# Standalone ice makers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491 "2014-10-05T22:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/1 "2014-10-05T22:42:33Z")
TL;DR: Do they make home-sized standalone ice makers that don’t require a refrigerator? I grew up in Taiwan, and visiting the USA every summer as kid, one of the the most magical things about it were the refrigerators that automatically made ice. This ensured a steady supply of chilled beverages even in the middle of summer – an INCREDIBLE invention! Now I rent an apartment, but it only has one of those standard, boring, mid-20th-century refrigerators without the fancy ice-making equipment. Can I get a separate one and hook it up to my sink or something like that? -Jealous ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/2 "2014-10-05T23:02:44Z")
Yes, they have countertop-size units. They’re fifteen or sixteen inches high. so they can fit between the lower and upper cabinets in a typical American kitchen. I don’t know if there’s a water reservoir or they connect to the sink. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/3 "2014-10-06T02:25:02Z")
For around $150-200, you can get “portable” countertop ice makers that use a water reservoir. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/4 "2014-10-06T02:37:53Z")
Also, Sub-Zero makes a dedicated undercounter ice maker. It makes about 25 pounds of ice daily. I worked in an office that had one of these in the breakroom and the ice was beautiful; completely clear. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/5 "2014-10-06T03:06:50Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > For around $150-200, you can get “portable” countertop ice makers that use a water reservoir. This. Costco has one in their latest mailer. $199.95 delivered. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/6 "2014-10-06T07:55:50Z")
Awesome, thank you! I’ll try to find one available in this area. > [@GaryM](#): > > This. Costco has one in their latest mailer. $199.95 delivered. Ooh, do you remember what it was called? I’m a member, but I never get their mailer for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/7 "2014-10-06T11:37:07Z")
I believe if you visit the customer service counter at your local Costco, you can pick up a copy of the current mailer. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/8 "2014-10-06T12:43:18Z")
Look on Amazon. They have a bunch of countertop freestanding ice makers. I don’t know which ones are any good, but Amazon typically has reviews for each product. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standalone-ice-makers/700491/9 "2014-10-06T15:30:33Z")
I would kill for such an apparatus.