Contents
- 1 Best Countertop Ice Makers Top 6 Comparison Chart
- 1.1 Best Overall: Perfect Ice + Quiet Operation - Vremi Countertop Ice Maker Review
- 1.2 Smallest Footprint: Most Affordable - Euhomy Countertop Ice Maker Machine Review
- 1.3 Serving Companion: Prime Home Portable Stainless Steel Countertop Ice Maker Machine Review
- 1.4 Trusted Brand: hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop Review
- 1.5 Best for Small Home: NewAir AI-100R Portable Ice Maker Review
- 1.6 A Portable Countertop Ice Maker: Sentern Portable Clear Ice Maker Review
- 2 The Best Small Ice Maker
- 3 The Best Countertop Ice Maker With a Water Dispenser
- 4 Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About Home Countertop Ice Makers
- 5 A Must-Have for 2020
- 6 Frequently Asked Questions
Best Countertop Ice Makers Top 6 Comparison Chart
Best Overall: Perfect Ice + Quiet Operation - Vremi Countertop Ice Maker Review
If you’re looking for a stainless steel ice machine that will give you perfect cubes every single time, look no further. The Vremi Countertop Ice Maker produces 9 bullet-shaped ice cubes in under 10 minutes. The cubes’ unique shape fits even small water bottle openings.
This ice maker is small enough to be taken on picnics and barbecues. It doesn’t need to be hooked up to a water source, and it’s easy to store when not in use. Best of all, it’s quiet. Should you ever need to make ice in the middle of the night, you’re not going to disturb anyone.
This unit is the best small ice maker to add pizzazz to your drinks. It’s extremely efficient, and its stainless steel exterior makes it durable.
Why We Like It
- Prevents overflowing with warning lights and automatic shutoff features;
- Energy-efficient and runs at 120 watts;
- Comes with basket and scoop;
- 2.2 L reservoir that lets you reuse melted ice.
Smallest Footprint: Most Affordable - Euhomy Countertop Ice Maker Machine Review
Trying to save up on counter space? The Euhomy Countertop Ice Maker is the most compact unit on this list. Every ice cycle takes only 8 minutes to complete. If you keep the machine running for a day, you’ll get 26 lbs. of ice!
Because this home ice maker machine is so compact, it’s easy to move it around the house. You can use it in the basement bar or take it on a road trip. Despite its size, its sleek steel finish lets it fit right in a modern kitchen.
The Euhomy Countertop Ice Maker Machine is a small unit, but it packs a punch. It’s easy to use and doesn’t use a lot of power.
Why We Like It
- Transparent window to monitor ice level;
- Quiet compressor;
- Easy to clean;
- Refill indicator lights.
Serving Companion: Prime Home Portable Stainless Steel Countertop Ice Maker Machine Review
The Euhomy Ice Maker is the best appliance to bust out an event. This one can produce 1.5 lbs. of ice at a time. All your guests would happily have iced drinks in their hands in six minutes. You also get the option to make small or medium-sized ice cubes.
The Prime Home Portable Ice Maker will not fail you. It comes with a 2-year warranty, so you know its manufacturers stand by its quality. Included with the unit are an ice bucket and scoop, so you can dole out the ice with ease.
The Prime Home Portable Ice Maker is perfect if you want to serve cold drinks quickly. However, it doesn’t keep the ice from melting, so you have to keep it running if you're going to freshen drinks.
Why We Like It
- Small enough for camping trips and poolside;
- Two sizes of unique cylinder ice cubes;
- Money-back guarantee;
- Easy to clean.
Trusted Brand: hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop Review
hOmeLabs features excellent appliances, and their ice maker is no exception. This powerful unit can make chewable ice in under eight minutes. Its compressor doesn’t need a lot of energy to produce ice in such a short time.
This tabletop ice maker also has indicator lights that tell you when to start refilling. This ensures a steady supply of ice for your gatherings. Once again, hOmeLabs delivers a high-quality product that won’t disappoint.
This ice maker is easy to use, and it’s everyone will appreciate it during get-togethers. The noise difference is subtle and still won’t disrupt all the fun you’re having.
Pros
- Warning lights that tell you if the basket is full;
- No build-ups and over freezing;
- Rinse to clean;
- Modern, rounded design.
Cons
- A little louder than the other units.
Best for Small Home: NewAir AI-100R Portable Ice Maker Review
AI-100R Home Ice Maker produces 28-pounds cubes in a day and could produce a single batch in just 15 minutes - it comes in a very convenient and chic design; it’s slightly larger than most portable ice machines. It doesn’t need any installation.
With its larger size, NewAir's AI-100R compact ice maker offers a bigger cube production capacity; it’s durable that could last in your service for many years. Their compact ice machine comes in a simplified cleaning process —after use, unplug and just drain water contents through its side-mounted drain. It’s one of those best small portable ice makers.
Pros
- This small portable ice machine produces 28 pounds of cubes in a single day;
- A single batch of cubes in just 15 minutes;
- Portable and has a large cubes production capacity;
- Easy to clean.
Cons
- Short life span.
A Portable Countertop Ice Maker: Sentern Portable Clear Ice Maker Review
Merax' device makes crystal-clear ice that is harder and denser; their countertop ice machine produces melt slowly and doesn’t dilute your drinks taste and quality. Also, the portable countertop ice maker comes with sleek and compact design and user-friendly digital control panel - this countertop ice maker machine has a stainless steel framework that ensures quality and durability.
Sentern is relatively quiet than those larger machines. This countertop crushed ice maker could produce cubes in three varying sizes by adjusting its cooling time. Sizes are small, medium and large. But some customers have created beyond these three formats.
As it's portable and doesn’t need much space, it’s perfect at home or for small gathering use. It’s even suitable for motor home use during road trips. Best of all, this countertop ice cube maker comes at an affordable price. Merax’ Sentern could be the best-rated countertop ice maker for you!
Pros
- Produces crystal clear cubes;
- Quiet during operation;
- Portable and compact design;
- Affordable price;
- Durable;
- Digital Control Panel.
Cons
- Short life span.
The Best Small Ice Maker
There is no way to choose the best countertop ice maker machine without any information about dimensions. When it comes to small spaces, the small (and probably the smallest one) ice makers is your way to go. Before you’ll buy the ice maker, we recommend you to check the next models, which are considering as the smallest, but still powerful ice makers:
- Choose from 3 bullet ice cube sizes
- Makes up to 28 pounds of ice per day
- Side mounted drain makes it easy to empty unused water
- 2 Indicator lights: Ice basket full indicator and empty water indicator
- Compact, portable size is perfect for RVs and apartments
And here is another ice maker which is consider as #1 Bestseller at Amazon:
- Frigidaire Red Ice Maker - Produce 26 Pounds of Ice Per Day - and Ice in as Little as 6 Minutes
- Makes Ice in 2 Different Sizes
- Counter Top Design, Easily Portable, and See-throught Design Allows you to Watch as the Ice is Being Made
- Digital LED Control Panel for All Ice Making Controls
- 2.3 Quart Water Reservoir Capacity, for Maximum Ice Making Production; Includes Ice Shovel
When in comes to ice maker machines, you just can’t mention Igloo ice makers, and here is one of the smallest ice makers:
- DESIGNED FOR CONVENIENCE: Convenient and compact in size, this ice maker looks good on a countertop while producing ice for whenever or wherever you need it
- LARGE ICE MAKING CAPACITY: Keep the 2 quart water tank filled and this unit will produce 26 pounds of ice in a 24 hour period ; enough to keep drinks cold all day long
- CARRY HANDLE: Carry handle is attached to the ice maker, making it convenient to move wherever it needs to go
- SELF CLEANING: Automatic 5 cycle cleaning function makes clean up easy and effortless, allowing for cleaner ice every time
- ICE BASKET CAPACITY: Stores up to 1. 25 pounds of ice at a time so you can keep your drinks ice cold
Here is dimensions of the best small ice maker machines:
- NewAir, AI-100SS: 14.50 x 11.75 x 15.00 inches
- Frigidaire EFIC102-RED: 15.30 x 15.30 x 11.70 inches
- Igloo ICEB26HNAQ: 12.20 x 9.06 x 12.80 inches
The Best Countertop Ice Maker With a Water Dispenser
Two-in-one is always the best options, though. For instance, you don’t have to buy two different kitchen appliances, but just one with all functions and features you need. Thus, the countertop ice makers with a water dispensers is a good way to go for appliance with additional and useful features. Here we collected the best countertop ice makers and water dispensers you should check out before you’ll pick the best one for you:
Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About Home Countertop Ice Makers
For you to have the best home countertop ice maker, there are aspects of these machines you should be familiar with; features and types that you should know of. So, continue reading to get started.
Types of Countertop Ice Maker
There are two common types of countertop ice makers that you can choose from: both have the same primary purpose, which is to make cubes for your consumption — for fighting the heat during summer or party drinks. But they differ significantly in the capacity they could produce, the shape and size of ice. Also, their cost is another stand-out difference.
Countertops
Pros: portable, less cost (no need for installation).
Cons: Smaller storage due to its size.
These types are small-sized and lightweight. They come in smooth design and don’t need any installation. And they are easy to use and portable. We have some countertop ice machine reviews of these types that you might want to browse through.
Under-Counters
Pros: hold and produce more cubes.
Cons: Heavyweight about 30 pounds. Cost more for installation. Fixed in one location.
Unlike the previous types, these ones could cost a lot of money for their installation. They are also bigger compared to above-mentioned countertops machine. Which means they have more storage space that could handle a large crowd.
What Makes the Best Countertop Ice Maker?
Before getting to your final decision of what ice maker machine to buy, first, consider the things that influence your buying decision and all important features of ice makers.
Your Demand
Knowing your purpose of having one will help with the selection process of ice makers. There are two common types of ice makers to take note of countertops and under-counters. You might what to check our countertop ice maker reviews for a budget-friendly one.
If you’re looking for a lightly-built and portable one, countertops cube maker is for you. Also, you could just easily bring these types on your camping or boating trips. But, if you’re seeking for a tool that could produce more cubes, then you need under-counter types, as they can handle large crowds’ needs, like in a party or family holidays. In case you will use it commercially —there is a commercial countertop ice maker for this purpose. They would produce a large number of cubes per batch and come with varying size options and shapes.
Your Budget
Having one of these will surely involve spending some money. And you can only have the one that you can afford. So, it’s recommended that you should look for those that would fit your budget.
Recent models of this equipment come at a higher price range, as well they are of the highest quality and with top performance. But, if your budget isn’t enough to buy those expensive ones, there are some affordably priced equipment. They still perform well, which produces cubes at a stable cycle.
Size
This is crucial to your purpose of buying one. Select the tool whose size fits a location where you’re going to place it. If you’re going to use it on your motor, you need those portable and smaller cubes makers, which produce ice faster than those bigger ones; they also keep ice colder.
Speed
This feature is an important indicator of a high-quality cubes maker. You should check length of tools production cycle to know speed of a device. A smaller size of these equipment produces a batch of cubes quickly than those of larger one. They could make a batch in just under 6 minutes; others will take around 15-20 minutes.
Ice Shape
Most of these devices produce cubes that are bullet-shaped with hollow interiors. Others make a batch of dice-shaped ice. The structure of the cubes allows them to melt in their compatible rates. Their shapes will directly affect taste of your drink. You better add this feature in your decision making if you want to achieve a certain flavor of your beverage.
Performance Capabilities
The best countertop ice maker could produce around 24 pounds of cubes in a day. This amount is more than enough to handle needs of people in a moderate house party. This is a device that you, definitely, should have at your disposal.
Cleaning and Maintaining
Even though this equipment doesn’t really need daily maintenance and cleaning, but it’s still good for the tool you buy if it has its own mesh filter. In addition to the mesh filter, it would be great to have a self-cleaning cycle. These features are an advantage for you, and they’re cost-effective.
A Must-Have for 2020
Summing it all up, countertop ice machines are portable, compact, and easy to use. They could prevent situations where you have to run to your local store because there is no ice for drinks at your house party. Other than having the best shower system in your house or motor home to cool off the heat in summer, the best tabletop ice maker would also help you to chill out during hot days.
With this best countertop ice maker 2020 guide, you’ll have a high chance of choosing the best countertop ice for you. Browse through our mykitchenadvisor best-rated countertop ice maker section and you might find the one you like to have. Just consider all aspects and features listed here, make sure to select that handles your purpose, needs, and personal preference, and you won’t be disappointed! Our choise is Sentern Portable Clear Ice Maker By Merax.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Countertop Ice Makers Work?
How these equipment works are pretty simple: much like the cubes markers that are in most freezers and refrigerators — pumping water into their cube tray. Then refrigeration process cools off the water. The excess heat from the compressor will release the cubes they just made.
And here’s how you can operate them.
- You need to plug them in a standard 115v outlet.
- Take out a tray and fill it with water up to a threshold line; for most tools, it would take around 8-10 cups of water to fill a tray. The best thing about these tools is that they don’t need a separate water supply line.
- Then put its tray back inside and close its lid.
- To start it, push the “ON” button and choose the size you want it to produce; the default size for most of this equipment is “Large”. Many of these tools are quick and efficient in producing cubes, which means you could have a single batch in just a few minutes. Most countertop ice makers are very easy to use.
As it becomes clear from the above, the device is quite simple to make not only ice cubes, but also natural ice cream. If you are one of the fans of ice cream, then this device will definitely come in handy, and for those who do not yet have an ice maker, we suggest you learn how to make ice cream in a blender.
What Is the Best Countertop Ice Maker?
Finding the best countertop ice machine for you would be subjective. There’s no exact answer to this question, as you need to look for something that fit your purpose, needs, and personal taste. Back these up with your research on features and brands and its corresponding price and you’ll find your match!
How to Clean Countertop Ice Maker?
Countertop cube makers are relatively easy to clean. But, each machine has its way to be maintained. Instructions to clean them are in their manuals; you could even download it from the manufacturer’s website. If, for some reasons, you couldn’t get a copy of its manual, here are some steps you may follow to wipe your cube maker.
- First, unplug your device.
- If there are any cubes in it, remove them. For cube that has melted, drain water contents.
- Remove the detachable parts inside the bucket. This includes ice tray, water filters, scoop, etc. The parts will vary depending on the type and model.
- Pour some warm water into the machine.
- Using a soft cloth paired with a mild detergent, clean it inside thoroughly. Make sure to get to every corner. For some hard to remove stains use tap water mixed with vinegar. Or a mixture of water and baking powder. If your machine comes with water filters, use a toothbrush or some Q-tips to clean them.
- Rinse it thoroughly once done; make sure that no trace of detergent left inside it.
- Give it some time to dry well. You can use a soft cloth to wipe the water inside; this will help to dry quickly.
- Once it has dried, place back the parts that you have removed. Make sure that they’re completely dry before returning back.
What Is the Energy Draw of an Igloo Countertop Ice Maker?
Now, a compressor of igloo’s machine is more efficient. Needs only 120 watts to run. You wouldn’t even notice that it’s working, as a side fan is all you could barely hear; but defrost cycle of Igloo’s machine would produce noise, which is not even louder than your refrigerator’s ice machine. Check out our countertop ice maker reviews. We have this brand on our list. Or you can check other igloo countertop ice maker reviews for more information.
What Caused a Countertop Ice Maker to Lock Up?
There are times that your machine wouldn’t eject or even make ice at all. Here are some common causes of these problems.
- If it’s not releasing any ice, a control arm might have been set to an off position.
- If it’s not making ice at all, a clog by frozen water is making this happen.
Do ice makers keep ice frozen?
Ice maker is not a freezer. It will not keep ice frozen once it the ice was made.
COMMENTS
23 September, 2020
good list of appliances, i personally can not imagine my life without an ice maker!
14 September, 2020
Tell me, please, will the AI-100R be enough if I often have crowded parties?
22 August, 2020
A lot of thanks for this enlightening information! Summers are hot here, so I need one. My freezer just stopped working in my refrigerator, I called a technician, but the repair would cost a lot. So I'd better buy a separate ice-maker. You have helped me to choose one of them!
18 August, 2020
I was looking for a home ice –maker that will produce a lot of cubes for my big family. We often held parties and holidays, so we just can’t live without it. All shops offer the same, only the prices are different. Thanks to your post, I can now distinguish the types and see whether I need an under-counter ice-maker for my needs or not. Love it!
3 August, 2020
after reading the review I realized that this is a very useful thing, never used it before, but I think I'll try
24 July, 2020
my counter top ice machine just broke down a few days ago 😔 I live in a coastal region, so I’m always in need of ice for everything. Sometimes it is very expensive. I have just figured out which one of the TOP is the best to buy this time. Thanks for your help!
3 July, 2020
Looking over your offers and analyzing all of mentioned above, I eventually decided to buy a Frigidaire EFIC-102. To be honest, I wasn’t disappointed. This machine makes ice cubes. It works well. Bear in mind, if you buy this one, you will have to refill it with water every time you need ice. No complaints.
13 June, 2020
I have a tiny kitchen, so the most important aspect for me in choosing an ice-maker is its SIZE. I don’t care about its speed or ice shapes, I just need a compact ice-maker that will work. Thank you for sharing the top 2020 ice-makers. Thanks to this listing and reviews, I can easily pick what I want.
29 May, 2020
My current refrigerator ice maker stopped working. I’m not ready to buy a new fridge now, so I’m up to buying simply a kitchen countertop ice-maker. Thanks for sharing the post. I think I’ll buy Euhomy. It’s compact in size and I can move it wherever it needs to go. It has an automatic cleaning cycle, so I won’t even have to care about anything.
8 January, 2020
Good web site you have here.. It’s hard to find high quality writing like yours nowadays. I really appreciate people like you! Take care!!