commands for setting the optimum refrigeration time for forming said cubes and subsequently issues commands for setting the optimum defrosting time to cause said cubes to drop from their cups a third probe 14 is connected to the microcomputer 11 and is adapted to detect the temperature of a plurality of ice cubes and the temperature of the evaporator and to send the necessary information to the microcomputer 11 which processes the information and sends signals to the electromechanical components to provide the optimum refrigeration time and defrosting time of the apparatus the microcomputer is programmed with information corresponding to the characteristic operating curves of the different models of the ice making devices during the manufacture of the apparatus the characteristic curve related to the kind of device is selected the monitoring means further includes at least two optical probes 17 and 18 which can be arranged coaxial to one another and on opposite sides of a cup 10 which has portions 15 16 made of tranparent material and which are connected to the microprocessor 11 the optical probes are of any known type and are conveniently arranged opposite that part of the cup which has the largest diameter since the cube will tend to form more slowly in this larger diameter.