Side by Side Comparison of: Avalon Bay vs Pinnacle vs Don't Forget the Ice! vs Update International vs OXO

This product is really good. Since I live alone, the ice produced is more than enough. I used cold distilled water to prevent mineral buildup and the cold seems to hasten the production process. There is some noise, but it eventually becomes part of the background noise. ( I have only had it operational for two days.) I notice that the small cubes don't melt very fast so I don't anticipate problems with lack of ice.

Some cons: 1) Even after my eye surgery, I don't think I will be able to read parts of the manual due to the small print, esp. the schematics (this is become more and more common on products as a cost saving measure for the manufacturer; 2) I almost didn't find most of the tape (perhaps colored tape would be better; and 3) Some other reviewers speak of saving ice in a plastic bag in the freezer, which would be great for parties or power blackouts ( the collection basket fills a Sonic 44 oz. cup perfectly.)

It's too early to have problems, but I would buy another one if need be.

As I said in the title line, this is a great little counter-top ice maker. That is, it was. I bought this in August 2014; it is now almost June 2016, and the AB-ICE26S appears to be on its last legs. To be fair, it has been a total workhorse and has seen almost daily use since the day it arrived. All in all, for the price, I guess just shy of 2 years of daily service is a good thing. I will probably order another one, since we don't have the space in this house to put in a bigger under-the-counter model. In the meantime, and in no particular order, here's what I have learned and can tell you about the Avalon Bay AB-ICE26S:

1) It makes "bullet" ice cubes, which look just like the name implies: rounded cones with a hollow space inside

2) You can choose the ice size, large or small. This is the diameter of the ice, not the overall length. Personally, I like the "large" setting (which isn't much larger) because I can fill the ice bucket in the freezer faster and (obviously) the ice lasts longer in the drinks

3) It doesn't take up much space on the counter, and is very easy to fill and retrieve the ice from.

4) The documentation we received with the machine recommended using bottled water to help reduce build-up in the machine. We did occasionally use bottled water, but mainly just used filtered water from the tap.

5) The filtered tap water provided softer ice than the bottled water. Bottled water (in this case, Primo) gave very clear, brittle cubes that we pretty, but not much fun for crunching. The filtered tap water put out white cubes that were a little more dense than nuggets (what folks around here call "Sonic ice"... the small, perfectly crunch-able ice used at a lot of fast food joints) that held up well in the glass, but also provided a very satisfying crunch experience.

6) The ice well (basket) could be better designed.
6a) First, it is made of what feels like very light plastic, and I was always worried that it would break. It never did, but...
6b) The bottom is completely flat, and ice seems to 'dam up' the back side of the basket, so that it sets off the "ice full" sensor a lot (which may be why the sensor stopped working about 3 weeks ago... the first sign of the machine's impending demise)

7) There is plenty of electric cord for use in most kitchens.

8) It is easy to clean, sort of. Just like a coffee pot, you'll want to run a little vinegar solution (there are also cleaning solutions available specifically for ice makers, but I try to avoid the chemicals) through the machine now and then to clear away any residue that has built up, run a rinse of clear water, and wipe it down inside and out with a paper towel or a soft cloth. The problem I found was down by the intake grate, where it was necessary to get Q-tips and swab out the tiny slot between the intake and the reservoir wall. Not a big deal, but a little annoying considering that the reservoir floor is flat, so there isn't any reason (imho) to cram the intake up against the wall. I could see if the floor sloped to get the best possible water intake before the machine went dry, but it doesn't.

9) Speaking of the reservoir floor being flat... that also means it needs a little help to drain completely. Again, not a deal-breaker sort of issue as far as I'm concerned, but it does mean providing a little tilt to get the most drainage, and then using a few extra paper towels to wipe it dry for storage.

This is a great Ice Maker!! We got it for a Christmas Present and just now had the opportunity to hook it up and check it out!! This makes crazy ice!! It is amazing. I love the fact that there is 2 sizes to choose from. We wanted this for our camper and this weekend will be the first weekend out. Looking forward to the fact that we will no longer have to buy ice!!! This will make enough for our drinks and for our cooler!! I am so happy to have received this for a gift and highly recommend it!!

Fabulous! Makes ice very quick and keeps up with my ice needs better than any freezer ice maker has. Followed others suggestions and left it upright for 24 hours before starting machine. Also, the first cubes it makes are puny, so I just dump them back and start using from the second batch. They are opaque cubes, not clear, which I know many people were asking about, but they have a great crunch factor so if you chew ice you'll be pleased. It is not silent, but no louder than a box fan on low, quieter than my dishwasher or dryer that's for sure. Doesn't take up much space, much the same as a toaster, just taller. I wish I had bought one of these years ago and happy I went this route rather than spending about the same to repair my freezers ice maker which didn't keep up with me in the summer.
Update: 5/23/16: Machine is still going strong and keeping up with my demands. I just keep letting it run when I need it and dump ice into my ice box in my freezer. People have come over and wonder why I don't fix my freezer and then the see how fast this guy runs and understand.

This item seemed like a bit of a splurge.....how much ice can one family use after all? Even so, we've had a toasty summer and have found this ice maker to be a great addition to our home. It works exactly as described. We keep it on all day and turn it off in the evening. Works great if you have hot, thirsty employees, neighbors, friends....I've offered lots of folks a cup of ice cold water these days.
The ice maker is a little noisy when actually making and spitting out the ice cubes, but other than that it's very quiet. Nice stainless finish, easy to clean and even easier to use.

perfect for my ice machine. sturdy plastic holds 10lbs well.

Use with my ice machine and it is very nice and handy.

Just the right size for use with our new ice maker. The draw string makes it easy to close and for storage in the freezer until adding more ice from the machine.

Just what we needed. Could be a little thicker but they did the job and I am pleased with the product and the price. I am going to purchase some for a concession stand that has an ice maker so they can store full bags for easy transportation as needed.

If you use a lot of ice on the go these are super handy and have saved us $$ this summer. Our marina was charging $4 a bag this summer! We use a lot of ice. S I would fill these up at home during the week and use them with icemaker we have at the lake too

Get these bags if you have an ice machine, the bags are high quality and the draw string is a great addition.

These bags are very handy for use with the portable ice maker I purchased for work..no more asking people going out for lunch to bring back cups of ice, yay!

as expected. sturdy string for handles

nice bags, works great.

Love these, didn't know I could buy these online.

Thank you!

We use these bags for our additional compact home ice maker. They work great.

Sturdy and well made.

We use one of these in our little ice maker...our daughter is sure to love hers as well.

Just what we needed. perfect size and durable. For a review you need to write a certain amount of words. This is a scoop!

A must have.

good buy

It scoops ice. Rather shallow scoop so you won't get a huge scoop at a time. Metal is thin, so be careful not bend it. We use it to scoop our Sonic ice into cups. Perfect for us.

I purchased this 2 years ago and after about 22 months, it simply stopped working. Since this outlasted my father-in-law's portable ice maker (and its replacement), I've had my expectations tempered a bit regarding the lifespan of these units. While it worked, it consistently made enough ice to supplement when our main fridge/freezer couldn't keep up with demand. I'll buy another one soon and will definitely get the extended warranty next time.

I believe I got my money's worth so despite failing after less than 2 years, I'm willing to give it 4 stars.

This thing was a must have if you don't have the refrigerator ice maker. No more of the messy, cracked, and drippy ice trays that flood your freezer and makes it 1 big ice cube over time. The only downfall is I wish that it was a cooler or a way to turn on or off a cooler within yhe unit. Wet ice sitting in a freezer just doesn't pan out too well. I feel like I have some type of ice picking job or something. Other than that the machine is great.

I've owned 2 counter top ice makers previously, both with the Igloo name on them. Both stopped working in under a year, and the company is so nightmarish to deal with regarding the warranty that we just threw them out.

So, this time we went with a company that has its base in the US, seems (from other reviews) to be easy to deal with regarding returns and warranty, and has at least a year-long warranty (our last one was only 6 months, and it quit at 7).

The ice maker arrived packed well. It did not reek of chemicals like our last one did. We let it rest for 24 hours, then plugged it in. We threw out the first few batches of ice, just to be safe.

It is almost half the size of the other ice makers, taking up less counter space, which is a big plus, but doesn't seem to hold too little ice. We are a family of 8 and go through a lot of ice. It does seem like the tray that holds the ice is a little smaller, but it doesn't matter. There is always plenty. I don't know if it makes it more quickly, or if the other machines just made excessive amounts...

It does seem to run a little more loudly than the other machines, but is not louder than the dishwasher, for instance.

And, miracle of miracles, ALL of the indicator lights work! The Add Water light never worked on either of the others, and on our last one the Ice Full light would be on, but the thing would keep making ice until the door propped open. This one works exactly as you'd expect. All-in-all it's a great little machine.

The quality of the ice this little guy makes may challenge your definition of ice: solid rounded chunks, but full of air, which makes them seem to melt a little faster than bagged ice. It does produce ice in less than 15 minutes, but only 9 ice chunks at a time. Each batch of ice chunks are then pushed into a 2 quart-ish basket in the front of the machine with a cool mechanical "shovel", which is oddly satisfying to watch. In all, the basket takes a full hour to fill and holds enough ice to nearly top off an average blender if you are making slushy drinks. Water is added manually, in a tank under the removable ice basket, which also holds around 2 quarts or so. The bottom of the tank has a drain plug, and you only need to hang the front of the ice maker over the sink to empty the tank when you are done with it...very easy. The compressor and fan are a little louder than you would expect for an appliance this size, but not objectionable. We cant really say anything negative about our little ice robot, it has performed as advertised, seems well built and is easy to keep clean. It won't supply enough ice for a party, but will easily keep 2 or 3 people supplied with icy drinks on a hot day!

I needed one of these ice makers because I have a lot of house parties, but saw all mixed reviews for all of them. Thankfully a refrigerator repair man left a review saying, let the item sit upright in correct position for about 24 hours before using to allow all the coolant to settle. I was so pleased to see someone take the time out to explain that. After I let it sit for a day, I cleaned it and used it for a party and it worked terrifically!! The ice cubes are small, but that was fine. It makes ice so fast, so it was perfect for our party. I had it sitting right at the bar. I was ready to buy one for twice the price, thinking they would work better. Hopefully this review will help others in their decision making. Great product!

Bags advertised as 10lb, box they came in also marked 10lb, but bags themselves are marked 8lb. Not a big issue for me, but just wanted to let buyers know if it is important to them.

Work great

Great!

They work great. It would be nice if you could tie the bag closed. If you lay a full bag on it's side some ice will spill out. That's OK minor problem. Keep using the same bags over and over. Testimont as to how strong they are.

I like these bags perfect for ice. The only thing I would change is make the bag thicker so you can reuse the bags.

Ice bags work really well, I would get them again

These plastic ice bags work pretty well for our sonic ice. We love the drawstring to keep the ice from spilling but still easily accessible in our freezer. They are great for at home use. Be careful if you beat out ice clumps. The bags are fairly sturdy but will puncture from edges of large ice chunks as you try to loosen ice. I have double bagged on occasion.

These bags are great and work as intended. I purchased a portable ice maker and chose these bags over others due to the draw strings.I would have given these bags 5 stars, but didn't due to how easily the bags can rip from the top seams (where the drawstring opening is) if you're not careful while opening the bag. Knowing it can happen though, it's easy to avoid by opening the bag carefully to avoid this.

My dad liked these. They are think enough to withstand bouncing around in the cooler.

We have a ice machine at our cottage that gets used all summer. We have been filling and refilling the bags to save on the environment. Nice to have the draws makes bagging easy. Good product!

Great buy. The plastic may be a little thin if you intend to reuse but for single use, they work great. The seller shipped quickly and the product arrived in good packaging. I recommend.

Holds ice what more can you ask

Arrived on time.. not as heavy as I thought, but overall, I am happy with the purchase.

This is a very cheaply priced item and you get what you pay for but it does work well

Don't like the sharp edges, but otherwise very funcunal.

Does it's job

This is a small ice scoop just large enough for filling a glass or plastic tumbler with ice without losing ice cubes over the side. In that job it works perfectly. I was a little disappointed in the handle but after using the scoop for a day or two I realized the handle was perfect. I was expecting a solid handle such as one sees in restaurants but I keep the scoop inside with the ice. If the handle was any thicker, grabbing the handle would have been difficult on the skin. Since the handle is thin like the scoop itself, it heats easily by the warmth of one's hand and causes no problem. I'm happy with it.

Well it's a lovely scoop but I guess I was expecting it to be a bit more hefty and meaty. The scoop works fine for digging cat food out of the bin to put in the cat food bowl, but it wouldn't work really well for bashing in a burglar's head if he were to come barging in the door while I fed the cat. I guess that's not a really realistic scenario but, hey, you never know.

Let me say that this unit did a great job for the 2 years it ran but....I'd would have hoped to have had more than 2 years.Sounds like the gears aren't connecting.

5 stars for being and awesome product, minus 2 stars for only last 2 years.

Suggest getting the warranty offered by Amazon

This ice maker worked great for about 9 months. Amazon was great in granting a refund. This is my 2nd Avalon Bay and while they worked, they were excellent. We follow the manufacturer's directions but 9 months appears to be the life expectancy of this great little ice maker. Still cheaper than buying bagged ice!

I bought this ice maker a couple of months ago and it was a great addition to our freezer ice maker. It was quiet and makes a lot of ice quickly. We dumped the try into the freezer and stirred it up to minimize cubes freezing together. We always had ice to fill bottles before school and after school activities.

Unfortunately it now makes a very loud grinding sound while pumping water into the freezing tray. The fan and compressor are still quiet so I am sure it is the water circulation pump.

I'm about to look into warranty info and will update with any useful info.

it works just as it should ... just too big for my limited counter top space . I really would like to send it back but ... the boxes were really big - it came in two. They were also heavy boxes - which I understand were to protect the product - but I threw them out before I really got to use it. Didn't really need it and now I think it may just sit in my pantry for most of it's life - maybe I'll sell it on eBay or something. It does however make ice in just 6 mins and the ice is good ice too (tor the ice cruncher). I was actually expecting it to melt quickly - it does NOT... good machine just a bit much for my space (really important to pay attention to measurements when buying on-line)

I must confess, this was a 'drunk' buy. Had friends over and we ran out of ice. All night I had bragged about Amazon and how easy it is to make a purchase. Well 2 days later this showed up. I've tested it for a day and it does make good ice, but you need to use the ice or empty it regularly and put the ice in the freezer to 'stock up'. If the ice could stay in the unit and LAST than I would have given it 5 stars.

Really thin bags

A little thin and tears easy

nice but sure would be nice if thicker, they tear open to easy

I wish that they were bigger, and they could be a bit sturdier, but they are OK.

prompt delivery and packaging, the bags are a bit on the light side and pricy for the quality

Rip easy

Easily rips my n the seams

The top of the bags is fair quality so most of them teared when closing the draw string even with weight of the bag supported. I wouldn't buy again. I'd give 2 stars but I did 3 because the ice didn't rip through the sides, so it is okay.

Drawstrings sound nice, bag wont stay closed unless their tied shut.

WORK AS I THOUGHT

I really like that these bags are a bit smaller than regular ice bags and the drawstring is super nice. However, as nice as the size and drawstring are, I can't fully recommend them. They are way too thin and tear easily. I've babied these bags trying to get as much use out of them as I can, however, even with that sort of treatment they are tearing and falling apart. The first bag I used started ripping at the seam as soon as I started filling it. There is also a seam below the drawstring where all of them seem to want to fall apart as well. If the bags were thicker and more durable they would be a homerun, but unfortunately they fall short of perfect with the current thickness and construction.In short: If you are looking for smaller single-use bags these are sufficient and the drawstring is a really nice feature. If you want to reuse the bags you will want to look for a thicker bag, as these do not hold up well.

Its ok for the price

It's an ice scooper so you cant really go wrong EXCEPT we keep our ice scooper in the freezer and because the entire thing is metal the handle obviously freezes and can be a bit uncomfortable to use. This problem can EASILY be solved by not storing it in the freezer. Our other scoopers have rubber/plastic handles and keeping them in the freezer works just fine. So if you dont have people who misplace things so that you are "forced" to keep the ice scooper in the freezer near the ice then this is a fine purchase. If you want to keep in freezer i would find one with a rubber handle.

Much smaller and more flimsy then I expected. Maybe 9" x 3" is more imaginable for someone else, but for those like me who are less volumetrically inclined - it comfortably scoops enough ice for 80% of a small styrofoam cup. I say comfortably in the mathematical sense, actually wielding this thing is more like handling a garden trowel made of curved, cheap plastic. The handle really needs to be more like a rod, and less like a "U," and it really has no heft to it at all. Something you wouldn't think it'd need until you start digging into ice and realize just a little inertia would make a big difference.All in all, you get what you pay for, and if you're looking for a cheapie ice scoop for the office ice-maker, it'll work.

This scoop is a great value and seems strong and well made. If you need an economy scoop, this is great. I will be using it in the garden instead of the ice bucket however. I found the handle uncomfortable and not nice enough to use during a fancy party. Close examination of the photo should have suggested this to me for the hanging hole reveals the thickness of the handle, which is an open V shaped formed metal. I'll need another scoop for fancy parties, but this will be wonderful in the garden.

I bought this because it was one of the cheapest ice scoops on Amazon. It holds maybe four or five large ice cubes (made by my freezer's built-in ice maker), but as pointed out in another review, the back of the handle is not rounded, so the sides of the handle dig into your hand while you hold it. You also don't want to just leave this in your freezer, as it is metal and cool to the touch. So not only is it uncomfortable, but it is not convenient to leave it where you'd want it.I like the capacity, but the next time I buy a scoop, I'm getting plastic.

I purchased this item thinking it was a 6 oz scoop and I ordered another scoop that I thought was of similar quality that was a 4 oz scoop(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H0U8A0/ref=oh_details_o01_s02_i01). When I received both scoops I was surprised to see that they were exactly the same scoop, and I would not say either scoop was 6 or 4 oz, I think 5 oz is a better description.The build quality is fine for the price. The scoop and handle are stamped metal and tack welded together, they seem sturdy enough. I have no use experience, I sent them back since they were the wrong sizes for my needs.

Sensor Failure: Ice Tray Full sensor is improperly reading 'full' so unit will no longer operate. Purchased in June 2016, stopped working after approximately 1 year (7/23/2017).

Was reasonably happy up until it failed.
Cons: a bit noisy, not super easy to clean (will occasionally see mold growth in certain spots). Tries to hard to pump water when the water level is too low - sounds like pump is dying
Pros: Fast, but first few rounds of ice are small and very wet - takes a little while for the reservoir temp to cool down to a point where ice making is efficient/optimal. I would often put the ice in my freezer to cool them down to normal ice temp (i.e. -20 to -25 C)

I returned this ice maker. Once the ice is made a "scoop" is supposed to drop the ice into a holding basket. Unfortunately the scoop will not drop down low enough to capture up the ice. The scoop will move forward over the ice cubes, but has nothing to dump into the holding basket. On a positive note, it did make the ice cubes in about 5 to 6 minutes. I actually taped a quarter to the scoop which gave it enough weight to drop down and pick up the ice, but I do not want to "rig" the ice maker to work.

Sent it back. Started making a clicking sound like something was stuck after about 2 weeks.

Purchased this back in Oct (all of 5 months ago). Read the negative reviews and had hoped they were just bad luck. WRONG! Already stopped making ice - tried every trick in the book but it seems the sensor is wacky so it either says the ice tray is full or makes so much ice it shuts itself off then melts before you can use it.

I purchased this little maker in September of 2015. I have had it on my counter since the day it arrived. I've had a lot of dental surgery, to include several implants and because of that I've experienced a lot of dry mouth. So having ice in my mouth all the time has been a constant part of my life for the past four years. Because of the dental work, crunching ice is a big no-no. The little cubes that come out of this machine are soft, cold and easily fall apart which I absolutely love.

The problem is, it hasn't even been 6 months and the machine has stopped working. Just caput. Nada. Zero. Zilch. No Mas. I think you get the picture. Now if I do the math, I was buying about 2 bags of ice a week at let's say $3 a bag. So at 6 months that's $156. Okay about break even. But my water delivery service increased a lot because of the constant production of ice. So really, at this point, I'm in the hole.

I've reached out to the manufacturer to see if they have a warranty or replacement service available. Will update this thread when and if I hear from them. In the meantime my son is on his way home from picking up a couple bags of ice. :D.

Some came with no draw strings.

Fits more like 8lbs than 10. They tear easily too. I will not be buying this brand again.

Wouldn't buy again. Bags split right away

Super cheap bags. Rip very easily.

Cheap metal. Seems like it will bend easy

It's stainless steel from India - NOT the US - which is not even close to US stainless steel. Expected to have some weight to it but very light. It scoops ice but very flimsy.

The area where the handle attaches to the scoop had a small rust spot.It also appeared not attached well. I'm sure it would have come off at some point.

Cheap & thin scoop we will not be using it for ice but maybe for dry dog food.

First off, there was a sticker on the handle that took about 30 minutes to remove. I had to spend way too much time and effort rubbing the goo off with nail polish remover. That made me mad! Then, it's so poorly designed that when I use it in a huge bag of cat food, all of it falls off the scoop before I can get it out of the bag.I guess you get what you pay for and cheap is cheap.Don't waste your money.

Bought these to use for my daughter's wedding. It was much light weight than it appeared online. The handle is not solid so the edges are a bit "sharp". The size was fine and so was the scoop part. I decided to purchase different ones, mainly because of the handle.

I bought this ice maker in August of 2015. It worked well until recently and now it makes a lot of noise. It scares people and they turn it off.
I wonder if the pumps break after a year? I could not find a number to call for service.
They should last longer than 2 years.

Only worked for six months, much less than the ice maker we owned before that cost so much less. No, OF COURSE they will not stand by their product and fix or replace it.

Total piece of junk. Never made the first ice cube. I gave it one star because there was no zero.

Second one purchased, first one lasted 8 months, second one 2 months. Contacted supplier with no response. DO NOT PURCHASE!

Our ice maker in our fridge failed for the second time. The second unit only lasted a few years before it quit. I didn't feel like spending all that money again. We decided to try a different approach and ordered the Avalon ice maker from Amazon.

When we first got the machine I was not sure it would make enough ice to keep our tray full in the freezer. I was wrong. We had our tray filled in short order and had to shut off the machine. So far, we are very happy with the Avalon ice maker. We run it once a day in the evening when we are preparing dinner. It makes plenty of ice that will get us through the next day.

Pros: Makes ice really fast
Easy to set up and use
One fill of the reservoir makes a lot of ice
Very quiet, only noise is when the cubes dump into the tray.

Cons: It is not a freezer, so cubes left in the tray will melt if you do not remove them.

Overall, we are very happy. I would definitely recommend the Avalon Bay ice maker.

UPDATE June 12, 2015

Our ice maker quit working after 10 months. We shipped it back to Avalon Bay on April 24. They could not repair it and sent us a new machine that arrived the first week of June. Service from Avalon was courteous, but really slow.

The new machine works much better than the old one ever did. The cubes are much bigger and thicker. Leading us to think the first machine was faulty to begin with. Luckily the machine quit during the 10th month of the 12 month warranty. Two more months and it would have been a total loss.

Bottom line: I wouldn't buy this machine again.

UPDATE: AUGUST, 2016
Second machine has now quit working. These machines are junk...don't buy one!

too thin

Out of the 15 bags that we have used so far 4-5 of them are missing the drawstring and a couple are missing the metal clasps. I've contacted the seller.

Bought the bags, filled with ice, put in freezer and when I took them out of freezer and tapped onfloor to loosen ice, just about every bag broke with a single tap - used 5 of them and the rest are now going to be fancy garbage bags as that is about all they are worth...

It's very shallow and doesn't hold much ice/product in the scoop. I'll see how it holds up. It's very light and doesn't seem sturdy.

thin metal

Very flat scoop...not good for picking up ice...that's for sure.

The scoop size is good and the finish is bright but the handle quality and attachment is less than desirable. Be careful of the unfinished edges on the stamped out handle.

The handle on this scoop is very uncomfortable with an open bottom, not rounded, and edges somewhat sharp. Also, the scoop itself is shallow and only holds a few cubes. It might work for some but not for me.

Bought two of these for my farmers market business, and the first one broke after scooping granola out of a bucket! The handle is screwed on to the scoop, so it's not all one piece which I didn't realize from the picture, which probably contributes to the instability. Returned and will not buy again.