Free Village Store Ice Maker review – Cocktails anyone?

REVIEW – It is just about the beginning of summer in NYC, and it is time for me to set up the new bar in my new home with all of the conveniences I can afford. I like the bells and whistles even if they are more about the look and style and less about the efficiency. I am all about gadgets. Enter the Free Village Store Ice Maker!

What is it?

The Free Village Store Ice Maker is a Self-Cleaning compact Ice Cube Maker with Ice Scoop & Basket that is designed for use on a countertop. It will work well in the kitchen, office, or bar in any home. It produces approximately 9 ice cubes in 6 minutes.

What’s in the box

1 x Free Village Store Ice Maker
1 x Ice Scoop
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Features

• 2021 New Upgraded Ice Maker Machine：With a newly upgraded compressor, model HZB-12/C ice maker only takes 5-8 minutes to make 9 pieces of ice cubes, produce 26.5lbs.ice in 24 hours. This ice maker will be a perfect substitute for the old refrigerator in your home.
• Ultra Quiet & Durable: This ice maker operates at a decibel level of less than 45dB, allowing you to enjoy ice-making in a comfortable and quiet environment even at night; Equipped with a quiet cooling fan to quickly dissipate heat to the compressor for long-term use.
• Self-cleaning Function：This is a countertop Ice maker with a self-cleaning function. Just press the on/off button for 5s to start self-cleaning mode. It. It is recommended to add a small amount of lemonade and soda for better cleaning.
• Bullet Shape & Available Ice Size: 2 optional ice sizes. The bullet-shaped ice does not easily melt nor stick together. There is a large translucent window for easy observation.
• Portable & Compact Design: The lightweight and portable design of the countertop ice maker machine makes it easy to store or carry.

Specifications
Size:13.89 x 9.53 x 13 inches
Color:Black
Model number:HZB-12/C
Weight:16.75 pounds

The photos below show all sides of the ice maker including the controls on the top, the insides that contain the water reservoir, the ice bucket, the vent at the back, the fan on the side, and the water drain plug on the bottom.

Performance

Setting up the ice maker to get going with making ice is very simple. here is how it goes:

After 15 minutes:

After 1 hour:

After 2 hours:

After 3 hours:


After 3 hours, the photo below shows that about half of the water reservoir remained, suggesting that it can produce double the amount of ice shown in the photos per filled water reservoir.

As you can see from the photos, this ice maker works but is better suited for specific situations where the speed of delivery and the volume of ice is not the overwhelming need. It is relatively quiet and the ice it produces is great for chilling whatever drink you choose.
While I stuck to making large ice “cubes” because I like that size, the following is a photo showing the small cubes that it makes. These small cubes were the first output after approximately 9 minutes:

What I like

• The build quality
• The concept
• The ice “cubes” it produces
• The relatively quiet operation
• The ease of use

What I’d change

• Needs to produce ice faster

Final thoughts

I like the build quality and function of the Free Village Store Ice Maker and it will certainly be somewhere behind my in-home bar to be available for casual drinks. Obviously, its use would have to be planned since it cannot produce ice fast enough and in enough volume if a few guests unexpectedly show up. I really like the large ice cubes it makes and I am not really a fan of the small cubes. By the way, the word “cube” is not a representation of the shape of ice that is produced. The shape of the ice is more like a bullet. Also, while portable, it may be slightly heavier than what some may consider being lightweight.

Price: $159.99 ($25 coupon available on Amazon)
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Free Village Store