Frigidaire EFIC103-AMZ-SC Counter Top Maker with Over-Sized Ice Bucket, Stainless Steel, Self Cleaning Function, Heavy Duty, Stainless

Just a fair word of warning to others here – at just over a year this formerly reliable device gave up the ghost on us. Purchased Oct. 2015, dead, Nov. 2016

Original review: The biggest issue I have with this counter top ice maker is size. It is not a small device at all. Other than that issue, and the amount of counter space that is needed for this item, I’d have to say I, and the rest of my family, really like this gadget — the third in a line of similar gadgets. The first was, if my memory serves, an Emerson branded device that was obtained from a former partner of the A to Z online store where you are reading this review. That device is one that I purchased about 6 years ago. It lasted about 2.5 years and then unfortunately just refused to work any longer. Considering how dependent my spouse and I, and the others still living in the house with us (our next generation), were on the ice that the gadget made for us (we use it up about as quickly as the ice maker makes it), we were all very sad when that device gave up the ghost.

When that device died, it was replaced with a smaller cousin of this Igloo Counter Top Ice Maker (one of these: 

Igloo Portable Countertop Ice Maker

). That ICE102 model (which oddly can’t be found, at least not in the silver color, by searching for the model number as that search will turn up an RCA re-brand (

ICE102 Compact Ice Maker

) of the same thing. You can find a Red color Igloo version in your search if you are lucky) recently started making awful noises as it was unable to move the tray/bucket that holds the water that is used to make the ice cubes and thereby also unable to drop and shovel the cubes into the tray that the cubes eventually get shoveled into. I heard it making the noise and did my best to clean it up and try to eek more life out of it, but at the same time stopped at my desk and hit the order button to get this replacement item ordered. My cleaning and efforts at making some progress in restoring that older model to some use did get it working for just long enough for this replacement to come in and get put to use. Actually, we had a few days of overlapped use of that ICE102 before it gave up the ghost again, this time with some metal shavings or mineral shavings that seemed to be coming from the areas where the gears are on the side of the cup/bucket/tray that holds the water that is used to make the ice. Yet again, I was able to do a bit more clean-up on the device and get it to function again, but at that point my spouse and I had already deployed this replacement into service.

I can compare this device to the other two mentioned Counter Top Ice Makers (the 

Igloo Portable Countertop Ice Maker – ICE102

 and 

Emerson Portable 26 lbs Ice Maker Refrigerator w/Ice Scoop & Electronic Controls

) having used all three of them by now. The quick comparison would note that the ICE102 model works, but has a much smaller catch tray for the ice that it makes. With that smaller sized catch tray that model tends to fill the catch tray quickly and then stop making ice as it considers the device full and must wait until the sensor that gets blocked when the tray is too full is clear. A quick note about that sensor by the way, with the ICE102 model the sensor is an IR type that uses line of sight between two points on either side of the tray. That sensor can get confused easily if you have the ICE102 model sitting in heavy sunlight (we had that happen in our home). The over-making of ice may be part of what killed that device for our family.

The Emerson device that we originally used was useful enough until it died. It had a larger capacity catch tray, though by comparison, at least by my memory, it was probably still a little below what this ICE103 model can hold and produce.

Our family’s biggest complaint/concern about this particular unit, once you get past the size of the thing, was the plastic that covered it during shipping. While it should peel away easily, it was apparently on the main case of the device before the top of the device was snapped on, therefore the plastic wrap doesn’t peel away like it should from that area. Again, that is secondary to the issue of just how big this box is. It isn’t huge, but it isn’t small either. You will need some counter space for it, but if you’ve got the space and can dedicate it to this device you can look forward to producing a lot of ice over time.

Buyers and users will likely find that the results of the use of the cube size button on the front of this device are not what you’d expect. For the most part these units seem to have a single cube size most of the time, no matter what choice you selected. You may get a little variance in cube sizes, but don’t expect much there.

I had previously noted, in a review of the earlier cousins of this device, that this device makes WET ICE. The ice that sits in the device will melt while it sits waiting to be used, or waiting to be transferred into a ice bucket (as an option). The ice melts and turns back into water that will again be made into ice cubes. I should also clarify and note that the ice that these devices make is typically not cubes, but instead cylindrical in nature. If you really want cubes, then look elsewhere, or get ice trays for your freezer and enjoy filling them regularly (as I do in my workplace, where I also want a lot of ice for my drinks).

One last note here: be prepared to clean these devices regularly. Depending on the quality of the water you feed it with (and note, the area that is shown on the side of the device that almost looks like it would be where you can connect a hose to fill the device with is not for filling, rather it is for draining water from the device when necessary) you’ll need to clean it regularly. Vinegar and water will be your best option, though you’ll then need to flush it with plain water multiple times to get the vinegar smell and taste out of the ice that will be made following that cleaning. Failing to clean it regularly will leave it getting nasty quickly (or at least it will likely do that). Brownish, murk and clouds of algae will invade and you really don’t need that stuff in your ice or the water that will be used for making the ice. Using filtered water is highly recommended, as that would help keep down mineral buildup that you would otherwise experience.

5 stars for this very valued member of my household. Ice Tea, Cola’s over Ice, and lots of Ice Water make for a happy household.

This ice maker would make a guant clump of ice every one in a while, and thatcwas what ended up damaging it. I took it apart srvetal tomes to repair the cracked water catch that holds water while it forms the ice. The unit would also just stop making ice and would have to be turned on again and again and again, almost never filling the catch reservoir with ice after the first few months.
We ended up buying a nugget ice maker for 3 times the price of this one and we are happy with it so far. Everytime we go into the kitchen for ice we have an abundance of it!

I dont know where this has been my whole life but I’m glad I bought it.

This sits nicely on our countertop and on occasion we fill the water up to make more. It runs pretty on the regular, with a bit of noise, our cat finds it absolutely fascinating!

The ice in general stays cold and doesn’t melt super fast. It is a neat feature that it recycles the water. We generally do smaller cubes, they produce faster than the larger ones.

The -1 star is because if the unit reaches the bottom of the water and needs refilled it has a light for that. You add the water and the light will go away, but it doesn’t do anything after that. A simple off and on makes it start working again. Its not a huge deal, just a minor annoyance that the manufacturer should figure out.

We have had it now for 2 months and had no issues. Would buy this one again.