A portable ice maker is one of the best kitchen appliances to own, especially if you live in a small apartment or a shared residence where you don’t have enough space for a refrigerator. People who host parties and get together often can also benefit hugely from portable ice makers. You don’t have to worry about rushing to the store to replenish your ice stores amidst a drinks session with close friends.
Portable ice makers are small, compact, and highly efficient. They can produce ice in absolutely no time. You not only get to save the refrigerator space, but also the energy that your refrigerator will consume to freeze ice. All in all, owning a portable ice maker is a win-win situation, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t consider getting one.
However, you might feel overwhelmed by the number of choices that you’ll be presented with when you go to the market to buy a portable ice maker. There are plenty of options, but which one among the pool of portable ice makers is the best?
If you’re looking for the best portable ice maker to add to your kitchen, you’ve landed yourself at just the right place. This blog post is all about choosing the best small ice maker!
What to Look for In A Portable Ice Maker
With so many options out there, how can you tell if a portable ice maker is the right choice for you? Well, fret not. Let’s have a quick walkthrough of the features that you must look for when buying a portable ice maker.
Size and Efficiency
The first consideration when buying a portable ice maker is how fast and how much ice it can produce. If it’s taking forever to produce ice, it in no way is a reliable replacement for a freezer. Ideally, a small ice maker should make 9 to 12 ice cubes at a time within 6 to 7 minutes. It shouldn’t be too bulky or heavy and should do justice to its name of being a portable ice maker. So before you put your money at stake, make sure to check how efficient it is and how convenient its storage will be.
Shape of the Ice
Another important feature that you must consider before buying an ice maker is the shape of the ice it produces. The shape of the ice can range from dice-shaped to bullet-shaped to nugget-shaped. You may not realize it now, but the shape of the ice has a profound impact on how quickly it melts. For example, bullet-shaped ice cubes cool your drinks quickly. However, since they melt fast, they can drastically change the taste of your drinks. Similarly, if you like to chew ice in your cocktails, you might want to get an ice maker that makes nugget ice. So, you should base your decision on your choices and preferences.
Timer
Many ice makers come with an in-built timer that allows the users to schedule the ice-making. This feature adds to the efficiency and convenience of the user. If a timer function is an important factor for you, check if the ice maker you’re planning to buy comes with a timer before spending money.
Drain Plug
The drain plug could be present at the backside of the appliance or at the underside. A drain plug at the underside is a lot more convenient when it comes to draining the unused water after you’re done using the ice maker. So, look for a portable ice maker with an underside drain plug.
Cleaning
One of the most important considerations to make before buying an ice maker is the ease of cleaning. Always opt for an appliance that easy to clean and maintain. You can consider investing in premium models that are equipped with a self-cleaning feature.
Best Portable Ice Makers
So without further ado, let jump directly into our list.
1) Euhomy IM-F
If you just can’t live without iced beverages, be it water, tea, coffee, or juices, you need an ice maker that offers incredible ice-producing capacity. If you’re on a lookout for such an ice maker but also want it to be small in size and portable, the Euhomy IM-F is probably the best option out there.
With a daily ice-making capacity of 40 pounds, you’re never falling short of ice supply. It can make an incredible number of 24 ice cubes in one go, making it ideal for people who like to host large parties often. Not only is it highly efficient at producing ice in just 12 to 18 minutes, but it also allows you to adjust the thickness of the ice as per your liking!
The control panel makes it easy to operate the Euhomy IM-F. It has control buttons to adjust settings as per your convenience. It comes equipped with a timer, so you have the ice ready when you need it. The low water indicator lights up when there isn’t enough water in the water tank. It also indicates when the ice tray is full.
The Euhomy IM-F doesn’t produce any annoying noise or heat, so you’ve got little to worry about. One feature that you won’t find in many portable ice makers is the automatic cleaning mechanism. You just have to press the ‘timer’ button for 5 seconds, and the appliance will enter the automatic cleaning mode. It won’t be wrong to say that Euhomy IM-F is one of the finest, most efficient, and convenient ice maker in the category of small ice makers.
- Impressive water and ice-producing capacity
- Efficient
- Portable
- Compact
- Noise-free
- Automatic cleaning
- Digital control panel
- In-built timer
- It’s quite heavy, so moving or carrying it around might be a challenge for you
- Many users have found it to be too bulky to be called portable
Our rating: 
4.6 / 5
2) Igloo ICEB26SS
The Igloo Portable Ice Maker is everything that you want in a small ice maker – compact, convenient, and portable. Weighing only 20.4 pounds and having dimensions of 9.61 x 14.69 x 12.4 inches, it truly fits the definition of a portable ice maker.
This gorgeous ice maker has an impressive water capacity of 3 quarts and can make about 28 pounds of fresh ice in a period of 24 hours. You’ll be surprised to know that it can make 9 small or large ice cubes in just 7 minutes, bringing it on top of our list of the best portable ice makers.
The electronic control panel of the Igloo ICE26 has LED lights that keep it illuminated and make it easier for the user to navigate through the controls.
The transparent lid is an add-on. You can view inside the appliance and see just where the ice-making process is. This is not it. It also features a removable ice basket so you can serve the ice quite easily.
- Great tank capacity
- Can make 9 ice cubes in just 7 minutes
- Stylish in appearance
- Removable ice basket
- LED-lit electronic display
- It falls on the pricier end of the scale and isn’t affordable for everyone
- It’s quite noisy during the operation
Our rating: 
4.4 / 5
3) NewAir Portable Ice Maker A1-100R
The portable ice maker by New Air is the best small ice maker that will fulfill all your ice-related needs like a pro. Whether you’re looking for a constant supply of fresh ice at home or in your RV while you’re on the road, the New Air ice maker is what you should consider buying.
It can make 9 pieces of ice in one go in just 15 minutes, with a total capacity of 28 pounds of ice per day. What’s more to it that brings to our list is the ice size settings. You can make ice in three different sizes to suit your preferences. Not many ice makers offer this premium option, but you can enjoy it to the fullest with the New Air Portable Ice Maker. The LED-lit control panel makes it easy for you to navigate through the settings and settle on what meets your needs best.
- Compact
- Portable
- Makes 9 bullet-shaped ice pieces in 15 minutes
- LED display
- Three ice size options
- Equipped with ‘full ice’ sensor
- Some users complain that the sensor isn’t very reliable
- Users have had complaints regarding its durability
Our rating: 
4.3 / 5
4) Luma Comfort Portable Ice Maker IM200SS
The next on our list of best small ice makers is the Luma Comfort. If you’re looking for an ice maker that produces restaurant quality that doesn’t melt right away and that too, in no time, the Luma Comfort is what you need!
The super modern and attractive design makes it a great kitchen countertop addition. Also, its compact design makes its storage less of a challenge. It’s one of the smallest ice makers available in the market today. The Luma Comfort is a powerful ice maker that is capable of producing as much as 28 pounds of ice a day.
All you need is to add water, plug it in, and leave it for 15 minutes. Perfect ice will be ready for use. What makes the Luma Comfort such a user-friendly device is its ice dispenser that makes retrieving the ice from the ice maker so much easier.
It weighs only 25.5 pounds. Featuring the dimensions of 11.3 x 14.8 x 14.1 inches, it’s super-easy to accommodate it in your kitchen storage cabinets.
- Clear, restaurant-quality ice cubes
- 5 times slower melting ice
- Attractive design
- Easy storage
- Equipped with warning lights for full ice and low water
- Convenient ice dispenser
- Some people find it too noisy
- It comes with a high price tag
- Water holding tank should be emptied every day
Our rating: 
4.2 / 5
5) Avalon Bay Ice Maker AB-ICE26R
The Avalon Bay Ice Maker is an ideal appliance for small kitchens and other smaller spaces like boats and RVs. Although it’s a highly compact ice maker, it’s powerful enough to produce as much as 26 pounds of ice a day!
The Avalon Bay Ice Maker can make bullet-shaped ice in just 6 minutes, so whether you’re at home or on a road trip, you’ll never find yourself short of great ice. The ice dispenser makes dispensing the ice convenient and hassle-free. Another noteworthy feature of this small ice maker is that it is equipped with indicator lights that let you know when your ice bucket is full or when your water tank needs to be refilled.
Not to mention the super-classy and attractive build design. It sure looks like a beauty sitting on your kitchen countertop! If you don’t have enough countertop space, you can easily store it away in any of your kitchen cabinets, thanks to its small size. It weighs only 19.27 pounds and has the dimensions of 11 x 14.8 x 14.7 inches – hence super easy to store in your kitchen cabinet.
- Stylish design
- Portable
- Compact and lightweight
- Highly efficient
- Powerful
- Low water and full ice light indicators
- The sensors are not durable
- The users have complained about the inconsistent size of bullet ice
- Some users find the size of the ice pieces too small
Our rating: 
4.1 / 5
Conclusion
Portable ice makers can make life a lot easier, especially for people who don’t have enough space to accommodate refrigerators in their homes and have to rush to the stores to get ice. These small-sized ice makers don’t take up too much space on the kitchen counter or in the storage cabinets and produce great quality ice in no time. With the right ice maker at home, you can have a fresh supply of perfect ice cubes at your disposal anytime you want! Choose one from our list, and rest assured that you’ll get to enjoy a great supply of ice for years to come.
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