Best Portable Ice Maker Reviews [Tested In 2025]

I tested and ranked the best portable ice makers from brands like Frigidaire and Igloo, but the GE Profile Opal is still my no.1. Read my hands-on reviews.

FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.

1. GE Profile Opal - Best for Nugget Ice

HIGHLIGHT:

Talk about crunchable, chewy ice.

PERSONAL BACKSTORY:

I don't know if you’ve ever been to Sonic. If you did, you probably know that they have great roller skates. But we're here to talk about ice, and Sonic's is truly amazing. It's just different. Years later, when I realized that portable ice makers exist and you could make my own ice like this, I became hooked! I knew I needed to get one of these GE ice makers. Since I got it for a pretty good deal, I ended up making sure I got the water attachment, and I’m really happy I ended up adding that on there. I definitely recommend getting it if you’re on the fence.

SIDE TANK VALUE:

If you don’t have the side container, then you’d have to remove the ice basket and fill it up with water from underneath, and yeah, that can be messy. Essentially some of the ice can slip through the holes in the basket. So it’s definitely worth getting it.

CONS:

• I’m sure that this doesn’t happen to everyone, but the side tank on mine arrived a little scratched, along with the ice maker lid. I ended up keeping it, but I think I could have probably given it back.

• The feet of this thing are pretty sharp and they scratched my counter which really annoyed me. It would have been nice if there had been a warning about that, or if they’d put those little furniture covers on them to stop them from scratching things.

• This isn’t a freezer, so keep that in mind.

• There’s no holder for the ice scooper which is kind of annoying. If you keep it inside the ice maker, it can get lost in the ice.

• It’s supposed to just make a little hum, but this thing can get pretty loud. And my apartment is pretty small, so I end up hearing everything regardless of whether I’m in the kitchen or not. Personally, I disagree with the reviews that said it wasn’t louder than my fridge. It definitely is if you ask me.

FINAL TAKEAWAY:

Despite all this, I really love this thing. It’s just one of those simple things that makes life better! Just such a reliable and efficient appliance, and one I officially cannot live without. I use it so often that I end up having to refill the water attachment multiple times a week. I honestly think that as long as you get the side tank, it’s definitely worth it! So if you're on the fence, get the side tank, otherwise it's to expensive for what you're getting. By the way, it performed even better during some testing which Or Shalom covered in her GE profile ice maker review. - Sam Goldberg

Get it from Amazon now: $649.00 & FREE Return

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2. GoveeLife - Best Smart Option

HIGHLIGHT:

Can control remotely with the app.

PERSONAL BACKSTORY:

Honestly, the best part of having so many smart devices around my house is that I get to come up with all these fun names for them haha. But beyond that, it’s just super nice that I can finally have a working ice machine. I can’t even begin to express how annoying it is to have a fridge that works in every regard except the ice machine. My friends and I are convinced the fridges do that on purpose, don’t know why, but it’s annoying. Never again! So now I’m six weeks into a relationship with this ice maker, and boy, oh boy, what a great partner this little puppy has started to become. Just so nice to be able to turn it on when I’m not even home.

REMOTE CONTROL:

One of the best things about this portable countertop ice maker is that I can control it when I’m not even home. I’m terrible at making plans in advance, so I can’t explain how cool this is. I can just tell my Alexa to turn on Roxy and then when I get home, my ice is already ready. I didn't mention I live in Florida. In other words, I need ice in my drinks because I essentially live in a sauna. So yeah haha.

CLEANING:

I also love that Miss Roxy has a cleaning mode that will remind you when it’s time to give her a good scrubbing - and the best part about that? I don’t even have to clean it lol. You just press a button and it runs a cleaning cycle.

ICE SIZE:

I really only have one issue with this thing… I can’t really tell the difference between the variety of ice cube sizes, but maybe that’s just me. I dunno. I don’t really think it matters either way, though. At the end of the day, it’s a picky thing that really doesn’t bother me that much, because I like the small sized cubes and would probably use those even if the other sized cubes were much bigger. And the small isn’t even that small. I really love this thing.

ICE DELAY TIME:

While it’s awesome coming home to freshly made ice cubes, it does take about half an hour to get enough ice made to cool down a large cup. In other words, if you forget to get it moving before you get home, you’re going to be waiting a while.

THIN ICE:

The ice isn’t super thick, so you really need to make a lot of it in order to cool off your drinks so they’re actually, you know, ice cold.

DURABILITY:

The plastic on the button on the outside has also started to peel a little, which is kind of annoying. It still works perfectly, but if, after six weeks and this is already happening, it does make me question the durability of the product as a whole.

SCOOP ISSUE:

This one is for the manufacturers: why for the love of God did you not at least put a nail on the outside to hang the ice scoop. Like at the very cheapest, you could have done that. I feel like you’re selling these for a high enough price point that you could have even splurged on a little plastic container connected to the outside to store the scoop…but at this point, I would take a nail hanging outside it to hang the scoop up. That’s how annoying it is to have to store the ice scoop inside the machine and then have to dig through freshly made ice to get it. Yeah…no bueno.

FINAL TAKEAWAY:

Overall, I like it. But yeah, keep the cons in mind too. I'm a very annoying person who tends to find flaws in just about every product I order. I was trying to give you my hands-on thoughts. Hope it helps. - Collin McGowan

Get it from Amazon now: $159.99 & FREE Returns

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3. Frigidaire - Best Value for Money

HIGHLIGHT:

Overside window lets you check ice levels.

PERSONAL BACKSTORY:

Like most people who ended up getting one of these, I also had issues with my ice maker in my freezer. I feel like those things are meant to break. They never work! And I just didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a new fridge just so I could have some ice. I love having pellet ice in my soda, and since I don’t drink coffee, this is how I get my caffeine fix.

HIGH OUTPUT:

I pretty much filled up a YETI sized thing of ice, and I knew I wanted this thing so I ended up giving it to myself for Christmas. Honestly, this thing was already getting to work by 11am on Christmas morning, and it made enough ice that day to feed the whole family! I made so much in fact that I ended up filling up empty bags with it and just stuffing them into my freezer. You can read Holly Nasello's full Frigidaire ice maker review for additional tests and durabilty notes.

COST SAVINGS:

I can’t wait for fishing season. This amount of ice is gonna go along way and save me so much money that I would have spent on buying actual bags of ice, and now I can have so many extra bags in the garage, that it won’t even be an issue.

USER FRIENDLINESS:

Running it is super easy and it’s pretty simple to use. You can drain it really easily and then just wipe it down to keep it clean. I’d guesstimate that it makes about twenty pounds every day. Just make sure you keep emptying the bin when it fills up. Just an awesome product. Definitely going to buy this again! - Josiah Kelly

Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns

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4. COWSAR - Best For Bullet-Shaped Ice

HIGHLIGHT:

Can make three unique bullet shapes of ice.

PERSONAL BACKSTORY:

I’m very sensitive to any minerals in water, and I definitely have a sensitivity to fluoride, so I really hate drinking tap water and definitely don’t like unfiltered water in general. Specifically, I need water that is filtered with reverse osmosis. Brita doesn’t even do that, so I essentially end up having to use bottled water for everything. I use insulated bottles so the ice in this lasts longer, and that's the reason I love this ice maker so much! Although the ice cubes are smaller than I expected, the pellet ice stays in my cups longer than it would otherwise.

COUNTERTOP SIZE:

I did a fair amount of research before buying this baby. It’s a little smaller than other ice maker machines I’ve seen, and I actually like that. It fits perfectly on my counter, right below the cabinets.

SIMPLE OPERATION:

It’s really easy to use. All you have to do is fill up the reservoir with your water, then you just slide the ice bin inside and turn it on! In about six minutes, you’ll get about nine ice cubes, and it will keep producing the ice until it’s full, and the sensor tells you when it’s full of ice. Then when the ice melts, it just drips back the water into the bin and remakes the ice. Pretty nifty if you ask me. I also really like how the ice works in my blender now. The old ice in my freezer took forever to blend up, and this just works so much better.

FEATURES:

It’s just so easy to use and I’d say it’s a lot quieter than other ice maker machines I’ve used in the past. I like the handle a lot because it makes it super portable, so you can move it around wherever you want. I also love how easy it is to clean, it comes with a self cleaning feature so you don’t even have to clean it… haha. There’s a plug in the bottom of it that allows you to empty out the unit without having to flip it over. And I really like that it comes with an ice bag, too. All you have to do is just keep emptying the basket into the bag and that stops the ice from melting.

FINAL NOTE:

I love that I have this large bag of ice in my freezer now and I don’t have to twist those tiny ice trays anymore. - Rebeca Kirk

Get it from Amazon now: $69.99 & FREE Returns

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5. AGLUCKY - Best for Portability

HIGHLIGHT:

In an average of seven minutes, you’ll get nine ice cubes.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:

It’s been about five minutes since I got this thing, and man have I gotten my money’s worth! This thing makes over twenty six pounds of ice a day, and I love that I don’t have to go out and buy bags of ice now. My fridge isn’t big enough to have an ice maker, so I always knew I wanted one of these, and I’m just so happy I took the plunge and got this thing.

COUNTERSPACE FIT:

I was a little worried, because my lake cabin doesn’t have a lot of counter space, but to my surprise this thing was actually small enough and fit perfectly on my counter.

BUYER EXPERIENCE:

I did buy it on sale and I’m glad for that. And I’m even happier that I ignored all the negative reviews that complained that this would stop working after thirty days or the reviews that said there was no customer service. It just isn’t true, at least from my personal experience.

USER ROUTINE:

Haven’t had any issues in all this time buying it, and that’s actually why I waited so long to write this review. I use this thing about one to two times a week and I love it so much. When I’m done, I unplug it, open the lid, and allow it to dry out.

WET ICE NOTES:

I will say in advance that the ice cubes are on the wet side, they’re not super frozen, but that’s okay if you ask me. They don’t last forever, and if you do put them in the freezer they can clump up together. But you can avoid this if you just transfer them to a gallon bag when they’re done and then lay them flat in the bag in the freezer. All you have to do is shake up the bag to break it into pieces. And then... repeat!

OUTPUT:

When you fill the bucket once, it makes enough ice in one cycle to fill my freezer completely. When I’m done, I just fill it back up. It’s that easy. Honestly, filling it in bags may sound time consuming, but it’s leaps and bounds better than the idea of using ice cube trays.

FINAL TAKEAWAY:

The ice cubes are on the smaller side, about a third smaller than your typical ice cube, but I love it that way. Gone are the days where I have to shove large ice cubes into water bottles. And it makes great cocktails too! And the nine minute promise is no joke. It makes a great amount in that time, too. Love this thing. - Jason Beck

Get it from Amazon now: $79.99 & FREE Returns

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6. VIVOHOME - Best Light Indicator

HIGHLIGHT:

Compact and versatile for any location and event.

FAMILY USE:

This ice machine produces so much ice I can barely keep up! It typically stops creating ice after it creates about seventy five small cubes, and honestly I find that that amount is plenty for my family of four. It’s advertised as making a crap ton more, but it really can only do that if you are continuously emptying out the basket and you really only need to do that if you’re planning on having a party of some sort, but it’s kind of time consuming to continuously move it into bags. Personally, I think it works better as a short term solution that you’re using as it comes, not something where you’re trying to stock ice.

SETUP:

Set up is pretty straight forward. You plug it in, you pour in water, and in about ten minutes you’ll get your first batch of ice.

CUBE SIZE:

They come in two sizes, small and large - it’s basic, remember? I would say the larger cubes are about fifty percent larger than the smaller ones and that the smaller ones are about the size of my husband’s thumb nail. He doesn’t have the biggest hands though, so take that as you will. All the cubes have a hole in the middle, which essentially allows them to melt faster and cool your drinks quicker.

SCOOPING ISSUE:

It is a compact machine though, so it’s a little difficult scooping the ice out. I end up just using my fingers.

CLEANING MODE:

The instruction manual is lacking. Not really any info on how to get the cleaning cycle going, but it’s pretty easy to figure out once you understand how it works. You put it in stand by and hold the power button for up to five seconds, and then it turns on, and you let go of the button, and wah-lah! Cleaning mode activated. Remember it’s not making ice when this is happening, and it will keep going until you shut it off. It’s not necessary, but I typically add some vinegar in there when it does the cleaning cycle and then I run it one extra time with filtered water. After it’s done cleaning, I end up making my ice, and it typically takes just under seven minutes to get a nice sized bag.

FINAL NOTE:

I’m very happy with it. This ice maker serves its function. It's compact, easy to use, pretty much portable, and it has a sleek design. I guess you can find a better one if you pay more, but for the money, this thing is solid. - Manny Wright

Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns

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7. Igloo - Best for Self-Cleaning

HIGHLIGHT:

Compact and convenient in size and value.

PERSONAL BACKSTORY:

After owning two different brands of these portable ice makers, I can officially say that the third time is truly a charm. All the negatives I experienced with my other pellet ice machine are non existent with this one! And I’m convinced it comes down to the self cleaning mechanism, that is really the most important part of these things. If you keep them clean, they will last. And I found that with other models, the self cleaning function definitely didn’t work as well as it was supposed to.

CLEANING:

With the Igloo, the self cleaning function just works amazingly. Gone are the days where I’m scrubbing with a brush and vinegar, knowing that if I don’t clean it by hand, the ice is going to taste bad. Now I just follow the instructions that explain the right solution and ration, and then I sit back and let it do its thing.

HANDLE FEATURE:

I love how there is a little handle on top of the machine that makes it easier for me to store it and slide it under the counter. Keep in mind that when you’re draining the ice maker, you have to tilt it to empty it out, otherwise it leaves a pool of water that can create mold when you’re not using it. The handle definitely helps with the tilting aspect, and this was something other models I’ve tried in the past lacked.

DURABILITY:

My last machine just quit working, specifically the power button just no longer worked, like it short circuited after two years. So far, this product seems to be made much more durable–for example, the power button is in an area that I’m not using often. On other brands and models, the power button was on the lid that you had to keep moving around, and I think that eventually led to its demise.

FINAL NOTE:

Although only time will tell on how long this will last, I can confidently say that this is my new favorite brand... Very happy with this product so far! - Sam J. Bay

Get it from Amazon now: $94.99 & FREE Returns

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8. Frigidaire XL - Best for Clear Cubes

HIGHLIGHT:

Can produce up to forty pounds of ice cubes per day.

BROKEN FRIDGE ISSUE:

Like most other reviewers who bought a countertop ice maker, my ice maker in my fridge quit working on me, and there was no way I was going to pay to get it fixed. I love this ice maker and I’m so happy I ended up getting it. I mainly went with it because the reviews were so positive, but I didn’t go in blind. I reviewed all the negative reviews in the process, too.

UNBOXING:

Packaging came in a really solid box and I had zero issues unpacking it. New and great looking.

MANUAL:

Not great. You’ll figure out more by playing around with the machine than actually trying to understand the poorly written instructions.

PLASTIC SCOOP:

Kind of odd and awkward and not great for getting the ice out. I ended up using tongs as a replacement.

SETUP:

I waited an hour before plugging it in (about the only thing I did understand from the manual) and then I used bottled water to fill up the tank. I kept space free behind the exhaust fan as it does expel warm up. Not difficult to set up.

SOUND LEVEL:

Surprised me just how silent it actually was, and it only runs when it’s producing ice.

ICE PRODUCTION:

Produces clear sheets that have twenty four ice cubes and the size of each of the cubes is consistent. The ice production is quick and then the sheets fall out into the bin and for the most part remain in their shape and don’t separate from the sheet, so you’ll need to break them up with the tongs. I do like how the ice is clear and they don’t immediately melt. In other words, they last. You can store sheets in the freezer which is super convenient.

BIN DETECTION:

If your bin is already full, the new sheet of ice won’t always fall all the way down, which is to be expected. Although I did find that sometimes it didn’t register correctly and would stop making ice even if the bin wasn’t full. All you have to do then is just move around the ice in the basket so it reads that there is ice in the basket and then it starts back up again. you have to. One icon alerts you that the bin is full of ice and the other one reminds you to add more water. Any ice that melts will recycle back through it to make new ice which is cool. And, yeah, a timer is there, but it’s kind of pointless if you ask me.

TEMP DISPLAY:

The temperature displayed has nothing to do with the room temperature and seems like it’s there more for show than anything.

PRO TIP:

when you’re putting the ice in the bag, make sure you get the air out and keep the ice flat in the bag in your freezer, otherwise you run the risk of it bunching up into a block. Keeping it flat stops this from happening.

FINAL TAKEAWAY:

I’m a few months into adding this into my life. It already has done great at both my Memorial Day bash and my Fourth of July party. I’m honestly thinking of getting a second one for Labor Day! The ice is clear, cubed, and cold, exactly what I wanted. It’s a little inconvenient to have to continue to break up the sheets of ice and move the ice around if it mistakenly reads that the bin is full. But for the price, and the amount of money it’s saved me on buying bags of ice…it’s worth it. It really seems pretty durable, but I recommend buying the twenty dollar four year warranty, like I did. - Karin Lee

Get it from Amazon now: $169.99 & FREE Returns