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The machine comes with a handy little plastic scoop so you can easily grab as much ice as you please. After I poured myself a glass of seltzer and topped off the cup with ice, it was instant bliss. As someone who isn’t always great about staying hydrated while working from home, I’ve found that the nugget ice has made me more excited to fix up some fun beverages. My occasional afternoon Diet Coke feels like a treat, and I love adding the nugget ice to my morning cold brew; it makes prepping for the day while half-awake a total breeze.
It’s sleek and comes in both stainless and black stainless finishes. All of the ice machines we’ve recommended here can produce between 24 and 44 pounds of ice in a 24-hour period. Unless you’re regularly throwing parties, you likely won’t have to worry about capacity. That said, they’re all fairly bulky machines, so choose based on the yield that makes the most sense for you.
We added an ice scoop to your ice maker to help you remove small amounts of ice for drinks or to fill up bags for use with coolers or events. A user-friendly design that helps you create fresh, crisp ice automatically, simply use the LCD screen to turn it off or on, set a timer, and set the thickness of the ice itself. Each free-standing ice maker also comes with a range of essential supplies to help you install and use your ice machine immediately.
If you don’t have an ice maker connected to your freezer, there are plenty of other solutions out there. One of the most popular options is a freestanding ice maker that can also be built-in as an undercounter ice maker. Consider a countertop ice maker machine, also known as a portable ice maker. These types of ice machines are especially ideal for renters as they require no setup and can be moved at any time.
However, it’s larger than both of our bullet-style picks and takes up more room on a countertop. The machine’s controls allow you to choose between two thicknesses of ice, which is useful if you are in a warmer room. Clear ice often comes out in a rectangular block, and the Luma Comfort ice maker’s was easy to break apart. Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed.
With this much capacity, you’ll never run out of ice again – no matter how big a bash you throw. A removable drain plug makes draining water a mess-free process, while a five-cycle automatic cleaning function effortlessly keeps the inside fresh for new, clear ice. The ice cubes from this machine can be made in small or large sizes. However, this ice maker can’t handle as frigidaire freezer much water as some of the others, so we did need to refill often to compensate for maximum output. However, if you need ice fast, you can make up to nine cubes on demand in as little as seven minutes. If you’re done dealing with ice cube trays or storing massive bags of ice in your already-crowded chest freezer, then we recommend upgrading to a countertop ice maker.
The Frigidaire FreeStanding Ice Maker, which is a clone of the other bullet-ice makers we tested, performed well. GE offers a 60-day return policy and a one-year warranty for parts and labor. The Igloo IGLICEBSC26 works similarly to our pick from Magic Chef and gets a special mention because of its compact size and easy-to-use self-cleaning cycle. Most ice makers available today come with a 12-month warranty, but be sure to check your specific model’s offering. We won’t call it a steal, but this is still a hard-to-beat price on a high-capacity ice machine that can have you enjoying a few nuggets of ice in as little as 10 minutes.
We tested more than a dozen popular ice makers to find the best options for making restaurant-quality ice at home. Whether you’re firing up the grill for a family barbecue or hosting a game night, here are the best ice makers to ensure you never run out of ice again. We’ve used the Opal 2.0 at home for months and have found that the ice production and quality is excellent. It’s quieter in operation than a kettle or coffee maker, save for the occasional “plink” of the ice pellets. Though it’s an investment in price and counter space, its sleek appearance, quality, and reliability make it a worthy option for those able to make the purchase.