After reading reviews I was very leary about purchasing this due to the numerous scratch and dent comments.  My hood arrived a day early which was awesome.  The box was in perfect shape and I was very hopeful that I would have no scratch/dent issues.  I unpacked the box with the aid of a helper so all the pieces were removed carefully.  Everything looked great on initial inspection and all the stainless surfaces were covered with sticky plastic wrap.  Laid everything out in prep and read through instructions before beginning.  The instructions are extremely vague.  A simple image of screws going up into the ceiling through the bracket not noting what screws to use (although there are only 4 screws large enough).  Also it comes with wall anchors but I can't figure out why because there is no way it would support the weight on anchors alone.  I had my vent, electric and blocking on the inside of the ceiling ready to go however the blocking didn't line up with the bracket.  I installed the provided screws, two of which into a stud, two into the provided anchors because I was just missing the stud.  As soon as I allowed the weight of the hood to pull on the screws the two in the anchors began to pull out from the ceiling.  Those two screws had to be replaced with the metal anchors that butterfly open after up inside the ceiling to provide the proper amount of strength.  Back to the instructions... it basically says "install the bracket and installed the supports" but doesn't elaborate.  So with a little bit of DIY experience or common sense you can figure it out but the instructions really stink.

The plastic vent pipe provided that connects the fan to the existing vent pipe is too large to snugly fit the top of their own hood.  The instruction photo vaguely shows what looks like a hose clamp on the vent connecting to the hood however there was not one provided.  So I installed it and used duct tape to seal the pipe to the hood.

After everything else was completed I began to pull the sticky plastic off (since I wanted that on until the last second so I wouldn't scratch the stainless) and I noticed about 4-5 dents/dings on each side of the square shrouding.  Upon review of how the item was packed, I am certain that the dents came from the metal bracket pieces that are wrapped in foam and tape and just dropped into the cavity of the shroud during shipping so it allows the metal bracket to rattle around inside and dent the shroud from the inside out.  After all of this work I am debating on if I have the energy to take it all back down to return it.  I am going to first attempt to deal with the manufacturer and see if they will send a new dented piece.

The fan is ALOT quieter then I expected.  Some people complained about it being loud but I did not find that to be the case.  If you know the sound  that an over-the-range microwave hood fan makes you will think this is 50% quieter.  I am extremely pleased with the look and operation, just disappointed it was dented and that the instructions leave a lot to be desired.


My family is kind of nuts about ice.  Last year for Mother's Day we gave my wife a huge commercial ice maker.  It makes the small "nugget ice" (also called Sonic ice, named after the Sonic drive-in restaurants).  Our ice maker makes a couple hundred pounds of ice per day (not that we consume that much every day).  Our little nugget ice is great for quickly cooling down drinks, but it also melts very quickly and dilutes the drink.

The ice from this set of ice balls couldn't be more opposite from what our commercial ice maker makes.  These big ice balls barely melt at all, depending on how fast or slowly you drink your beverage.  It's all a matter of surface area.  If you think of this ice ball a little larger than a tennis ball, it has a certain surface area.  If you were to cut it in half it would add about half as much surface area (the area of the sphere, plus the two areas of the circles caused by the two new halves).  If my math is right and this ice ball has a radius of about an inch and a half, I think the surface area would be about 28 inches.  If you cut it in half, you would have two additional surfaces on each of the hemispheres with surfaces areas of about seven inches each, or 14 inches total.  So the sphere is 28, and cutting it in half adds about half that, or 14 inches, totaling about 42 inches.  If you keep chopping these parts up until they equal the size of my nugget ice, you have approximately a WHOLE BUNCH of surface area that's eager to melt into your drink (pardon my round figures).

Anyway, setting aside the nerdy math that I'm not even very good with, it's simple enough to say that less surface area means less melting.  Less melting means less diluting of your drink with water.  I guess the most perfect insurance against dilution is those rocks that you put in your freezer, but I haven't had such good luck with those.

After nursing a good glass of whiskey for about a half hour, my big ball of ice was mostly still intact.  If I'd used cubes or the nuggets that my machine makes, the ice would have completely melted in that same time.  So the ice balls definitely do a better job of cooling the drink without diluting it.

As far as making the ice, these round ice molds couldn't be any easier.  The recipe for actually making the ice is a time honored tradition that has probably already been passed down through the generations in your own family, so you don't have much to worry about.  There's also a easy to see fill line, so you shouldn't have any trouble figuring out how much of that "secret ingredient" to add to make your ice.

So if you're a purist who likes a cold glass of liquor but doesn't want a lot of water in it, then this is a good solution for you and a fun conversation piece.

I was provided this item for review.


Our washer is quiet again!  I have lots of experience replacing bearings on old farm equipment, and these bearings definitely are made of good hard steel and expect them to last longer than the rest of the washer parts.  After taking everything apart, you get to see how well the rest of your machine is holding up, and ours looked to be in really good condition. I recommend watching this video [...] first to see what all you need to remove to get the tub out of the washer. The seller will reply quickly to answer your e-mails for help on how to do the job.
In that video I listed and the videos the seller has, they all mention that the bearings came off and went on fairly easily.  For my machine, that was not the case.  If the rear tub does not easily come off of the hub, you will need a small 2x4 piece of wood, 4lb hammer, and another person or object to hold the tub from moving.  Then hit the spindle as hard as you can with the heavy hammer, using the 2x4 to protect the softer metal of the spindle.  The spindle is made of a softer metal and if you hit another metal on it directly you will deform it.  Once you get to the point that the 2x4 can no longer push the spindle, then get a big socket or something that will cover a large area of the end of the spindle to get it all the way through the outside bearing.  The inside bearing was stuck on the spindle, and would not pry off.  The best way to get it off was to get a bearing puller (can borrow for free from Autozone and probably other auto part stores).  Be sure to screw the bolt back into the end of the spindle before using the bearing puller to protect the threads of the soft metal of the spindle. Use some emery cloth to sand off the rust on the spindle and to fix any damage you may have done on the spindle, and add a light coat of grease to prevent more rusting and help things to go back together.
The instructions will also tell you to put both bearings into the tub and then insert the spindle.  If yours was difficult to take apart like mine, you will not be able to get the spindle through the outside bearing this way.  Instead, only put the inside bearing and seal into the tub (and don't use the old bearing to do this because it will get stuck and you will have to hit it back out). The outside bearing will have to be put into place after you have put the spindle back through the tub.  Using the bolt, washers, and belt pulley will help you to gently move the bearing into place, because beating on it with a hammer will be difficult to do gently and will push the spindle back out of the inside bearing.  Place the bearing against the spindle and then screw the bolt in as far as you can, then take the bolt back off and use the pulley as a spacer and screw the bolt back in again. This will get the bearing really close to being set in place.  Then you can hammer on the bearing until it makes the sound that it is against a solid backing.


NorthAmerican HVAC

My apologies for not responding sooner there were far more pressing matters I
needed to attend to.

1. I will not be sending the unit back via your reluctantly issued RMA
which I would have to pay for anyway.  But hey thanks for the warm and fuzzy invite.

2. WHY?: In your first response you encouraged me to install the unit stating
the only way you would issue a RMA would be for me to take photos of the
unit not fitting or not working in my freezer.

I quote NA-HVAC: "The IM6 is a compatible replacement for WR30X0327.
You may only need the ice-maker out of the kit. If this item does not fit,
we will need photos that show the new ice-maker compared in the freezer.
We will then need to issue you a RMA number accordingly. "

Which of course you knew would violate your own return policy.

I recommend all future customers of this company read their policies
first before making the decision to purchase items from them.

[...]

So...In response to me filing a claim with Amazon you sent me a RMA which
you knew you would refuse to honor. Thank you so much.

3. The initial issue was that NorthAmerican HVAC sent me ( without so
much as an email to me) a different product from what I ordered.
I ordered a WR30X0327 - 130.00 exact replacement ice maker but was sent an IM6 86.00
dollar compatible ice maker.

And again I want to make this point clear that at no time did you contact me to ask if sending me the compatible was ok with me.
This is a classic bait and switch IMHO.

4. You have yet to even acknowledge this was unfair to me - so I have assume
this is a normal way of business for NorthAmerican HVAC.

5. For the benefit of readers of this review - Per HVAC's first suggestion:
Did it fit? Yes with some adjustments. It is a little smaller and produces ice slower with less cubes than the one I had ordered but it
does work, which I did acknowledge in my claim.

6. What did I ask for? I asked for a reduced price since the compatible
ice maker sells routinely for a much lower price - even right on Amazon
itself.

Had I wanted the cheaper product I would have ordered it - but
NorthAmerican HVAC decided they would make this decision for me without
my consent. How nice of them.

7. Would I personally have anything to do with this company? Heck no I would
not and I wished now that I had done more research into this company's policies before ordering something from them.
I will be more diligent with purchases going forward.

8. Moral of this story: I paid for a steak but got a burger instead and was told the burger was
compatible. Well I guess they are both protein. Right?

9. A copy of this email will be posted as a review of my purchasing experience with NorthAmerican HVAC.

Thank you for time and consideration.


This seems like such a simple premise - but I was very disappointed with this product.  I figured that there must be SOMETHING on the market that allowed you to "paint" over those rusty spots on your old dishwasher racks, and I found out about this product here on Amazon.  I actually bought it from our local Home Depot.

A few of the "lowlights" of this product:

1. This material is highly toxic in it's liquid form, and it's vapors are harmful.  I suggest using it in winter - so you can do it outside and have it cure adequately.  Unfortunately, we did it in summer, and had to do it inside the house.

2. The small applicator brush that is attached to the inside of the cap is USELESS.  It is the softest-bristle brush they could possibly find - and, as such, it makes it almost completely useless when trying to accurately brush on liquid vinyl (which is what this product basically is) to a small metal prong.  The brush does not move the produce around - and instead sort of pushes it in various unacceptable directions.  You WILL need a more sturdy brush.

3. This product is a liquid - and prongs are vertical.  As such, gravity inevitably takes effect before the product has a chance to dry, and runs down the prong a ways.  This also makes the product thinner on the rust spot (which is typically on the head of the prong) than originally intended.

4. The consistency of the product (sort of a cross between congealed ketchup and snot) makes it VERY difficult to apply neatly.  Forget about being neat or it looking neat.

5. The product dries HARD, not RUBBERY.  As such, even though it may provide protection to your dishes from the rust spots on your prongs, it will itself scratch/mark other more delicate items such as wine glasses.  It leaves a powdery white compound on our glasses which has to be rubbed off with a cloth after cleaning.  Which also makes me wonder just how "carcinogenic" it actually is ("this product is known in the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects" etc. etc.).

6. One bottle is only enough to coat two racks twice (at least if your racks are like ours - and each and every prong is rusted on the tip).

7. In general, two to three coats of this product are required to effectively cover bad rust spots.  This will take you approximately two to three days - assuming you work full time like us.

-----------------------------------------------

In short - do yourself a favor and buy the pre-formed prong covers (slip-ons) instead.  It might be more expensive - but it'll be worth it for the days of your lives that you save from this horrid, monotonous, tedious task - which ultimately leaves you with a dishwasher rack situation that is only approximately 2% better than the previous one.

After spending three days messing about with this product and our racks - we intend to just go out tomorrow and purchase a new dishwasher.

Not recommended.


Why am I scream typing? Well, because this dang product gave me asthma.
Were clean people. We clean the lint trap on the dryer religiously. There cant be that much crap in the vent, right?
 FREAKING WRONG
It all started simply enough. I read some reviews, got the cleaning kit, read the directions, and went to town. Started by cleaning inside first, sending the brush down the duct to the outside of our house. Even got the blower and put him to work [thanks to a tip from another reviewer]. Meh, some junk came out, but I wasn't expecting a ton, so I moved outside.
Ew. All the junk came out. Ok, this thing works. Ran it through the duct a couple more times... oh hey, grab the blower and jam the nozzle up the duct too, for good measure. Cool, Im done. Let me go back inside and reconnect everything.
You know when you burn something in the oven and that faint amount of smoke creates a haze in your kitchen? Ha. Thats what I was greeted with when I came back inside. Except I didn't have anything in the oven... and Im perfect, so I never burn anything.
Walked in to the laundry room and the haze is now a thick fog. I live in the south, so humidity isn't anything new, but this was late evening, and we hadnt had rain in about 6 hours (which must set some record, as weve recently negotiated a break in the rain hostage weve been in for the past 2 weeks). What in the fresh hll is going on?
I move to the back of the dryer and there are mounds of lint just waiting to exact their revenge. The coughing starts. My contacts are all of a sudden plastered to my eyeballs, and Im considering my options on emergency help since my husband is out of town and the dog doesnt know CPR.
Do you see the broom in my pictures? Hes dead, laying on the floor. He straight up said, eff this, Im out. The attachment for my sweeper vac is holding on for dear life. Theres dust EVERYWHERE. I saw a mouse packing his belongings and move his mouse family out of the peephole in the baseboard.
Im still coughing as I write this. And I have a couple lessons to share:
1) if you think you're clean, maybe you are, but this Deflecto kit will check your ego real fast.
2) maybe place a bucket or something over your inside duct if you're going to use a blower for additional assistance on the outside vent. Perhaps this may have prevented dust and dirt from flying everywhere.
3) ... or maybe don't use a blower? This kit does a pretty good job on its own. Or use a blower. Whatever. Get asthma while trying to do chores. Have a nice life.

This product works. Five stars. Well made. Good value for the price. Easy to use. And all that jazz.


We've only had this fridge installed for a couple days, but I already love it. Firstly, installing it was WAY easier than the old fridge (which was a 13 year old Samsung). They have improved the ease of removing and re-installing doors 100-fold (at least). Since the unit can't get in the house without removing the doors and re-installing them, that was a big deal.

Beyond that, the unit is beautiful and has great features. The ice maker filled up very quickly (once I ran the water for a while to fill up the water line). The "flex drawer" is way more useful than I thought. It has plenty of space for drinks and also items like yogurts that used to fall out of the fridge and break on the floor, splattering everywhere. So that's a nice feature. The main refrigeration area is really well laid out so that you can use the space effectively. The shelf that flips up and the other one that retracts make it so much easier when there's a tall item. You can fit it without having to take everything off the shelf and adjust it. The door shelves are great as well, with some more small and narrow to hold smaller items and make them easier to find (these are the shelves they managed to fit around the ice dispenser area - so there is still storage even in that area - great use of space). The clear plastic also makes items easier to find.

I thought the ice maker would take up too much space in the refrigeration area, but it really isn't an issue at all so far. I thought the freezer would be difficult to organize, as I was used to a side by side. But the freezer has the drawer and the little storage bin on top, plus a separator in the main compartment. So it's really not a problem to keep organized. I didn't even realize that it was going to have a fancy touch screen control panel when I bought it, but my daughter was pretty jazzed about that. The water/ice dispenser is really tall for filling water bottles. The LED lighting is recessed and out of the way, but really brightens up all the spaces. Plus we can use the LEDs in the water dispenser area as a night light.  Lastly, I had heard others complain about how loud their refrigerators are, but this one is barely audible to me when the fan and compressor are running. I was even concerned at first it wasn't working, but it's cooling beautifully!

It is a little expensive, which is the only downside I've found. But I guess you get what you pay for (I got a really great deal, though, so thanks Amazon)!. Overall, a really great appliance and I'm happy to have it! I don't know about reliability yet, but consumer reports did have Samsung listed as the manufacturer of refrigerators with the lowest number of repairs required of all the manufacturers in their survey. Our old Samsung lasted 13 years, so I feel good about it.


First, let me say that I rated this product as 4 stars instead of 5 only because I have only had it a short time and, given the high percentage of negative reviews, cannot comment on its durability.

I bought this ice maker with serious reservations. None of these counter-top ice makers have received good customer reviews, at least on average.

But, I have a French door refrigerator with a bottom drawer freezer. It has an icemaker in the door. The icemaker is terrible. Its ice production is pathetic and the icemaker regularly fails to dispense ice even when there is some. It generates half as many ice cubes per cycle compared to most built in icemakers. It is unable to produce sufficient ice for my family.

I tried ice cube trays in the freezer but they take up too much freezer space and take a long time to freeze and are a pain to empty and refill. I thought I would try a stand-alone counter-top ice maker despite the negative customer reviews.

I bought this model about ten days ago. So far it has met expectations. It only makes maybe half a dozen cubes at a time but does so in 7 to ten minutes. The machine makes roughly gum drop shaped cubes with a hole down the center like some of the big commercial ice makers. When made, the ice is only lightly frozen. Also, the machine keeps the water to make new ice cubes and the ice cubes its already made in the same area. That is to say that the machine doesnt have a sub-zero storage area so as soon as the ice is made it starts to melt, albeit very slowly.

Personally, I don't find this to be a problem. I run the machine for maybe 6 hours and as the machines storage bin becomes full, I just dump the bin into a container in my freezer. Since the ice cubes are relatively soft and coated in unfrozen water, each batch will freeze together a bit but with a light whacking the cubes break up easily. Of course if you're using the ice as its made this issue is irrelevant.

Based on the above, many people might consider this machine to be a poor solution. However, if you compare the cost of this machine to a commercial counter-top machine, the little bit of extra effort is more than compensated by the lower price. My ice needs only require me to run the machine one day out of three and I am very happy with it.

The other great concern with any of these counter-top ice machines is quality and dependability. Customer reviews reveal a high percentage of machines that are faulty from the start or fail after a very brief period of time. Im afraid this is typical of many Chinese-made products. In defense, I bought the recommended 4-year extended warranty for about 11% of the cost of the ice maker. I have always had a rather dim view of these extended warranties but in this case I thought it warranted and worth a try. If I need to use the extended warranty, I will comment on how it worked out.


I have a fridge that has NO ICE MAKER.  And for me, ICE is a must.  I chew it.  A lot.  I was a bit worried about this, as they are not cheap.  But, truly, it works VERY NICELY.  Now, it is LARGER than you think.  I purchased a small table to put this on, because; I didn't want it sitting on the table or the counter.  And the little table does nice.  It was only $20.  And it works perfectly for this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BXX8RPM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I added photo of my setup, to explain the little table, and ice maker combined.  Realize, you add water to it.  I found a cup that fills the resevoir in one shot, and simply add water that way.  One filling makes a little more than 2-full loads of ice.  And it makes those really fast.

I make the ice, and put it into an ICE BIN in my freezer, then turn this thing off.  That way, it should LAST me a lot longer than it would if you expected it to keep the ice for you.

;O)
I recommend POWER OFF when you are not making ICE.  It powers up FAST.  And makes ice FAST.  I like it a lot!

2016-DEC-27 Update.
Never understood the propensity of modern appliances to NEVER FULLY SHUT OFF...  This one, for instance, has a green light that BLINKS non-stop as long as it is "OFF".  To me, that's a waste.  So, I purchased a block, grounded, ON/OFF switch, that the cord plugs into, then that plugs into the wall.  That way, I can FULLY turn it off when I'm NOT making Ice.  The way I use it, I make 3-full loads of ice, then shut it off until I am running LOW on Ice again.  So, this thing is OFF most of the time, and ON only about 1-hour 3-times a week.  In my view, it should therefore, last for YEARS using this approach.

2017-SEP-19 Update:
I've had this now, for almost a year.  Still works VERY WELL.  HOWEVER, a few things I have done to keep it alive...  (1).  I not only turn it OFF, but; I have an inline SWITCH installed, that cuts the power to it all together, when it is not being used.  I truly believe this may have had a positive impact on it's long life.  (2).  I have very HARD water where I live, so; I use the VENDING water ONLY in this thing.  The kind you see at Walmart or other stores, where you can buy a 3-gallon at a time jug.  I am sure it has another positive impact on longevity. (3) I always check the water level BEFORE turning it back on.  So, as long as you treat it nicely, and don't use it more than 2-or-3-days a week, as do I, then; it will last you a very long time!


I bought this item on April 4th, 2015. I gave it to my mother for her birthday on the 20th. My mom was one of those pains in the ass that couldn't drink water unless it was so cold it was almost frozen. She used to reuse a Poland Spring bottle and put her water in the freezer just long enough to be partially frozen, and then she would crack it so there were ice chips in it. Once we found out using and reusing plastic in that way can release toxins into your body, she started using ice from an ice cube tray. My mom, a cancer patient at that time, eventually began struggling to crack the tray to get the ice out.

SO, I went on Amazon and bought this lovely ice machine. We used it every single day. I loved it! They ice cubes were a great size! I would turn it on every morning before I went to work and within, I would say a half an hour, the whole thing was full of ice. It has a mechanism where it automatically stops making more ice when it's too full. It came with a scoop so my mom could easily fill her Contigo water bottle with ice and sit down to enjoy her paper.

All in all, I was really pleased with this product...until late April of 2016. All of the sudden, the ice cubes started getting smaller and thinner. Over the course of the two months, the machine will sometimes create ice cubes. Sometimes not at all. When they do make ice cubes they're about the shape and size of a dime. By the time a new load of ice is made and plopped into the tray, the old one has already melted. Sometimes they are so small that they just drip through the tray and into the water. I know I have had it for over a year, but I feel that this type of item should not be one that I have to replace yearly. When I buy a new one, it will NOT be with this company. It is awfully convenient that it broke down JUST after its warranty expired. I generally remain loyal to brands with wonderful products and as much as I loved this machine while it worked, I will never buy another Igloo product again.

*UPDATE*

So as of 10-29-2017, and on my second version of this ice machine, I am TOTALLY grossed out! So, other than this ice machine, I also have a bubbler with a filtration system in it. About a week ago, my water started tasting a bit weird. I replaced my bubblers filter, I cleaned out the faucets, washed my Tervis bottle a few times. No luck. Then, I opened up my ice machine and though it looked fine, there was a bit of a fragrance coming from it. I washed it and OH MY GOD it took a whole roll of paper towels and all sorts of gunk came off the inner walls. Because of the internal shape, I couldn't clean all of it. I am mortified at how disgusting it is! I went over the manual a few times since and NOWHERE does it state how to clean it, or even that it has to be cleaned at all! It has been cleaned on many occasions but this definitely takes the cake.. I am so disgusted!


VERY VERY Unhappy with this item.

Shipping very rude and the service to get a refund a bunch of RED TAPE STILL WAITING for refund. I bought set and they would only take back the washer. The matching dryer TAKES TO LONG TO DRY. Since my washer would not work from day 1. I had to go to laundromat to get my clothes wash then take them home just to find out that the matching dryer takes 2 1/2 hours to dry. NO JOKE!!!!!! Since I bought the set I was told by evVive Home that if maytag comes to service it could cost me $500 out of my pocket??? ANd I would have to pay for return shipping over $200

Let's do the math together
$500 + $200 out of my pocket for a NEW ITEM and then the amount I paid for the set = $"lost money and a waste of time."
Amazon help me file Your Amazon.com A-to-z Guarantee Claim report. Well AMAZON did side with the company and now I HAVE A 150lb dryer as a paper weight.

This is the email response that was given to me as of today
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:41 AM

Hello from Amazon.com.

We are writing to follow up with you regarding the Guarantee claim that was filed for order. We have checked into the matter and a reimbursement for the full amount of washer was completed on Feb 13th.

We have confirmed that the seller who fulfilled this order has a posted returns policy, stating that the item(s) purchased cannot be returned under these circumstances.

For your reference, this seller's returns policy states:"You can return your order within 15 days from the purchase date."

In response to your claim, the seller who fulfilled this order has declined to accept the return of this dryer. Amazon.com strives to maintain a marketplace that is fair to both buyers and sellers. Since this policy was available for review prior to the date your order was placed, we are unable to compel the seller to accept a return. As a result, your claim has been closed.

If this is a defective or damaged item, it is possible that it is under warranty with the manufacturer. We advise that you contact them for assistance. In many cases, they are willing to repair or replace defective products.

Thank you for choosing Amazon.com.

AGAIN BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY IN SELLING YOU ANYTHING. STILL WAITING FOR REFUND which will not be 100%.

If you are reading this and would like to buy a washer / dryer with your tax refund do not buy from this company or Amazon.

Your best bet is to go on Craigslist or your closest retail outlet such as Menards, Sams Club etc... I am sure they would refund you 100% or a different model that works. Never again would I buy any appliances from a website.

For those who are marking a 100% rating, "must work for the company and just blogging to make you think you are getting a great deal."

I am 100% unhappy.


Purchasing large house appliance is always a difficult decision. As for cloth washers, I have not seeny any brand, or any particular model that people were very happy with. But we live and we'll have to buy the appliance. I can't just take my clothes to the local coin laundry to wash.

Our 11-year old Kenmore front-loader just died. The drum poppped out of the socket, or may be the belt. I do not know and I do not care. It may cost at least $300 to $400 to fix it. And it is not worth to fix one that is that old. So time for a new one. Based on the online reviews and the price, I decided to buy this one.

I purchased this one from a local home improvement store. I never buy large electronics from online, mainly due to the possibility of return. I ordered yesterday evening and the washer arrived just before noon time. The delivery folks took away the old broken one and installed the new one in no time. This thing is large, about 3-4 deeper than the old Kenmore. The controls are on the front, not on the back like the old Kenmore. I think I prefer the control on the back, but I do not think they make that way any more.

The first batch run. The machine is quiet. The final spin was so loud before and the laundry floor was shaking. Not this one. The machine does not dance on the floor any more. The clothes come out very dry, and I've not had the problem with long spin cycle. The entire cycle finished in about 1 hour.

The clothes stayed in dryer in a much shorter time. Before I had to put the dryer setting to towel, but not this one. Normal setting should be fine. When I used the local coin laundry, I had to dry them twice in my dryer.

The only complaint I have is that, one or two of kids' socks got stuck in the rubber sealer near the front door. This may happen again, but it may be the way front loaders behave.

This model does not have the steam capability. I do not really care about it.

I paid $899 minus 5% store discount, plus 7% sales tax. To a total about $915. This inludes all free delivery and installation. This is much cheaper than the other better known brands in the store. I just need a basic machine that can wash my clothes. Hope it can be reliable.

Update 3/14/2013:
This is about 3 months after original purchase. No problem, has been happy with the purchase. The capacity is much larger than the old Kenmore that is smaller than the advertised 3.0CF capacity. We have to wait to get basket full for one wash.

We had the balancing issue maybe twice. That is caused by the single large towel. It is better to get all the towels together, to minimize the issue. The balancing/sensing goes away, after about extra 20 minutes....

I do not see the needs to spend extra for washing machine. You just need something that is reliable.


I just bought the set last month(check dryer review, not so good). The first load I washed took almost 2hrs because because the balance sensing could not sense a good enough balance. Since then it must have adjusted because I have not had the problem since. There is also some counter balance noise(loose rolling bearings?) that can be mistaken for something loose but it is normal.

My favorite features are the Allergen Removal Washer Cycle and the Sanitize. Used together they work great on my sheets and blankets. All my clothes have come out clean so far even though it looks like there is not enough water.

This machine was 5.0cu.ft. under the old classification but has been bumped down to a more reasonable 4.3cu.ft. in a new classification but don't be fooled, it holds allot! Easily washed my queen size comforter and then some.

I love the square door look!

Update 9/3/12:

I am on my 25th load now(single guy). The washer has a sensing/balance problem when washing things other than large blankets. With the machine trying to balance itself at every spin, it will add up to 1.5 hours to the wash time.

Machine only uses 1.5 gallons of extra water to wash clothes. How do I know, I measured the drained water several times. My clothes started smelling not so good even after running the clean cycle. Since the outer drum is plastic, it seems that the dirty water leaches in and stays in the plastic. I had to modify the washer to make it use more water which helped the cleaning. Other then that your just washing you clothes in concentrated dirty water.

Looks to me that the engineers underestimated what it takes to control a drum this big. Weak springs allow the drum to vibrate all over so if the balance is not perfect it will impact the side of the washer. My guess is if the made the springs stronger then the washer will walk across the floor. Commercial washers with drums this size, like in the laundry mats, are bolted to the floor and to each other so none of this is a factor when spinning.

Dryer for this pair can not be fixed. Don't buy. This is the first and last Whirlpool/Maytag items I will ever buy.

Update 6/20/15:

Well, the washer finally died. After a technician replaced the control and the tub and drum assembly on 4/30/13 things were not much better. The technician called it a POS. After a year of long washes, un-spun clothes the washer started banging on the sides. Last week the washer started making the worst noise ever. I made a movie of the washer and posted on my web site. I took the washer to metal recycling and bought a new Samsung WF45H6300AW. This washer has and does everything the Maytag can not. Short washes, more water for washing, full high speed spin every time and gets the clothes cleaner in my opinion. I am uploading my movie to drummernaut.com/maytag


I was looking to replace our over the head microwave/hood combo - which was loud and inefficient sucking the air out (maybe 250-300 CFM max) - for a more powerful range hood in the 900 CFM but most in this range are in the 9-10" thick and would restrict the cooking space. Found and bought this gem with just 7" profile, not the slimmest but definitely among the most powerful out there.  I was concerned about the noise loudness due to reviews on other similar systems so besides the mfr. specification, I double checked and noticed that this particular one has an 8" duct venting as compared to 6" for the other ones and by physics, the larger vent duct should allow more air flow and less noise.

The width of the hood itself is 29-5/8" so you definitely need a 30" clearance side-to-side to slide it in.  It fits the under cabinet space like a glove even though ours is quite small with just about 10-1/2" D x 28-3/4" W opening (under).  I personally think that the provided fasteners (screws/bolts) are on the thin side so I replaced those with 1 size thicker and stronger hardware just in case.  Self-installation was not simple but doable b/c it's made of heavy stainless steel and weighs in the 40-45 lbs so would require two persons (tips: we put it on a pneumatic office chair which sat on a piece of plywood on top of the range to help lift it up in place).  The notice was clear but we installed the wood strips or stringers (10" x 1-1/2" x 1/2") on both sides and in the back as well for better support.

IMPORTANT TIPS:
- Make sure to install the stringers slightly above the bottom cabinet frame at about 1/8"-3/16" so that the mounting brackets can pull the hood all the way up to flush with the bottom cabinet.

- Also when the unit is still on the floor, make sure to set the (4) bolts (that will hold the brackets at the 4 corners) thru the top cover, then add washers and nuts (just a few turns) to hold the bolts in place.  I didn't think about it and it was a pain to get the bolts up thru the tiny holes from underneath with very little clearance and visibility.

It looks beautiful once in place.  I then downloaded a (free) sound meter app on my iphone and measured the noise levels from 3ft away at three different speeds and got 60dB @ 300 CFM, 64dB @ 600 CFM and 68dB @ 900 CFM - which are not noisy and bothering at all compared to our old one (probably 75-80dB @ 300 CFM as nobody can hear nobody when it was on).  I believed that it could be even quieter if we'd enlarge our venting duct from 7" to 8" but not worth the effort for our needs.

Would definitely recommend it.


UPDATE: I just received this in the mail today from Sears where we purchased our Refrigerator. $49.99 with FREE shipping for our filter IF we sign up for auto delivery. Sure makes this look pretty awesome at ~$13.50.

To be honest, there isn't too much to put here. It fits perfectly in place of the OEM filter. There was a time, not so long ago, when these filters cost a fortune, upwards of $50-75, which seemed exorbitant compared to the fact that many of the appliances they were replacing only cost $500-$750 and you had to replace them every 6 months. In 5 years you could have purchased another fridge. Kind of like printer ink...

Now, they are much more reasonable, but still the OEM Samsung filters are about $35 each in a pack of two ($70 for the pack) so this is still a nice savings.

I will say that I share other reviewers concerns about the safety of products made in China. I'm not really sure as a consumer how I can check the safety of a device like this - in the end, it will have to be up to you whether it is worth it to save $20 vs the very unlikely (in my opinion) possibility that these might be harmful. Or the more possible chance that they might do little or nothing at all. LOL.

My thinking is;

A.  We have so much coming from China we don't even know half of it - I buy my kids Capri Sun 100% juice and am a kid's drink snob when it comes to giving them Capri Sun drinks (aka, not juice) and I just noticed the other day for the first time, that the concentrate for the juice comes from China. Arghh.

B. In spite of my very real concern about the lack of product safety and government regulation in China, along with a culture that seems to reward performance at any cost, I have to think that this product is less likely to be tainted simply due to the product category and how it is made and what it is supposed to do.  I am hoping/gambling/praying that the worst-case scenario will be that they do nothing to filter.

C.  So far so good... I have not seen or heard of any news stories of this kind of product causing harm to consumers.  I am particularly cautious of things like baby formula, toothpaste and other products that have been spiked with melamine and similar contaminants in the past, as I feel they are more likely to be tainted again due to the way they are manufactured.

So, with all that said, I think these are probably safe even though they are from China and they are much cheaper than the Samsung filters.

Your mileage may vary.  I think that I may cut mine open to use as a demo rather than actually use it on the fridge now that I have made myself second guess it. LOL... Seriously though, my best guess is that these are a great way to save money and filter your water/ice.  After looking at the product some more, I feel comfortable with it. I sniffed, stared and scrutinized it as much as possible and I am going with my initial opinion that this filter is probably just fine.


Ok, so this thing is pretty neat. It does exactly what you'd expect it to do. However, it's not without flaws, which is to be expected for a relatively inexpensive appliance. Fortunately, I received mine without much physical damage - it had a couple dings and dents, but they were certainly nothing to cry over. I assembled all the little hoses and pipes pretty easily and ran a small test load as directed by the manual. I thought everything was going smoothly until I soon realized that water was leaking from beneath the machine. After a brief inspection I discovered that the source was at the back of the machine behind a gray panel. Assuming that wiring was behind this panel, I quickly unplugged the machine and screwed off all the piping. Even after shutting it down, the water continued leak without any indication of stopping. I called the customer service number provided and spoke to a very uninterested representative who offered no suggestions, took down my information, and assured me that she'd find a technician in my area and get back to me within 48 hours. Meanwhile, the drum of the washer continued to empty its contents all over my kitchen floor. Needless to say, screw the warranty. I was down to one pair of undies waiting for this thing to arrive, and I refused to haul my clothes to laundry mat in 13 degree weather. Not to mention, I was soaking wet. I decided to screw off the back in efforts to find the culprit. What I found is that the manufacturers failed to assemble the machine completely. I saw water spewing out of a tiny port located on the back of the drum towards the bottom. I also saw a clear tube that was disconnected and dangling on the inside of the machine. I connected it to the small plastic port and the leaking stopped immediately. I tried to wash the load a second time but ran into another problem: the machine wouldn't stop filling. I turned off the machine before it overflowed and decided to google the issue. I found out that the clear plastic pipe is called an "air dome hose" - this part tells the machine when to stop filling by use of pressure (or something). When I attached it to the leaking drum it filled with water, therefore, it couldn't properly notify the machine to stop filling. So I drained the machine by using the rinse cycle, disconnected and reconnected the tube to ensure that there was no water left inside, and BOOM...the machine began working just fine. Also, the quick adapter that attaches to the sink leaks. Its not a major problem, but make sure to SLOWLY turn the faucet on or you WILL get sprayed in the face. Also, when the machine stops filling, be there to turn the water off! When its on the rinse cycle, listen out for it carefully to turn the water back on. You have to turn the water off and on about three times during the rinse cycle so water won't spray all over your  kitchen or bathroom, or wherever. Keep in mind that the machine stops accepting water once its filled, so it causes a build up, which ultimately causes the spraying. Even with all of that, its a fine appliance, and still beats the laundry mat by a long shot. I wrote this terribly long review so that you won't have to clean up Noah's Ark-grade floods like I did; 3 times to be exact.


I bought this washer because my building doesn't have any machines available. When it was first delivered, I discovered a huge dent toward the back right edge. It was then I realized that someone had dropped the machine somewhere during the shipping, since there was a large gash in the box. Given that the dent was quite deep and not merely cosmetic, I contacted Amazon for assistance. After some dissatisfying customer service from agents working abroad, I requested assistance from a domestic agent, and was able to get a replacement sent.

In the mean time I used the damaged machine twice, and was quite worried when the machine made horrible thumping noises during the spin cycle. The drum also tilted toward the front when the machine was empty. While waiting for the new machine to arrive, I put together the dolly I ordered and placed the damaged machine on top to try it out. A blue cylinder then fell out from under the machine, and I realized then that it was definitely broken. The machine also caused a flood under my kitchen sink cabinet when I connected the universal adapter to the faucet. Because the connection was difficult to tighten by hand, the water pressure would cause the water to spray out and drench the wall behind the sink, eventually causing the leak in the cabinet. I was at this point ready to give up on the machine and cancel the replacement

The replacement machine arrived undamaged at my work and I got it home fine. Then I stopped by Home Depot and was advised to not purchase a wrench for tightening the faucet connection. Instead, they recommended a pipe lubricant (such as the Danco silicone grease), which would provide more ability to tighten the connection without damaging the threading. The grease would also serve as a water stopper. I was skeptical but bought the lubricant, which I applied to the inside of the adapter, and then screwed onto the faucet threading. This time, the water still leaked out, but did not spray when the water was stopped by the machine for the agitation cycle, so there was no flooded cabinets.

I was very pleased with the new machine, which did not shake or make horrible noises as with the damaged machine. It did my laundry in about 42 minutes, and I did not have to turn off the water in between cycles to avoid the spraying. My only complaint would be that the machine caused a lot of lint to cling to my clothes. Since this was only the 2nd time using the machine, I deduced that it was because I had left something in one of my pockets and not because of the lint trap. But the lint is quite difficult to remove.

Overall I think this is a great purchase for anyone who wants the convenience of in unit laundry. Just make sure that you do purchase a dolly (the one recommended by Amazon) since the machine is quite heavy (about 60-70 lbs) and the tiny wheels on the back are not great for moving around. I also recommend buying the pipe lubricant and also leaving the adapter head on your sink constantly, and removing just the pipe instead, so you don't have to keep threading and unthreading the adapter whenever you use the machine (thereby damaging the delicate plastic thread of the faucet head).


We bought electrolux kitchen appliances despite advice that they were "hit or miss".  The look and the features are very alluring, and they seemed to be worth the premium pricing. We also held Electrolux in high esteem due to their Swedish origin and strong reputation in the vacuum business. We hoped for a "hit".

This dishwasher was delivered and installed by the dealer. Some features listed in the literature were missing - like the corner cutlery basket covers - and we were told that those were only provided on the next model up in the line.  I went back to the literature and found that there was NO WAY to have known this.

The door gasket was assembled improperly, such that the lower rack rubbed against it every time it was rolled in and out. The door didn't leak, but I was sure that over time the wear from the rubbing would lead to a leak.  Had to get service to replace the gasket -- only cost my time and a couple of half days off work (but why should I have to do this).

We used the DW 3 or 4 times successfully, noting that it didn't fully dissolve the detergent powder. Six weeks into using it, the unit showed a "Leak Detected" code, and wouldn't work any more. I gave up another half day of work to wait for a service man to come and confirm that the leak code was indeed as I had reported on the phone - a total waste of my time. Turns out that this is a common failure in these units - Electrolux produces a repair kit to correct this engineering design flaw. But they DON'T freely distribute this kit for some reason.  I had to wait 3 weeks for Elux to ship it to me directly (once, receiving the wrong part to fix the problem). Why on earth, can't they see to it that repairmen have one or two of these kits on their truck at all times?!  Saves them money - costs me time and aggravation!

Still waiting for my dishwasher to work. Getting better and better at handwashing each and every day.  This is modern living - supported by my investment in premium priced Electrolux appliances (sarcasm, if you didn't get it).

I have NO confidence in Electrolux appliance quality, and even less (;-) )in their ability to provide parts and proper service for the units under warrantee.

Meanwhile I have no recourse, because appealing to Electrolux is a bit like talking to a wall. Either they're overwhelmed because of the volume of calls they get on their poor quality products, or their idiots, or their interest ends when they have my money safely in their accounts.  Nice business model, especially in a down economy. Good luck to them.  Problem is, consumers need to get the word out to others who are considering the purchase -- after you pay, it's too late.

Best not to be lured in by the beautiful surfaces and attractive feature lists -- from my experience, these units are bone ugly!


All of the other reviewers have already summed it up:  Smelly dishes & musty-smelling machine, problems with the fancy control board, and worst of all the dreaded Errors 01 & 02.  Bottom line:  Electrolux customer service is the worst out there!  This dishwasher is the worst out there!  Avoid both...  We have had 4 service calls and are on our second dishwasher in a little over a year.  Each service call can take up to a month or more for scheduling and parts when you repair under the warranty, so you will get A LOT of experience hand washing your dishes while staring at your beautiful, but completely useless, dishwasher just sitting there taking up space.

Here is the story if you want to know more: Our experience has been similar to everyone else that gave it 1 star.  We needed to upgrade from our 20 year old Kitchenaid (that actually worked fine), so bought this because we were told it was top of the line and we were expecting our first child and all of the extra dishes that he comes with. :)  We got Error 01 within 2 months.  This is when we found out about the HORRIBLE customer service at ElectroSux.  Even though it was only 2 months old, they wouldn't honor the warranty because we bought it from Lowe's, so it was now Lowe's problem.  (On a related topic, Lowe's denied it was their problem and sent us back to Electrolux, so we no will longer buy anything from them either).  This went back and forth for a month before either of them would make a service appt. for us.  Lowe's finally sent someone out, and then it took another 6 weeks before the part arrived and was installed.  If you're keeping track, that's 10 weeks of hand washing dishes so far.

Within a couple more weeks, Error 01 again.  I raised a huge stink this time until Lowe's decided we had a lemon and replaced the dishwasher, and Electrolux sent us a $150 check "for our trouble."  Keep in mind, we were handwashing dishes again during this time and for the additional 2 weeks it took to get the replacement and service appt.

Six months of everything working fine with the replacement until Error 01 AGAIN!  By this time, we just called the private service company (they have always been great throughout this) directly and had them come out.  We were very sick of dealing with Lowe's and Electrolux basically said we were Lowe's problem now, so no need to call them anymore.  $$$ later, we haven't seen Error 01 in awhile, but now we are entering the Error 02 world.  Unfortunately, since new babies are expensive, we need to hang on to this piece of junk for now.  I guess we'll just keep going until we hit all 13...


This is the second dual tub portable washing machine I have owned.  I had the Laundry Alternative first (discontinued); i think this one is WAY better for a few reasons -- but the hardest thing that i had to give up was the "automatic" portion of my formal dual tub, but i am sure this is why it is now discontinued and i had issues with it after a year.  This product is "manual" so i cannot see the same issues.

Pros:
- BIG tub!  I used to have a 7.7; this one is much larger -- you wouldn't think 2.3 lb would make a difference, but it does!
- Larger spinner!  I am pretty sure i can wash everything i own now
- Spinner tub has a water inlet as well
- PUMP is great.

Cons:
- Hose doesn't fit @~!%&)&.  I knew this going into the purchase, but if you want to hook it up to a typical faucet you will be disappointed.  I had already previously installed a quick release latch for easy filling.  My previous machine had a screw on inlet; this one does not so if you really feel the need to fill through the inlet vs opening the lid and putting the water in (there's really no difference when it's manual), you will have to buy a hose or something similar to assist with this.  You can also fill with a bucket or whatever, so that's always an option if you don't feel like buying anything extra.
- Discharge hose has the same issue -- WAY too short.  I also switched which side of the machine it was coming out of for convenience. I had an extension hose from my previous machine so i anticipated this, but depending on your needs/uses you may not need this.
- 2 rinses may be better than one

Overall, i knew what to expect.  This gave me freedom from laundromats/using the crummy w/d on site at my apartment.  I will say leaving my house and my "real" washer and dryer was the most difficult thing to do as i loved the convenience.  This is a little more work than a traditional W/D unit; however the freedom is worth it.  It needs no extra hookups for power or drainage.  This tub is pretty big -- i can't even IMAGINE getting the bigger units -- and it can do all my laundry that i need.  For the future i know that i can use this easily for camping/etc., which is always nice.  I also bought the Panda dryer to help with my clothes.  Yes, the spin dryer gets the clothes REALLY dry, and air drying is fine, but i really missed the speed/convenience of a real warm dryer (nothing like taking your clothes out of there -- vs. a scratchy wash cloth that was air dried).

There are quite a few other models/brands out there, so make your choice wisely.  I picked Panda because they are always improving on their existing units PLUS the dryer was really good, so i knew i could trust the brand.  Good luck!  GET YOUR FREEDOM!!!


Update:
It is now March of 2018 and the washer is still going strong. I don't use it as often because my new apt has a laundry room and there is a laundromat about half a mile away if I need to do a lot or blankets. I didn't expect it to last this long in all honesty but it still works like it did when I unboxed it.

Original review:
Just recently bought this and so far we love it. We live in an apt with no laundry hook ups or laundry room. So we had to make the trips to the laundromat. I couldn't take it anymore. Between dealing with the hassle of loading everything up and dealing with all the drama that goes on at a laundromat I just couldn't do it anymore. I was about to snap. I decided to order this washing machine and hope for the best. Don't get me wrong I did a great amount of research and found this to be the best option for the space and amount of work we can physically put into a washer. As well as based on price and wash load size.

It arrived on time and was packaged well. No damage. I read the directions and realized there was no way the little hose provided was about to fit any of the faucets I have. So off to buy a bucket. The washer itself is easily movable and not to heavy, which I was worried about. I will say this, if the hose does not fit your sinks I would highly suggest going to a store and buying a hose and adapter that will fit unless you don't mind constantly filling and moving buckets of water. For us its fine and we are in no rush. For some it may not be ok.

At this time we have had no issues with the washer. I did over fill it once and it did leak a tiny bit, but, I know that was my fault and not that of the washer. As long as it's not overloaded I don't see why there should be any problems. The spin dryer is also amazing. understand it is NOT a dryer. It simply spins a lot of the water out of the clothes. It does this really well though. Very little moisture in the clothes after being spun. Doesn't take to long for our clothes to dry. We hang them inside our apt and they dry very fast. Although we do live in an area that is very hot, so take that into consideration. For example this is the second week of Sept and we are expected to be at 105 degrees for the next 5 days. Even inside with our cooler on they only take a few hours to dry.

It did a great job of getting our clothes clean and I haven't had a break down having to face the laundromat again. So all in all it has been a greatly appreciated and much needed purchase. If any problems do arise I will be sure to update this review. I will also try to do a future update anyways. So far I'd suggest if you are considering buying one, then do it.


/* ---UPDATE---
Unit repeatedly and randomly leaks from bottom of main drum, not sure what's happening, but will contact the warranty people and see if they honor the deal.
*/

The Good{
-Mine worked out of the box.
-It is not very large. Slightly longer than my kitchen sink, not as tall as my counter, and little over a food in depth.
- It is not heavy. //The fed ex driver was a disgusting and rude human being who refused to roll it to my door or park on same side of street.
-It will actually wash the clothes and rinse clothes. //need to double fill manually.
-It's pretty so it's not an eye sore to your small RV or studio apartment.
-It is at a reasonable price // $219.00 as of today.
-There is an option to add water to the spin dry cycle.
-It is not very loud. Not silent of course, but it's not obscenely loud like the large washing machines.
-It did not make my lights flicker. My landlord was worried that it'd draw too much energy.
- The spin dryer only requires 1-2 runs to get cloth items ready for a regular heat dryer or clothes line.
}

The Bad{
-The hoses are extremely flimsy. They aren't worth a plug nickle and will bend and feel like they will crack very soon.
-Draining is a pain in the butt. Is real fun hearing the hose unhook itself from either the hook and or from whatever it's loosely clamped too. \
be sure to invest in something to tie the hose securely or else have a floor lined with water.
-The draining mechanism isn't that great at siphoning the water out of the machine. I'm starting to think I need to move the machine and \
place it high and let the water drain low instead of letting it pump up and out. It will get much of the water out of the machine, but \
to be rid of all the water requires much lewd manipulation of the hose and eventually placing it at deck height with more fondling.
-Mine came with lint/hair inside. Like one small hair and a tiny amount of dry lint /* not in lint trap*/ but still.
-No lovely chime to tell you when it's done it just goes silent.
- You are not saving time by using this machine vs a normal washer. You have to manually do the rinse cycle and \
wring out your own clothes before placing them into the spin dryer.
}

Advice{
-Get some decent hoses from hardware store with clamps;
-Put near a floor level drain;
-Keep anything remotely electrical or delicate very far away from the machine.
-Don't leave this machine unattended.  //not even for long showers.
-DO NOT EVER think just because the default drain hose seems secure that it will stay in place once \
it begins evacuating the water.
- Buy a dryer with this, or else have clothes line and clips ready.
- If you can buy a normal sized washer, refurbished or no, do it. This machine is for people who can't do any better \
not for trying to stay under budget.
}

/* Do I regret buying this? No.


Supposedly, Samsung has recently passed up the competition for their dishwasher quality. And they've won awards, too., for their products and support.  Sadly, this has not been our experience with this product.

We took a chance on the new water wall tech. On the surface, it seems logical that this would provide better coverage of the dishes and get them cleaner. Near as we can tell, this part of it may be true. But this advantage is unfortunately negated when the product quits on the third day (the third load ever run). Product showed a 'leakage' error, with the corrective action to be to shut it off and call for service.

As stated on the unit itself, we contacted Samsung for support first. The next day when they called me back (caller ID did not identify as Samsung, by the way), they tried my number but I was unavailable to take the call. The rep indicated that that after trying to reach me, he would close the ticket! ("Nooo!!!!"). But he also said he'd email me more information.  In the email I received, it told me to look under the machine (not instructing me as to how to get there) and check the lines for leakage. Failure to follow the troubleshooting may result in a hefty fee for making a person come out there, if they find nothing wrong with the unit. Um....no. Bad support.

As to the dishes themselves, it did get them clean. They were not dry, though. Not a very big deal for me, but still. Another annoying aspect was that the middle rack only has 2 positions. The low position is too low for our dinner plates, and the high position is too short for some of our glassware. The rack needs a middle (1 inch between) position and then that would be just right. The unit we're replacing it with has this feature.

One thing our old dishwasher had that most newer ones don't seem to have, is an outward indicator that the dishes are clean. In fact, it would keep the clean light lit if you went into the dishwasher for a short time to get something and pull it out. I wish newer dishwashers had this, and it's even harder now because controls on the outside of the unit are apparently unsightly.... an example of when design misguidedly trumps function.

Bottom line, important features of this dishwasher (and their very lackluster support) need some serious tweaks before you take a chance on it. I knew it was new, but reviews so far seemed good, so I took a chance on it...and for multiple reasons it just didn't measure up, I'm afraid. My old dishwasher lasted 15 years and was nothing special, but it cleaned my dishes and never needed service until the day it died. It owed me nothing. This one, on the other hand, is futuristic....and unfortunately flawed.  Waterwall doesn't mean anything if the darn door won't stay closed. And Samsung's poor support is far beneath the premium price they are asking for this product. If they cannot stand behind products that fail on the third day, then it's not a good value.


Life was good. That was, until I realized something was amiss with my KitchenAid dishwasher...

As is the case with many KitchenAid (and Whirlpool) models, my dishwasher features a mid-level rack with two FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines. Wait... you do know all about the FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tine system, right? No? Well then, let me explain...

FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines can be found on the left- and right-hand sides of the mid-level rack. This ingenious design allow these two rows of tines to fold down--or rather, "flexi-fold down"--from their standard upright position. After this feat is performed, the tines rest horizontally at the base of the rack, no longer in the way! And amazingly, this mind-boggling transformation can be performed in mere seconds.

This system empowers the dishwasher user to make their own decisions when it comes to tine configuration. Do I want the left row of Flexible Tines in their traditional up position, or do I want to stow them away? What about the right row? These decisions may seem overwhelming at first. But in time, FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines will provide anyone with a sense of true freedom and liberation when it comes to dishwasher loading. After a few months of using Flexible Tines, you will wonder how you ever survived without them. And I mean that 100% literally.

In any case, one day, I noticed that one of the clips on the left row of my FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines was missing! Where did it go? How can a plastic piece just outright disappear from a dishwasher? How long had the clip been missing before I noticed? These questions cannot be answered, and are probably dangerous to ask.

This is the time for solutions, not for brooding about the problem. The left row of tines still remained upright, and still folded down--thank goodness--but whilst in the upright position, the row of tines was uncharacteristically wobbly. This would simply not do.

I immediately ordered this replacement clip and refrained from using the dishwasher until it arrived. (This probably isn't necessary, but when one grows attached to their FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines, utilizing a dishwasher when they're not 100% properly functioning seems quite vulgar.) Once the clip arrived, I excitedly installed it.

(It's worth noting that the tine pivot clips are identical for both the left and right rows of FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines, so if you need a replacement clip for either the left OR right row, this is the product.)

Anyway: I'm happy to say that my FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines are working like new! Life is good. Life is precious, and oh, it's ever so beautiful. Left row of tines, up! Right row of tines, down! Now... switch! My FLEXI-FOLD DOWN Flexible Tines are working perfectly, with all clips properly in place.

I am once again in charge of my destiny, and the future seems brighter than it's ever seemed before.


My Whirlpool gas dryer would not heat.  Ignitor would come on and go off but no flame.  Replaced the gas valve solenoids and I think it would have worked after that had I not forgotten to hook up the wires to the flame sensor.  An appliance parts guy told me to check the flame sensor for continuity before I replaced the gas valve solenoids.  I took off the two wires to the flame sensor and it checked out fine but I forgot to put the wires back on the flame sensor when I tested the dryer.  One of the loose wires for the flame sensor grounded out and then the ignitor did not work.  I checked the voltage going to the ignitor and there was no voltage (actually there was 13-17 volts...something like that) but there should be 120 volts going to the ignitor when the drying starts up and attempts to heat up.  Once I knew I was no longer getting current to the ignitor, I pulled off the wires on the two thermostats on the back of the dryer to check them for continuity.  One of the thermostats had continuity but the high limit thermostat did NOT have continuity at that point.

The dryer essentially uses one main circuit with multiple sensors/thermostats that will interrupt the circuit if there is a safety/heat problem.  Before replacing the high limit thermostat, I put a jumper wire between the two connectors that go to the high limit thermostat and everything worked with the jumper in place!  I suspect the short circuit caused by the loose flame sensor wire fried the high limit thermostat.  Anyway, I replaced the existing thermostat part number 3403140 with this part W10423382.  I was skeptical that this wasn't the correct part because this new part looks different and has a lower temperature rating. I researched online and found out that W10423392 is in fact the replacement for the original part 3403140.  I'm once again drying with gas!

If your dryer doesn't heat, you're somewhat handy with tools and have a multi-tester, there are a bunch of excellent youtube videos about how to isolate dryer problems and make repairs.  After I told one appliance repair guy that I shorted a wire in the dryer he said "the short could go anywhere and you need to get a new unit" (a new dryer!).  Since everything worked but the flame, I decided to troubleshoot further and I'm glad I did!  I spent about $60 total on parts at an appliance parts shop (it would have been less than half that much if I would have bought the parts on Amazon but I didn't want to wait) rather than $350-700 on a new dryer.  If your dryer is more than 20 years old, it might be time for a new one but a decent dryer should last a very long time.  The belt and idler pulley will eventually wear out but those can be replaced inexpensively and easily.  I replaced those about five years ago on my dryer when the belt started slipping and have not had any problems until the issue I just described with the flame not coming on.  Good luck!


Originally the drain beneath the freezer section had a rubber 'duck bill' outlet, that was supposed to open to allow water out and close so as not to allow moist air in. FAIL !!!!  The rubber valve got sticky and given enough time permanently shut, causing water to back up and (first) run over the drain pan in the freezer, (second) into the bottom of the freezer and then (third) out the door and onto the floor.

Don't cheap out and just clean the duck bill value or you'll be back at it again in a year. Order the right part ($20), then start by taking front door off freezer (loosen 4 screws and lift) then remove 4 baskets. Remove the 4 screws that hold back panel on. You will have to pull the fan cover off (there is a plastic clip bottom front of cover) and there is a thermostat hiding behind the smaller plastic cover. Leave the thermostat dangle. Once you expose the coil, get a air dryer and defrost the drip pan and area below the drip pan. Leave it disassembled until you do the backside work.
OPTION: If you don't want to pull off the back panel, you can let it defrost by itself but it'll take a day. Ice melts slowly. And there's food in your refrigerator, so what's easier? Move all the food or remove the panel? I say pull the panel.

Next pull out the refrigerator and open up the lower back. Unplug the water solenoid power and move the power cord. There is a slide tube that carries water from the drain hole to an evaporator pan and at the top the infamous duck bill rubber valve. Once you pull it off, water SHOULD flow out and into the evaporator pan. Something should drip out and if not, you may not have defrosted all the ice (which is why I suggest, don't put freezer section back until you have water flowing out the drain hole.

It'll take about a minute to install the white expansion washer and then the new trap. Trap does not fit over white rubber washer easily, but with enough patience it will. Don't skip the white washer that came with the new trap. It's the only thing that will keep the tube in place on top (no screws needed). Make sure black tube flange is flush against top, snap the bottom into the clip in the pan. Button it all back up, push it back and put the freezer back together and rehang the door.

Difficulty (1-10): about a 3.
Time it takes: About 1-1.5 hours (about 30 minutes as ice thaws, so you can grab a beer and a TV show)
Tools: Nut driver, hair dryer and flashlight.
Most difficult part: Figuring out how to get freezer baskets out. Don't strong arm them, just examine them from all angles and it'll become obvious. They come out easily if done right. Force them you're doing it wrong. Break them and it'll cost you. Plus your wife will say, "see, I told you to call someone."
Savings if you do it yourself: $250-$350
Having you wife stop complaining and threatening to call someone out: Priceless


Magic Chef MCSDRY15W 1.5 cu. ft. Laundry Dryer, White

What can I say? It does what it's designed to do and does it well considering it's size. It's quite the power saver using only a maximum of 850 watts which is less than the average hair dryer. It does have a high and low heat setting and according to my kill-a-watt, the low setting runs at about 500 watts. It does take a little longer than your average sized dryer but for those of us who don't have hookups or need something small due to space availability, it's an excellent choice.

It's definitely not big enough for more than a few shirts, couple towels/jeans, etc but it's a lot better than stringing lines around your house to hang dry clothing or having to rely on communal laundry equipment.

It's definitely a quiet unit and compliments the 0.9 cu.ft. Magic Chef washer I bought to go along with it quite nicely. The capacity of both units is close enough that a full load in the wash easily fits in this dryer. It's not speedy by any means, but the average load seems to dry within about 60-70 minutes if I start the timer at 200 minutes which is in the range of it's hottest setting. It fits the set of flannel sheets from my full size bed, and I would assume it would fit at least one sheet for a queen size if not both.

The product description does omit that it includes a 3"-4" adapter which I purchased separately and didn't need. This adapter allows you to connect a standard 4" dryer hose directly to the unit which has a 3" exhaust opening.

All in all, it's a great product that fits in the limited space I had available and now I can avoid having to worry about having quarters for laundry or having to wait for an available machine.

One thing to note is that this dryer does not have an end of cycle buzzer which for me is a great feature since I live in a studio apartment and the location I had available is against a shared wall with another tenant. Without laundry hookups I didn't want to bring attention to the fact that I have it.

The box I received the dryer in is a plain box with only the model printed on the front and rear, the box dimensions and weight. Inside the box there is another box for the dryer which does have both the model number which is the same printed on the exterior box as well as an outline imagine of the dryer and states "Compact Dryer". This made it very easy to bring in without bringing attention to what I actually had.

All in all this is a great unit that seems to work well.


After reading the manual on how to set up the display unit and outdoor sensor, the instructions recommended that both units be allowed to equalize or settle down in temperature indoors. I calibrated both units to an accurate digital thermometer. However the requested 30 minute settling time seems to be way too short for the sensors to equalize. It's actually more in the range of 1 hour or more.

However, after placing the outdoor unit on a garage door post that was shaded by an eave, the sensor was off by as much as six degrees higher than the digital thermometer. It turns out that outdoor sensor placement is critical in getting an accurate reading because it is very sensitive to ambient heat sources including the wall it is mounted to. This in effect is good and bad news. Good because it is accurate to even slight temperature fluctuations. Bad because it will be inaccurate since it can pick up stray heat from its mounting source.

The solution to this is to either hang the sensor from a string or fishing line or hang it from a long nail, but in both cases the sensor should not be touching any surface and should be free standing, if at all possible.

But after dialing in the calibration feature for the display, both sensors are spot on in their readings now. The display, as some have pointed out, is very detailed. Some complain that it is too busy, but I like all the info it displays and I feel that this layout is much better than most of the other weather stations that I have seen. It displays the daily high and low historical readings for temperature and humidity, shows the historical data for barometric pressure, shows indoor and outdoor temperatures, current indoor and outdoor humidity, gives a trend indication on whether the temperature is going up or down, and even a "weather forecaster" that gives a guess of weather conditions in the next day or two. And of course, there is the display that visually tells you what comfort zone you are in as it relates to the temperature via different lighted colored backgrounds.

I only have my indoor console running on batteries, and the LCD display is crisp and sharp. I don't use the colored back-light much, so I do not need to plug the unit in to use this feature. I can always just tap the "light" button and see the colored display for a few seconds.

Setting the unit up was pretty straight forward and not very complicated if you take your time. Some may feel there are too many button presses to change the various setting displays, but the setup is pretty logical. And if you forget what does what, the manual is clear on what you need to do to change the parameters.

Once you understand that the outdoor sensor placement is critical to accurate readings, you're golden. Customer support for the WS-11 is excellent and they will help you with any problems on the setup or questions you may have.

But one thing should be made clear to any wonks or OCD types out there; this weather station is accurate to within certain parameters and does a very good job of it, and shouldn't be expected to perform with the precision of professional meteorological instruments. If you understand this, this unit is great for what it is was intended for. I like it a lot and refer to it for biking weather conditions in order to dress properly for my daily rides.


We read the good and bad reviews, and bought with caution from a local dealer with a 30 day return policy, including delivery and pickup.

On the pro side, you never have to load clothes separately into a dryer and it's compact, with room to install shelves over it since there's no stacking required.  We found the drying function to be totally fine, even with heavy loads including jeans!  It does take a long time to dry, but we had done our research and expected this.  The ventless drying didn't heat up our bathroom, by the way.

BUT, despite having our unit carefully installed, and having the installation crew come out a second time to make sure the machine was absolutely level, the machine is virtually unusable.  We installed the anti-vibration pads LG recommends.  We did not leave the shipping bolts on the back!  Yet it vibrates unbelievably, and makes an incredibly loud knocking sound.  If we press and hold the door while the machine is in its spin cycle (which is short) the loud banging abates, but this means that we have to be home, awake, and willing to dash in to support it in order to do laundry.  I believe the problem is with the door, and specifically the lower section of the door (LG, are you listening??).  But it's beyond what we or our condo neighbors can tolerate.  I also think that level of vibration would ultimately lead to other repair problems as well.

In general, this is a higher maintenance unit than some may be used to.  You really do have to wipe the lint out of it after every cycle, and follow the instructions about running a cleaning cycle and the like.  Still, that's a lot easier than going to the laundromat!

If space is really tight, or if you can't get the electrical work done to put in a 240 volt line, I think this machine is worth a try. Their manufacturing process must simply be uneven.  Some of these units must be fine if there are so many positive reviews.  But purchase it from somewhere that has an excellent return policy.

Other brands of ventless, 110 volt combo washer/dryers to consider--with a slightly smaller capacity--are Haier or Edgestar.  In the end, I didn't really want to deal with wiping lint out of a combo unit.  I'm also not sure that the technology is 100% there for these yet in terms of long-term reliability.  We do have the vertical space, so we returned the LG and bought vertically stacked, ventless, separate compact units from Bosch.  Alas, this meant I also had to have an electrician come in to do the 240 volt wiring.  The two Bosch units together cost us about $650 more than the LG combo machine.  If we had more money, we would have purchased the Miele models (which are less deep and would have fit more nicely in our bathroom) but saving an extra two inches for $1,000 over the already high cost of the Bosch was beyond what I could justify.

Good luck to all of you other small space dwellers out there.  I hope you find a solution that works well for you.


Let me start out by saying that I am eating some crow in this edited review.  I jumped to a conclusion about this unit before I checked out all the facts.  Let me share with you our experiences with our unit, and the company.

There were a few hiccups with the kegerator when we first set it up.

1.)  There was no hole drilled through the insulation in the top for the tap line.  I had to borrow a hole saw and drill it myself.

2.)  No matter how I adjusted the pressure, the tap poured more foam than beer.  The problem was a kinked tap line that  Steve at Versonel replaced with no questions asked.  After I replaced the tap and tap line I'm getting beautiful pours.

3.)  After my first CO2 charge, my 5 lb CO2 tank developed a leak in the valve threads.  My local craft brew store wouldn't fill it because it was a hazard.  Steve provided a replacement with no questions asked.

4.)  The temperature gauge on the door is useless.  It consistently reads fourteen degrees higher than the actual temp inside.  Steve's answer was to actually pull the temperature sensor out of the door and have it hang inside the refrigerator compartment.  When I did that the temperature readings went crazy.  We saw readings from - 400 F to + 150 F.  After I put the sensor back into its compartment, the readings normalized.  I now use the remote sensor from an indoor/outdoor wireless weather station to measure the temperature inside the compartment.

5.)  I had initially thought that the Kegerator wasn't cooling down to the specified 34 degrees.  I had set my remote thermometer on top of the keg thinking that was the best way to measure the temperature. In that location it consistently read 38 to 39 degrees, which I thought was totally unacceptable, and that the unit wasn't doing everything it should do to cool the keg  However, when I moved the sensor to the floor of the interior, I got readings of 31 to 32 degrees which meant that the cooling plant was exceeding its rating, so I had to eat some crow with Steve at Versonel.  The unit is absolutely doing everything it is advertised to do.

Let me tell you something - I wish every company would go out of their way to keep the customer happy the way that Versonel has done for me.  I even got their Head Customer Service Tech Rep's personal phone number, and he asked me to call him over the weekend if I had any problems at all.  And because I thought I was having issues with the cooling plant, they were ready to ship me a brand new replacement unit that they had personally tested on their warehouse floor to make sure it would cool down to the specified temperature.  It turned out that was not necessary.

I'm not giving the Versonel Kegerator a 5 rating because the temperature gauge is so inaccurate, and that's the main reason we chose this unit over some of the others on Amazon.  That being said, I'll give their Customer Support a solid 10.  If you have any problems at all, they will go out of their way to make sure you are happy, and are enjoying your Keg.


NEVER BUY LG products. STAY AWAY
I will never buy any LG product again. I purchased this overpriced piece of junk in March 2015 from SEARS after my other fridge died. The price was $2,698. I was reluctant because of the price, but it was shiny and pretty and my wife really wanted it. I did a little research (should have done more) and saw that LG gets high rankings for customer satisfaction. I do not understand or believe that now. I should have looked for the negative reviews like here on amazon they are all correct. I purchased the extended warranty for a hefty price of $500. After owning the fridge for 6 months (September 2015) it started making a loud clicking or pulsating noise. Sounded like a fan motor hitting something. Also soon after the noise the fridge stopped cooling. Called the service number. I have to say they really scrape the bottom of the barrel for their service technicians also. The guy changed out a part in the freezer even though I told him the noise was in the fridge. The fridge still did not cool. So had another technician come out and take the back panel off in the fridge and guess what the coils where iced over and the fan hitting it and was messed up. He thawed it out and replaced the fan. Another six months later (March 2016) the fridge started making the same distinct noise again. I kept trying to ignore the loud noise and hope it would go away. I was in denial. Finally the fridge stopped cooling and put an error code on the door. Called the repair / warranty people and they came out to fix it. Guess what the same thing again. The cooling coils were frozen and the fan was hitting the ice. Until it finally stopped the fan. The repairman thawed it out and replaced the whole back panel and fan. Oh yeah they had to order the part and ship it to our house. This took two weeks. So I had to buy a $500 fridge for the 2 weeks without a fridge. I also lost a couple hundred dollars of food. Another six months later (October 2016) the fridge started making the same distinct noise again, but only from time to time. I called and had the repairman com out. But there was no error code and of course the noise stopped just in time for the substandard repairman to show up. I had the fridge cleaned out and ready for him to look at it. But he was condescending and said that there was no error code and no noise. I said I know but asked him to take the back panel off and look at the coils, because of my previous issues. He refused and left, another bad repairman. So now I am waiting for it to fully freeze the refrigerator fan again.

This is ridiculous for the price that I paid on this very low quality product.

I never realized that LG was Lucky "GOLDSTAR" till I did some more research. I remember GOLDSTAR electronics from when I was a kid. They made cheaper stereos and TVs. Everything that my parents bought from them broke within a few months of use. STAY AWAY. They tricked me with their rebranding into LG and untrue slogan of "Life's Good".


We enjoyed our LG fridge for about six months. Then, the never-ending battle began.

First, we heard a knocking sound. After answering the door to no one for the tenth time, we realized it was the fridge. I Googled. I read the manual. I scratched my head. Unplug it, everything more-or-less told me. Great; restart it. Hold down CTRL+ALT+DELETE at the same time. Got it.

I left it unplugged for the recommended four hours. Then I powered it back up and the knocking immediately commenced. A few days later, we got the IF error code.

Error code? A refrigerator has an error code? Seriously. This was too complicated already. Once again, I turned to Google, the manual, and my scalp.  I called the store. After all, they had strongarmed us into a warranty I didn't want, and Im so glad they did.

So the repairman came out. He told me that these fridges were notorious for breaking down. Then he proceeded to show me how to repair it myself because, This isn't the first time and it won't be the last.

We took the entire freezer apart to get to the ice blower fan, essentially. It gets frozen solid. Every three months like clockwork.

Was it manageable? Yeah. First world problems and all that. But then other stuff started going down:

-The large mechanism that slides into some other cheap, plastic part did something stupid, so the door wouldnt always close. So guests would shut our fridge but not shut our fridge, which resulted in
-A ripped rubber door seal.
-No matter what temp the fridge was set at, food sitting directly on the glass shelves or in two of the three produce drawers would freeze. And were not talking about some delightful icy crunch. Entire pieces of fruit, meat, even cheese would freeze solid. Did you know cheese could turn into ice? It can. We cannot store food in half of our fridge. (However, I lined all of the shelves in newspaper, which seems to have helped. Plus, I can now read about the local elections from a year ago every morning while I get the orange juice.)
-The freezer fan clogs with ice so often, I have to mention it
- twice.
-The water dispensing button is starting to stick.
-The ice dispenser clogs on a daily basis. We keep a knife honer nearby to stab into the bin. I repeat, this happens daily.
-It gets fingerprinted to he77. I know this is a hazard of being an appliance in a home where the occupants have hands. But I hate this thing and now Im just searching for more to add to the list.
-The water valve that connects the water line to the fridge wore out. So now we don't even get water or ice until I replace it.
-And now the ice maker is broken. That's a $120 part.

We have a second fridge in our house. We got it for free from an apartment complex that was throwing them away. We keep it in the garage as a beer fridge. Dudes, this fridge (I don't even know the brand) is probably 20 years old (at least), is ugly as sin, and is chugging away like we do on  beer.

Meanwhile, my $2,500 LG heartache mocks me with a frozen water melon, incessant ticking, and dripping water.


This unit was provided to me free of charge for purposes of review.

The WS-11 immediately exceeded my expectations. It's newest feature is a color back light which reflects the changing temperature with ten colors from HOT red to COLD purple. With the included AC adaptor the colors can be left on without fear of killing the batteries and in a power outage can be turned off and on at will to check current conditions in a darkened room. I am not easy to please and I can't say enough about how much I love this feature!

Secondly, the size of the station. At 4 1/4 X 5 in. (overall 5 1-4 X 7 in.) it makes the screen large enough to clearly see the numbers that matter the most.

The screen is divided into three distinct groups: The top has inside temperature in large display with the current days high and low in smaller numbers below. Right next to that is and identical display of the relative humidity. The middle portion of the screen displays the same information for outside.

About the outside sensor: The manual (you can download the PDF version from the Ambient web site even before you buy if you are a skeptic) recommends a shaded place for hanging, more or less in a location protected from a lot of water. However the sensor has a gasket on the battery cover and with care water should not be an issue.

The main thing is shade. Direct sun will give you a reading well above the actual ambient outside temperature, so pick your location wisely.

The last third of the screen sports an Icon which changes, literally, with the weather. Before I wrote this today it changed from partly cloudy to rain three hours before it started raining. Then you have the Barometric Pressure readout (you can pick relative or absolute), the date and a large graphing of, well, your choice of temp, humidity, and pressure.

To top it all off, everything is adjustable, you don't have to accept the factory defaults as gospel. One of the reasons I like the color back light is that one person's comfortable is another person's too hot or to cold. The color is adjustable so a pleasing color is a pleasing temperature for you. This is important especially where the Barometric Pressure comes in since this varies from place to place. If you read nothing in the manual about the various adjustments, read all about this.

There are things I haven't mentioned here, like the alarms you can set, but you get the picture - I really, really like the WS-11 and look forward to the day Ambient decides to make a version that can feed data into my computer to track trends. Do take the time and have the patience to read the manual and make adjustments over the course of the first two or three days. Initial set up is as easy as loading batteries and finding a place to hang the sensor and a place to hang, or stand, (it has a built in pull-out stand) the display.

Just hope they don't read this review and raise the price, its that good.


I purchased a portable icemaker for my mother about 10 years ago that works similarly to this one, but it is a monster in size compared to this. Also, I greatly prefer the ice this Ivation icemaker produces. And the other features like the window and the LCD control panel make it much more convenient to use.

You should understand that portable icemakers like this differ in two ways from the built-in icemakers in your refrigerator/freezer. First, you pour the water in and when it is depleted, you must pour in more. (Hint: I suggest using filtered water, particularly if you live in a hard water area. Mineral deposits are tough on appliances.)

Second, the area the ice falls into is not refrigerated, although it is insulated to some degree. So when the ice is made and it falls into the basket, you then need to use it or transfer it to a freezer or an ice chest. Otherwise, the ice will begin to melt and the water will drain down into the water tank to be made into ice again. Thus, it isn't a machine you just turn on and leave unattended and return to find 26 pounds of ice at the end of the day. But it will produce over 26 pounds of ice in a 24 hour period as long as someone empties the ice basket and replenishes the water as needed.

So out of the box, you will find an attractive machine that weighs about 25 pounds empty and measures about 12" x 14" x 13 1/2". Inside the icemaker is a basket for the ice and a handy plastic scoop. There is also a helpful, well-written user manual.

FYI: You will need 8"-10" of space next to the air outlet on one side and be certain that the air inlet on the other side of the machine is unobstructed so take that into consideration when deciding where to put this machine.

After letting the machine sit for at least 30 minutes (for the refrigerant to settle), clean the icemaker and plug it in. Pour water into the tank up to the maximum fill line and put the ice basket in place (it has a 95oz. capacity). Using the back-lit LCD panel on the front of the machine, set the time and select the ice size you wish to make and start the machine. You'll have ice in 10-20 minutes, depending upon the size you select.

The ice is a hollow, bullet shape and it is not the super hard, clear kind. It's aerated enough to be soft and nice for people who like to chew ice.

The basket holds about 2 pounds of ice and the icemaking process will suspend when the basket is full. It also beeps to let you know the basket is full. That's a nice feature so I can be busy doing other things.

I really like the window on top so you can see easily how much ice is ready.

This machine is perfect for people who don't have a built-in icemaker in their freezer or for homes where it would be difficult or impossible to plumb for one. It's also nice for parties where extra ice is needed. It works perfectly, is a manageable size, and makes very nice ice.

NOTE: I was provided a sample for review, but a positive review was not asked for, promised or implied.