Product review (5 stars): Ice...all the time...AT LAST,
I have owned some version of a countertop ice maker for about the last five years. Doesnt matter the brand, and doesnt matter the size...most if them work Im the same manner. As ice cubes are made, they are held in a basket above the cold water. If they are not used, they eventually begin to melt, the water will drain into the reservoir, and new ice will be made. The unit itself is NOT a freezer, so keep that in mind if you consider ordering ANY portable ice maker. My story has been the same...the ice maker arrives, it supplies enough ice for about one person to be satisfied with. Hot summers become more difficult for the machine to keep up with demand, and frequently the lid is opened only to find a disappointing amount of ice has been made. Add another person to the mix, and it is impossible for the machine to keep up. UNTIL NOW...This machine is AMAZING (and it is quite a bit larger than most of the units I have owned). Well that extra size appears to pay off greatly...more than adequate ice in the morning (when the ice is softest due to non-use melting), and a full ice basket all day and evening long. The basket is larger and therefore holds more ice...more than enough for 2 people to use all day long. It is with hesitation that I used to open the lid in the morning  (expecting to just see bits of ice in basket), and am now almost overjoyed when I see a full basket of ice staring back at me. If you have had bad luck with an ice maker of an sort, you know what I am talking about,  I am THRILLED with this machine. However....these machines do not last forever, so I would suggest you consider the following: 1) ALWAYS purchase an EXTENDED WARRANTY for your machine...at least 2 years or more. These warranties (purchased through Amazon) have covered me twice when my previous machines have konked out at 18 to 24 months. Full reimbursement of purchase price, no hassles. 2) CLEAN your machine. In all the owner manuals I have read, not one of the suggests cleaning (or de-scaling) the machine. Amazon sells ice maker cleaner which is nickel safe, and will not harm the machine. I recommend wiping down the inside of the machine with the diluted solution, AND running at least a portion of it through several ice making batches to clean out the water tubes also. I clean my coffee maker monthly...but never thought about ice machine. 3) Change the water in the machine about every 3 month (or more). Regardless of your cleanliness when removing ice and adding new water, some dust particles (or possibly more) will settle inside the water in your machine. Just drain the water, and refill, before any of that sediment moves into the water pipes, if your water has sediment in it, filter the water before adding it to the icemaker.