I really like this ice maker. I bought it but wasnt sure if it would be as good as a high dollar one but to be honest it has been just as good. It makes small ice and large, but i think for somebody that wants ice to last in a cup or cooler, they might want to make large ice. I have a TAL cup and ice from ice trays last me over 24 hours and I have been making small ice with mine and in my cup it might last 8 hours. The noice level is very little and if it makes more noice than usual it might be stuck, just turn it off and back on to reset the ice scooper on the inside. All in all it is a great item and i would recommend it vs the more expensive one.