Are in fridge ice makers and disposals regional?
Posted by boldjoy0050@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 105 comments
I grew up in SC and always had an ice maker and disposal. Moved to the Midwest and lived in 3 states there and never had an ice maker or disposal. Now I'm in TX and have always had an ice maker and disposal.
Content-Elk-2037@reddit
I’ve had a garbage disposal in every house I’ve lived in the last 30 years. We did not have one in our 1950s house that I grew up in. Our current house built in 2010 had both fridge dispensed ice and an under cabinet ice maker. We really don’t use much ice so when the under cabinet one broke, I took it out and put in a beverage fridge.
themostblue@reddit
I grew up in suburban NY and homes that were on septic tanks did not have disposals and homes in new neighborhoods on town sewer did have disposals. Ice makers in fridges were a matter of wealth. If you were poor, you did not have one.
Lovebeingadad54321@reddit
I think it is more class/income based than regional. The cheapest refrigerators don’t have them, but most middle class and above homes do have them.
ShipComprehensive543@reddit
No, I live in Midwest and have always had icemakers and disposals.
3catlove@reddit
Same. I don’t have the dispenser with the water right in the fridge though bc I’ve heard they break easily but know lots of people who have those. We’ve always have had an ice maker and garbage disposal though.
techieman34@reddit
Anything involving running water lines to a fridge tends to fail prematurely and aren’t really necessary to have. And disposals get jammed up when people don’t know what can and can’t go down them or just don’t care. So I can totally understand why a landlord wouldn’t want to put them in rentals and then have to constantly fix them.
Sooner70@reddit
I remember a 5 HP commercial garbage disposal from my way back. That thing was amazing. It would eat anything.
3catlove@reddit
Someone asked about disposals on a different thread and I replied it’s common but they are not for what people think they are for and can absolutely damage your plumbing. We use it for rinsing our plates off but still put large food debris in the garbage and drain grease in a separate bin. I like having an ice maker but never bothered with the water in the door. I don’t think it’s regional though. I’m in the Midwest and can confirm some homes have them and some don’t. Yeah I can see a landlord not wanting those things for sure.
techieman34@reddit
Yeah, I had an uncle that did small remodel and repair work and he said he would never get one. But loved other people getting them because of all the work they gave him. He got at least a couple jobs a month from slow leaks rotting out floors.
VisionAri_VA@reddit
When I bought new appliances a couple of years ago, the salesperson actively discouraged me from buying a fridge with an ice/water dispenser.
Halofauna@reddit
I live in the Midwest and have had disposals at some places not most, and never had an ice maker. I’ve known plenty of people who had ice makers though
ar46and2@reddit
When i was a kid, I thought anyone with the ice maker in the fridge door must be rich.
Garbage disposals just made me think of the Flintstones movie, "new garbage disposal?! Why throw good money down the drain!" Had one in a few random apartments i rented, but always saw it as a Conley unnecessary novelty. Until one apartment where the disposal broke. Didn't affect me at all until I had to tell my roommate, "hey, we don't actually have a garbage disposal now! Stop pouring stupid shit down the drain! "
smurfe@reddit
I grew up in the Midwest (Illinois) and never had a disposal or an ice maker. I have been gone from there for 30 years though.
boldjoy0050@reddit (OP)
I've always rented, so I wonder if it's just the age of the apartments. Rentals in the south are generally newer and things like water lines for the fridge and electric connections for disposals seem like newer appliances.
normiepitbullmom@reddit
i have a fridge that was brand new and there’s no icemaker
NemeanMiniLion@reddit
Just a shoddy or older place. Hopefully it was really affordable.
boldjoy0050@reddit (OP)
Most of the rentals in Chicago are 75+ years old and are much better quality than the newly built "luxury" apartments I've had in Texas.
CosyBeluga@reddit
I live in an old apartment…it’s so quiet. In the newer luxury ones you could hear a spider fart
NemeanMiniLion@reddit
Big city like that. I get it
stringstringing@reddit
I think it’s about urban vs suburbs and rural. I’ve always lived in the city and nobody had icemakers or disposals. I’ve legitimately never even used a garbage disposal.
Drew707@reddit
I think all my apartments have had disposal, but it was hit or miss on ice makers.
DOMSdeluise@reddit
I think this is it
LSATMaven@reddit
I was about to say I think it's definitely the age of the apartment/house.
maybach320@reddit
Minnesotan both are common. I’ve been in homes without garbage disposals, I just have mine replaced because it was broken even though I use it 1-2 month.
Usagi_Shinobi@reddit
No, they're a matter of personal preference. The people who want them, get them, and the people who don't, don't.
Left-Acanthisitta267@reddit
Not really. Probably lived in 20 houses over the years in the Midwest, only lived in one rental in college that didn't have a disposal. And the ice maker just depends on the refrigerator you own. Almost every one I ever owned or rented had one. And so did almost everyone I know.
scumbagstaceysEx@reddit
It’s more like “was your house built after 1995?” Not a regional thing.
RoutineCranberry3622@reddit
Might be regional because I’ve never seen a garbage disposal not in a movie and fridges with ice makers are hit or miss. I think the most common type is the tray in the freezer with the automatic auger you’d hear dump the ice into the tray every few hours. I used to have one but never used it because it seems rare you’d ever need ice anywhere near that often. Currently I have an ice cube tray in the cupboard I can fill up with water and put in the freezer if I ever want ice.
GreenBeanTM@reddit
My family has a garbage disposal but it broke when I was younger and we never bothered to fix it
79215185-1feb-44c6@reddit
Or a dedicated countertop ice maker.
nomadschomad@reddit
Not really
Just_curious4567@reddit
I’m from the Midwest and we always had an ice maker and disposal, and everyone I knew had them as well. I’m in the south now and I still have both
Ok_Buy_9703@reddit
Are you renting? Seems like the options are more what the landlord installed in the place not what is normal...
Zenthane@reddit
Honestly I'm surprised you didn't have a garbage disposal while living in the midwest, hell, it was invented in Wisconsin. In fridge ice makers are less common I would argue. Most people I know don't have one and I never have.
Appropriate_Copy8285@reddit
Depends on how poor of an area you move to and water quality. Aint no one want brown ice.
SphericalCrawfish@reddit
Fridge ice maker is socioeconomic. A fridge without an ice maker is cheaper.
Peakbrowndog@reddit
My wife would totally eschew ice maker and water, comes from an upper class family, Yankee , doesn't use ice, only drinks sparkling water.
I would never be without if possible, came from low working class family, Texan, all drinks have ice, tap water preferred.
Poor people rent and don't choose their appliances most of the time.
inbigtreble30@reddit
I just hate the inconvenience of the thing inevitably leaking or otherwise going haywire. Much prefer a standalone ice maker from a maintenance standpoint.
cream-of-cow@reddit
I just don't use ice much and prefer the extra fridge space to keep my gold bullion cold.
SphericalCrawfish@reddit
It's easier to cut off into gold leaf that way. I get you.
Nickvv52@reddit
Have always had both here in FL. Even my nan's old asF fridge had an ice maker
1Negative_Person@reddit
I’m in the Midwest and I have both.
theycallmethevault@reddit
It’s not regional, it’s about the age & cost of the home/apartment.
No_Entertainment1931@reddit
All regions have access to the same crappy 3 brands from Best Buy
Getting_jjigae_with@reddit
I am guessing your sample size is too low.
stinson16@reddit
In my experience it’s more of a function of the age of the kitchen/house and economics. Older homes often don’t have a water line to the fridge, so getting a fridge with an ice maker is more expensive than just the cost of the fridge, which is already more expensive than ones without ice makers (on average). So I’ve mostly seen them in new homes or newer renovations. Same with sink disposals, I think they’re more common in new builds where I am, and less common in older homes. And a lot of people don’t like putting them in their renovation because they have a reputation for breaking often (I have no idea if the reputation is justified, but I’ve heard quite a few people mention it)
79215185-1feb-44c6@reddit
This is a socioeconomic issue. The only place I ever lived that had an ice maker in fridge was a house in the 90s, and the only place I ever lived that had an in-sink garbage disposal was a house in the 00s. I have never seen any of these in the budget apartments I've lived in since.
CtForrestEye@reddit
People with septic systems usually don't use a disposal.
Who has an ice maker depends on who is buying the fridge. Usually folks in warmer regions get them.
iowanaquarist@reddit
If it's regional, the Midwest is one of them that has them. It's hard to find a decent mid level or high level fridge that doesn't have at least one, if not two. Seriously. One in the freezer, and one in the door.
broke_fit_dad@reddit
Disposals are usually found when you are on a sewer utility as putting any extra solid matter in a septic tank just requires more frequent maintenance. Ice makers are an add on to almost every fridge
purplishfluffyclouds@reddit
What's an in-fridge disposal?
FarYak9722@reddit
No
shelwood46@reddit
In a way. The place I used to live in NJ was largely on septic, and the town had an ordinance prohibiting garbage disposals, so no one there had a legal disposal. I've never had a garbage disposal. I've also only lived in one place with ice making refrigerator -- those are higher end than you find in most rentals. I expect disposals and fridges with ice makers are somewhat regional and extremely socio-economic dependent (although I do know people with plenty of money who prefer not to have the fridge ice maker -- they take up space, they break often, you need good tap water, and some people find them aesthetically displeasing).
lezzerlee@reddit
I’m on the west coast and rent. I’ve have never had an ice maker in the fridge. Those seem to be common only to people who buy their own appliances or have luxury apartments. I’ve lived in 2 places with a disposal and a couple places without. Usually it depended on the age of the building (really old buildings here) or the cheapness of the landlord.
Having a dishwasher is rare in my particular area. You usually have to have a place that costs $3k a month or are new build apartments (or buy a home) to finally get a dishwasher.
myOEburner@reddit
No. They are universal. It's weird not to have one.
juniperwool@reddit
I'm in the midwest and most people I know have both. I also grew up in SC.
inbigtreble30@reddit
I've always had both in the Midwest; not so when we were in New England bit also we were poor back then so idk.
MM_in_MN@reddit
Ice makers are what breaks most often on a fridge. And the cause of most water damage. Many apartments don’t have them for maintenance reasons.
Enscowaste99@reddit
I’ve lived in the Midwest my whole life. I have always had a garbage disposal. Ice maker varied depending on the apartment. The cheaper places didn’t have them. All of my houses have had both.
CountChoculasGhost@reddit
Almost certainly a combination of money and age of the house.
My old house didn’t have a disposal because it had old pipes and we were told they couldn’t handle it.
Didn’t have an ice maker until we had enough money to buy a new fridge that had one.
Low_Attention9891@reddit
My fridge has an ice maker and I live in Michigan. Most of the refrigerators at the store had them.
No-Conversation1940@reddit
I've never lived in a place that had a fridge with an ice maker/dispenser and I've spent my whole life in the Midwest. I live cheaply, though - or cheaply in a Chicago context these days.
My sister has lived in two places that had fridges like that. The ice maker/disposal on both had problems and eventually stopped working.
adultdaycare81@reddit
It’s just the quality of rental unit. And halfway decent place will have cold water lines run for icemakers.
VariegatedPlumage@reddit
Not true in NYC, I’ve always lived in really nice apartments and none of them have had water lines. I only have one now because I got the plumber to install one.
adultdaycare81@reddit
My family’s did… but they were nice nice.
But I don’t have one in my rentals. Tenants can’t be trusted to call when they see a leak
Overall_Occasion_175@reddit
Ice makers, no. Disposals, yes! I rarely see them in New England while loss of you act like it's bizarre not to have them.
VariegatedPlumage@reddit
I have never seen one in NYC.
VariegatedPlumage@reddit
NYC, never had an ice maker till I bought my own fridge and it is MAGICAL. Never had a disposal in NYC, did have one when I lived in Boston.
danhm@reddit
I had to buy a new fridge last year and it was almost impossible to find one without an ice maker, especially beyond the absolute cheapest models -- and even those sometimes had ice makers.
InvestigatorJaded261@reddit
New England: I’ve never had an ice maker in my own kitchen, though they are certainly common here. Dispos-Alls are probably 50/50.
virtual_human@reddit
I've lived in Ohio fire over thirty years in four apartments, ones dialed and two houses. All of them had refrigerator ice makers and garbage disposals.
Carinyosa99@reddit
I've seen both in all parts of the country.
GhostWatcher007@reddit
40 yr old house, NM. Ice maker lines for fridge and in sink disposal built in originally. Of course, fridge and disposal have been replaced since then.
akaispirit@reddit
In California, when I lived with my family we always had ice makers in the fridge but my apartment fridge doesn't have one. Have always had a disposal though.
jrice138@reddit
Also California never had an ice maker, disposal or dishwasher until almost a year ago when we moved into a house that has a disposal and dishwasher. TBH the only one I’d actually want is an ice maker.
Cant-think-of-a-nam@reddit
Well at least here in nj. Its hit or miss a house has a fridge with an ice maker and never in my 35 years of living have I ever seen a house with a garbage disposal in the kitchen
ApprehensiveAnswer5@reddit
I’m in Texas, and among a lot of people, the advice for landlords is not to put either of those in because of the higher likelihood that they have issues.
People jam all kinds of things down disposals and then it’s on the landlord to fix it.
And people jack around with ice makers as well, and the fridges with them are more expensive to start with too.
I rented here for almost 20 years before buying a house and did not have a disposal or in-fridge ice maker in any apartment, duplex, or SFH I ever lived in.
Somethingisshadysir@reddit
Disposal is regional, but I think ice maker is more a factor of older vs newer homes, as well as money.
RonPalancik@reddit
I have never had an icemaker and always had a disposal (born in Mo., live in Va.).
pikkdogs@reddit
They’re not regional they are just an extra expense.
RevolutionaryWind249@reddit
My last house didn't have a garbage disposal. I'm in the Midwest. But it was built in 1921 and remodeled in the '90s. For me it wasn't worth having electricity wired in under the sink for the disposal. I did have a water line put in for the refrigerator when I moved in so that I could have a ice maker in that house. That's a pretty easy thing to do when you have an unfinished basement. My current house has both.
xXSolBombXx@reddit
Not so much regional as they are..... walletable. You can find fridges with icemakers in em at pretty much every big box hardware store. Disposals more of the same, but sometimes you can find em at smaller hardware stores and supermarkets.
trafficpylonfarmer@reddit
It's harder to find a presentable mid or higher range consumer fridge that doesn't have ice maker/ water dispenser these days. Makers really want to sell their expensive filters.
rawbface@reddit
It used to be a novelty that was only on expensive fridges.
Now it's really hard to find a fridge without an ice maker. It's not regional, it changed over time.
Reasonable-Company71@reddit
I'm in Hawaii and disposals seem to be regional (by island); they're definitely more prevalent on Oahu. I'm on the Big Island where the majority of the island is on septic so whatever we can keep out of it, we do. Older homes used to be on on cesspools so they never had disposals for the same reason. I family and friends across most islands and only the ones on Oahu have disposals. Ice makers are more common but not necessarily a necessity. Growing up in-fridge ice makers were always considered a "rich people" thing though.
Anteater_Reasonable@reddit
Both are widely common but garbage disposals are very rare to find in NYC apartments. My co-op forbids the installation of garbage disposals. That’s not to say some owners don’t install them anyway and take the “better to ask forgiveness than permission” approach.
urnbabyurn@reddit
Some municipalities or apartment complexes, albeit rare, don’t allow disposals. But ice makers are pretty much a default in all but the shittiest refrigerators.
MaleficentExtent1777@reddit
I've had them in every apartment in the South, but not in one apartment in NYC.
trafficpylonfarmer@reddit
In the northeast, it's more a factor of the age of the property (or time since renovation) and the price point. Wouldn't see either in an renovated, century old home or in a cheap rental, but any decent quality new construction or renovation in the past 20 years will more often than not have both equipped.
Also unlikely to see disposals where municipal sewer isn't available. Generally not advisable for septic systems.
msabeln@reddit
Go to any appliance dealer and in the midwest you'll see refrigerators with ice makers and without.
mdavis360@reddit
I’ve lived in SC, DE, WI, GA and CA. Always had a garbage disposal. I think I had an ice maker in GA but I can’t remember SC but everywhere else did.
jmims98@reddit
I don't think it is regional, I have lived in places with and without either in New England as well as in Colorado. Older homes and cheaper rentals tended not to have a disposal, ice maker was hit or miss just depends on how nice of a fridge.
Alternative-Pear9096@reddit
Rental units usually have the cheapest refrigerators possible, and so rarely provide ones with ice makers.
I have been a renter for decades in 7 states and I have only once in the last 20 years not had a disposal.
Apprehensive_Rip_201@reddit
It's pretty much the norm, but you'll see it less in places with very old houses. So in the northeast, where everything is old, it is less common.
My town was founded in 1683, but I live in the brand new part of town (around 1910).
IAmBaconsaur@reddit
It depends on the age of the house. I would say they’re standard now, but I grew up in the Northeast and never had a disposal. We had an ice maker but not a dispenser in the door (dumped into a drawer). Now I live in the Midwest and have both.
No-Lunch4249@reddit
Obviously not... Just common especially in newer buildings
Dramatic_Reporter_66@reddit
I don't think it is a regional thing, just an optional feature on some fridges. I never had one myself, but my mother got a fridge with an ice maker when she had her kitchen renovated. I have also been over to the houses of a few friends and relatives who had them. I am in New England for reference.
elquirk@reddit
No. An American thing. We love ice. Just got back from Europe. You would think we were asking for their first born.
SabresBills69@reddit
it depends on models and when things were built.
plavces I lived at disposals but many didn’t have ice makers. ice makers tend to me more expensive models,
Euphoric_Ease4554@reddit
It depends on the house or apartment I think. I’ve always had them in the Midwest.
SubieGal9@reddit
I'm in OH and have never had a disposal or an ice maker. The fridge has to be hooked up to a water line, which older homes aren't plumbed for. For the 15 seconds it takes me to fill an ice cube tray, it's not worth the cost or the hole in the floor. Disposals always tend to stink and be very loud. The trash or outside critters seems more peaceful to me.
N4n45h1@reddit
I've lived in several midwest states and had garbage disposal in every apartment and home. Didn't have a fridge ice maker in my cheap college apartments, but have had one ever since. Most homes I've visited also have both a disposal and a fridge ice maker.
chadstein@reddit
lol. I grew up in SC and always had an ice maker but never a disposal until I move back and bought a house. I lived in the Midwest for about 5 years never had an ice maker but always a disposal.
TheOwlMarble@reddit
Both were the default in my Midwestern hometown.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
Probably just the fridge that came with the house happened to not have one there?