No one likes sipping on room-temperature lemonade or cocktails. What if we told you that there’s an easy way always to have ice on hand? Portable ice makers are handy tools that will keep all your drinks chilled.
Are you serving cocktails at your party? Filling up an insulated cooler on the family camping trip? A portable ice maker can provide you with an endless supply of ice everywhere you go! Most ice makers can serve up ice in under 5 minutes.
Portable ice makers are a combination of a cooler and an ice-making machine. They work by first freezing the water and then slowly releasing it to the cooler’s basket, which can be used as ice.
A portable ice maker is an excellent solution for those who love to take long road trips, camp, or have parties on the go. If you’re looking for something to keep your party cool, this might be what you’ve been looking for.
An excellent portable ice maker is small, so you can keep it on a countertop too, and take it with you when going out to the beach, backyard, or camping.
How To Choose A Portable Ice Maker
A portable ice maker can be a good investment for summer when you want to have ice readily available to cool drinks on hot days. You can invest in an electric or gas-powered machine or go with a solar-powered one. What are the best portable ice makers?
The best way to choose a portable ice maker is by considering your needs and what features are important to you. If you need only 4-5 pounds of ice daily, buying an electric or gas-powered machine may be the best option. But if you need more than 8 pounds of ice per day, it may be cheaper and more convenient in some cases to buy an electric machine with added storage capacity.
Choosing the best portable ice maker for your parties is easier when you know what you need. Consider the following tips when shopping for the best portable ice maker:
Design
Portable ice-making machines are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. There are stainless steel models, while others have white, black, or another coloring. Choose a portable ice maker in the color, shape, and design that matches your home or use case.
Usability
When shopping for a portable ice maker, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does it have indicator lights?
- Are there alarms?
- Are the buttons easy to use?
- Is it easy to clean?
- If not, does it have a self-cleaning feature?
- Is it easy to install and set up?
Indicator lights can tell you when ice is ready or when water needs to be refilled to make more lights. Alarms can do the same. Clearly labeled buttons with good sizing are a must for anyone to understand how to use the machine. Think about how easy the ice machine is to use.
Portability
When looking for the perfect portable-ice maker, always consider whether you plan to use it in a few places or if you’d like to move it around a lot. Some portable ice makers are larger than others. The smaller the ice maker, the easier it is to move around often.
Features
- Choose a portable ice maker that offers options for 2 or 3 ice sizes.
- Underside Drain Plug – This makes it easy to quickly drain and clean the unit. Plugs placed on the bottom of the reservoir are best.
- Removable Ice Bin – For easy cleaning.
- Self-Cleaning Mode – A luxury feature for those who dread cleaning their units.
- Smart Ice Makers/Bluetooth Ice Makers – Another luxury feature that lets you control your ice makers using an app on your phone.
- Filter – To keep your water and ice clean and free of debris.
Best Portable Ice Makers At A Glance
- Best Overall: Igloo Automatic Portable Electric Ice Maker
- Best for Nuggets: GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
- Most Affordable: Crownful Countertop Ice Maker
- Best For Large Capacity: Euhomy 40-Pound Portable Ice Maker
- Best Self-Cleaning: Igloo Stainless Steel Portable Electric Ice Maker
- Best for Quick Ice: NewAir Portable Ice Maker
- Best for Cubes: Luma Comfort Portable Clear Ice Maker
The Best Portable Ice Makers
These are the best portable ice makers:
Best Overall: Igloo Automatic Portable Electric Ice Maker
Igloo’s portable ice maker is one of the most highly-rated ice makers on Amazon. It’s small, but it can make nine ice cubes in under 7 minutes. It also has a setting that lets you choose the size of the ice cubes.
The ice basket holds up to 2 pounds of ice, and it can make about 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours. If the ice melts, a recycling feature will use the melted ice water to make new ice cubes.
Best for Nuggets – GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
The GE ice maker is the most expensive ice maker on the list, and you could consider it a “professional ice maker.” Lots of shoppers who splurged on this ice maker claim that it’s “worth every single penny,” and we agree (if you love nugget ice).
This GE ice maker produces one pound of ice every hour and not just any ice. It makes the best soft and chewable nugget ice! There are even Bluetooth capabilities that allow you to control most of its functions using your smartphone.
Most Affordable – Crownful Countertop Ice Maker
This cheap portable ice maker is the most affordable ice maker on the market ($99 at the time of writing). It’s capable of making a batch of 9 ice cubes in under 7 minutes, and the ice bucket can hold up to 80 ice cubes at a time.
The Crownful Countertop Ice Maker is user-friendly, and it even has a self-cleaning mode. Some lights let you know when the ice bucket is full and when there’s too little water to produce more ice.
So, despite its low cost, many shoppers say that it’s a “great value for your money.” This portable mini ice maker won’t disappoint.
Best For Large Capacity – Euhomy 40-Pound Portable Ice Maker
The standard portable ice maker makes up to 28 pounds of ice in 24 hours. That’s great, but if you need more ice, Euhomy’s 40-pound ice maker is an excellent investment.
It doesn’t weigh 40 pounds, but it can produce up to 40 pounds of ice per day. And, though it’s the largest ice maker on the list, it’s still very much portable.
It makes 24 ice cubes per batch and takes about 15 minutes to make a single batch. It also recycles water from melted ice cubes in the bucket to make new ice. The ice bucket holds up to 120 ice cubes.
Best Self-Cleaning – Igloo Stainless Steel Portable Electric Ice Maker
This version of Igloo’s portable ice maker has a built-in carrying handle and a five-cycle dedicated self-cleaning feature. There’s even a drain feature that empties and rinses the machine using excess water from melted ice.
Best for Quick Ice – NewAir Portable Ice Maker
If you need ice fast, NewAir’s small countertop ice maker makes ice in as little as 7 minutes. So, you’ll always have ice ready to go with your drinks. The NewAir Portable Ice Maker also makes up to 50 pounds of ice a day, and it has a shut-off & overflow protection function.
Best for Cubes: Luma Comfort Portable Clear Ice Maker
This portable ice maker is best if you prefer ice cubes or nugget ice, or bullet-shaped ice. Many customers like the Luma Comfort for its restaurant-like ice, and it can make up 24 ice cubes in a single cycle. It takes about 15 minutes per cycle.
Best Selling Portable Ice Makers On Amazon
Conclusion
The best portable ice maker will keep your drinks cold and refreshing on the go, whether you’re at the beach, at the park, or having a backyard party. If you’re shopping for a portable ice maker, these are the best options available. There are certainly more ice makers on the market, and you can read our article about the best ice makers for more.
Last update on 2023-02-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API