I Tested And Ranked The Best Countertop Ice Makers In 2023
I tested and ranked the best countertop ice makers from brands like Frigidaire, Igloo, NewAir and Opal. Frigidaire is still my no.1!
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Frigidaire - Best for Countertops
Top-rated: 13,909 ratings | 219 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Large see-through window allows for process monitoring and ice level checking.
Helpful review: "I spent thousands on a Samsung French-door refrigerator 5 years back, joining the thousands who love the fridge but hate the ice maker. Apparently, I'm not alone in my disdain for that "sometimes it works, most of the time not" ice maker that just freezes up on a regular basis. Had it repaired, then replaced, still the same issue. My wife LOVES ice in her diet soda. She doesn't drink coffee, so her DC is her morning lifeblood. But she MUST have her Yeti full of ice!! So... I heard about this countertop ice maker and gave it a run. Wrapped it up as an "extra' Christmas gift (I know, never give your wife an appliance for Christmas) but this was more fun and experimental than a vacuum or dust mop.
Our ice maker (in the fridge) OF COURSE started working again on Christmas Eve, which really gave me a chuckle. When she unwrapped it, my wife said, "But the ice maker is working again," which made me chuckle even harder. I knew (and I was right) that it would stop working... and it did. On Christmas afternoon.
Out came this Frigidaire ice maker, and I had it making ice literally minutes later. Once I started, I was an ice-making machine. I even bought ice cube bags on Amazon, and started filling 10 pound bags of ice. I would make an Eskimo jealous with all the ice I've made with this thing.
Now I'm thinking fishing season, because I have a fishing boat at the shore, and I'm always planning my route to stop for bagged ice on my way down to the boat. NOT ANY MORE!! I'll have bag after bag in the garage freezer now.
It's fun to run, it's simple, and it's easy to drain and wipe down. It makes at least 20 pounds a day. As long as you keep emptying that bin to another container or bag, you'll watch your cubes build up like magic. Great product! Would purchase again in a heartbeat." — Josiah Kelly
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
2. AGLUCKY - Best for Portability
Top-rated: 20,642 ratings | 279 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Produces 9 ice cubes within only 6-8 minutes, and up to 26.5 pounds of ice per day.
Helpful review: "This machine is so easy to use, and has been a blessing! Our fridge is not on a wet wall (so no water hookup for the ice maker 😕), and I was exhausted trying to keep up with my family’s demand for ice cubes. Along came this sexy ice maker and everything changed for the better! The output is great. I dump the tray of completed ice cubes into my freezer ice bucket and keep my family stocked on ice cubes without having to go out and buy bags of ice what feels like every day. Great value for the money so far!" — JB-C
Trending review: "We LOVE this machine but it is a process if you are using it to fully stock your freezer. It is definitely quieter and more compact than I expected. Easily fits in a cabinet or on the counter. The machine doesn't keep the ice cold so you do have to transfer it to your freezer ice bucket. We have it timed out that on the large setting the basket is half full after 25 minutes and full (but a little melty) after 50 minutes. So we essentially just set a timer and empty it periodically. It takes about 4-5 hours to fill up our ice bucket from empty, which sounds like a long time but that's about how long it takes a normal ice tray to freeze solid. If you don't want to do a whole mass production this is still great to run for an hour just to scoop into drinks. If you forget about it (which is honestly really easy to do because it's so quiet) all that happens is that it won't make more ice if the basket is full and then the ice will just melt right back into the water and turn back into ice, so there really isn't a penalty for leaving it on barring the electricity usage. I'm obsessed with crunchy pellet ice so overall this is a great bargain option!" — Alexander
Reassuring review: "The ice maker in our refrigerator is constantly going on strike, so after reading a gazillion reviews I decided to give this one a try and I'm glad I did. It makes ice fast (we had the first little bullets of ice within 9 minutes) and the bucket fills up very quickly. We consume a lot of ice and it keeps up with our demands with no problem. Its a bit noisy but not so much that it was a problem for us and it is so nice to have a fallback for when the fridge icemaker decides it has had enough for awhile. Its is ideal for 2 people but would be great for 4 people who consume a lot of ice. Unless you need ice for very large numbers of people this is a great little addition to the household." — Claire
Get it from Amazon now: $119.99 & FREE Returns
3. COWSAR - Best For Bullet-Shaped Ice
Top-rated: 975 ratings | 7 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Creates 3 different bullet-shaped ice sizes (Small, Medium, Large).
Helpful review: "I ordered this ice maker since I removed the ice bin in my freezer as it takes up much needed freezer space. This unit is just slightly smaller than a few other units I have seen and I think is the perfect size for one or two people. It fits on the countertop below my kitchen cabinets or I can place on a small side table. After filling the reservoir with clean water, sliding in the ice bin and pressing power, the unit makes 9 bullet ice cubes in about 6 minutes and will continue to make ice until the bin is full. There is a sensor at the top that detects a full bin. As the ice melts, its drips back into the reservoir to be used in new ice. The bullet cubes put less stress on my blenders I use to make smoothies, protein shakes and sports drinks. The machine is simple to operate and runs noticeably quieter than my prior unit. It would be perfect for office use to be shared among a few co-workers. A built-in handle ensures ease of portability. The self-cleaning feature is easy to initiate by pressing the power button for 5 seconds. A small plug in the tank bottom allows for easy emptying without having to tip the unit over. So all in all, I highly recommend this ice maker!" — Rebeca Kirk
Trending review: "This countertop ice maker works extremely fast. Within an hour or so, I was able to get almost a full basket of ice cubes. Once the basket is full, the machine will stop making ice until the level falls below the sensor, at which point the machine will begin making ice again. The water reservoir is below the ice basket which catches water from ice melting. This is a continuous melt/make ice machine. As ice melts it reuses the water to make more ice. I typically get a full basket, then empty the ice into a bowl and place it in the freezer. The bullet style cubes are great for drinks but are also great if you like to chew on ice cubes. The cubes are soft form and not too thick. The machine does not take up too much space on the countertop so it fits in great if you have minimal space. A full reservoir can make 2 full baskets of ice as well so you won't need to refill the reservoir often. If you like the bullet style cubes, this machine is a great buy. Works well, low water consumption and is quiet as well. Absolutely recommend if you like to make mixed drinks for sure!" — Amy Rae
Reassuring review: "This thing is awesome! I have a sensitivity to flouride. It somehow affects my thyroid negatively and makes me physical sick, so I can’t drink tap or regular filtered water. I drink water all day everyday, and it has to be filtered by reverse osmosis. Most water filter devices in fridges and Brita don’t use reverse osmosis so I can’t use that water to drink or make ice. I have to make ice using bottled water in trays which is annoying and irritating. I finally bought this and wasn’t sure about one of the reviews which stated that it was “soft ice” and melts rather quickly and doesn’t keep drinks cold for long. That may be the case if you’re using regular cups and room temperature drinks. But I use an insulated bottles all day and I figured I’d try keeping a cold bottle of water in fridge so the ice would last longer. AND - I did notice the bullet ice cubes are thinner than I expected and the ice stayed in my insulated cup for hours. Also, it comes with an ice bag, which keeps the ice from melting. I just kept emptying the basket when it was full into the provided bag (it will stop making ice when it’s full, so you have to empty it if you want it to keep making ice). I now have a big bag of ice I can use without having to crack and twist trays lol:) I LOVE THIS THING! I’ve only had it a day so hopefully it keeps going strong for a while 😁!" — Krystal Fraser
Get it from Amazon now: $109.99 & FREE Returns
4. CROWNFUL - Best for Small Spaces
Top-rated: 9,047 ratings | 121 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: This ice maker has a stylish and chic design. Its compact size makes it perfect to set up on your counters or tabletops. It is ideal to use indoors or outdoors for parties and events.
Helpful review: "Top 10 best purchases I've ever made! I bought this ice maker 2 years ago in July of 2020 and it's still going just as strong as the day I got it. We do not have an ice maker in our fridge and so we were constantly making trays of water and having to empty and fill the trays. This thing has changed our lives. No, it does not keep the ice cool, but we turn it on and anytime someone comes into the kitchen, they dump the bucket into a large ziploc gallon bag and put it in the freezer. So at all times we have about 3 gallon bags of ice ready to go. You just slam it on the counter a few times and empty into freezer bucket and bam. Ice for several days. Rinse and repeat. It couldn't be much easier. It does not require much maintenance other than the occasional wipe down. It is pretty noisy, but it's nothing crazy, just a constant quieter running sound and the louder dumping of the ice every so often. 10/10 would recommend." — T. Alexa Snyder
Trending review: "I had no idea this portable Ice Maker was so handy and affordable. The ice maker in my 7 year old Samsung french door refrigerator stopped making ice. I had a technician come to the house. He wanted five hundred dollars or so to repair it. I was told sometimes it needs this part or that part or someother part and he would not know which part or parts until he worked it. Hey I am not spending $500 on a 7 year year old refer. I went on to Amazon and there was this Crownful ICE MAKER for about $100. I'm so glad I purchased it. For those of you who may have the sane situation or would like ice in your office or workshop or wherever don't hesitate on this unit." — Everett Manfredi
Reassuring review: "I love this little ice maker! The ice maker in the main fridge/freezer broke many moons ago, and since I’ve been working from home (Office had an ice maker/water machine), the lack of ice in abundance had me sweating. The first time I opened it and set it up, I cleaned it with water and vinegar very well. I let it sit on the counter for approx 4.5 hours per the instructions (and a little bit more since I read horrific reviews of the machine suddenly not working). I made sure there’s nothing within 10-12 inches of the exhaust fan area. I did have to run the water/ice maker for a few batches until all the vinegar flavor got out. Once it did, there was edible ice! I scoop it into a freezer gallon ziplock bag and keep it in the freezer. The ice cubes do come out a little wet but it makes sense since it’s not a cooler or freezer, but literally just an ice maker. The ice isn’t meant to sit in the basket all day. It makes a set of maybe 6-9 pieces of ice (don’t remember) every approx 15 mins. I’ve learned I am able to leave it running for about 1.5-2 hours before I have to empty the entire basket into a gallon ziplock bag and place it in the freezer. If starting with bottled water filled to the max level, it’ll last about two whole baskets-full. Like others, I don’t recommend letting the water run out which will cause it to blink that water is empty, since too many times of that could cause the motor to overheat and burn out or whatever. Pro tip: when transferring ice to the ziplock bag, roll all of the air out, zip it closed, and spread the ice flat. Then you can either place it in the freezer flat or fold the bag in half depending on size and space in your freezer. This helps a bit to keep the ice from freezing in big lumps when storing away, or waiting to add in the next batch of ice. So far I’ve had this for a few months now and I can’t be without it, unless I get a new built-in ice maker in my next new fridge/freezer. I will note that yes, the return policy sucks since basically there is no return policy. That was the only thing that made me so cautious of buying this. I believe I bought extra insurance on it if that was an option... Amazon wants customers to take up issues with the manufacturer. I hope to never have to experience that *crosses fingers*." — Karin
Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns
5. VIVOHOME - Best Light Indicator
Top-rated: 7,736 ratings | 141 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Compact design performs well on any occasion; perfect for RVs, boats, kitchens, tea shops, KTVs, offices, bars, restaurants, parties, gatherings, holidays, etc...
Helpful review: "This is a neat little unit that's quiet, fast, and compact. I'm the only one who uses it, but I'm never without ice now (and I use a lot of it). The reason I'm never without ice is because of the rapid rate at which it produces ice cubes, not because of the amount of finished cubes it stores. The unit fills - and therefore stops making - cubes after it fills with about 75 small-sized cubes, which should be fine for a family of four. The reason I say this is because the advert states some huge amount is produced in 24-hours, but that's only if you continuously empty the bin. If you're planning a huge party in the middle of summer, you'd probably be better off just buying bags of ice. Setup is idiot-proof - plug in, fill with water, and wait about ten minutes before your first cubes start to fall. The unit makes two different sizes of cubes - Small and Large. The small cubes are about the size of my thumb tip and the large cubes are about 50% larger. The cubes are formed by a rod that freezes water around them, so all cubes have a hole in the middle. This can be either good or bad; the hole increases surface area, so the ice melts, and the drink chills, faster.I guess the only complaint I have is that because of its compact size, it's difficult to get the supplied scoop and your hand together into the bin to remove them. I'm thinking of removing the handle from the scoop... or just using my fingers. Altogether I'm very pleased with this product." — Kevin
Trending review: "The manual does not provide instructions on how to activate the cleaning cycle, however, it is very easy. With the appliance in stand-by mode, press and hold the power button (3-5 seconds) until the device turns on. Release the button and the ice maker is now in cleaning mode. It will circulate the water, but the compressor will not come on and no ice is made during the cleaning cycle. The cleaning mode will continue to run until the device is manually turned off. I use a water/distilled, white vinegar solution for cleaning and then, after draining the vinegar solution, run the cleaning cycle again with plain, filtered water from my countertop water filter and I recommend always using filtered water. It takes about 6 - 6.5 minutes to make a badge of ice." — Manny
Reassuring review: "This product could not be easier to use! Just pour in some good clean water turn it on and within just a few minutes you’ll start to see the little bullets of ice drop right into the basket! They are consistently delicious cold and ready to use. This is a very easy product to use with little to no learning curve at all. When they drop into the bucket you do need to put them right into the freezer so they don’t melt. This does not keep them frozen inside the basket. It is not a very loud product during the icemaking cycle and does not take up a ton of room on top of your cabinet. It’s about the size of a bread maker. Try it today I think you’ll love it. We do!! It’s a great supplement to your current icemaker or this one could replace it all together." — Debbie Sue Taylor
Get it from Amazon now: $149.99 & FREE Returns
6. Euhomy - Best for Tech Dummies
Top-rated: 12,944 ratings | 263 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: User-friendly, so you don't need to install it. The silver stainless steel surface is not only very beautiful but also very easy to clean. You can place this portable ice maker anywhere. It's perfect for any countertop.
Helpful review: "I Truly don’t have any complaints about this unit. it makes Ice fast and a perfect size. I only made the Large size cubes and they are perfect for me. It’s easy to use easy to clean: simply fill up to water line select cube size and within 5-7 minutes you have enough ice for a decent size glass. What else could you ask for or expect? When I purchased this machine I didn’t know what to expect... or if any tabletop ice maker was worth the money or effort. I went on YouTube and looked up this particular brand and watched a few videos. I chose this ice maker and have had nothing but praises concerning its functionality and performance. I stand by my purchase. If you understand that this unit will only make ice and not keep it frozen then grab you one. You won't regret it. I sure haven’t. Anyway, hope this helps someone. Good Luck!" — Zachary V.Smith
Trending review: "I love love love this ice maker. I was truly surprised by how fast it can fill up our ice bucket!! (we bought a bigger one to keep in the freezer). We timed it, and it fills our bin (14x8x4in) in abuot 5-6 hours. This probably lasts about a week or more before we need to fill up again, and we use ice every day! My only complaint is sometimes it doesn't work... the machine comes with a troubleshoot sheet for some common issues that occur, and we tried them, but this issue was weird ... - it seemed to only work at night.. So when tried making ice during the day it would say "add water", but it was filled to the max fill line. But we never seemed to have this issue at night... Very funky, but aside from that, it's amazing!" — Garry
Reassuring review: "Thanks to another reviewer, I saw that using distilled water makes crystal clear ice. I also learned that if you keep the machine running 24/7 you don’t need to keep the ice in a freezer. Even though the tray area is not temperature controlled, it is insulated and when the ice does start to melt it just makes new ice. We use the machine a ton! My husband was going through an ice obsession and we were buying 5 22 lb bags at a time and storing them in coolers till they melted. Our ice machine on our freezer is broken and we have no room for bags of ice! Plus, Waste of money and my poor back! Now we have ice without the ugly coolers all over my living room! So happy with this purchase!" — Marni M.
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
7. Igloo - Best for Self-Cleaning
Top-rated: 1,749 ratings | 26 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Convenient and compact in size, this ice maker looks good on a countertop while producing ice whenever or wherever you need it.
Helpful review: "This is a great countertop ice maker. It pumps out enough ice to fill a big cup in about 30 minutes. The ice is soft so don’t expect it to last as long as fridge ice and the side walls and top are not insulated so it’s best if used promptly after being dispensed. Pros: quick production, easy to clean with vinegar and water, soft ice cubes for crunching, recirculates water from melting ice that doesn’t get used (best to use filtered or bottled water). Cons: loud when running, doesn’t hold ice for very long if it’s in a warm environment. It’s a great value and performs well." — Pamela Dawson
Trending review: "I have owned two other brands of these counter top ice cube makers for 5 years and both had negatives... but this model does not have them. The self cleaning this machine has is really important. Without it, I had to wipe it down with a vinegar solution and the little screen that sits at the bottom of the water tank would get dirty and I had to use a brush. Then I had to pick up the heavy machine and try to pour out everything. A lot of trouble--but if I didn't clean it--the ice could get nasty. Now I can flush the unit with a bleach or vinegar solution (the booklet tells you the ration to use) as much as I want. The handle on the machine helps me lift it easily to put away or under the counter. Also, to drain it fully, you need to tilt these machines when emptying. If you don't tilt it, it will leave a pool of water inside to mold if you don't wipe it down for storage or down time. The handle helps tilting it for draining. The control buttons are located on a non-moving part of the machine. The last machine I had to throw away after 2 years because the on-off button malfunctioned. The machine worked, it just stopped responding whenever you pushed the on/off button. The on-off and all other buttons were in the top lid that was constantly being lifted and moved. I believe the malfunction was caused by being in a constantly moveable part. This Igloo machine has similar buttons but they are located in a stationary part of the machine--and not the lid. The ice is very high quality and comes out faster than in the other similar machines I had. Compared to the other ice machines I've had which are similar to this one--this one beats them all hands down. Very happy with it." — S. Bay
Reassuring review: "I have owned almost every brand of portable ice maker. This one is the best. It is much quieter than the leading competitors and has self cleaning feature. I like that the drain plug is in the bottom of the machine and not out the side like the others. I like it so much I have ordered two more to give to family members. I love they have multiple colors to choose from also. Ice quality is the same as the others. This machine does recycle the water as the ice melts. Overall I am more than satisfied with this machine." — Mary H.
Get it from Amazon now: $119.99 & FREE Returns
8. Kismile - Best Value for Money
Top-rated: 3,828 ratings | 70 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Produces 9 ice cubes within only 6-8 minutes.
Helpful review: "We’ve had an ice maker for many years. We switched to this ice maker, 4 years ago…for some specific features we were looking for. Primarily, we wanted the slightly more compact size; although we also focused on the easy access to clean it; how the top lid opened up well to access everything for cleaning. We were impressed with the electric eye, which indicates that the ice tray is full. At that time, most other brands…and our previous brand, did not use the electric eye. Prior to getting an ice machine, we researched how to care for them. I would encourage others to do the same. There are some basic care instructions that are essential to keeping your machine running well. Many of the negative comments that indicate that it “just stopped running”….could very well be due to a lack of proper care for the machine. We are pleased with the quality of this machine, but also with the customer service. We had one glitch with our machine, and the manufacturer was very responsive and eager to correct the problem. They also go out of their way to help you troubleshoot any issues you may be having. If you purchase this machine…don’t hesitate to reach out to them, to ask questions and to help you care for your ice machine properly." — Cheryl
Trending review: "I was tired of hauling ice home a couple times a week. I live in Arizona I have to have ice. And there wasn't always room in the freezer. I'm so happy I purchased this little ice maker. It's easy to use but I would caution you to get a bowl or bucket or something when you remove the plug and then, more importantly, be sure to put the plug back in after emptying the water. I learned that the hard way. It's slower than I anticipated but it's just so perfect to use every 3-4 days. I'm the only one in the house who really has to have ice so what I make lasts me. Recommend for sure." — Rochelle McGowan
Reassuring review: "We've gone through several highly rated ice makers including igloo. This is by far the best. Fastest, self-cleaning, best basket design. Originally purchased an ice maker several years ago when we started our kitchen remodel and no longer had the freezer with the automatic ice maker in the kitchen. We're hooked. Bought another for our cabin. Daily use. Self-cleaning on this model is a breeze and so much easier than trying to shove a brush in the back of the top of the unit to try to clean the steal ice cube molds. Buy it. You won't regret your decision." — Pearl
Get it from Amazon now: $109.99 & FREE Returns
9. Frigidaire XL - Best for Clear Cubes
Top-rated: 1,018 ratings | 34 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Its reservoir sits below the ice basket and produce up to 40 lbs. of clear squared ice cubes per day.
Helpful review: "I searched for a counter-top ice machine when my refrigerator ice maker failed and I really didn’t like the ice it made anyways – half moon, cloudy, sediment filled soft ice. The choice became chewable nuggets, more half moons or cubes. Since I use ice primarily for iced tea, lemonade and cocktails, I wanted clear cubes. Hence, this was my choice and I picked Frigidaire for the brand. My choice was also influenced by the ratings. However, I read all the negative reviews as well.
Unboxing: Mine arrived undamaged with no signs of prior delivery, unpacking or use. It was new. Unpacking was easy. It’s good looking.
Manual: Poorly written, confusing, and only makes sense after playing with the machine.
Plastic ice scoop: Awkward to use when retrieving ice and can’t break up the sheets of cubes. I replaced it with stainless steel ice tongs.
Set-up: I waited the recommend hour of upright standing before I plugged it in. I filled the top tank with bottled drinking water – not distilled. I positioned it on my counter with plenty of breathing space behind it. It does put out warm air in the back when making ice.
Sound level: Surprisingly very quiet. Also, the machine only runs when it is in the producing cycle.
Ice product: It makes clear sheets of 24 ice cubes, each cube 7/8” square. The dimension of each cube remains constant, but you can change how full each cube is with a setting from -6 to +6. The +6 fills the cube completely but is a very solid sheet. The -6 you can poke your finger in the exposed, indented side (the only side that is not touching a cooling element). I chose +4 and like the result.
Ice making is fast, about 15 minutes a sheet on +4.
When the cycle completes, the sheets fall out of the freezing element into the bin (called harvesting) and generally remain intact, i.e., the cubes do not separate. The sheet of cubes, however, is easily broken with a small ice pick, knife handle or your ice tongs.
The ice is clear and cold and does not rapidly melt. It looks great in your drinks. It lasts.
Some people apparently just run the machine to make sheets of ice which they put in bags and put in their freezer and break up in the bag when they are going to be used. My intent is to keep the machine on and for it to constantly supply ice on demand. But I have also stored some sheets in my freezer in pint ziplocks.
Issues: Sometimes the ice sheet does not fall all the way down if the bin is full or will trigger the “full bin” mechanism (stop making ice) even if the bin is not full. The mechanism is a lever the ice sheet is supposed to depress when it falls if the bin is full. This is easily rectified by just rearranging the ice in the bin. However, you do have to check the machine occasionally for this. I had one occurrence when the frozen sheet did not completely separate from the freezing element yet triggered the full bin lever. The machine stopped making ice and the ice in the bin melted overnight, leaving water in the bottom of the ice bin. Solution: move the partially melted sheet to the bin and the ice making resumes, quickly using all the water in the bin for fresh ice.
Icons: There are 2 icons, one telling you the ice bin is full and that ice making has stopped and the other telling you to add water. The add water icon only goes on when there is no water in the back reservoir where you add water nor in the bottom tank. Melted ice water is recycled from the bottom tank to make new ice.
Timer: There is a timer function, but I have no idea why anyone would use it.
Ambient temperature: The displayed temperature is warmest when making ice and coldest when not. It has nothing to do with room temperature. Not sure what it is for.
Useful life: I don’t see any indication of the machine being short-lived. But I bought the $20 four year warranty just in case.
Bottom line: It makes cold, clear, cubed ice. The small inconveniences of having to break up the ice sheets or monitor the machine are worth it. Next best alternative: bagged Crystal ice from the grocery store." — Robert
Get it from Amazon now: $199.99 & FREE Returns
10. Igloo XL - Best for Large Capacity
Top-rated: 1,244 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Keep the 2.5-quart water tank filled and this unit will produce 33 pounds of ice in a 24 hour period - enough to keep drinks cold all day long.
Helpful review: "The bane of my existence has been always dropping whatever I'm doing because, "We need ice." We've never liked the taste of ice from the fridge ice maker and while the silicon square ice cube trays are cute, let's just keep this real, they aren't giving me the volume I need... thus the inconvenient trips down to the convenience store to get a bag of ice. Or, if I'm at the grocery store, I get the dreaded text message "We need ice" (after I've left, of course). When I saw that IGLOO made a portable ice maker, I had to order it. Which I did. I couldn't wait to test drive it and did so the moment it arrived. IT IS AWESOME! We were just about to run out of our bag of ice and within a couple hours, I had filled up that bag with ice from my new best friend. It's very well made and you can actually see the ice making process and the ice bullets that come out made me realize this is exactly how they make bagged ice (obviously on a much larger scale). What I love the most is that I get to use my Artesian Reverse Osmosis filtered water for my ice cubes. Highly recommend, you will not be disappointed. I'm not the brightest bulb in the house and it was super easy to use - just a couple buttons you have to press and let it do its thing! I'm looking forward to our next social gathering we host and will just have it running the whole time. I am so happy "We need ice" will now only be a memory." — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon now: $156.05 & FREE Returns
11. NewAir - Best Ice-Size Options
Top-rated: 1,110 ratings | 105 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Amazingly fresh-tasting ice.
Helpful review: "The rental house I am in doesn't have an ice maker in the refrigerator. It was the best choice out of all the rentals I looked at the last time I moved and since I don't use ice every day, I decided it was something I could easily live without.
I started out using bags of ice from the store, which works OK. Then I decided that it would be nice to have an icemaker in the house, so I looked at portable ice makers. I'm not sure how difficult it would be to run a water line to where the refrigerator is and really don't want to go to that much trouble since I do rent this house. A portable ice maker is easy to set up and can go with me when I move. Having had an excellent experience with the NewAir AIC-210 Commercial Grade 1 Quart Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker, I put the NewAir brand at the top of my list when I looked at portable ice makers. I finally settled on the Newair AI-215SS Stainless Steel Portable Ice Maker with 50 Lbs. Daily Capacity because I liked its features and I liked it's high daily capacity.
The unit has a self-cleaning cycle, which I very much appreciate. My sister used to have a portable ice maker, but it did not self-clean and she said it was really difficult to do manually with her model (I don't know what brand she had.) I put the self-cleaning cycle on, using the manual's recommended solution of one part water to one part white vinegar. After running it through a cleaning cycle with the vinegar solution, I ran a cycle with clear water to rinse it. The procedure is very similar to using a vinegar solution to clean a coffeemaker. After both the vinegar solution cycle and the fresh water cycle, I set the appliance on the edge of the kitchen sink, aiming the drain plug to empty the unit into the sink. At the end, I had to tilt the ice maker a little to get the last of the liquid out. Draining it might be a little easier if the drain plug were placed underneath the unit, but I'm not sure if that is mechanically feasible. Still, it wasn't hard to drain it, although I do think there is room for improvement.
Once it had been freshly cleaned, I filled it with fresh water and set it to make medium-sized ice cubes. The window on the top lid allows you to watch it make ice cubes, which is only exciting for about a minute. Mostly it is nice to simply see what stage the cycle is in. The ice maker comes with a basket to catch the ice in after it has made, and an ice scoop for serving it. Both of these items can be run through the dishwasher on the top rack, but they were also very easy to hand wash.
I filled a couple of large zip style bags with ice ( Hefty One Zip 2.5 Gallon Jumbo Bags 16ct (pack of 2) ) and stored one in the upright freezer in the garage and the other in the kitchen freezer for serving. The bags are easy to handle and can be zipped up to protect the ice. I also like that I can write the date I made the ice on the bags. The maker produces bullet-shaped cubes that fit nicely in most glasses and work wonderfully in most drinks. You can use this maker during parties if you want to keep ice going throughout the party rather than make a few batches beforehand.
While this machine does make ice cubes, it does not keep them frozen after it has made them. However, as the ice melts in the basket, holes in the basket allow the water to drain back into the water reservoir, recycling it to make another batch of ice bullets. I am very pleased with this ice maker. It does everything I want and has proven very reliable so far. The only thing that would make it easier to make ice would be if it could be connected to a water line, but I really didn't want that feature because it would have required an installation I'd need help with. With the AI-215SS, I was able to unbox it and go with no assistance from anyone." — Jennifer A. Ray
Get it from Amazon now: $359.99 & FREE Returns
12. GE Profile Opal - Best for Nugget Ice
Top-rated: 335 ratings | 20 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: The ice nuggets are made from compacted ice flakes, perfect for cocktails, sodas and other refreshing beverages.
Helpful review: "We saw this on sale in March, so we decided to take the plunge. It's heavier than I expected, but not in a bad way. We have plenty of counter space, so that was a plus. When we first turned it on and it started making ice, I thought to myself this is pretty slow. I can see that when you start it up for the first time, before you get used to it. I have not said that since. We leave ours on 24/7 making ice. I have never been without ice. Me, my wife, and our 5 year old use it all of the time. I actually use it more than my wife does. We had family over for Father's Day yesterday. It kept up just fine with demand. Granted, not everyone used ice. Maybe 4 or 5 people were using it. I highly recommend this. What sold this to me over some cheaper ones was the water recycling process. I had looked at some cheaper ones that did not do this. That was a deal breaker for me. I do not want to have to babysit a machine, so it was well worth the extra money. The extra water reservoir was a plus too. Our coworker who has the original does not have that and wishes he did. I am not sure if he can retrofit his original. If you are on the fence, you won't regret it. For extra peace of mind we bought the extended warranty. The Opal was on sale to justify the cost of adding it for us. Cleaning is easy. The machine directions are to use a little bleach with water and run it through a cleaning cycle. Then run about 3-4 cleaning cycles of fresh water. The water reservoir, ice reservoir, and the holder for the water reservoir I clean with dish soap. The instructions call to do this once a week. I will say I do not do it that often. I am doing it once a month. We only use bottled water (5 gallon variety) in this machine. We do not and will not use tap water; as we have hard water where we live. Therefore, I do not feel the need to clean it every week. I hope this helps! I will update my review if we have any issues with this machine." — Jeremy D.
Trending review: "This machine makes "Sonic" style ice and has been great during the last several months use. It can be a bit noisy, but it's worth it for the consistently great ice. This was an upgrade from a smaller ice maker that works well, but the fact that you can easily clean this one makes it a hands down winner for the long-term. The design of the reservoir is great and makes it easy to fill from our RO faucet. The biggest challenge was getting a unit that wasn't damaged in shipping since the unit is fairly heavy." — Bill
Reassuring review: "This is definitely worth the money if you are an ice person like we are. Everyone that comes over now wants the nugget ice! Not sure if the attached reservoir is worth it though. The first one I bought for my office and I did not get the reservoir and that is fine. Just bought one for the house and it came as a package deal. Think it would have been better if the reservoir opened from the top. But overall, it is a great machine.." — Michelle
Get it from Amazon now: $529.00
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