“Had a tenant once who thought a cheap plastic line would be ‘just fine’ for their fridge—fast forward six months, and I’m ripping up warped floorboards.”
Been there... I used to think those copper lines were solid until I saw one kink and split behind a fridge. Since then, it’s braided steel or nothing. Haven’t seen anything better yet, honestly. Maybe overkill, but I’ll take peace of mind over another flooded kitchen any day.
I get the love for braided steel, but honestly, I’ve seen those fail too—usually at the crimped ends. Not super common, but it happens.
“Since then, it’s braided steel or nothing. Haven’t seen anything better yet, honestly.”
I still think copper’s fine if you’re careful with bends and don’t cheap out on fittings. Plastic lines are a hard no, though. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes “overkill” feels like paying for peace of mind that’s not always necessary... unless you’ve got a history of leaks, then yeah, I get it.
I’m with you on plastic lines—just not worth the risk, especially if you care about water damage or, honestly, wasting resources. I’ve swapped out a few ice maker lines over the years and always lean toward copper for that reason. If you use those compression fittings right and avoid sharp bends, copper can last decades. I get the appeal of braided steel, but like you said, the crimped ends are a weak spot. I’ve actually seen one fail behind a fridge and it was a mess.
One thing I’ve wondered: has anyone tried PEX for ice maker lines? It’s supposed to be durable, and it’s what a lot of new builds use for main water lines now. I haven’t seen it in a kit, but maybe there’s a reason for that? Maybe it’s overkill or just not flexible enough for tight spaces behind a fridge. Curious if anyone’s had luck with that or if it’s just not practical for this kind of hookup.
