PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ! SEE ADDED PHOTOS!!! 📢🦠😷🤧 ⚠️UPDATED 02/2024 📢⚠️🦠🧼🪥🧊 While visiting my grandparents, the ice maker needed water but I wasn't sure how much was already in the machine. The ice maker is ontop of their 45" coffee bar cabinet (I'm 5'1). I got a step stool and opened the cover to check the water level. I was stunned by what I saw! Before you go judge or assume that she is dirty etc, as stated in my orginal review below about cleaning the machine, that this can happen quickly. My 86 y/o grandmother is ODC clean & keeps an immaculate home! When I visit, I will clean the machine if I remember, otherwise she will do it.. The last time she thoroughly cleaned the machine was almost 3-weeks ago. Goes to show how quickly debris (and lawrd knows whatelse inside) can accumulate. My cleaning tips are at the bottom of my original review. I have added additional photos to show you how the machine can quickly collect dust, debris etc just from sitting with a closed lid. My grandmother has the ice maker on a raised stand on her countertop - when filling the machine with water, this went unseen. My grandmother was mortified when she saw this. She actually started to cry in fear her or my grandfather would get sick. She almost had me remove the ice maker. This is why I STRESSED about frequent cleanings in my original review. --------------‐------------------------------- Original Unedited Review: I purchased this for my 85 year old grandparents. Their new refrigerator has a botton freezer (which they wanted) but limited freezer space so they took out the ice maker to make room. Every time we had family gatherings, there was no ice not even a tray. When I mentioned buying this to my grandmother - she didn't want to hear it. She said there would be no room for it on her counters (she has plenty of room). I think they were more concerned they wouldn't know how to operate it without help or how it would 'look' if company came lol. It blends in nicely with her other black & stainless appliances. If anything, her friends/company raves about the maker. I had the ice maker shipped to my grandparents house — and when they received it, they couldn't get over how well packaged it was — it also has a blue film covering protecting the entire stainless machine. ❄️🧊❄️🧊❄️🧊❄️🧊 and couldn't get over how compact the ice maker is, how quick it produces ice, and how easy it is to operate. They have actually used this several times when having outdoor gatherings. We plug it into the outside outlet or portable generator & wah lah! It was in the mid 90s with 100% humidity & the lid kept the ice intact - no issues with melting. The ice cubes are large nuggets which is nice.. Depending on your tap water minerals, I recommend using filtered water to reduce build-up. *The machine is very easy to clean AND SO IMPORTANT (PLEASE READ). When I visited, I noticed the machine had a 'water smell' and knew it just needed a cleaning. I do recommend cleaning & sanitizing the machine every 4-6 weeks and clean the basket frequently. **YOU'LL NEED TO TURN THE ICE MAKER UPSIDE DOWN FOR BETTER CLEANING AND DRAINING. I ALSO USE THE SPRAYER WITH HOT HOT WATER RINSING UPSIDE DOWN ** If you don't want to spend the money on ice machine cleaner - then white vinegar works just as good if not better. I put distilled vinegar in a spray bottle (1:1 ratio) and spray the inside really good. I would use a lint free microfiber cloth or an old t-shirt to wipe (DON'T USE HARSH CHEMICALS) - you can also mix water & Dawn together and use it as a spray. You'll want to grab a toothbrush for hard to reach spots. Vinegar is a safe - natural disinfectant & descaler. Anything that gets left uncleaned has the chance to build up grime for another 2 months. DON'T SKIP THIS STEP - YOU WILL GET SICK!! 🪥🧽🧼 *MAKE SURE you pour/fill the ice maker with the vinegar solution (vinegar/water), just like how you make ice! Making this ice fills the spaces most likely to have buildup, like the ice maker's teeth, with your solution. Make sure you give the machine a good thorough rinse because you don't want your ice to taste like vinegar. This may seem like a pain or a lot to do but it's actually not. So quick but so IMPORTANT. You DON'T want to take chances on getting sick or someone else because ALL ice makers create mold, slime, e-coli, pests, dust, and dirt—debris of all kinds can affect the quality of your ice. Look out for green or black patches on your ice, because that’s a sure sign that it’s in need of a clean. But other dangers can be harder to spot. I hope you found my review helpful! I know it's a little long but I rather share helpful information & not have someone get sick. GREAT QUALITY • AFFORDABLE • GIFTABLE • EASY TO USE • MAKES NUGGET ICE IN MINUTES • GREAT FOR PARTIES • INDOOR/OUTDOOR EVENTS • PORTABLE • CAMPING & MORE