ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker Review

Product Review

Please enjoy our ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker Review!

(Purchase on Amazon and use code: 2F9KNBPK for 5% off)

What is the ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker?

The ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker (also listed as the ecozy 2.4” Clear Ice Ball Maker with CrystalFlux Technology, model IM-BM322C) is the latest and most advanced spherical ice maker from ecozy. This upgraded model builds on the ecozy sphere ice maker I previously reviewed, shifting its focus from quantity to size by producing three large 2.4-inch ice balls per cycle, rather than four smaller 2-inch spheres.

Designed for cocktail enthusiasts who value clarity, size, and slow melting performance, the Vaultico Grande is aimed squarely at serious home bar or potentially small commercial bar use.

At the time of review, the unit is priced at $399.99 on Amazon (use code: 2F9KNBPK to get 5% off on Amazon).

About ecozy

As with the previous model I reviewed, ecozy continues to position itself as a brand focused on practical, premium countertop appliances for home use. They produce a range of ice makers, a countertop dishwasher, a “Sunrise Alarm” which is an alarm clock with an integrated light and relaxation sounds. Interestingly, there is a company with the same name registered in Germany, but they make home thermostats and don’t appear to be related to this company.

Key Features – ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker Review

According to ecozy, the Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker includes the following features:

• Produces three 2.4-inch clear ice balls per cycle, up to 96 spheres per day
• CrystalFlux Technology designed to form ice with minimal air bubbles for improved clarity and slow melting in drinks
• Countertop design with insulated ice basket
• Optional direct water line and bottom drain design
• Manual water reservoir option
• Self-cleaning cycle
• Front-facing control panel
• Removable ice basket
• Designed to produce clear, slow-melting ice spheres

Important Usage Tips (From the Manufacturer)

There is a sticker on top of the ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker that provides several important operational tips, which are worth noting:

• For optimal ice quality, use filtered or purified water with a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) value below 200. High TDS levels may cause cloudy or less transparent ice. ecozy recommends measuring water quality using a TDS meter (provided).
• When opening the door or removing the ice basket, a few drips may occur. Attaching the drip tray beforehand or using a container to catch drips is recommended.
• To prevent overflow from melted ice, connect the drain hose to the rear drain port. Note that the drain hose only releases water when the water tank exceeds its maximum capacity. If not using the hose, ensure the drain port is securely plugged or remove ice promptly when the basket is full.
• The bottom drain allows complete drainage of the unit.
• If the machine becomes unresponsive, press and hold the Start/Stop button for 5 seconds to reset it. If that does not work, unplug the unit and reconnect the power.
• It is normal for ice balls to have a small hole, uneven surface, or a faint center line. The hole may be larger in the first couple of batches and will decrease with subsequent cycles.

First Use and Setup – ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker Review

Before making ice, the manual instructs you to wipe out the interior of the unit with warm water three times. My unit definitely had an odor initially, but after following this step, the smell went away completely.

I allowed the unit to sit upright for a few hours before first use, as recommended.

The ecozy Vaultico Grande can be connected directly to a water supply using the included intake and drainage hoses. However, I chose to operate it manually — filling the reservoir myself and draining the unit after use via the drain plug on the underside.

The manual recommends that the self-cleaning cycle be run when the unit is first used, and if it is not used for 48 hours. Therefore, I ran the self-cleaning cycle as instructed using lukewarm water, then drained the unit once the cycle completed.

One caution worth mentioning: when draining the unit into a container utilizing the underside drain, the drain plug can interfere with the water stream and create a second stream that may miss your container. Therefore, it is important to hold the plug out of the way. What I found was that the easiest and cleanest method is to place the unit near a sink. Then, when drainage is needed, it can be positioned so the drain plug is directly over the sink edge. When the plug is removed, the water drains directly into the sink with no mess or leakage.

Making Ice

Once setup was complete, I was ready to begin making ice.

I plugged in the ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker and positioned it with approximately 6 inches of clearance on all sides, per the manual. This allowed adequate ventilation.

The water reservoir holds 58 ounces of water. I filled it with distilled water to just below the maximum fill line, as instructed. The unit requests a refill when the water level drops to around 16 ounces.

After pressing the Start button, the unit immediately began pumping water into the ice-making chamber.

• The first cycle took approximately 48 minutes to complete.
• Ice harvesting (the process of ejecting the ice balls into the basket) took about 4 minutes.
• Subsequent cycles were faster, ultimately taking just under 40 minutes to make ice and less than 2 minutes for harvesting.
• The unit completed five full cycles before the “Add Water” indicator illuminated.

Ice Basket Cooling and Melting Behavior

As with the previous ecozy model I reviewed, the ice balls produced during the first two cycles experienced noticeable melting once deposited in the basket. This caused some reduction in size, deformation, and enlargement of the small dimple present in each of the ice balls.

Later cycles experienced less melting, but it still occurred. With melting, the dimples would grow larger and occasionally hold pooled water, and the ice balls would decrease a small amount in size.

Melting happens because there is no active cooling of the ice basket until it is completely full. Unfortunately, the ice basket will not be full until after the initial water reservoir supply is exhausted and the unit is refilled and runs for a few more cycles. Therefore, if the unit pauses with the “Add Water” light on and you are not actively monitoring it, the ice will continue to melt since the cooling will not initiate and the insulation of the ice chamber alone is not sufficient to prevent melting.

I never reached the point where active cooling began, which would likely only happen if the unit were connected to a continuous water supply. Because of this, I removed the ice balls from the basket and transferred them to the freezer every time I refilled the reservoir. I would hope that in future versions there would be active cooling of the ice basket area from the moment the unit is powered on. That should reduce melting, improve usability and produce more uniform ice balls with smaller dimples.

Ice Clarity and Aesthetics

Overall, the ice balls produced by the ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere 2.4″ Ice Maker were quite clear. Mine did exhibit a number of internal fissures, but the ice surrounding them remained clear. The ice balls do have a dimple at one end. It is a byproduct of the CrystalFlux ice release process so will be present in all ice balls to varying degrees.

ecozy strongly emphasizes the importance of low dissolved solids in the water used. Since I used distilled water, dissolved solids were not an issue. Some ice balls had small white patches, but they were minor and not particularly bothersome.

The ice balls were generally smooth and spherical, although some had mild texture or irregularities in their surface. Occasionally, a midline ridge or mild deformation appeared, especially in ice balls that experienced melting in the basket. Removing ice more frequently helped minimize this, though it does reduce the amount of ice helping to keep the basket cool.

Ease of Use and Ice Performance

I was impressed with both the ease of use and the speed of the ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker. Operation is straightforward, and the controls are intuitive.

In use, the ice balls performed very well. They chilled my whiskey quickly, lasted, and kept it cool for a sufficient time for the average person to drink their beverage. I tested melting by putting one ice ball in a rocks glass and adding 2 ounces of bourbon. I was very surprised how slowly the ice melted. It does deform as it melts, but it nonetheless lasts quite a while. For example, by 30 minutes the ice ball was about half of its original size and was no longer uniformly round. But by that time, most people will likely have finished their drink.

Pros & Cons of the ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere 2.4″ Ice Maker

Pros

• Produces large 2.4-inch ice balls ideal for whiskey and spirit-forward cocktails
• Generally clear ice, especially when using distilled or very low TDS water
• Faster cycle times after the initial run
• Easy to operate with a straightforward control panel
• Optional direct water and drain hookups for continuous operation
• Ice melts slowly in-glass, performing well in real-world drink tests

Cons

• No active cooling of the ice basket until it is completely full
• Manual operation requires monitoring and timely ice removal to prevent melting
• Dimples are present in the ice balls due to the CrystalFlux release process
• Ice balls from early cycles can experience deformation and larger dimples
• Ice balls often contain multiple internal fissures, although the ice between the fissures remains clear
• There can be minor irregularities or texture in the surface of ice balls
• High volume performance likely requires a continuous water connection, which may not suit all setups

Final Thoughts – ecozy Vaultico Grande Sphere Ice Maker Review

Overall, the ecozy Vaultico Grande is a very capable ice ball maker. It should suit most home users by virtue of its speed and the quality of the ice produced. In addition, with a production rate of 96 ice balls per day, with a little advance planning, users should have ample ice for virtually all normal home situations.

Manual operation does require more attention, since the reservoir level must be monitored and refilled with water. If you anticipate needing a large quantity of ice regularly, connecting the unit to a continuous water supply using the included hoses is clearly the best option. Of course, the ice basket will have to be emptied regularly, but that should only be required a few times per day.

All in all, the Vaultico Grande delivers solid performance. It makes clear ice, albeit with a dimple and some fissures, with excellent longevity in drinks. It should be more than adequate for most serious cocktail and whiskey drinkers and a welcome addition to their home bars.

(Purchase on Amazon and use code: 2F9KNBPK for 5% off)

I hope you enjoyed my ecozy Vaultico Grande 2.4″ Clear Ice Ball Maker Review! If you would like to read my review of the ecozy 2″ spherical ice maker, you can find it here.

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