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Best Ice Maker For Home Bar
When it comes to ice-making, the default for many is the conventional freezer method—either your freezer has a built-in ice maker, or you use trays to make your ice. Luckily, the freezer ice isn’t the only option! For those who want to be able to make ice portably (on a camping trip, for example) or have a ready supply on the counter at their home bar, there are many affordable choices for stand-alone ice makers. Many of these products have similar functionalities, so your best choice may depend on the size and look of the individual ice maker relative to the others. Does your kitchen have a particular color scheme? Do you have a special compartment that your portable ice maker must fit into? Will you be needing ice within 10 minutes? Within 6? Again, many of these machines are somewhat similar, but the little differences among them could be significant to you. When choosing your countertop ice maker, it is important to keep in mind that these machines are not meant to replace the freezer, and the ice they produce will be different than what you can make in your freezer—wetter, softer, and crunchier. Many people love this kind of ice to crunch on as a calorie-free snack. With one of these ice makers, you’ll be able to have that kind of ice at your fingertips. In the list below you will be sure to find the best ice maker for home bar.
Contents
- Review of the Best Ice Makers For Home Bar to Buy
- 1. hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop
- 2. Newlifeelectronic Ice Maker, Countertop Automatic Portable Icemaker Machine, Producing 26Lbs(12Kg) per Day, with 2 Selectable Cube Sizes
- 3. EdgeStar IP210RED Red Portable Countertop Ice Maker
- 4. Best Choice Products Indoor Outdoor Portable Compact Countertop Insulated Digital Automatic Ice Cube Maker Machine w/Ice Scoop
- 5. Della Premium Ice Maker Portable Counter-Top, Daily Ice Making Capacity: 26 LBS (Silver)
- 6. Frigidaire EFIC108-RED Compact Ice Maker
- 7. Opal Nugget Ice Maker
- 8. Costway Counter Top Ice Maker Machine Portable Compact Electric High Efficiency Express Ice Making Machine Mini Cube 26lb of Ice per 24 hours with Ice Scoop
- Conclusion
Review of the Best Ice Makers For Home Bar to Buy
1. hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop
The hOmeLabs portable ice maker produces an amount of ice equivalent to one gallon of water—about one and a half pounds—at a time, in batches of eight cubes that take six to eight minutes to make. In the course of a day, it can make up to twenty-six pounds of ice. Its ice cubes are bullet-shaped and come in two sizes, the smaller of which can easily fit into a water bottle lid. While it does not keep ice frozen, the hOmelabs ice maker returns the melted ice to the water reservoir for reuse. The silver color of the ice maker makes it a sleek addition to a modern kitchen.
2. Newlifeelectronic Ice Maker, Countertop Automatic Portable Icemaker Machine, Producing 26Lbs(12Kg) per Day, with 2 Selectable Cube Sizes
The Newlifeelectronic brand ice maker comes in red or silver, so you can choose the color that best goes with your kitchen. It produces batches of ice in six minutes, is a couple pounds lighter than the hOmelabs machine, and comes with a removable tray and scoop. It’s a quiet ice maker, so you won’t have to worry about disruptive noise. It reuses melted ice and has warning lights that come on when the tray is full or when you need to add water. While its coils may need occasional cleaning, it’s generally an easy-to-operate product: just plug in, add water, and go!
3. EdgeStar IP210RED Red Portable Countertop Ice Maker
A bit more expensive than the previous machines, the EdgeStar has three color options: red, black, and gray. It takes a little longer to make a batch of ice, but still not too long—only ten minutes! It produces bullet ice cubes in three size options and is well insulated to prevent the ice from melting. Producing up to twenty-eight pounds of ice in a day, it’s equipped to handle a party crowd! Beware, though: without proper cleaning, it has been known to stop functioning after a few months.
4. Best Choice Products Indoor Outdoor Portable Compact Countertop Insulated Digital Automatic Ice Cube Maker Machine w/Ice Scoop
The Best Choice Products ice maker comes in black, red, and silver, and it can make up to twenty-six pounds of ice in a day. With lights to indicate water and ice level, you’ll know exactly when you can empty or refill your Best Choice machine. It does not hold a lot of water at a time—about a half-gallon—but it comes with automatic overflow protection to guard against spills. Taking ten to fifteen minutes per batch of ice, it’s a bit slower than the alternatives, and it does not recycle melted ice cubes into new ones.
5. Della Premium Ice Maker Portable Counter-Top, Daily Ice Making Capacity: 26 LBS (Silver)
This sleekly designed Della ice maker has a large window at the top so that you can watch your ice being made! No matter your kitchen colors, you can pick a Della product that blends right in; this ice maker comes in black, red, white and silver. It makes nine cubes every six minutes, replenishing your supply super frequently. This is definitely one of the best ice maker for home bar. It holds about half a gallon of water in its reservoir, and it reuses meltwater. The removable ice bin and scoop mean that you can clean and empty it easily. Some beeping noises may irritate the sensitive ice consumer, but for the most part, it stays quiet.
6. Frigidaire EFIC108-RED Compact Ice Maker
A bit more on the expensive side, this Frigidaire brand ice maker makes square ice cubes rather than the bullet type that is common for countertop ice makers. It may make a bit more noise and be a little more difficult to clean than some of the alternatives, but it produces batches of ice every six minutes, so it’s certainly speedy! This ice maker can make up to twenty-six pounds of ice per day, and melted ice will be recycled. If you plan to store your ice in a conventional freezer, make sure to move it over quickly so that it doesn’t clump together! This Frigidaire product comes in silver, black, and red colors.
7. Opal Nugget Ice Maker
Several times the price of the other ice makers, this Opal Nugget ice maker is an investment for the true ice aficionado. If you love the crunchy ice from restaurants like Sonic, this is the ice maker for you! It takes less than twenty minutes to start producing ice once you plug it in, and from there it produces one pound of ice per hour. Significantly heavier than the other machines on this list, the Opal Nugget ice maker is able to hold up to three pounds of ice at a time. Its Bluetooth functionality allows you to schedule your ice production ahead of time, so you’ll always have some fresh ice to crunch on.
8. Costway Counter Top Ice Maker Machine Portable Compact Electric High Efficiency Express Ice Making Machine Mini Cube 26lb of Ice per 24 hours with Ice Scoop
Costway’s ice machine is the cheapest of the options on this list, and it’s a great deal considering that it makes twenty-six pounds of ice per day, just like many of the alternatives. It takes eight minutes per batch, producing three different ice sizes, and holds up to one and a half pounds of ice at a time. More compact than some of the others as well, it weighs in at seventeen and a half pounds, so you’ll be able to move it around easily. It comes in silver and includes a scoop!
Conclusion
Most stand-alone ice makers have similar capabilities; they generally make about twenty-six pounds of ice per day, have indicator lights for when the tray is full or water supply is running low, make bullet-shaped cubes, don’t demand much beyond being plugged in and filled with water, and take between six and twelve minutes per batch of ice. This means that you really can’t go wrong when deciding which ice maker to get—just pick the one that will look the best on your kitchen counter or bar, or in your RV or camper. If you really love to eat ice and are looking for the best ice maker for home bar, then you may want to splurge on the Opal Nugget ice maker, which will give you that super crunchy ice you love.
Otherwise, most of the ice makers on this list will suit your needs pretty well! If you have a colorful kitchen, you might want to choose one that comes in red. If you want something sleek and modern, you can pick a silver or black option! Make sure to check out the specific dimensions of your kitchen space to confirm that your new ice maker will fit. Regardless of which machine you buy, clean it regularly so that it will last for a long time, as ice machines have been known to stop working when they are not properly maintained. You may want to consider purchasing a warranty along with your ice maker, just for peace of mind. Enjoy your ice!
