Two years I ran a converted freezer off Marketplace, with a timer and an inline pump I put together myself. It worked until it didn't, the seal went furry and I got sick of bailing it out with a bucket. This one just sits there and holds. I don't touch it except to rinse the filter. Only thing I miss is that the freezer was basically free, if you ignore what I spent on the pump and then the shed I ended up building around it.

Was doing the bath and ice thing every morning which my water bill did not love. This is much better. One thing nobody told me is that steel in full Adelaide sun gets warm to touch by the afternoon and the unit runs harder for it. Moved it under the verandah and it settled right down.

Partner had been banging on about one of these since winter and I kept saying we don't have the room, which was true of every other one we looked at. This takes up less floor than our outdoor setting does. It's in the corner of the courtyard by the lemon tree and you honestly stop noticing it after a week. I use it more than he does now, mostly after work when the house is still holding the heat.

Got it just before Christmas so we're coming up on five months. I fully expected to lose interest by about March, that's what happened with the rowing machine. Still in it most mornings. The difference is that it's ready. There's no prep and nothing to fill. I walk out in my dressing gown, lift the lid and get in. Winter has actually been better for it than summer was, the warm-up when you come back inside is the good part.

Bought it in February and I'm still in it most days, so it passed the test I was actually worried about. The filter wants more attention than I expected once you've got a few people using it, especially if anyone gets in without rinsing off first. Not hard, just a job that lives on the list now. Water's stayed clear the whole time, which I did not expect from something sitting outside under a gum.

I still use it every day so take this as a fair warning rather than a whinge. Ours sits on the western side of the house and in January the outside of it was too hot to lean against by the afternoon, and the chiller was running a lot more than it does now. Three stars because I reckon that ought to be said somewhere before you buy rather than after. Once we rigged up a shade sail it stopped being a problem and it holds temperature fine.

I'm 194 and fairly broad through the shoulders and it is a snug sit. Not unusable, I get in fine, but I have to hunch a bit to get my shoulders under and I can't sit with my arms out at all. My wife thinks it's perfect, so this is partly a me problem. Everything else is good, it holds temperature and it looks smart out there. If you're a big bloke go and stand in one before you order.

The bit I stalled on for months was what it would cost to run. Stuck a plug-in meter on it for a fortnight in February and it came out around $8 a week holding at 4 with the lid on, closer to double that through the run of 40 degree days. Cheaper than the ice I was buying.