Confused about which ice maker suits a small kitchen counter?

[Matthew Miller]

I'm in a small apartment in New York and my counter space is really limited, so I'm trying to figure out whether a countertop ice maker is worth it or if it'll just end up stored in a closet. I usually host friends on weekends and we go through a lot of ice, but my freezer is tiny and the trays are always empty when I need them. I've been looking at the different models floating around for the year ahead, mostly curious about how fast they actually make ice and how noisy they get in a small space. My main worry is maintenance and cleaning, since I don't want something that gets gunky in a few months, plus I'm unsure about water hookup versus filling a tank manually. For those of you using one at home, how has it held up for you, and would you go with a countertop unit again or choose something else for a small kitchen?