This ice maker is better than I thought it would be and is now one of the most-used kitchen appliances in our house. Our current fridge doesn't make ice, so we have to buy bags of ice from the store all the time. This makes life so much easier!
It was very easy to set up, and the instructions told me everything I needed to know. You have to let it stand up for 24 hours before you can turn it on! Before I used it, I cleaned the inside and threw away the first few batches of ice cubes, just in case there was anything left over from making them.
It does make 9 ice cubes every 9 minutes, as promised, but once the ice drops into the basket, it slowly melts instead of staying frozen. So, while it's running, I've been taking out the ice about every 18 minutes and putting it in a gallon-size ziplock bag to store in my freezer. Sometimes the ice in my plastic bag will stick together, but giving it a quick, hard whack on the counter breaks it up again. I can fill a bag with ice in about two hours, so I've been using it about once every two days. I think it's important to point out that these ice cubes are hollow in the middle, so they melt a little bit faster than solid ice. This hasn't bothered me, though.
The only real problem I have with it is how loud it is when it's on. It's about as loud as a running microwave, and when the ice drops into the basket, it makes a lot of noise.
I think this is a great deal for the price, and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't have an ice maker in their fridge. Buying bags of ice that take up a lot of freezer space or waiting for ice cube trays to freeze is so much worse. I like that I can make more ice whenever I want, and it only takes 9 minutes for me to have enough for a drink. This is great for parties or everyday use around the house. This ice maker is great! "