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These Handy Gadgets Are The Key To Making Ice Quickly & Easily At Home Or On The Road
Portable ice makers are a great solution if you don’t have an ice maker in the fridge or just need some extra ice for a party or any other reason. Using one of the best ice makers allow you to make ice quickly and they even help you store your cubes until you’re ready to use them (at least for a while) so you can free up space in your freezer.
Most machines can produce between 24 to 26 pounds of ice in a day. And when you’re shopping around for a portable ice machine, one of the biggest differences to consider is the cube size you'd prefer. Some machines let you choose between different sizes of ice cubes while others are capable of making small crunchy cubes. Other features like energy efficiency, timers, and safety options are great to have as well. Some even offer smart functions with a Bluetooth connection, so you can schedule ice-making from your phone.
To make choosing a lot easier, here’s my roundup of the best ice makers on Amazon. All of these top-rated portable makers can fit on a countertop or table at home or on the road as long as an outlet or extension cord is nearby.
1The Best Overall Home Ice Maker
The Vremi Countertop Ice Maker is one of the best all-around portable ice makers, and it's a great deal, too. Unlike some other ice makers, this unit creates cylinder-shaped ice cubes that can easily be placed into water bottles. It only takes eight to 10 minutes to start making ice, and in 24 hours, it can crank out 26 pounds. This ice maker can even reuse water from stored melted ice to make fresh ice in a snap, meaning you don't have to refill the 2.2-liter water reservoir as often. It also has an automatic shut-off feature when the ice basket is full and lights to let you know when it's time to refill the water. Plus, it includes a 1.5-pound removable ice bucket and a plastic scoop. There's also a drain plug at the bottom for easy cleanup.
What fans say: “I was surprised at how fast it makes ice. The ice basket was full pretty quickly. We have had it for a month now, and are totally satisfied with it. It does make a little noise. A low hum when it’s pumping water, slightly louder when the water is empty-so I know when the water needs refilling.”
2A Great Ice Maker That Lets You Choose Your Cube Size
If you want to be able to choose your ice size, count on the IKICH portable ice maker machine. Choose between a small 0.8-inch-wide bullet size or larger 1-inch-wide ice cubes. It can produce up to 26 pounds in 24 hours, much like the first pick. Like that one, this has sensors that automatically shut off the machine when the ice basket is full. The LED indicator light on this ice maker flashes to let you know it’s time to refill the water. Plus, clean up is easy with a convenient drain plug to dump excess water.
What fans say: “Wonderful machine! Attractive sitting on my countertop. Always ready to add water and make ice when unexpected guests arrive, or if one has a party, you can start early in the day making ice cubes, putting them in zip lock bags and throw them in the freezer.”
3The Best Smart Ice Maker (That Makes Nuggets)
This great ice maker for a home bar makes crunchy nugget-style ice. It can produce up to 24 pounds of ice in a day. And as the ice melts, it’s reused to create more ice keeping your ice supply fresh. The Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker is Bluetooth-enabled and also has a smart app that you can use to schedule your ice making from your phone. It has smart sensors to detect when the bin is full and when it's time to refill the water tank like the first two picks. Plus, with this ice maker's modern design it can fit nicely with any home bar or kitchen decor. Tubes in the back allow for easy draining.
What fans say: “I bought it for our home bar because we really like the nugget style ice... A LOT. This does a super job! We've had it for over two months now and it runs 24/7 with no problems. It even has an app that lets us know when it needs water and we can turn it on or off via the same app. It makes enough ice fast enough for about 15 people.”
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