Dealing with giant bags of ice from the store or having to constantly refill ice cube trays can be frustrating for people who regularly entertain or are serious about their home bars. Ice makers meant for household use generally fall into two broad categories: countertop models that are small and lightweight, and built-in, under-counter models that can fit alongside a wine cooler or other large appliances. We tested top options in both categories to evaluate their performance, portability, and capacity, and the results were very cool.
Best Overall
Luma Comfort Clear Ice Cube Maker
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- Practically silent
- High output per batch
- Makes ice quickly
- Slightly bulky
We love this ice maker because it produces very clear, restaurant-quality ice. The machine has a 10-cup water capacity, which yielded the highest output per hour out of all the ice makers we tested (though it did take a while), and the noise level was silent. We also liked that the machine isn’t obtrusively branded.
The unit has push-button controls and an LED display, and it alerts you to let you know when the ice collector is full or water is low. It’s fairly big and bulky—not massive to the point where a fridge with an ice maker is a better option, but if you have a small kitchen, this machine may need a designated space other than your countertop. It requires no installation and comes with a scoop, owner’s manual, and a one-year warranty. It’s not the most budget-friendly option, but it’s worth the money.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 1 size, cube ice | Speed: Roughly 20 cubes per 20 minutes | Dimensions: 11.13 x 14.25 x 13.88 inches | Weight: 25.3 pounds | Output: 28 pounds per day
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Best Budget
Silonn Countertop Ice Maker
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- Sleek, light, and portable
- Recycles melted ice to make new ice
- Can make small or large cubes
- Ice isn’t clear
- Ice isn’t a consistent size
If you’re looking for an ice maker that won’t break the bank, this one is a great choice. It’s sleek, portable, relatively light, easy to use, and doesn’t clutter the counter; it’s also very easy to set up and use. We love that you can choose between small or large ice cubes, and despite the lower price point, it still operates quietly.
For the machine being on the smaller side, it still has a decent water capacity and churns out a good amount of ice per hour. The ice came out somewhat cloudy and inconsistently sized, but we still liked the fact that the machine recycles melted ice to make more ice.
It’s important to note that you’ll need to keep the ice maker in an upright position if you transport it or wait 24 hours before using it again if it wasn’t kept upright (otherwise the refrigerant may not be properly settled in its reservoir after being moved, which could damage the compressor). The machine comes with a basket and an ice scoop. This is very sleek and nice-looking. We would be 100 percent OK with keeping it on the countertop.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 2 sizes, bullet ice | Speed: 9 cubes per 6 minutes | Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.7 x 12.5 inches | Weight: 15 pounds | Output: 27 pounds per day
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Best Splurge
NewAir Countertop Ice Maker
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- Large capacity
- Makes ice quickly
- Quiet
- Self-cleaning feature and timer
- Noisy
This ice maker is huge and heavy, but it can produce up to a whopping 50 pounds of ice per day and 12 pieces in seven minutes. You can choose one of three different ice sizes and set the 18-hour timer to make ice on your schedule. Indicator lights let you know when you need to add water or when the removable ice bin is full, and an ice scoop is included for easy serving. Eventually, the ice will melt since the bin is not refrigerated, but it is better insulated than other smaller ice maker models we tried.
This machine doesn’t require much maintenance (it has a self-cleaning mode) and produces ice really fast—leave it running for two hours on the small setting and you’ll have a full bin. The bullet ice cubes were a bit cloudy and somewhat irregular in size, and the machine made a strong whirring noise during operation, but its performance made up for that. The machine can be tricky to drain since it’s so big and heavy, so you may want to lay a dish towel underneath to pick up any dribbling during the draining process.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 3 sizes, bullet ice | Speed: 12 pieces per 7 minutes | Dimensions: 17.2 x 15.3 x 16.5 inches | Weight: 36.4 to 37.6 pounds | Output: 50 pounds per day or 12 pieces per 7 minutes
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Best Compact
Aglucky Countertop Ice Maker
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- Portable
- Quiet
- High output for small size
- No self-cleaning feature
This machine is tiny for an ice maker, and although it looks a little on the cheaper side, it’s very cute and great for dinner parties, RVs, small get-togethers, and road trips. For the size of the machine, it made an adequate amount of ice in an hour during testing. Since it’s small and has a lower water capacity, you may have to refill it fairly often to keep up with its output, but it’s easy to use and has clear, precise instructions.
The Aglucky is small and mighty, making 26 pounds of ice per day while taking up minimal counter space. While this ice maker operates relatively quietly, there’s a slight whirring noise from the fan. As the ice is used or melts, it makes more. This machine has a clear window to let you see how much ice is inside and comes with an ice scoop and basket. You’ll have to clean it out yourself since this machine doesn’t have a self-cleaning feature.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 2 sizes, bullet ice | Speed: 9 pieces per 8 minutes | Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.7 x 12.6 inches | Weight: 16.8 pounds | Output: 26 pounds per day
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Best Nugget Ice
GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
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- Makes chewable nugget ice quickly
- Easy to use and clean
- Sleek design
- Connects to Wi-Fi
- Noisy
If you’re not familiar with nugget ice, it’s a soft and chewable type of ice that’s best used for blended drinks like smoothies, frozen margaritas. Nugget ice is also great for blended cocktails, as it will keep your mixture cooler for a longer period of time and won’t dilute the flavors. This machine produces restaurant-quality ice that’s not wet, so it’s easy to separate if stuck.
This sleek-looking stainless steel ice maker produces 1 pound of ice nuggets per hour, and the bin can hold up to 3 pounds. The clear, illuminated bin lets you see how much ice you have available and is easy to pull forward when scooping ice (a scoop is included). You can open the bin while ice is still being made, and while the bin is open, any ice that is made just falls into the water reservoir. The bin is also insulated to keep the ice cold, but as it inevitably melts, the machine automatically makes more.
The GE Opal connects to Wi-Fi, so you can control it when you’re not home. It also comes with an extra water reservoir so you don’t have to have to refill the water as often during larger get-togethers.
When we tested the brand’s previous model, we loved how easy it was to chew the ice no matter what kind of drink it was in—from soda, to cocktails, to a copycat recipe of Sonic’s cherry limeade. We were particularly impressed that the ice didn’t soak up the drink’s flavor. However, we don’t love the noise level it produces.
Note: The original model we tested is featured in the full review link above and picture below. The brand improved and updated the product to a lighter 2.0 model with Wi-Fi connectivity, which is featured in this roundup.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 1 size, nugget ice | Speed: 1 pound per hour | Dimensions: 17.5 x 13.43 x 16.5 inches | Weight: 38 pounds | Output: 24 pounds per day
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Best for Bullet Ice
Frigidaire Countertop Ice Maker
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- Large, thick ice bullets
- Three sizes of ice
- Portable
- Very quiet
- Ice storage isn’t refrigerated
Bullet ice, also sometimes called hollow cube ice, is more cylindrical in shape than nugget ice and works great in everything from soda to mixed drinks. This Frigidaire model makes some of the largest, thickest bullet ice we’ve found from a countertop ice maker, and it does it quickly.
The Frigidaire EFIC103 can churn out 26 pounds a day, and in our tests, it made a batch of nine in just eight minutes. Because the ice is so large and thick, a little goes a long way. This machine produced hollow, bullet-shaped ice as thick and as fast as brands that cost twice the price. It was also so quiet that we forgot it was even on.
This ice maker can store 2.2 pounds of ice at a time. While this one isn’t as well-insulated as some higher-end models, we still found it adequate. In terms of customization, you have your choice of three ice sizes, and the size corresponds to thickness rather than length. Please note, though, that the ice storage isn’t refrigerated, so you’ll want to move it as it’s produced.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 3 sizes, bullet ice | Speed: 9 pieces per 7 to 15 minutes | Dimensions: 14.44 x 11.69 x 14.88 inches | Weight: 24.03 pounds | Output: 26 pounds per day
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Best Self-Cleaning
Igloo Premium Countertop Ice Maker
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- Very portable
- Five-cycle cleaning function
- High speed and output for small size
- Needs water refills often
This attractive countertop ice maker has a handle for easy portability and comes in an array of color options. For its size, it works at an impressive speed, producing 26 pounds of ice per day and approximately nine cubes every seven minutes. The ice maker lets you choose between two sizes of cylinder-shaped ice and is overall very easy to use; the LED control panel lets you know when the water reservoir needs to be filled as well as when the collector bin (which can hold 2 pounds of ice at a time) is full. The machine pauses its production when the bin is full to prevent overflow.
The fan is somewhat noisy, but not egregiously so. Since the machine is portable and on the smaller side, it needs more frequent water refills than machines with huge water reservoirs, but its size and capacity are perfect for your typical home bar. Best of all, this machine has a thorough cleaning function that just requires you to add water and cleaning solution to the water reservoir.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 2 sizes, cylinder ice | Speed: 9 pieces per 7 minutes | Dimensions: 13.9 x 10.51 x 15.28 inches | Weight: 19.3 pounds | Output: 26 pounds per day
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Best for Fast Ice
Arctic-Pro Portable Bullet Ice Maker
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- Compact and portable
- High outputs in short timeframes
- Very quiet
- Huge brand logo makes machine less attractive
This is another portable and compact ice maker that would be a great addition to a home bar or RV, and it offers particularly fast and quiet operation. The bullet ice comes in two sizes and comes out very evenly at a rate of roughly nine ice cubes per eight minutes. Operation is easy: Just fill the water reservoir, choose your ice size on the LCD digital control panel, and press the on button. You can set a timer to preset the machine if you want it to start making ice while you’re away, and there’s another button to operate the self-cleaning function.
One downside of this machine we noticed during testing is that since the water tank has just a 7.5-cup capacity, we had to refill it often. That said, the high yield did impress us, so we think it’s well worth it for the output and low noise level alone. The machine comes with a removable ice tray and scoop. We aren’t huge fans of the design of this one, though—with the logo being quite large, but we can overlook it thanks to its list of pros.
Model: Countertop | Ice Size: 2 sizes, bullet ice | Speed: 9 pieces per 7 minutes | Dimensions: 12.5 x 8.8 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 17.5 pounds | Output: 26 pounds per day
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Final Verdict
We picked the Luma Comfort Countertop Clear Cube Ice Maker as our favorite by far because it makes high volumes of ice quickly and without a sound. For a compact model that’s both efficient and quiet, the Aglucky Countertop Ice Maker is a great choice (and it comes in multiple colors!)
How We Tested
We tested 15 ice makers side by side in our Lab and evaluated their portability, performance, and capacity. We gathered data on each machine’s speed of batch production, quantity of ice produced per hour, noise level, and ice quality (taking note of bubbles and impurities that could cause the ice to melt more quickly). We also took note of how easy each machine was to use, whether there was any mess or dripping, how well-insulated each machine was to keep ice from melting, and whether or not each machine was self-cleaning.
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Other Options We Tested
- Merax Sentern Portable Electric Clear Ice Maker: We found that this machine only produced one batch of ice in an hour, and that the ice came out in clumps that were impossible to break into individual pieces. We liked the clear viewing window, the three cube size options, and the digital control panel, but found the machine to be quite noisy and not particularly impressive in terms of capacity. As of early 2024, this one is out of stock.
What to Look for in an Ice Maker
Size
Ice makers come in a wide variety of sizes, from small countertop models to some that require significant floor space. Do you want to set up that countertop model in the kitchen every time you need to fill drinks for the family, or do you prefer to keep a large unit operating at all times in the garage?
Speed
How quickly do you need your ice made? Whether you prefer to make a lot of ice ahead of time or want a constant supply flowing will determine how important speed is. Some machines can supply the first ice quickly, so you can get the party started, but if you don’t have sufficient storage space for ice, it’s wise to get an ice maker that can keep up with hourly demand.
Capacity
If your ice maker can produce a lot of ice quickly but can’t hold much, you’ll need to keep removing the ice and storing it elsewhere. That’s great if you’re planning ahead and can check the machine regularly, but a machine with a larger storage capacity could hold enough ice that you won’t need to unload it to make more room.
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FAQs
How do countertop ice makers work?
While models are different, in general, the ice makers start by pumping water into the molds that make the ice. The ice maker monitors the freezing progress and when the ice in the molds is frozen, the molds are heated slightly so the ice releases easily and can be ejected into the storage bin. The process repeats for as long as there is water available and/or space in the bin for more ice.
What is the average lifespan of an ice maker?
The industry standard is that a commercial ice maker should last about 10 years, a reasonable estimate for home ice makers is around four to five years.
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Do any countertop ice makers keep ice frozen?
Most countertop ice makers do not have a freezer compartment for ice storage. While the bins may be insulated, the ice will still eventually melt. The water then drains back into the water reservoir so it can be frozen again. Larger and more expensive ice makers may include a freezer section that will keep ice frozen.
Do countertop ice makers use a lot of electricity?
It depends on the model, but ice makers do not typically use a lot of power. The draw can vary depending on what the ice maker is doing—freezing, pumping, or heating the molds—and the range is fairly wide, from 50 to 160 watts, with an average of 100 watts per hour.
Can I leave my countertop ice maker on all the time?
Yes, although you don’t need to. If the machine is turned off, the ice will melt and the water will return to the reservoir. If you need ice on a pretty consistent basis throughout each day, it may be wise to leave the machine running unless you go out of town. If you need ice more sporadically, it can save power to turn it off during the stretches when you won’t need it.
