Biggest advantage for me is that the ice it makes is more chewable than most ice you buy or make. The "cubes" it makes somehow get more air in them that you get by just freezing water, as you can see by their whitish color.
How did you get a bug in your ice machine unless you were running it with lid open? I've had this machine for 2 years, still working perfect and I have never had a bug get into it!! LoL
The machine is holding up quite well I only use it during the summertime and only using bottled water. Whenever I go to clean the machine is usually with warm soapy water and rinse with vinegar and then rinse with water again until I feel that it is safe to use I run it with bottled water 3 to 5 times and then start making more ice and enjoying.
