Product review (4 stars): A fine ice maker for the price.
Folks, we've had this ice maker for over two years. I'd give it 5 stars if it hadn't broken last summer. More on that later.

This item is made in China. It is sold under various appliance brand names and sports differing features and skins. It's the same product overall.

It is as advertised. Makes hard, dry ice that will last longer in your drinks. With ice retailing for $4.00 per bag these days, it will pay for itself in a year or so. If you let it run all day and bag your ice for later use, it will keep you stocked.

It's fully self-contained with a water reservoir that's filled by hand. It doesn't have to be connected to a mains water source.

My reasoning for four stars: Last summer, the plastic evaporator pan broke. I did some research and found that this is a common issue with these ice makers. Took it apart this morning and repaired the cracked pan. Test-ran it with the covers removed and observed it working.

I found what caused the broken pan. The cause isn't inferior plastic as has been presumed. A part that has given good service for over a year in this scenario isn't suddenly inferior. Something had to break it.

My observations: The servo gearmotor that shifts the pan starts moving in the wrong direction at times, even though the limit switches are already made for that direction. The pan is deadheaded (at physical movement limit) and can only move in the opposite direction. The motor tries to move the pan where it can't go and the pan cracks at the collar where the motor shaft connects.

I suspect the servo motor is going goofy. The limit switches work so that isn't the cause.

Placed a Ty-Wrap around the collar where the pan fits to the drive motor shaft and powered up again. The drive motor started in the wrong direction but the Ty-Wrap prevented the  motor shaft from turning inside the pan collar and breaking it. The motor now stalls and reverses itself to complete the cycle as it should.

A hillbilly fix to be sure. But it's been running for several days and seems to be working well. How long it will work, I can't say. I'm not laying any heavy wagers on how long it will last.

>Update on the hillbilly fix, 28 Jan 12: The Ty-Wrap repair held and the icemaker continues to work well. Hope it helps.