Best Portable/Countertop Ice Maker Machines (Review) 2023

Ice cubes can make different beverages more enjoyable, especially on hot summer days, so a portable/countertop ice maker can be a very useful and convenient machine to provide you with endless supply of ice cubes. They can make a batch of ice cubes in as little as 6 minutes – a lot faster than refrigerators who also have this feature which are common to break and expensive to fix.

Things to consider: Ice quality, shape and size; price; quality; functionality; reliability; size and weight – those are the main factors in evaluating which of the portable and countertop ice makers are the best.

With that being said let’s find out which are the best portable & countertop ice makers in 2023!

#1 Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL

Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL is a medium priced ice maker that makes up to 33 pounds of ice cubes in 24 hours. It’s not really the best ice maker you can buy but it offers best value for money which arguably makes it the best one all things considered. It’s not as expensive as top-of-the-end units but is still quite advanced and will satisfy needs of most consumers.

Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL uses R600a compressor/refrigerant and nickel plated pure copper evaporator to make a batch 9 ice cubes inside every 7 to 15 minutes (with mean average being 8 to 10 minutes).

It makes ice cubes that are bullet shaped with hollow inside. They have more contact area with drink that square shaped ice cubes which is both an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. On the upside they cool your drink more effectively but the downside is that they melt faster.

Ice cube (or ice bullet?) quality is good. They are soft with a nice, chewable texture. Only complaint is that they come out a bit wet (which is pretty much the case for all low to medium priced ice makers) so if you put ice makers in freezer they will likely freeze together into a clump. It’s not hard to break them apart with an ice pick though.

You can choose between two ice cubes size settings: small (approximately 0.8” x 1’’) and large (1” x 1”). Size wise the difference between the two isn’t significant but larger ice cubes will take longer to melt.

Ice basket is not refrigerated which means made ice cubes melt if left there. Good news are that Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL is well insulated with 3 layers (stainless steel housing, 19MNM ternary foaming layer and polypropylene thermoplastic) so ice cubes melt slowly. If you need ice maker with refrigerated ice basket then you will have to spend a lot more money as they are quite expensive.

Control panel

Control panel is pretty simple and easy to use. It features only 2 buttons – one for turning ice maker on or off and the other one for selecting modes.

Other than that it also features 6 indicator lights. Two of them displays selected ice cube size, another two which mode has been selected (clean or ice making) and the last two are warning indicators that illuminate when water reservoir is empty or ice basket full.

Features

Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL has self-cleaning mode which is not exactly rare for countertop/portable ice makers but is still something most don’t have.

Other features include see-through window (so you can see ice basket contents without opening the lid and letting warm air inside the ice maker that might decrease quality or increase time it takes to make following batch) and infrared sensors to detect and pause ice production when water reservoir is empty or ice basket full.

Ice basket & Water reservoir

Ice basket holds up to 3.3 lbs (approximately 120 ice cubes) which is a good capacity compared to other ice makers which usually hold only around 2 lbs. Water reservoir capacity is 94.6 oz (2.8 liters) which is also more than you typically see.

Design

Whereas most ice makers look like something made in the last decade of previous century Dreamiracle is pretty sleek looking. It’s not quite the most attractive one but it looks significantly better than large majority.

It also has stainless steel housing which definitely makes it look more posh and luxurious compared to other ice makers which tend to have housing made of plastic.

Dimensions and weight

Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL ice maker weighs 24 pounds and measures 9.6 inches wide, 15.9 inches deep and 16.9 inches high. It’s a bit heavier and larger than most so is less portable in a way.

Conclusions

Dreamiracle DRMUS-IM2200-UL offers great value for money making it overall the best choice if you are looking for a countertop ice maker unless you are willing to spend significant amounts of money.

#2 Euhomy IM-F

Euhomy IM-F makes up to 40 lbs of square shaped ice cubes in a day, significantly more than large majority of ice makers (most make up to 26 lbs) which makes it great ice maker if you have guests over as it will cope better with large demand for ice than other ice makers.

Euhomy IM-F makes 20 ice cubes per batch. You can adjust time it takes to make a single batch from 13 to 25 minutes. Longer batches will produce thicker ice cubes.

Ice cube quality is good but there is one slight flaw – ice cubes of each batch usually come out as a single sheet. They are very easy to break apart though (ice pick can be useful) or they will do it themselves if you leave them in ice basket to melt a bit.

Control panel

Control panel of Euhomy IM-F features LCD display that shows multitude of information (Ambient temperature, ice making countdown, error codes, warnings etc.) and 4 buttons: “On/Off” button, “Timer” button as well “+” and “-” buttons for adjustments.

Features

Euhomy IM-F has timer function – you can postpone ice making by up to 8 hours. It also has sensors to detect when ice basket is full or water reservoir empty – if it detects either it will pause ice production and display warning on LCD screen.

Euhomy IM-F is MET, ETL and Energy Start Certified meaning it meets nationally recognized safety standards and is energy efficient.

Ice basket & Water reservoir

Capacity of water reservoir is 2.2 liters (~74 oz) whereas removable ice basket holds up to 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of ice cubes. Ice basket is not refrigerated.

Design

Euhomy IM-F is pretty simple looking which can be a good or a bad thing depending on your taste. Housing is made of stainless steel which is definitely a plus.

Weight and dimensions

Unsurprisingly ice maker that outputs more ice than most also is larger and heavier than most. Euhomy IM-F weighs 26.5 lbs (12 kg) and measures 11 inches wide, 14.1 inches deep and 13.7 inches high (35.8 x 35.8 x 28 cm).

Conclusions

Euhomy IM-F is a great option if you need an ice maker that can make a lot of square shaped ice cubes.

#3 Best Budget Countertop Ice Maker: Euhomy IM-12AS

Euhomy IM-12AS is a budget priced ice maker that’s also very compact making it very portable. It outputs up to 26 pounds of ice cubes in 24 hours, which is less than above machines but the same as most of the other.

It makes a batch of bullet shaped ice cubes with hollow inside every 8-13 minutes. First batch might take longer than following and also output lower quality ice cubes as ice machine needs to run for a bit to cool down for optimal performance.

It can make ice cubes in two sizes or thickness to be more precise. Ice cube quality is good but them do come out a bit wet, however that will be the case with any other portable/countertop ice maker.

Control panel

Euhomy IM-12AS has 2 buttons: one for turning device on and the other for switching between ice cube sizes. It also has 5 indicator lights: two of them showcase which ice cube size setting you have selected (either small or large), then there are two warning indicators (for when water reservoir is empty or ice basket full) and the fifth indicator simply illuminates when ice machine is turned on.

Ice basket & Water reservoir

Ice basket holds up to 1.54 lbs of ice cubes and water reservoir capacity is 2.2 liters. Ice basket is not refrigerated.

Design

Design is pretty plain and perhaps a bit dull but it might not matter to you, what’s the most important is that it actually is a decent ice maker. Housing is made of plastic.

Dimensions

Euhomy IM-12AS measures 9.4 inches wide, 13.3 inches deep and 12.6 inches high.

Conclusions

Euhomy IM-12AS is a great option if you are looking for a decent ice maker that’s either as compact as possible or as inexpensive as possible.

#4 GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker

GE Profile Opal is the best ice maker machine that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars. So what makes it so special? Very simple – the ice it makes. It doesn’t make regular ice, it makes nugget ice (also known as sonic/pellet/pebble ice).

Nugget ice is basically flaked ice compressed into small nuggets. This creates amazing texture of flaked ice and air pockets which is fabulous to chew on. They are soft and crunchy. Nugget ice also absorbs flavour of you drink as it gets inside the air pockets. Because of these air pockets the contact area with you drink is increased compared to regular ice so it cools drink better, however the downside is that it also melts quicker.

It’s the type of ice you can get at Sonic fast food restaurant and if you have tried it then you know what I’m talking about. So is nugget ice made by GE Profile Opal as good as you get at Sonic’s? Well it’s very similar but not quite the same. The one you get at Sonic’s is arguably slightly better but the one that GE Profile Opal makes is amazing too!

GE Profile Opal makes about 1 pound of nugget ice every hour.

Control Panel

Control panel of GE Profile Opal is minimalistic and also feels a bit futuristic. It feels like Apple of ice machines. GE Profile Opal has just 1 button and light ring around it that can display different type of information depending how it’s illuminated.

Falling white means that GE Profile Opal is currently making ice, solid white means that ice bin is full and nugget ice production is paused until you remove all or some of the ice. If circle is swishing blue it means water reservoir is empty and you should add water to resume ice making process. Pulsing yellow means that GE Profile Opal is in self-cleaning mode and is awaiting drain and refill confirmation whereas rotating yellow means GE Profile Opal is currently rinsing. If circle is slowly falling white then GE Profile Opal is in defrosting mode which lasts around 30 minutes. Please don’t turn off or unplug GE Profile Opal while it’s defrosting.

Features

If you touch the button it will turn GE Profile Opal on or off. If you hold it for about 3 seconds it will dim ambient (interior) light.

Ge Profile Opal can be controlled remotely with FirstBuild app that’s compatible with Android and Apple phones as well iPad, iPad Mini and iPod Touch.

Cleaning

GE Profile Opal has self-cleaning mode but it’s not completely autonomous.

1. To clean your GE Profile Opal first you need to turn off and unplug Opal and let it sit for 1 hour. In the mean time drain water located in the water reservoir through the drain tubes. When water stops flowing re-insert drain plugs. If you have Opal filter installed replace it with reservoir screen.
2. After 1 hour has passed create mixture of 5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of household bleach, mix it properly for even distribution.
3. Once you have done that you can plug in Ge Profile Opal and turn toggle switch located at the rear of ice machine to “clean” position.
4. Pour the mixture into water reservoir and touch button to start cleaning process. At this point the yellow light should start to spin indicating cleaning/rinsing cycle is in process.
5. After ~3 minutes the light should start to pulse in yellow color indicating that rinsing cycle has finished.
6. Drain GE Profile Opal once again. Re-insert the drain plug when water stops flowing.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for a total of three times but now pour five ounces of water each time in water reservoir.
8. Once you have finished all the steps and drained GE Profile Opal you can turn the toggle switch back to “ICE” mode again and start making ice.

Ice basket and water reservoir

Ice basket holds up to 3 lbs of nugget/pebble ice. Capacity of water reservoir is 2.2 liters (~74 oz).

Design

Design of GE Profile Opal is simple yet elegant.

Dimensions and weight

GE Profile Opal nugget ice maker weighs 44 lbs (~20 kg) and measures 10.5 inches wide, 14 inches deep and 17 inches high.

Conclusions

If you love delicious nugget ice then you absolutely need GE Profile Opal in your home!

#5 FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 is another nugget ice maker. Up until recently GE Profile Opal was the only nugget ice maker that didn’t cost thousands of dollars but considering its success it was only matter of time when competition will arise.

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 makes up to 44 lbs of nugget/pebble ice in 24 hours – more than GE Profile Opal, however Ge Profile Opal makes better nugget ice. The difference isn’t day and night, nugget ice made by FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 is still very nice, but if you are looking for the ice machine that will produce best nugget ice at an affordable pricing then GE Profile Opal is the clear winner.

Another issue with FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 is that it seems to be less reliable than GE Profile Opal according to consumer reports. Not that it’s terribly unreliable as most consumer feedback is positive, but complaints about FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 breaking are more common that they are with GE Profile Opal.

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 has some advantages too. It has more features and also generally retails at lower price than GE Profile Opal making it a more affordable option.

Control Panel

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 has 4 buttons (“On/Off, “Clean”, “UV” and “Light”) and 4 indicator lights (“Add water”, “Ice Full”, “Power” and “UV”).

Features

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 has self-clean mode as well UV light that kills bacteria and viruses when turned on sterilizing the interior.

Water reservoir and ice basket

Capacity of water reservoir is 0.97 gallons or 3.7 liters. Ice basket can hold up to 3 lbs of nugget ice. Ice basket is not refrigerated.

Dimensions

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 dimensions are as follows: 9.8 inches wide, 16.1 inches deep and 19 inches high.

Conclusions

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235 is a nice nugget ice maker but it’s not as good as GE Profile Opal.

#6 ULIT IM1226-B1

ULIT IM1226-B1 is ETL Intertek listed ice maker with R600a refrigerant and pure copper evaporator. It produces up to 26 pounds of bullet shaped ice cubes in a day. Each batch takes 7-11 minutes to be produced however keep in mind that first 1-2 batches might take longer as ULIT IM1226-B1 needs some time to cool down for optimal performance.

Ice cubes turn out to be soft and chewable so overall quality is good and similar to what Euhomy IM-12AS ice maker puts out. It does however only make ice cubes in 1 size.

Control panel

ULIT IM1226-B1 has two buttons. One is obviously for turning the ice maker on or off whereas the other one is for starting cleaning mode.

Of course it also has indicator lights but only 3 of them, same ones you will find on nearly every other ice maker – “Power”, “Add Water’ and “Ice Full”.

Features

ULIT IM1226-B1 has all the basic features you would expect from ice maker – drain plug, infrared sensors (to detect when ice basket is full or water reservoir empty) and transparent window. It even has self-cleaning feature which is something most ice makers don’t have, especially at this price point.

As previously mentioned ULIT IM1226-B1 is also Intertek ETL listed meaning it has been tested and meets Nationally Recognized Safety Standards.

Water reservoir and ice basket

Ice basket holds up to 1.6 lbs of ice cubes whereas water reservoir capacity is 1.5 liters (~50 oz). Both figures are less than usual for ice makers. It’s not a deal breaker but you will have to empty ice basket or add water more frequently compared to other units.

Dimensions

ULIT IM1226-B1 is 8.82 inches wide, 12.6 inches deep and 11.69 inches high – it’s more compact than most other small sized ice makers.

Conclusions

ULIT IM1226-B1 is one of the best budget priced ice makers (#2 best to be more specific). It’s not perfect but for the money you can’t complain.

#7 COSTWAY 24525US-CYEP

COSTWAY 24525US-CYEP has impressive ice output – up to 48 lbs in 24 hours (2 lbs per hour). It’s a bit similar to Euhomy IM-F, they both 24 square shaped ice cubes per batch that usually come out in a single sheet that you have to manually break apart. Ice quality seems to be identical between the two.

Size or to be more specific time per batch is adjustable – longer batches will result in thicker/longer ice cubes. Optimal setting seems to be “+4” but experiment yourself to find the one you prefer.

COSTWAY 24525US-CYEP uses R600a refrigerant.

Control panel

Control panel features LCD display and 4 buttons: “Timer”, “On/Off”, “+” and “-”.

Features

COSTWAY 24525US-CYEP is not feature-rich. It does have sensors that detect when water reservoir is empty or ice basket full like any other portable/countertop ice maker however ice can sometimes get stuck and trigger false positive that ice basket is full. Ice basket is removable and lid it transparent. Housing is made of stainless steel.

Dimensions and weight

COSTWAY 24525US-CYEP countertop ice maker weighs 23.5 lbs and measures 11.5″ by 15″ by and 14″.

Conclusions

COSTWAY 24525US-CYEP is a good countertop ice maker. It might have not made the top 5 but it’s still a lot better than vast majority of ice makers for sale today.

#7 Euhomy IM-01

Euhomy IM-01 is a portable/countertop ice maker that can make up to 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours.

Euhomy IM-01 portable/countertop ice maker makes 9 bullet/cylinder shaped ice cubes per batch. Each batch can take anywhere from 6 to 13 minutes to be made but usually takes 8. It ca n also make ice cubes in two sizes.

Control panel

Control panel is basic. It features 2 buttons – one to turn ice maker on or off and another one for selecting (switching between the) ice cube size setting.

It also has 5 indicator lights: “Power” (illuminates when portable/countertop ice maker is turned on), “Small” and “Large” for ice cube sizes settings as well two warning indicators – “Add Water” and “Ice Full”.

Water reservoir and ice basket

Euhomy IM-01 ice basket holds up to 1.1 lbs of ice cubes which is considerably less than most. Water tank is 2.2 liters (~74 oz) which is pretty average.

Weight and dimensions

Euhomy portable/countertop ice maker IM-01 weighs 17.8 pounds (8.1 kg) and measures 9.53” by 14.09” by 12.91”.

Conclusions

Euhomy IM-01 is a decent ice maker that doesn’t cost as much as top of the tier units.

#8 IKICH CP173 Portable Ice Maker

Just like most ice machines IKICH CP173 also makes up to 26 lbs of ice cubes in 24 hours and just like most produces 9 bullet shaped ice cubes (with hollow middle) per batch. IKICH CP173 portable/countertop ice maker uses copper aluminum fin condenser, nickel plated pure copper evaporator and 21g R600a refrigerant.

Each batch usually takes 7-8 minutes to be made but overall can take anywhere from 6 to 13 minutes. It can make ice cubes in two sizes, small (approximately 2 cm x 2.5 cm or 0.78″ x 0.98″) and large (approximately 0.98″ x 1.2″).

Ice cube quality is good but they come out a bit wet which is the case for all portable ice makers. Because of this they can freeze together into a clump if you put them in freezer.

Housing is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plactic also known as ABS. For heat insulation it uses high-density polyurethane foam.

Control panel

Control panel is similar to most other ice makers. It features 2 buttons and 5 indicator lights:

• Buttons:
  • “On/off” – Turns ice maker on or off.
  • “Select” – Switches between ice cube size settings.
• Indicator lights:
  • “Add Water” – Illuminates when water reservoir has ran out of water.
  • “Ice Full” – Illuminates when ice basket is full of ice cubes.
  • “Power” – Illuminates when ice maker is turned on.
  • “Small” – Illuminates when small ice cube size setting is selected.
  • “Large” – Illuminates when large ice cube size setting is selected.

Water reservoir and ice basket

Ice basket holds up to 1.5 lbs of ice cubes and water reservoir fits 2.0 liters of water. Both figures are pretty average between ice makers.

Weight and dimensions

IKICH CP173 portable ice maker weighs 7.1 kg (15.6 lbs). It measures 2.3 inches long, 8.7 inches wide and 12.6 inches high.

Conclusions

IKICH CP173 is basic and inexpensive portable ice maker that works just fine.

#9 Terra Hiker IM2100-UL

Terra Hiker IM2100-UL countertop ice maker uses environmentally friendly R600a/0.8 oz refrigerant to make up to 28.7 lbs of ice in 24 hours.

A single batch of 9 bullet shaped ice cubes usually take 6-9 minutes to make, however it can take up to 15 minutes in some cases, i.e. if you use warm water of air temperature is high. That’s why manufacturer recommends using water that’s anywhere in the range from 50 °F to 80.6 °F (10 °C to 27 °C) with optimal air temperature being 50 °F to 100 °F (10 °C to 38 °C).

Ice cube quality is good and similar to other bullet shaped ice cube makers listed above. They are soft and chewable, come out a bit wet but can be put in freezer if you want a more solid and strong texture.

Of course is basket is not refrigerated. However ice maker is well insulated so they don’t melt that fast.

Materials

Terra Hiker IM2100-UL is made of BPA free and food grade materials.

Control panel

Terra Hiker IM2100-UL has just 1 button with dual functionality – pressing it will turn on or off the ice maker but holding will make it start cleaning mode. It also has 3 indicator lights.

Features

Features include self-clean mode, infrared sensors, drain plug and transparent lid.

Water reservoir and ice basket

Water reservoir holds 1.85 liters of water (~62 oz) whereas ice basket up to 1.75 lbs of ice cubes (0.8 kg).

Dimensions and weight

Terra Hiker IM2100-UL weighs 16.5 lbs (7.49 kg) and measures approximately 9 inches wide, 13 inches deep and 12 inches high.

Conclusions

Terra Hiker IM2100-UL is a decent budget price ice maker but it’s not quite among the best ones.

#10 NewAir AI-215SS

NewAir AI-215SS can pump out 50 pounds of ice cubes in 24 hours – more than any other ice maker in this list however sheer ice output is not the only thing what makes ice maker a good one.

NewAir AI-215SS makes 12 bullet shaped ice cubes per batch and offers 3 size options – small, medium and large. How long it takes to make a batch depends on ice cube size you select:

• A batch of 12 small sized ice cubes usually takes 6-7 minutes to make.
• A batch of 12 medium sized ice cubes usually takes 10 minutes to make.
• A batch of 12 large sized ice cubes usually takes 13 minutes to make.

Ice cubes are nice – thick and dense. NewAir AI-215SS is pretty well insulated so they don’t melt too fast if left in ice basket.

Control panel

NewAir AI-215SS has pretty basic LCD display but it shows a lot of important stuff. There are also 4 buttons: “On/Off“; “Select“; “Timer“ and “Clean“.

Features

NewAir AI-215SS has self-clean mode (Pour 1:1 solution of water and vinegar in water reservoir, run the cleaning mode, drain the mixture, fill reservoir with water, run another cleaning mode and drain once gain) as well timer function which allows you to set up after how many hours (1 to 18) it should either start or stop making ice. It’s a nice feature if you want to wake up or come home with ice basket filled up with ice cubes awaiting you or if you have guests over and you know you will eventually pass out but don’t know when.

Water reservoir capacity is 1.5 gallons (5.67 liters) – significantly more than others.

NewAir AI-215SS has carry handles which is a nice touch considering its size and weight.

Dimensions and weight

NewAir AI-215SS weighs 37.6 lbs (17.05 kg) so it’s quite heavy. It measures 15.3″ wide, 17.2″ deep and 16.5″ high.

Conclusions

NewAir AI-215SS is a good ice maker but it’s also a bit expensive and for most consumers the higher price tag won’t be worth the extra ice output.