In-Door Ice & Water Dispensers ...

[DADoES]

 
... are among the most problematic and unsanitary features found in kitchen appliances.  The mechanism stays wet with condensed moisture, which leads to mold/mildew and quick and heavy rusting of unfinished metal parts such as screws and mounting brackets.  My guess is many people would never again drink water or use ice from them if they saw what lurks behind that so-convenient escutcheon.

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Funny that whenever I'm in anyone's kitchen my eyes give the "white glove" test to the refrigerator dispenser. Most of them look filthy to me. </span>

 

[combo52]

Through the door ice and water dispensers

The water and ice does not touch the moldy parts, and if you leave the little lightbulb on it provides enough heat to stop the mold in most cases, it also helps of people have enough sense to use the air conditioning in their house.

John L.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I haven't looked closely in the dispensers but the drainage areas get dirty.

Older models usually have a lid with square holes that drains the water into a sump an inch or two deep. The Americanas had a heating element to evaporate the water. I don't know if these older ones mold.

Then in the late 90s early 00s the drainage area on most became a grooved tray. Usually on these there is nowhere for the water to drain so it causes algae if not wiped off. The textured plastic is hard to scrub clean.

My friend's GE is like that and when I removed the tray to dump it, I found there was also the sump below like the older ones with about an inch and a half of water in it most of the time. Worried it would rust out the door I would use a sponge to soak up the water as there was no other way to dump it.

Newer models from Whirlpool/Amana and MOL Frigidaire now use a lid with a slot that drains water into a very shallow area maybe 1/8" deep. GE Cafe now have similar with a metal lid with holes. Entry level
Frigidaire and Ge still use a grooved tray but it's smooth plastic.

I don't know whether LG and Samsung have spill collection areas, I think they may have a shallow indentation with no lid.

Looking up into the dispenser area I hadn't noticed any to get dirty but the levers and area behind them sometimes do get stuff on them.

 

[panthera]

Goodness.

Am I the only person who regularly sprays the dratted things with Lysol? The only one who uses chlorine bleach?

 

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>Combo52: ... it also helps of people have enough sense to use the air conditioning in their house.</blockquote> I live one county in from the central TX coast.  Air conditioning is a way-of-life here.  It's not unusual that air conditioning runs in December.

I replaced the flapper solenoid in Feb 2013.  It had rusted to the point of impaired/non-function.  It and the mounting screws are substantially rusted again.  The screws may not be removable when the next repair comes around, if I bother with it.  There was rust residue and mold on the plastic housing around the ice outlet hole and some residue up in the water spout.  Cleaned-up now.  I disassembled because the ice chute got clogged, again.

Those bulbs are rated for average 1,500 hrs so presumably last approx 2 months, give or take, lit continuously.  There's no local source for them, have to order online.  I found a box of 10 for a reasonable price.  It's too late to avoid rust but maybe I can ward-off the condensation.

 

[lorainfurniture]

Mold/ mildew

Problem with rust is that it happens AFTER the ice flap failed. It allows moisture in the area and will mold, rust, etc. Also, people will have a glass of soda and AFTER filling glass with soda they add ice, splashing soda everywhere. It's disgusting.

I have never had a mildew/ mold issue because I pour ice first, then water. No splashes means a 0% chance of nastiness growing up there.

I've never had more than a few drops of water fall in the trough area, what are you guys doing that fills that up with water?

 

[funktionalart]

Guess I'm lucky??

This mould issue isn't something that I've ever had, or ever seen before. Of course, water from the door isn't something I even care about--I've not once hooked up a line to any refrigerator I've owned simply because I don't trust the things to not leak or cause problems.

Gotta say that getting ice from the dispenser is a MUST in my life. Takes me no time to fill a stack of trays at night, and then fill the inside cube holder the next day. 10 pounds of ice does disappear quickly in AZ though. But it's nice to not have to open the door up every time. LOVE having this feature on my KA.

The chrome plated egg-crate type tray is pretty easy-care as well. Lifts out quick, and I just make a point every couple days to wipe off any water spots. Worst I can say about the thing is that area is all black plastic and shows every spot and dust.

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Allen, you're not just lucky, you're resourceful. Clever idea to fill the bin manually. </span>

 

[funktionalart]

Resourceful, maybe...

Joe--I'm that way, I guess--but honestly (for me anyway--others will feel different)...it takes ZERO time out of a day to fill a dozen trays. And they all freeze quick/at the same time vs. that internal maker dropping out a few per hour.

But I really, REALLY like having a lever on the front door to dump cubes into my glass without opening the door. More than anything, stuff like water lines ballsing up the internals of a fridge just doesn't appeal to me. I've got the kind of bad luck where it absolutely would go wrong on me--flood the kitchen, yadda yadda. Got enough around here to fix on a weekly basis without that headache added to the list!

 

[mattl]

To each his own...

 

I've had an ice-maker hooked up since the early '70s, gone through 4 fridges over that time, other than the earliest all had ice/water in door, never an issue.  Seriously can't imagine having to fill an ice cube tray and dumping it when I have machinery that will do it easily.  I like the filtered cold water and use it often.  Really don't now anyone who's had an issue major or minor with ice makers or I/W in door.

 

[superocd]

I have negative thoughts about ice and water dispensers...

You stole the words out of my mouth, lol. I hold these in such disdain that I actively avoided any refrigerator that offered one. Before my WP French door, I had a Frigidaire SxS that came with the house. It was OK except for the glass shelves, which I also dislike but cannot avoid (unless I go super cheap), and that blasted in door ice and water dispenser.

These bloody things cannot be cleaned. There is no way would it ever meet minimum NSF criteria, which holds ease of cleaning in high regard. Doesn't matter the brand: WP, GE, Frigidaire, LG, Samsung...all of the icemakers are all unsanitary designs. This is a very good as to why health departments frown on domestic appliances being used in commercial foodservice establishments. The bloody appliances cannot be easily cleaned nor are they able to withstand industrial grade chemicals, for one!

Before purchasing, I actually inspect all kitchen utensils and appliances, large and small, for ease of cleaning. Needless to say, it's a big factor in my purchasing and is time consuming.

 

[rp2813]

I share Matt's views on this.  I never had a fridge with an ice maker or water dispenser until I met Dave in 1985.  Once I experienced the convenience, an ice maker was a must. 

 

About leaks:  We only had leaks when plastic supply lines were used.  They'd develop pinholes and puddles would form on the floor.  Ever since we switched to coiled copper tubing, there haven't been any problems with leaks.

 

About ice dispensers:  They're great for crescents, but when set for crushed (my preference for cocktails), our 2009 KA spews it all over the place unless you shove the glass up into/against/around the chute, and the glass can't be a chimney or iced tea type because those leave space for spewing out the sides.  The KA at our previous house was a few years older and didn't do this.  I don't know what KA/Whirlpool changed about their dispenser design, but it sure wasn't an improvement. 

 

About filtered water:  I use this every morning when I brew a pot of coffee, and for general thirst quenching at any time.   It sure beats having a five-gallon jug on a stand taking up space -- something I'd never consider.  The tap water here isn't horrible, but in a side-by-side smell test with tap and filtered, the stuff from the tap has a definite chlorine odor.

 

I've never had any issues with funky build-up anywhere on ice or water dispensers.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

My ice dispenser is stuck! Jammed w/ a hunk of ice (probably cubes as that was what the dispenser was set on to dispense) because of the precision one must use to be sure the chute door closes and you stem the ice flow before removing your glass--what also causes the water dispenser to pish all over the front of the fridge, and that is not difficult coordination, either...

Most-likely this happened from my wife & brother-in-law left in the house & witnessing a glass--and more of towering ice cubes in 'em, so much that it looked like there was hardly room in there for the liquid...

-- Dave

 

[Marky_Mark]

Can't say I've ever noticed any problems with funky build-ups on our Siemens side-by-side.  And it can get fairly humid here, but we do have the A/C on all summer and a little heating in winter. 

 

Still haven't got around to installing reverse osmosis, even though the kitchen appears to have been pre-plumbed for it, with a loop under the sink for the fridge line.  So we do get a build up of mineral deposits on the drip tray despite the filter.  We use the dispenser all the time.  I think they're great (when they're working and clean!).

 

[combo52]

Refrigerators with through the door ice and water dispensers

It's absolutely silly not to hook up this refrigerators icemaker and water dispenser to a water supply.

We are after all the appliance experts and if we can't get the stuff to work how can we expect anybody to use their appliances properly.

Filling ice trays by hand and emptying them it's a real bother and it uses much more energy having the door open and close that much then just letting the icemaker turn out 10 pounds of ice a day.

 

[wayupnorth]

I have an ice maker in my 22 year old Whirlpool. I never hooked it up as my well water is so horrible. I wont drink it and certainly wont make ice with it.

 

[DADoES]

 
Pics taken this morning, after cleaning yesterday.  Surfaces around the spout, flapper, and solenoid had black residue and some bits of orange.  There was some residue inside the spout, which I cleaned with a cotton swab (both bleach & alcohol).

The dispenser light has been on since yesterday evening.  It helps but doesn't 100% prevent condensation.  Notice in Pic #8 that the bulb is blackened (it's very dim) but it does still work and gets hot.  Twenty replacement bulbs are ordered.

 

[fan-of-fans]

That GE dispenser looks very similar to my friend's. Under that plastic tray I found a plastic sump with about two inches of water standing in it. I couldn't figure out how that much water got in there. I would mop it out with a sponge and next time I was there it would be filled again.

Most of the new fridges use an LED dispenser light that probably wouldn't provide any heat.