An ice maker is great for your kitchen countertop, your RV/boat or at social gatherings. An ice machines will give you the option to have ice cubes readymade for your water and other beverages. They come in many different shapes, sizes and capacities, some have internal cooling.
In this article, our wefoundthebest editor has carefully curated a selection of the best icemakers across different sizes and price points.
#1: Opal Nugget Ice Maker
The Opal Nugget Ice Maker is a premium and highly revered icemaker. For the relatively high pricetag you also get an icemaker that looks more elegant than the typical countertop icemaker, and is made of high quality materials in a high build quality. It is very compact and portable unit, and has bluetooth connectivity which will allow you to control the unit from an app. It takes about 15 minutes to produce an ice batch, 1 lb per hour and the entire 3 lb capacity is filled in 3 hours. Users love and keep this ice maker.
#2: EdgeStar IB120SS with Built in Ice Maker
The Edgestar is basically a small freezer with a built in ice maker. This larger icemaker allow for a high capacity – it will produce and store 6 lbs of ice in 12 hours. It has front venting, no drain line and is ADA heigh compliant. This unit is perfect is you want the more “industrial” look and large capacity for parties etc. The ice cube shape is “half moon sized”.
#3: HomeLabs Portable Ice Maker
The Homelabs icemaker is an affordable yet highly reviewed icemaker. It can store a total of 1.5 lbs of ice, each batch of 9 bullet-shaped ice cubes takes about 8-12 minutes to make – the whole removable basket fills in about 1 hour. The production automatically shuts off after it is full, and goes to quiet compressor cooling once the ice is produced. Users love that the Homelabs takes up very little space and fits on most counters, and is really great for everyday use. It comes with a white, plastic scoop.
#4: Ivation Portable Ice Maker – 2 Selectable Cube Sizes
The Ivation Portable Ice Maker has a sleek design and will let you select between 2 cube sizes, both bullet shaped. The large see-through lid on top will allow you to monitor the production and check on the ice cubes. The machine will alert you if the water level is low and when the maximum ice level is reached. Users appreciate the small icecube size that will allow you to put the cubes directly into water bottles, and the speed of the icemaking. The unit automatically shuts off when the ice bucket is full, and has no further cooling.
#5: YONGTONG Ice Maker
The Yongtong machine also has 2 cube sizes. It comes in a fashionable metallic red or classic silver. It takes only about 6 minutes to produce a batch of use and will make 26 pounds per day. It’s affordable and made in China, but has good reviews and comes with simple instructions. The front has a drain for unused water and the bucket with the ice can be easily removed to bring the ice to where you need it.
Costway Portable Compact Ice Maker, 26lb of Ice Daily
The Costway ice maker is another affordable ice maker with great reviews. It comes in black, metallic red, silver or white – users like the many choices of this product. It is very portable and compact, and can be used in your kitchen, on your boat or just at gatherings and parties. It has a see-through lid and 1.5lb capacity. The unit alerts you when the water is used or the container is full. Users report that the unit is great for everyday use, does the job and is quiet.
Choosing the best ice maker
Capacity: Most smaller counter-top ice makers have a 1.5 lb capacity. The larger and more expensive icemakers will have a 3lb or even 6lb container, and are typically shaped like small fridges.
Sound level: Check users reviews for how much noise the ice maker makes. Loud humming quickly becomes annoying in your home. The ice makers with cooling will also make some noise after the ice production is finished, just for keeping it cold
Cooling: If you want to unit to keep cooling the icecubes after the capacity is reached, you need a machine with built-in cooling. Also check reviews for how much noise this cooling makes.
Alerts: Does the ice maker alert you? Typically the machine will let you know when the A) water level is low and B) when the full capacity is reached.
Glass lid: Units with a see-through lid will allow you to check and monitor the ice level. This is practical.
Scoop: Most icemaker comes with a scoop. Check reviews to learn if this is just a cheap plastic spoon or a high quality item.
Ice production time: Check the specs to learn the time it takes the ice maker to make ice. Typically 5-10 minutes per batch. Multiple batches will go into producing a full container.
Connectivity / Wifi: More advanced ice makers will let you connect to the unit over bluetooth or wifi and check on ice levels and production time. Very practical!
Ice shape: Check what kind of ice shapes the ice machine unit produces. Some ice makers make “bullet shaped” or “half moon” ice cubes, other also makes “chewy ice” for cocktail making.
Ice cube size: Some ice makers let’s you choose from different ice cubes sizes. This is practical if you need a smaller ice cube size to put the ice directly into water bottles etc.
Design: It matters how the ice maker looks on your countertop. Make sure it fits your style.
Customer service: Ice makers are known to break, since they have both cooling elements and many moving parts. Check reviews to learn about the responsiveness and friendliness of customer service.
Price: The more you pay, the better they get. No doubt about it. Still, the affordable ones comes with great reviews.