Last updated on February 16th, 2022
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How about an iced beverage on a hot day, without having to worry if you have any ice cubes left in the freezer? An electric ice maker delivers bullet-shaped ice cubes within minutes of you deciding that you and your drink of choice need to be cooled down.
We review counter-top electric ice makers and make our recommendations after listing each model’s pros and cons as well as their significant features. We have something in all sizes and price ranges from budget to premium.
Our Buyer’s Guide discusses the basic features that the Best Ice Makers have, the nice-to-have extras, and the truly spectacular elements that set the premium models apart from the rest.
Best Pick
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Best Premium Pick
Best Budget Pick
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Best Electric Ice Makers Reviews
1. FOOING Ice Maker Machine
Best Pick
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
No products found.The FOOING Ice Maker Machine has all the features of the Best ice maker as well as some nice to haves (see Buyer’s Guide).
The efficient cooling system of this ice machine enables it to produce 9 bullet ice cubes in just 7 minutes which is fairly quick in ice-making terms. Having an iced drink has never been this easy, and fast. The water capacity of the tank is 2L, a reasonable volume that won’t have you checking the water indicator light every time you’re in the kitchen. And remember that ice makers automatically shut down when the water runs out so they won’t run on a dry tank anyway.
The control panel on the lid of the unit is easy to find and read. Along with the On/Off button and the water needed indication light, is a light that tells you when the ice collector bin is full and a toggle select button for the ice cube size. A light lets you know whether you’ve chosen the small or large size cubes. The handy power light informs you that the unit is indeed working.
A major nice-to-have feature that this Fooing ice maker has is the insulated 0.8kg ice collection bin. You don’t have to worry about getting the ice cubes out quickly before they start to melt and form a single lump of ice. The ice in this collection bin stays cold and in separate cubes for quite a while. And the large transparent window in the top of the ice maker lets you see how many ice cubes have been made without having to open the lid and slow down the process.
Another extra feature is that this model is self-cleaning. Press the On/Off button for three seconds and it enters the cleaning cycle. We do recommend, however, that you regularly clean the machine by hand as well, to ensure full hygiene.
Pros
- Black counter-top ice maker with an efficient cooling system.
- Makes 9 bullet cubes of ice in 7 minutes.
- Produces 15kg of ice in a 24-hour period.
- Water tank capacity is 2L.
- Ice collector bin (0.8L) is insulated to keep the ice cold.
- Control panel on the lid has clearly marked buttons for On/Off and selecting between the two ice cubes sizes, as well as red indicator lights for actions for you to take.
- Large transparent window lets you see just how much ice has been made.
- Stops making ice when the ice bin is full.
- Self-clean feature accessed by holding down the On/Off button.
- Comes with ice bucket (that’s the removable ice collector bin) and scoop.
- Operates quietly at 55dB.
- Dimensions: 22cm (width); 30cm (depth); and 26cm (height).
Cons
- Both sizes of ice cubes are quite small compared to the size some alternative models can make.
Our recommendation
We recommend the FOOING Ice Maker Machine for those who need ice on a regular basis – the auto clean feature lets you clean the machine daily without any effort. The insulated collector bin is a big plus as the ice won’t melt quickly, giving you extra time to remember that you put the ice maker on. This is a beyond-basic electric ice maker and is a good option for those looking for something a little more advanced but without spending too much.
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Check out my review of the best juicers
2. EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine Countertop, 20 kg (45 lbs) in 24 Hours
Best Premium Ice Maker
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
The EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine Countertop, 20 kg (45 lbs) in 24-hour, is a premium electric ice maker that gives you several features for your convenience not found in the other ice makers in our review. This silver-coloured stainless steel unit puts out 24 bullet-shaped ice cubes in 12 to 18 minutes. You can have an iced drink within mere minutes of thinking about it.
The features that set this ice maker apart are the cube size selection, the water bottle option, and the timer.
Starting with the cubes, you have a choice of small (best for making smoothies), medium (for freezing), and large (for directly putting into drinks). You control the size/thickness of the cubes by adjusting the length of time of the ice-making process; up to 10 minutes gets you the thinnest/smallest cubes and 15-20 minutes forms the largest cubes.
The water bottle function lets you add a 4.5L bottle of mineral water at the top of the unit to increase the tank’s capacity to 8L of water. This alternative water reservoir means that you don’t have to check your “water needed” light too often. You find this light on the control panel along with the On/Off button, the ice full light, and the cube selection button.
The timer lets you prepare your ice so that it’s ready just in time for your needs – you can’t get any fresher ice than that. The times have an eight-hour delay so you can set it into the evening for the cocktail portion of your dinner party and cross the “get ice” task off your to-do list.
And the automatic cleaning function is another handy feature. This works well for the day-to-day maintenance of your EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine, but we still advise regular manual cleaning for thorough hygiene. You’ll need to drain off the water from the melted ice cubes regularly as the ice collection bin isn’t insulated and the ice starts to melt as soon as it’s put into there.
Along with an ice bucket and scoop, you also receive a one-year warranty. Quite a few online reviewers have complimented the excellent customer service and response of this company although I have not personally had to use it.
Pros
- Countertop ice maker, in silver, with provision for a water bottle.
- Ice making cycle lasts 12 to 18 minutes and produces 24 bullet-shaped ice cubes.
- Puts out 20kg of ice cubes every 24 hours.
- Ice tray is plated with copper nickel and is anti-corrosive.
- Timer lets you delay the start of the ice making process for up to 8 hours.
- Select the size of ice cubes (small, medium, or large) in the digital display.
- Water tank holds up to 3.2L of water for making ice.
- Provision for mounting a 4.5L water bottle (not included) as an alternative water reservoir.
- Automatic cleaning function.
- Digital LCD display with clear readout shows the state of the ice making process.
- Large transparent window lets you view the ice cubes.
- Quiet operation at 45dB.
- Comes with bucket and ice scoop.
- One-year warranty and great customer service.
- Dimensions: 25.1cm (width); 36.1cm (depth); and 37.1cm (height).
Cons
- Ice collection section is not insulated/chilled.
Our recommendation
The EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine, 20 kg (45 lbs) in 24 Hours, is a premium machine in features as well as price. It’s the largest of the ice makers we review and works well if you have a large family demand for ice or you entertain regularly. Its extra features – water bottle reservoir, timer, three cube sizes – add to its convenience of frequent and long-term use.
The EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine, 20 kg (45 lbs) in 24 Hours, is our choice for Best Premium Ice Maker.
Read next: Best hot water dispensers for your kitchen
Have you considered ice crushers, also known as shavers? check out my review of the best ice crushers here
3. Terra Hiker Ice Maker Machine Countertop
Best Budget
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
No products found.The Terra Hiker Ice Maker Machine Countertop has several of the nice-to-have features of the best ice maker but comes at more of a budget price. The extra features address some of the issues people have reported online with ice makers.
This Terra Hiker model doesn’t fade into the background on your kitchen countertop as it’s a bright turquoise colour. The control panel is easily found on the top of the machine and has buttons and lights for On/Off, water needed and ice full.
Note that it doesn’t have an ice cube size selection button as this model produces only one (pre-set) size bullet cube.
The nice-to-have extras in this budget price machine are the insulated bin collector, the self-cleaning function and the quietness of its running. The thick foam layer in the machine prevents the ice cubes from melting quickly, keeping them separate rather than turning into larger clumps of ice. You don’t have to hang around the ice maker waiting to remove the ice cubes immediately after they drop. And this Terra Hiker unit operates at a quiet 43dB; that’s just above the noise level of running tap water.
The self-cleaning facility means that for daily cleaning, you just have to press a button. More thorough manual cleaning is up to you though. Keeping this machine clean is important as it recycles any water run-off from the ice cubes back into the ice-making process. This is an efficient use of water but you may want to completely empty the unit through the drain plug at the bottom (you don’t have to tilt the unit) on a regular basis and start afresh.
Pros
- Turquoise ice maker for the countertop.
- Make 9 bullet-shaped ice cubes every 6 minutes.
- Produces 13kg of ice cubes every 24 hours.
- Water tank has an 1.85L capacity.
- Control panel on top with On/Off button and indicator lights for in use, water needed and ice bin full.
- Quiet running at 43dB.
- Self-cleaning so you don’t have to.
- Insulated ice collection bin (holds 0.9kg) to keep the ice cold.
- Automatically recycles any water collected back into the ice making process.
- Comes with ice basket (removable ice bin) and scoop.
- Dimensions: 24.8cm (width); 29cm (depth); and 35.8cm (height).
Cons
- No choice of ice cube size.
Our recommendation
The Terra Hiker Ice Maker Machine Countertop is our choice for Best Budget Ice Maker. Although it’s at a budget price, it has many of the nice-to-have extras of more expensive ice makers. It’s self-cleaning, has an insulated ice collection bin and is one of the quietest models. You have no choice about the ice cube size, but the automatic recycling of water does use water efficiently.
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Read next: Best halogen ovens for cooking at home, some even have air fryer features
4. NETTA Ice Maker Machine
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
The NETTA Ice Maker Machine is a basic electric ice maker without any of the nice-to-have extras of other models. It produces nine bullet ice cubes in 10 minutes and up to 12kg in a 24-hour period.
This unit’s water tank capacity is 1.8L, but it will shut down automatically if it runs out of water. You can find out if this is so by looking at the relevant indicator light on the control panel on the top of the unit. Also, there is the On/Off button, the light that shows the unit is in use, and one that tells you the ice collection bin is full which is super handy. Or you can peer through the transparent window to see how many ice cubes have been made already.
We call this unit basic as you do have to clean it manually and you don’t have a choice of ice cube sizes. Plus the ice collection bin isn’t insulated so the ice quickly starts to melt once it reaches there. But this model also comes in black or red so you can match it to your kitchen décor.
Pros
- Stainless steel (matte silver) ice maker that sits on a countertop or table.
- Makes 9 bullet cubes in 10 minutes.
- Water tank capacity is 1.8L.
- Produces 12kg of these cubes every 24 hours.
- Comes with removable ice collector bin to serve as ice bucket and a scoop.
- Control panel on the top of the unit has On/Off button and indicator lights for when the maker is in use, when water is needed and when the ice collector is full.
- Transparent window in the lid lets you see how the ice making is going on.
- Automatically stops when the collector bin is full.
- Dimensions: 31cm (width); 32cm (depth); and 23cm (height).
Cons
- Needs manual cleaning.
- Only one (pre-set) size of ice cubes.
- Ice bin is not insulated.
Our recommendation
Consider this NETTA Ice Maker Machine if you’re looking for a relatively small capacity unit that produces ice cubes – and you’re fussy about having a selection of cube sizes. This is a good choice if you don’t use much ice and only want it to be put into your drinks.
5. Euhomy Ice Maker Machine Countertop, 12kg (26 lbs)
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
The Euhomy Ice Maker Machine spits out 9 bullet ice cubes in just eight minutes. That’s enough cubes for your drink and one other – generosity in hot weather at its best.
The stainless steel ice maker has a 2.2L capacity water tank. If you keep an eye on the indicator lights on the control panel on the front, you know when to refill it. Or just keep peeking in through the transparent window to see how many ice cubes have been made. Also on the control panel are the On/Off button, the ice full indicator and the option to select small or large cubes. If you need ice quickly, choose the small cubes as the larger ice cube size takes longer to make.
If the tank does run out of water, the ice maker stops automatically; that’s a great safety function as it doesn’t run dry. The unit automatically stops when the ice collection bin is full. As the collection bin isn’t insulated and sits directly above the run-off bowl, the ice does start to melt quickly. So be sure to remove the ice cubes soon after they’ve been formed. Remember, this is an ice maker, not a freezer.
The one-year warranty of this Euhomy ice maker is backed by reports of great customer service and quick response. Plus you receive the removable ice bucket and a scoop to serve the ice cubes. But you do have to clean this ice maker yourself all the time as it doesn’t have the self-cleaning feature.
Pros
- Countertop ice maker in silver stainless steel with a black lid.
- Puts out 9 bullet ice cubes in just 8 minutes.
- Produces 11.8kg of ice cubes per 24 hours.
- Water tank has a 2.2L capacity.
- Automatically stops making ice when the ice basket is full (holds 0.7kg).
- Control panel on the front of the unit has the On/Off button, the ice cube size selector and indictor lights for water and ice.
- Transparent window shows how full the ice basket is.
- One-year warranty and great customer service.
- Comes with ice basket (the ice bin removes to serve the ice in) and a scoop.
- Dimensions: 24.5cm (width); 32cm (depth); and 32cm (height).
Cons
- Not self-cleaning.
- Ice collection is not insulated.
Our recommendation
The Euhomy Ice Maker Machine Countertop is a very well-reviewed electric ice maker with praise for the company’s excellent customer service although we have not personally been able to test this. It has all the features needed in a good ice maker (see the Buyer’s Guide for details) plus a selection of two ice cube sizes. It’s a perfect size for a family’s summer needs for iced drinks and keeping food cool on the outdoor dining table.
Ice Maker Buyer’s guide
All the ice makers we review here have features that make them suitable candidates for our Best of…review. However, some have more features than others. We’ve split the features into three levels: basic (i.e. the minimum), nice to have extras and truly spectacular ones found in premium ice makers. Figure out what you want from your ice maker by perusing the lists below.
Basic features of ice makers (minimum to expect)
Control panel
This should be easy to find and read. The indicator lights and button selection must be clearly marked.
On/Off button
This is usually a toggle switch; press once to turn on and another press turns the unit off.
Indicator lights
The basic information you need is whether the unit is in use, the power is on, the tank needs filling and the ice collector bin is full.
Drain plug at bottom
You need to drain the water from any melted ice cubes from the ice maker. The unit gets bonus points if you don’t have to tip it to do this.
Removable ice bin
This is the ice bucket that’s included with the scoop in your purchase. It’s usually the ice collection bin that comes out.
Transparent window to see in
You need a large enough window positioned for you to see how many ice cubes have been made. This saves you having to open the lid to check, which lets in warm air and disturbs the ice-making cycle time.
Automatic shut-off
The ice maker should shut off if the ice collection bin is full or the water tank is empty.
Nice to have extras when considering and ice machine maker
Choice of ice cube size
Many models give you a choice of small or large bullet-shaped cubes while the best ones through in a medium size as well. Check whether the sales blurb gives you the actual dimensions of the ice cubes rather than a generic ‘large’ term.
Insulated collection bin
Insulating the collection bin slows down the time it takes for the ice to start melting and becoming stick enough to clump together. Otherwise, you need to hover by the ice maker to take out the cubes when they’re produced.
LCD display
A well-lit LCD display displays information in numbers and icons rather than through indicator lights. It also gives you more information than one or two lights can about what’s going on in the ice-making process.
Recycles water from run-off
Some ice makers automatically take the melted ice and pump the water back into the ice-making process. This is an efficient use of the water you put into the unit.
Read next: Best wine fridges for the home
Truly spectacular features to look out for when considering an ice cube maker
Self-cleaning
Just by you holding down one of the buttons on the control panel, your unit will self-clean. Many manufacturers of self-cleaning ice makers recommend that you still regularly clean them by hand as well, to ensure that you have the healthiest environment in them.
Timer
If you know your guests are arriving for cocktails at 6pm, you don’t have to remember to get the ice ready if your ice maker has a timer. Set the timer up so the first ice cubes are ready as your guests walk in the door.
Extra water reservoir
Our premium pick, the EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine Countertop, 20 kg (45 lbs) in 24 Hours, gives you the option of installing a 4.5L bottle of water as an extra water reservoir on top of the unit. This increases the ice maker’s capacity to 8L which produces a *lot* of ice cubes without you worrying about refilling the tank.
Final Conclusion
Electric counter-top ice makers take the worry out of having iced beverages on summer days and on occasions when you entertain. Plus fresh ice always tastes better than ice cubes that you’ve left in the freezer for a forgotten length of time.
The ice maker models in my review range from basic models through to our premium pick that offers three sizes of ice cubes along with a timer. Whichever model you choose, you’ll have ice on-demand when you need it.
My Best Pick is the FOOING Ice Maker Machine. This is a solid ice maker and has several of the features found on our Premium Choice on a model that is perhaps more affordable.
No products found.
My Budget Choice is the Terra Hiker Ice Maker Machine Countertop. Budget refers only to its relatively inexpensive price as this ice maker comes with quite a few of the high-end features, plus it’s a great colour.
No products found.
My Premium Pick, the EUHOMY Ice Maker Machine Countertop, 20 kg (45 lbs) in 24 Hours, has all the truly spectacular features we list in our Buyer’s Guide. We especially like the timer as you can plan in advance for when your ice needs to be ready.
To add to your coolness in warm weather, check out our review of the Best Bladeless Fans. And if you’re producing ice for your movie night drinks, you may also need one of the Best Popcorn Makers we review.
I have also reviewed some excellent patio coolers here for keeping the drinks cool which you have filled with your ice.
Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
