Product review (4 stars): Good for the price, but may be too loud.
After looking through all of the ice maker possibilities and the wide range of costs...I decided to look closely at the EdgeStar 12 lbs machine.  The reviews varied from very poor to very good, so I took a chance.  I just received the ice maker and hook up was very easy.  No need for a plumber as long as you've some common sense.  The unit was noise at start-up, but I thought that it was just due to the fact that it needed to cool and it was very hot.  It began making ice quickly.  Well within the first 45 minutes.  After letting the unit run over night, I was pleased with the amount of ice it was making, but the whirling noise continued.  I temporarily set it up in the garage to decide if I was going to keep it, but after hearing the noise, I may just have to keep it in the garage.  I looked closer to see if there was anything I could do about the noise and I determined that the noise was primarily coming from the fan.  I unplugged the fan and sure enough, the compressor itself wasn't too loud.  I then saw that one of the blades on the fan was melted, so the fan was off balanced.  It looks like the blade may have been melted during soldering of the lines...  Could not be an overheating, due to the fact that it was isolated to one blade.  So...Called EdgeStar directly, got a service tech and Viola...he didn't even hesitate and said he'd send out a replacement blade. We'll see if a balanced blade will do the trick!

So...I give this 4 stars because for the price, it seems to do exactly what I wanted.  The jury is still out as to if the unit will run quietly enough to put in my den.