe get a separate ice maker?

I put in a 11 cu ft fridge freezer with icemaker and auto defrost.
I like it a lot, but I wish it had ice dispenser in the door, just like home.
Had to do some cabinetry work to make slight changes. For me it was worth it to get both automatic icemaker and auto defrost and a decent size fridge.

I have seen plenty of boats with multiple small fridges.

BruceK · Sep 1, 2018

There was a thread about counter top icemakers a while back,with talk of soft and hard ice. Something to do with melt rate. We don`t use ice much, but people we know with a GB 52 have 2 icemakers which struggle to meet demand.
Our eutectic freezer easily pulls down to -19C, we can have ice if we want, and it`s off the batts.

O C Diver · Sep 1, 2018

sdowney717 said:
2.4 cu ft fridge is too small to waste on an ice maker.
Maybe get a separate ice maker?

I put in a 11 cu ft fridge freezer with icemaker and auto defrost.
I like it a lot, but I wish it had ice dispenser in the door, just like home.
Had to do some cabinetry work to make slight changes. For me it was worth it to get both automatic icemaker and auto defrost and a decent size fridge.

I have seen plenty of boats with multiple small fridges.

The freezer part is 2.4 cuft. The refrigerator in total is 10 cuft.

Ted

RT Firefly · Sep 1, 2018

Greetings,
Mr.B. Admiral uses them all the time...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/30-Kikke...ic-Cooling-Drinks-Pure-Water-Colors/515394661

Juggerknot · Oct 31, 2018

I use icetrays, they cost .99 when they break and take up only as much space as a couple of frozen lasagnas, this is a good thing. 86 the built in IMHO

HiDHo · Oct 31, 2018

Ted we switched to a Summit refrigerator top freezer five years ago, one of our better boat decisions. We stack up Rubbermaid Easy Release ice cube trays that real do easy release which gives us plenty of ice and they take up minimal space in the freezer.

Crusty Chief · Oct 31, 2018

Ted,

I’m interested in how you secure the fridge into the cabinet? Also any issues with the doors opening while underway?
I’m about done with “Boat Fridges” and need one that will work in warmer climates.

New refrigerator with or without ice maker?

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