Ice Maker Repair Cost: Fix It or Replace It?

A typical ice maker repair runs about $150 to $250 according to Fixr, and HomeGuide puts a refrigerator ice maker repair at $100 to $225 for parts and labor. HomeAdvisor's wider range of $60 to $330 covers everything from a quick valve fix to a motor swap. Replacing the whole ice maker assembly in a refrigerator costs more, around $250 to $600 per HomeGuide, so the real question is which part failed.

The figures below come from published consumer cost guides and are national ballparks. For local quotes, browse our ice maker repair directory.

Ice maker repair costs by part

On top of the part, expect a trip charge. HomeAdvisor and Thumbtack both list diagnostic fees around $60 to $100, often applied to the repair if you approve it. Fixr puts refrigerator technician labor at $100 to $250 per hour.

Standalone and countertop ice makers

Not every ice maker lives inside a refrigerator. Fixr lists these ranges for separate machines:

• Built-in (undercounter) ice maker repair: $100 to $350
• Freestanding ice maker repair: $100 to $300
• Portable countertop ice maker repair: $75 to $150

HomeGuide prices a professional ice machine cleaning at about $100 to $200. That matters because many undercounter units lose output simply from scale and a dusty condenser. Whirlpool's guidance for its freestanding ice makers is to clean the ice-making system and air-cooled condenser when the cleaning light comes on, after about nine months, or when production drops off. If you have one of these units, our ice machine repair listings are the right place to start.

A countertop machine is the one case where repair often loses outright. HomeGuide puts a new countertop unit at roughly $100 to $500, so a $150 repair on an inexpensive model is hard to justify.

Free checks before you book a repair

Plenty of "broken" ice makers are really a setting or water supply problem. Unplug the refrigerator before reaching into the ice maker, and shut off the water supply before handling the line.

1. Freezer temperature. Whirlpool asks for a freezer between 0°F and 5°F, and Maytag notes its ice makers stop producing above about 5°F.
2. Ice maker switch or arm. GE says clumped ice can hold the feeler arm up and stop production. Break up clumps with a plastic utensil, never a knife.
3. Water supply. Make sure the valve is fully open and the line is not kinked or pinched behind the refrigerator. Whirlpool's kit instructions call for 20 to 120 psi of household pressure.
4. Water filter. Most brands, including Whirlpool and KitchenAid, suggest a new filter about every six months. A clogged or unseated filter starves the ice maker.
5. Reset. Whirlpool says to hold the reset button for a few seconds, or unplug the refrigerator for one minute if there is no button.

Our full guide to an ice maker not working covers these steps in more depth.

What a technician tests

A tech works from water to ice. They check supply pressure at the inlet valve, test the valve solenoid, look for ice blocking the fill tube, and confirm the freezer is cold enough at the ice maker itself. Then they run the ice maker through a harvest cycle to test the motor, thermostat or sensor and the ejector. If ice is made but not delivered, they look at the auger motor, drive blade and dispenser door instead.

Ice buildup is its own category. Samsung, for example, tells owners not to defrost its ice makers themselves, and says a sheet of ice over the ice maker or a bucket frozen in place needs service. A tech can tell whether a gasket gap letting in warm air, a failed heater or a fan problem is behind it.

If the freezer itself is warm, the problem is upstream of the ice maker. In that case the repair is a freezer repair, and our freezer repair cost guide lists those ranges. Anything touching refrigerant needs an EPA Section 608 certified technician.

Repair or replace the ice maker?

HomeGuide's advice: repair an ice maker that is under five years old or has an affordable failed part, and replace it if the fix costs more than a full new assembly. Fixr adds that on a newer built-in unit, replacing only the failed motor is often smart, while on some older units a motor costs about as much as a new ice maker.

Life expectancy is short compared with the refrigerator. HomeGuide puts a refrigerator ice maker at about 3 to 5 years, up to 10 for higher-end models, while ConsumerAffairs uses about 10 years for ice makers in general. If yours has already been repaired once and is acting up again, a new assembly is usually the better buy. See our repair or replace guide for the bigger picture.

Keeping repair costs down

• Change the water filter on schedule and run a couple of gallons through the dispenser afterward to clear air.
• Dump and clean the ice bin about every two weeks if you do not use much ice, so clumps do not jam the auger.
• Use copper or PEX supply tubing. Whirlpool says plastic tubing and piercing-type saddle valves restrict flow and clog more easily.
• Give the refrigerator room so the line is not crushed when it is pushed back.

Find an ice maker technician

Pricing changes by region, so get more than one quote. Start from our states page or go straight to listings in New York, Los Angeles or Atlanta. Brand-specific pages, such as our Samsung ice maker and freezer repair page, list technicians who work on that make.

Have the refrigerator's model number ready, and say whether the ice maker makes no ice, small ice, or ice that will not dispense. That detail helps the tech bring the right part.