5 Best Portable Ice Makers For 2020
We all know that feeling of disappointment you get when coming inside on a hot summer’s day, when you press your glass against your fridge’s ice dispenser only to be greeted by one single cube. Although you feel like you’re dying of thirst, you patiently wait for more cubes, but they never come and all you hear is the whirring sound of an empty ice maker. That’s where a portable ice maker comes in to save the day.
If you entertain often or you have a large family, chances are your ice maker is constantly playing catch-up. The ice maker that’s built into your refrigerator was likely designed to be compact to maximize freezer space.
Although an easy, affordable fix is to invest in some ice cube trays, they’re messy and are a pain to refill. We researched and compared a dozen different portable ice makers to ensure you will always have ice on hand.
1-BEST OVERALL
Magic Chef MCIM22W 27 lb. Portable Ice Maker
An ice maker should be quick, efficient, and easy to use. The Magic Chef portable ice maker ticks all those boxes and then some. It’s one of the most affordable and reliable ice makers on the market. It produces fresh ice in 7 to 10 minutes, depending what size cubes you want to make.
At 14 inches deep, about 13 inches tall, and 9.5 inches wide, the ice maker is compact enough to fit on most countertops, and its rectangular shape and narrow build makes it easy to store or travel with. You can expect this model to produce 27 pounds of ice each day. It’s available in white, silver, or black and is also a favorite of Business Insider.
2-BEST FOR MULTIPLE CUBE SIZES
Igloo ICEB26WH Automatic Portable Ice Maker
No need to settle for ice cubes that are too big (or too small) for your drink. Use this ice cube maker’s size-selection function to choose what you like. The smallest size will even fit in small water bottle openings.
This portable ice maker produces and dispenses ice at a rate of up to 26 pounds in a day. Plus, its numerous color options help ensure it’ll perfectly fit your home’s decor.
3-BEST FOR A HIGH YIELD
Euhomy IM-F Portable Ice Maker
The Euhomy ice maker is the perfect solution for folks who need a lot of ice, but don’t have the space for a commercial model. It outputs 24 ice cubes every 15 minutes, which means it produces around 40 pounds of ice cubes every 24 hours, which is twice as much as some other models.
This is one of the few models that offers a water recycling system, so when the cubes melt, it’ll collect that water, filter it, and reuse it to ensure no water is wasted. Unfortunately, its included removable basket only stores 2.2 pounds of ice at a time, so you’ll have to empty it if you need to produce large quantities of ice.
On the plus side, this model produces clear ice cubes that are harder and denser. This means the cubes melt far slower, which makes this model a good choice for cocktail lovers!
4-BEST FOR CHEWABLE ICE
GE Profile Opal 2.0 Portable Ice Maker
This pricey ice maker from GE is unlike any ice maker we’ve come across. That’s because it produces “pebble ice.”
In case you’re unfamiliar, pebble ice (which is sometimes called nugget ice) has a much softer, more chewable consistency. This pellet-shaped ice is frequently found at Chick-fil-A or Sonic fast food restaurants, and the GE Profile Opal is the only home ice maker that makes this type of ice.
If you have the budget for it, this ice maker is perfect for making slushies and cocktails. The cubes are light and airy so they are distributed more evenly across your drink — and they won’t water it down, either.
Compared to portable ice makers that produce bullet-shaped ice, the Opal produces smaller quantities of ice at a slower rate. Its container holds just under 3 pounds of ice, which takes roughly 2.5 hours to fill. Fortunately, as soon as you scoop some ice out of it, the Opal instantly fires up to start producing more.
It has a large tank that doesn’t require as frequent refilling as competing models. There’s even a convenient smartphone app for scheduling ice production and turning the unit off and on remotely, which together make this ice machine worthy of a splurge — especially if you’re obsessed with nugget ice.
5-BEST FOR COMMERCIAL USE
Costway Portable Heavy-Duty Ice Cube Maker
This premium ice cube maker is ideal for businesses or large gatherings. Whether you’re looking for a freestanding or built-in model, this unit functions with either installation, producing up to 88 pounds of ice within 24 hours.
Can’t wait that long? It pops out nearly 32 ice cubes every 15 minutes, and it holds up to 8.8 pounds of ice. It’s worth mentioning that this unit is about 24 inches tall, so it likely won’t fit on a countertop with overhanging cabinets.
