Product review (4 stars): Makes ice cubes well, doesn't keep them frozen.
My Kenmore refrigerator's ice maker broke. Rather than pay $2,000 for a new door or buy a new appliance, I opted for the Hamilton Beach Portable Ice Maker. The repair man actually suggested this to me.

I did my research and understood that these small appliances only make ice and DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO KEEP THE CUBES FROZEN. As noted in previous reviews, you must transfer the ice cubes to your freezer unless you are using them immediately. They will melt quickly if left in the tray. This point may seem obvious but I almost missed it when shopping.

This being said, the unit does its job. You fill the reservoir with water (I use filtered) and within 5 minutes, it's pumping out about a dozen cubes. They are cylindrical in shape and decent size. At 5 minute intervals, you can hear them being dumped in the tray. I transfer them to my freezer's ice maker's tray every 20 minutes or so. They are kind of wet at this time but my refrigerator breaks them up when dispensing from the door.

The unit will turn itself off when the tray fills up or the water runs out. You can also do it by pushing the on/off switch. Water remaining in the reservoir can either be left there for the next time or emptied. Doing this can be be a challenge. There is a small drain plug in the back and consequently you need to turn the unit around to get at it. Otherwise, you unplug the unit, carry it to your sink and dump the water out. This is cumbersome.

The unit looks pretty good. It is made of high quality stainless steel with a touchpad control panel. There is an air intake vent on the left side and exhaust fan on the right (it does throw off some heat). The word "Portable" is a bit of a stretch as the unit is pretty sturdy and quite heavy for its size.

If you do decide to purchase a "Portable" ice maker, I'd recommend this one.