Produces three types of quality ice cylinders in record time. It can keep up in Texas summers with 30+ guests. We like to store gallon bags the week before the party/get together and pour into the ice maker to keep the supply going without a hitch. It is quiet and the refill and cleaning of the machine is super simple. We keep a 2 quart pitcher next to the machine which near our dish drying rack and just refill nightly, so that the machine is ready to go every morning. The ice basket holds about a half gallon of quality ice cylinders. They stay frozen for a long time in the drinks and are always fully formed before being released into the basket. The machine keeps the ice frozen for a good amount of time and and has sensor to know when it needs to resupply. We have recommended to several of our family members and they have purchased either this model or a larger model to meet their needs.