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When spending quality time with your friends on a hot summer’s day, all you want is that ice-cold beverage on hand to cool you down. However, summer usually means a shortage of ice supply due to lack of storage, or the ice melting quickly.
That´s where ice makers come in. They started out as refrigerator-sized ice machines, but with limited space in homes and businesses, countertop ice machines have been developed to cater to our needs. They are designed to be as portable and compact as possible, without compromising on quality.
Portable ice makers relieve us of the hassle of going back and forth to the nearest gas station or convenience store to buy a couple pounds of the ice, only for most of it to melt on the way home. Read these reviews of the best countertop ice makers to help you decide which is the best option for you.
Article Contents
Top Rated Countertop Portable Ice Makers
Here we round up 10 of today’s best portable ice makers to help you make your decision.
1. Avalon Bay AB-ICE26S Portable Counter Top Ice Maker – A Space Savvy Appliance
Avalon Bay aims to offer its clients an easy-to-handle and space-savvy appliance. Their machines can produce about 26 pounds of ice a day, catering to your every need.
The AB-ICE26B is Avalon’s best countertop ice maker, with a sleek black design that will add sophistication to your living space.
With the capacity to produce 26 pounds of ice per day, you will not need to worry about waiting time as it can produce ice again after just six minutes. This machine allows you to choose between three sizes, so you can fit the cubes in any container.
However, it is important to note that this ice maker tends to produce quite a lot of noise during operation; with the ice melting and reforming, this will be almost constant.
Something else to be aware of is that even with its “portable” tag, it may look quite bulky in your kitchen or bar space. This may be a deal-breaker, and its size makes it quite expensive.
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2. Della© Portable Electric countertop Ice Maker Machine
If you’re always on the go, Della had developed a portable ice maker that is suitable for use anywhere, as long as there is power outlet nearby. It´s perfect to use while camping, or in your RV.
Like other portable ice makers, this one is simple and easy to use – just plug in and add water to form ice. It can produce about 26 pounds of ice and holds about 1.5 pounds in the storage bin.
However, it is important to mention that the ice cubes it produces are quite small and melt quickly, and the machine tends to take a bit longer to make ice than advertised.
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3. Igloo ICE103 Counter Top Portable Ice Maker
The Igloo ICE 103 countertop ice maker is a highly-rated product. With its sleek stainless-steel look, it will definitely complement your kitchen or living space.
It comes with an oversized ice bucket that holds up to 2.2 pounds of ice—enough for a small party or gathering.
The machine caters to your needs and can produce three sizes of ice—small, medium, and large—in just six minutes.
One of the common complaints is that the machine stops working efficiently, or stops working at all, after a couple of months. The product is equipped with a troubleshooting manual but these reviews are, of course, a little worrying.
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4. Ivation IVA-ICEM15SIL Countertop Portable Ice Maker With LED Alert
The IVA- ICEM15SIL by Ivation is considered the highest-capacity, most advanced ice maker in the current market. With a sleek, modern design, it is also equipped with a couple of great features that enable it to produce 26.5 pounds of ice daily.
It comes with a removable ice tray and is designed with a large window to enable you to see how much ice remains in the tray without opening it. It can produce two different sizes of ice cubes and has a simple push-button interface.
There is no need to worry about having too little or too much ice because it has a LED alert to indicate if the water level is too low or too high.
However, some users have complained about the product having a strong smell of plastic that is hard to get rid of. This machine makes ice quickly but it tends to melt quickly, too.
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5. Mr. Freeze MIM-18 Maxi-Matic Counter Top Portable Ice Maker—Best For Outdoor Parties
The Mr. Freeze ice maker is designed for small gatherings, or events and is a great appliance for home bartenders who enjoy mixing drinks for friends and family.
With its stainless steel look and portable size, this ice maker is ideal for social spaces like games rooms, RVs, and boats. It has a production capacity of about 26 pounds of ice daily, with simple push-button controls.
This machine is designed with indicators to let you know when the ice bin is full, or when the water level is low. It can make ice cubes in different sizes, and ideally produces about 24 pieces of ice in a 30-minute cycle.
The only complaint that some users had is that this ice maker tends to produce quite a loud noise during operation.
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6. Rosewill Stainless Steel Portable Countertop Ice Maker
Rosewill highlights this machine’s capacity to produce about nine pieces of ice per cycle (every six minutes). It provides a fresh batch of ice in a short period of time, catering for all of your needs.
It has a sleek, stainless-steel design, meaning that you can install it in your home without needing to worry about whether it fits your décor. This machine is easy to use, with options to select different sizes of ice.
This is one of the best portable ice makers around, able to produce about 26.5 pounds daily and engineered to automatically turn off when the ice bin is full to capacity. The storage bin is able to hold approximately 1.5 pounds of ice. Although the ice may melt quickly, the machine re-uses the water to make new ice cubes.
This machine is not advisable for big events, as it may take quite some time for it to produce ice.
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7. Ivation Portable Ice Maker for Counter Top
With Ivation known for making high-capacity portable ice makers, this model is no exception. Engineered using modern compressor refrigeration technology, it ensures high-quality ice production quickly and efficiently.
This machine has a sleek, performance-oriented design that allows you to choose from two ice sizes. It is equipped with an alert system to warn you when it reaches low water level, or when the ice bin reaches maximum storage capacity.
It can produce 26 pounds of ice daily, catering to your needs whatever the occasion. Can be used anywhere with an outlet nearby, as it will not require a lot of water to produce a decent amount of ice.
However, some users may have observed that this model tends to produce ice slower than advertised, especially when the cubes are of a larger size.
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8. New Air AI-100S Portable Countertop Ice Maker
New Air’s AI-100S is a stylish machine with a high production capacity. It is a good item for small kitchens and is ideal for outdoor use, too.
This compact ice maker will efficiently cater to your needs, producing 28 pounds of ice daily and giving you three choices of ice cube size. Aside from that, like any other portable ice machine it is user-friendly and can be used anywhere as long as there is an outlet for power supply. It will also set off an alert to let you know when the water level is low, or has reached its maximum level of capacity.
However, there is a waiting period of around fifteen minutes to produce a fresh batch of ice, and some users have observed that the first batches of ice have to be discarded as they tend to have a plastic taste.
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9. Ivation Portable Counter Top Ice Maker – Engineered To Produce Quality Ice
With almost all of the Ivation portable ice makers considered high-quality machines, this model is no different. Although it may look smaller than other Ivation ice makers, the amount of ice it can produce is the same: 26.5 pounds daily, with a 2.2 pound storage capacity.
It comes with an easy push-button to give you better control over the machine, and has an alert system to notify you about water and ice bin levels.
Some users complain about the taste of the ice, especially during the first few uses. Like some other machines, it may need some warming up to get rid of the bad taste.
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Features To Consider Before Buying
Aside from size, there are a couple of other features you may want to consider before investing in a portable ice maker.
Reasons To Buy a Portable Ice Maker
Of course, the main thing be sure of before you buy anything is what you are going to use it for. Ask yourself why you need it, if you need it, and where you will use and store it.
Remember that you are purchasing an appliance; this comes with a couple of additional investments in terms of your monthly water and electricity bills. This must be considered when thinking about if you really need to buy one.
Production and Storage Capacity
There is a difference between storage ability of an appliance and its capacity. With most of the ice makers in this review being portable, you will need to look at production capacity and quality of ice.
However, you may also want to look at the machine’s storage capacity to get an idea of how much ice it can hold. This will help you assess whether or not it can fully cater to your needs.
How Much Should You Spend?
Having an idea of how much you are willing to spend on an appliance is a good thing. This way, you will be able to find the best options within your budget. Any kind of spending is an investment, and you want a machine that will last for the foreseeable future.
Finding an ice maker that will be able to give you a high quality and quantity of ice whenever you need it is a good justification for the price. Buy a quality appliance now, and you won´t need to spend more on repairs and maintenance in the future.
Look at Customer Reviews
Lastly, I´m sure that before you purchase anything, you search the product online and read some user reviews.
Reviews or comments from those who already own the product can be very useful. They can help you decide whether or not the product is worth the money, and give you an idea of what to expect.
FAQ
When trying to find the best ice maker for you, there are always going to be questions about the product, how it works, troubleshooting tips, and more.
To help you out, here are some frequently asked questions.
If you have a question that you can´t find the answer to here, use the contact page to ask us directly. We will promptly add your question and our answer to this section.
What’s The Best Portable Counter Top Ice Maker?
Finding the best ice maker depends upon the user; what may be best for one person is not necessarily best for another. People have different needs, purposes, and budgets. However, it´s good have an idea about the basic requirements of a good quality ice maker when making your decision.
The best portable ice maker for us is the Mr. Freeze portable ice maker – with noise the only user complaint, this is a minor problem that is tolerable and can easily be fixed.
In second place is the New Air portable ice maker. A high-quality machine that does not claim to produce ice in a short time span. This is something that is important to remember when making your decision.
These are just some of our thoughts and suggestions; what you buy is your choice. However, choose wisely to avoid unnecessary spending in the future!
Making the most out of your ice maker
Ice is important; particularly in hot weather. There is nothing like a cool, refreshing beverage to cool down in the summer. If you are hosting party, having enough ice becomes very important and owning an ice maker is great. However, this not the only way you can use your ice maker. These machines have many other potential uses you may not be aware of.
One of the best uses of ice is to help with tendonitis, bruises, burns and strains. If ice is applied to the affected area, it reduces blood flow, numbs the area and makes it less painful. This is, however, just a small part of the healing process. For severe pain, you may need other forms of treatment as well. It is also important to be aware that ice should not be used for muscle knots and inflammation in the deeper muscle layers e.g. back pain and neck pain, as this can aggravate it instead.
Many people use ice for lessening the pain caused by threading and waxing, removing splinters from the skin, and aiding healing post -surgery. It also reduces redness and swelling.
Ice can also be used for cooling down your home, in evaporative cooling systems. If there is no electricity, simply blowing hot air over ice with a battery or using solar energy-operated fans can help.
Another innovative use of ice is in various beauty treatments and to counteract certain skin problems. It can also be rubbed on the face before applying makeup, and to remove it. It is also useful for reducing acne, inflammation and redness, and can help to relieve sunburn.
Ice can help to reduce the ill effects of prolonged use of computers and mobile phones, and can be particularly helpful in countering puffy eyes. Just wrap a few cubes of ice around a piece of clean, soft cloth and gently rub over your eyelids.
Ice can also be used to remove wrinkles from clothes before ironing them. Simply run a little ice over the area that is wrinkled and your clothes will look even better than usual after ironing.
Since ice is so useful, it is always beneficial to have a portable ice maker at hand. If you have access to electricity, the ice maker can be taken anywhere you go, providing all the ice you might need.
Troubleshooting Tips for Portable Ice Makers
Anything you buy is an investment, and it’s natural to want to get the most out of your money.
Here are some useful tips to quickly solve any problems you might encounter with your ice maker, and to make sure you get the most out of your investment
First Step – Read The Product Manual
With every gadget or device you buy, the first thing you look at is the manual. This explains the basics that you should know about your unit: energy needed, water, and other things.
Manuals also explain what to do when there is something wrong or different with your machine. Just like any product, you ice maker is susceptible to wear and tear, often caused by neglect on the user’s part.
Remember that no matter how low-maintenance your machine is, it still needs maximum care to give you your money’s worth. For proper maintenance and troubleshooting, the users´ manual is the first port of call for any initial problems.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The best way to avoid any further spending on repairs is to have a basic knowledge of correct product care. With careful maintenance, many potential problems can be prevented.
Let’s say you are cleaning your unit on a regular basis, but something goes wrong. The first step is to assess whether you are cleaning it the right way. There are different ways to maintain products, because they are made of different materials.
Know that what may work with one item may not be as effective with another. Proper maintenance is the preventative measure you should observe to prolong the lifespan of your ice maker.
Common Issues and How to Solve Them
Having trouble with your ice maker? Here are some basic troubleshooting tips to fix your machine.
Problem: Machine Has Stopped Producing Ice
Solution: The most common problem with ice makers is when they suddenly stop producing ice. You can check a couple of things if you have this problem:
- The first thing to check is the water supply line; maybe there is a low water supply.
- Check the thermostat, or freezer temperature; maybe they are off, which makes it hard for water to form ice.
- Some other things you can check are the water inlet switch, water inlet valve, and the ice mold heater.
Problem: Ice Maker is not Receiving Enough Water
Solution: Not having enough water may cause your machine to stop producing ice. It is best to check your water supply line to check if there is a leak, causing water supply to run low in the ice maker.
Temperature of the Machine is Unstable
Solution: Your ice maker’s temperature is the main contributor to its capability to produce ice. If the temperature of your ice maker is unstable, you can check and make some adjustments with the controls usually found on the freezer area of your unit.
Do I Need to Call a Specialist?
The logic behind companies providing a troubleshooting chapter in the product manual is to guide you diagnose the problem on your own, and provide some quick fixes to help you save time and money.
However, you must keep in mind that when the problem is too technical and complex, you may need to consult a specialist.
This way, you are saving yourself from further damaging your ice maker and avoiding potential waste and breakage, which could end up being very expensive.
Consult with a certified expert; they are the ones in the know. Often, they can restore your machine´s functionality almost to its original condition.
