Outdoor Ice Maker vs Indoor: Don’t Make This Costly Mistake

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Are you considering incorporating an ice maker into your outdoor kitchen? Have you seen indoor models that are way cheaper and thought why not just use one of those? This is a huge mistake that we see [music] homeowners make. In this video, I’ll walk you through your outdoor ice maker options and why using

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an indoor unit outside can cost you way more in the [music] long run. Daniel here with RTA Outdoor Living and today we’re talking about outdoor ice maker options >> [music] >> and more importantly how to choose the right one for your space. Let’s start with the biggest mistake that we see.

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A lot of homeowners come across indoor ice maker options that are significantly cheaper and assume that they can just install one [music] into their outdoor kitchen. On the surface, that seems like a smart way or an easy way to save some money, but the reality is indoor rated ice

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makers are not built to handle outdoor conditions. Outdoor environments expose appliances to heat, humidity, temperature swings, [music] and sometimes rain and moisture. Outdoor rated ice makers are specifically designed to handle those conditions with

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proper insulation, weather resistant components, and ventilation. [music] Indoor units simply don’t offer that same protection, which means they tend to fail much faster when used outside. [music] It is very common that an indoor unit will work fine for a short period of time,

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then start to have some issues whether it’s inconsistent ice production, >> [music] >> internal corrosion, or complete failure. At that point, you’re replacing the entire unit and sometimes more than once, which ends up costing more than if

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you would have just [music] chosen the right outdoor model from the beginning. Now when it comes to outdoor ice maker options, you’ve got a few different directions you can go depending on how you plan to use [music] your space. Some units are designed for higher ice production, which is great if you entertain often or with larger groups.

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[music] Others are more compact and work well for everyday use where you just want a steady supply of ice without taking up too much [music] space. Another thing to consider is placement and integration into your outdoor kitchen. Ice makers are typically built into an island alongside other

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appliances like a grill [music] or a refrigerator, so you want to make sure you’re choosing a unit that both fits your layout and your overall [music] usage needs. This is where working with a designer or using the design tool can help you plan everything correctly from [music] the start. At the end of the

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day, the key takeaway here is if your ice maker is going outdoors, it needs to be rated for outdoor use. It might cost a little more up front, but it’s going to last longer, perform [music] and save you money and frustration over the long term. Check out our free outdoor kitchen design tool

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to plan your layout with the right appliances or book a call with one of our design experts [music] to make sure you’re choosing the right ice maker for your space.