Best Portable Ice Maker Reviews 2023

Because ice makers are in high demand, and because they provide such a great alternative for cooling, they are quite expensive, although still relatively affordable, ranging from about $150 to about $1250. The more expensive ones are for large commercial use, so if you want something for residential use, look for an ice maker in the affordable $200 range, which works just as well, but will come in lower storage capacities. Some brands offer cheap ice makers that are poorly designed, and sometimes use toxic chemicals – don’t go close to such products.

These are the features that ultimately determine what is good and what is great in an ice maker:

• Machine Types
• Ice Types
• Storage Capacity
• Speed
• Extras

When it comes to ice makers, you need to take note of the machine type. They often come as either of these three machine types: portable, under-counter, and commercial.

A portable ice machine, as the name implies, is built for its mobility. It is lightweight and compact, making it easy to carry around. They are the most popular because they require no installation and, basically, no prior knowledge of handling ice-making machines – you need this one if you want something you can take with you wherever you go.

Under-counter ice makers are installed under countertops, and are usually used in big houses, or small businesses like small restaurants or cafés. They easily fit under countertops that are at least 40 inches high. It requires a permanent electricity source, water, and an optional drainage outlet.

Commercial ice makers are quite a bit more expensive than their counterparts, due to the fact that they are more sophisticated. While the others make a certain type of ice, these make multiple types with just a quick setting change. They are larger, and as such, come with a larger storage capacity, brilliant for any restaurant or bar.

The storage capacity often correlates to the machine types. However, in some cases, two ice makers of the same type may feature different storage capacities. So, the storage capacity for any ice maker you want to buy should reflect what you intend to use it for.

There is also the talk about ice types; there are generally three types of ice produced by ice makers: cube, nugget, and flake.

• Cube: Clear, slow melting, and the most common
• Nugget: Slow melting, easy to chew, crisp look, great for smoothies and beverages
• Flake: Low production cost, used in displays of various seafood, cools rapidly

When it comes to performance, the speed of an ice maker is the most-searched feature. The speed of production can be described in two ways: cycle duration or daily produce.

The cycle duration determines the maximum amount of time it takes to produce the first batch of ice from the moment the device is turned on. This, most times, relates to portable ice makers.

Daily produce is calculated by the amount of ice produced in a specified period, usually one day. This is, most times, used for commercial machines, as it is easier to estimate than the time for yielding each batch.

Extras. Of course, some brands do us well by adding more features to their products, just to give us a better feeling during use; some of these extras in ice machines include:

• Water Recycling – If the ice melts, it is recycled and frozen again.
• Auto Timer – For when you know the time the machine should start production
• Bottom Drain – To drain the machine completely
• Reduced Noise – A quieter version of normal ice makers