Making Ice

[stevensc]

The local Target store is advertizing Emerson tabletop ice makers for $99.00
They work very well, but are larger than I had imagined.
Steve

[Alton]

A bottle of LIquid Nitrogen. Just a thought.

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

If electrical power is no object, buy a cheap counter top ice maker (We have a Magic Chef). They make their first batch in only a few minutes and produce several pounds of ice in a couple of hours.

If power IS a big consideration, you would probably be better off with several refreezable medical packs, rotating them through the freezer.

[amytom]

I have the Magic Chef version as well. I've found it hard to keep clean, mold finds it's way in very quickly. What's the trick to keeping it clean?

[Irwin325]

Mold grows on ice machines like in a petri dish in a laboratory. Its a cool, damp, dark space. I've had luck with regular cleaning with a bleach solution on land bsed units. The idea is after a few thorough cleanings you can get all the mold spores out and then you will not have much growth for a while until some more outside contamination occurs. There are dedicated ice machine sanitizer solutions but why spend money on it when you have bleach on hand.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by amytom

I have the Magic Chef version as well. I've found it hard to keep clean, mold finds it's way in very quickly. What's the trick to keeping it clean?

Small steam cleaner will kill the spores much more effectively even than bleach, withou the smell and other problems that bleach bring

(I hate the smell of bleach)

[amytom]

Thanks I'll try the steam cleaner first then bleach if needed.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by amytom

Thanks I'll try the steam cleaner first then bleach if needed.

I used something similar to:

AllBrands.com - McCulloch MC1226A Hand Held Steamer Cleaner, 900W, 8 Minute Steam Up, PLUS bottle of CleanFast 32 Ounce CleanFast Contractor Grade Degreaser



If you have one, they are also fantastic for defrosting the fridge, and cleaning the barbeque.

[gettinthere]

If you use an ice machine for a half hour to make a small amount each day and move that ice to the refer; will the mold still be a problem?