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After a new round of testing, we continue to recommend the Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27, and we now also recommend the Igloo IGLICEBSC26. Home Ice Maker
If you love cold drinks, a countertop ice maker might make your day. These machines tend to be more alike than different. But whether you want to chill a tumbler of lemonade, fill a cocktail shaker, or ice enough drinks for a party, the straight-forward Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 and the compact Igloo IGLICEBSC26 do the job well.
If you prefer crystal-clear ice, we recommend the Luma Comfort IM200. If nugget ice is your thing, we like the GE Profile Opal 2.0.
This ice maker is one of many clones available, but it stands out for its value, availability, and customer service.
This bullet-ice maker is compact and has a self-cleaning mode. But because of its slightly smaller size, you need to refill it a bit more frequently.
This model produces clear ice—which keeps carbonated drinks fizzy for longer—in much bigger batches than our other picks. But the machine takes up more space.
Nugget ice has a cult following because of its soft, chewable consistency. This model makes it beautifully, but it’s expensive and large.
This cheaper, tankless version makes the same great ice, but you need to refill the water reservoir between batches.
We tested three types of ice makers that make three types of ice: bullet ice, clear ice, and nugget ice.
Some countertop ice machines take up more space than others and are about the size of an espresso maker.
These machines aren’t as durable as larger appliances, and most have a one-year warranty. Know your model’s return policy.
Regularly maintaining your ice maker clears out debris and prevents mildew growth.
This ice maker is one of many clones available, but it stands out for its value, availability, and customer service.
Similar to other standard countertop ice makers, the Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 makes nine bullet-shaped cubes every eight minutes. Within a half hour, you’ll have enough ice to chill a few drinks.
Although the cloudy bullets aren’t exactly gourmet ice, they chill your drinks, and that’s good enough for most people.
The reservoir holds enough water to make ice continuously for a few hours at a time, so you don’t have to watch it too closely for refills. (Like with all of these machines, however, the bullets will melt if left in the unrefrigerated storage basket.)
Though many of the ice makers we tested showed streaks on their stainless-steel finishes, this model showed them more prominently.
The Magic Chef ice maker is generally in stock. And if you purchase it through Home Depot or Walmart, in-store returns should be easy, which is a plus.
This bullet-ice maker is compact and has a self-cleaning mode. But because of its slightly smaller size, you need to refill it a bit more frequently.
Like the Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27, the Igloo IGLICEBSC26 makes nine bullet-shaped cubes in less than 10 minutes. But it’s smaller and lighter than our pick from Magic Chef, which you might appreciate if you have minimal counter space or plan to store it away.
Similar to other bullet-ice makers, the Igloo ice maker produces ice that’s neat and decent enough for drinks.
This model’s water reservoir stores less water than that of our pick, so you need to refill the machine more frequently, but we barely noticed the difference in testing. The Igloo ice maker’s slightly lighter weight (0.75 pound less than the Magic Chef ice maker) and compact shape make it much easier to carry to the sink to drain and clean than its competitors.
The best thing about this machine is its intuitive controls, which placed it just a notch above the other bullet-style ice machines we tested.
This model also has a self-cleaning mode, which was the easiest to select and operate of the bullet-ice machines we tested. You still need to clean your ice maker regularly the old fashioned way.
This model produces clear ice—which keeps carbonated drinks fizzy for longer—in much bigger batches than our other picks. But the machine takes up more space.
If you drink a lot of sodas or seltzers, or you just want better-looking ice, consider a waterfall-style, clear-cube ice maker like the Luma Comfort IM200. Clear ice cubes don’t make carbonated drinks fizz as much as cloudy ice does, so your bubbly beverages will taste better for longer.
The Luma Comfort ice maker takes 20 to 24 minutes to make a batch of ice, which is three times longer than our bullet-ice picks. It also makes three times as much per batch. Its ice was consistently clear and lasted for more than an hour in a glass of room-temperature water.
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.
However, it’s larger than both of our bullet-style picks and takes up more room on a countertop.
Nugget ice has a cult following because of its soft, chewable consistency. This model makes it beautifully, but it’s expensive and large.
This cheaper, tankless version makes the same great ice, but you need to refill the water reservoir between batches.
The GE Profile Opal 2.0 with Side Tank produced the highest-quality nugget ice of the models we tested. In our testing, the Opal 2.0 churned out batches of crunchy, pebbly ice fit for chilling everything from sodas to cocktails with its satisfying, chewable consistency.
The Opal 2.0 has a sleek design, with a transparent, illuminated reservoir for the ice. A detachable side water tank attaches to the machine with magnets. The side tank allows for more ice to be made between refills; you can also opt for a cheaper version without the side tank.
The Opal 2.0 is able to connect to Wi-Fi and can be programmed to respond to voice commands. (It also has a UV light for sanitizing, though we did not test the machine’s purported antimicrobial technology.)
The machine is large; it takes up about as much room as an espresso machine. It’s also expensive, typically costing nearly five times the price of the bullet-ice makers we recommend. But if you have a thing for nugget ice, it’s a terrific choice.
Staff writer Andrea Barnes covers large cleaning appliances, including dishwashers, and also provides tips on how to get the most out of your dishwasher and laundry appliances.
Over the years, we have:
If you dislike lugging bags of ice home from the store or waiting for ice-cube trays to freeze, a countertop ice maker might be a useful alternative. If you’re running out of space in your freezer but love having ice handy for your drinks, these machines can actually be wonderful.
Countertop ice makers are also a good option for use in RVs, campers, boats, or even food trucks. They are, however, meant to be used in a temperature-controlled environment (around 70 °F). So if you have dreams of putting this ice machine outside near a pool, you should invest in a cooler instead.
Although the home ice machines we tested won’t replicate super-trendy artisanal ice, some can produce ice that most trays and built-in ice makers can’t, such as crisp, glassy cubes or crunchy, fluffy nuggets.
Remember, too, that basic maintenance (which can be a pain) is a must, or you run the risk of growing mildew or even having parts of the machine rust.
Most countertop ice makers don’t vary much: They’re all roughly the same size and shape and they all make ice in about the same amount of time. In fact, our research over the years has shown that most are made by the same few factories. The biggest difference lies in the kind of ice they make. We tested three types:
Bullet-ice makers: Most bullet-ice models are roughly the same size, taking up about half as much counter space as a small microwave. At room temperature (70 °F), they can crank out a batch of nine bullets about every seven to nine minutes—enough to fill just under a half of a pint-size glass. None of these machines keep the ice frozen after it’s made, so you need to consume it quickly or move it to the freezer for storing.
Speed per batch depends on cube size (most models have two size options, though the diameter differs by only a few millimeters), the model’s capacity (measured in pounds of ice per day, which is usually 26 or 28 pounds), and how long the machine has been running (ice makers tend to slow down a bit after operating for an hour or more).
Clear-ice makers: Clear ice looks prettier and keeps beverages carbonated longer than cloudy ice does. Refrigeration expert Dan Conrad said making clear ice requires water with fewer impurities and avoiding introducing air during the freezing process. Most clear-ice makers form cubes slowly with running water, which prevents air pockets from forming. (Fewer air pockets means fizzier drinks.)
Clear-cube makers (like our pick) take longer to make a batch of ice—about 25 minutes or so. Some of these machines have ice-thickness controls with plus and minus buttons to add or take away freezing time, but we found them to be temperamental. Clear-ice makers produce solid blocks of ice that you often need to break up into individual cubes. They’re also bigger than typical bullet-ice machines and usually more expensive.
Nugget-ice makers: Nugget ice (or pebble ice) is a bunch of flaked ice (the type used in seafood displays) packed together. It has a soft, easy-to-chew texture, and it absorbs the flavor of whatever drink you’ve put it into. It’s particularly excellent for slushies and warm-weather cocktails, though it makes carbonated drinks go flat pretty quickly. Pebble ice is challenging to make, so it’s no surprise that the pebble-ice machines we tested took the longest to make a reasonable batch of ice—sometimes up to 30 minutes—and are significantly more expensive than bullet- or clear-ice makers.
We evaluated 12 machines in our most recent round of testing: five bullet-ice makers, four clear-ice makers, and three nugget-ice makers. We tested them in series (by type) for several weeks at a time at home. This gave us an idea of how convenient each was to use on a daily basis and allowed us to evaluate the following factors:
Ice quality: For all of the models, we noted the size of the ice and its uniformity. For clear-ice makers, we assessed the clarity of the ice and how easy it was to break apart the ice block into separate cubes. We also evaluated how long it took for the ice to melt—which, for much of the ice made by these machines, can be pretty quick (especially in summer heat).
Ease of cleaning: Countertop ice makers require regular cleaning to avoid mildew and rust. We took into account the location of a machine’s drain plug, if it has a self-cleaning cycle, and how easy it was to lift and carry to the sink.
Reliability: Like many small appliances, countertop ice makers are not built with the kind of durability that larger appliances are. We browsed user reviews for some of the best-selling models, and we found a not-insignificant number of reviews describing machines that broke down within months and even a few complaints about receiving lemons. Countertop ice makers all have one-year warranties, but it seems customer service at some of these companies can be hit or miss.
This ice maker is one of many clones available, but it stands out for its value, availability, and customer service.
The Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 is a variant of the classic bullet-ice machine, but it has some functional details we appreciate and tends to be widely available and easier to return.
It makes ice reliably. The Magic Chef ice maker makes nine bullet-shaped pieces of ice in about eight minutes using cold tap water. (Chilled water can speed that up a bit.) In warmer temperatures, it took about 12 minutes per batch, and the first few batches were misleadingly small and clear because the ice wasn’t fully formed, but that’s typical.
The Magic Chef ice maker’s ice is a little cloudy (standard for bullet-ice machines), and although it melts faster in carbonated beverages than clear ice, it still gets the job done. The reservoir holds enough water to make ice continuously for a few hours at a time, so you don’t have to watch it too closely. It can make 27 pounds of ice per day.
It’s simple to use. Plug it in, pour water in the reservoir, and turn it on. Its user-friendly controls have easy-to-read notifications and a simple select button for choosing ice size.
It’s easier to return than its competitors. If you purchase this model through Home Depot or Walmart, in-store returns should be painless. A few owner-reviews for other models complained about refused or slow-rolled returns, but these instances seem to be uncommon.
It’s as reliable as these machines can be. The Magic Chef ice maker has been around for a while, so we don’t expect many surprises. Reviews of it are slightly better than other ice machines, averaging around 4.4 stars on Home Depot’s website.
This bullet-ice maker is compact and has a self-cleaning mode. But because of its slightly smaller size, you need to refill it a bit more frequently.
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.
It has a space-saving design. Standing at less than a foot tall and 8.5 inches deep, this Igloo ice maker takes up less counter space compared with others (including our other pick). Its lighter weight makes it ideal for seasonal storage.
It makes plenty of ice reliably. It makes the same amount of ice, at about the same pace, as our other pick. The reservoir is a bit smaller, so you need to refill it slightly more often.
Its controls are clear and straight-forward. The Igloo IGLICEBSC26’s controls are intuitive, including buttons for two sizes of ice. And unlike our pick from Magic Chef, it has a self-cleaning mode—not a necessity, but nice to have.
This model produces clear ice—which keeps carbonated drinks fizzy for longer—in much bigger batches than our other picks. But the machine takes up more space.
If cloudy ice isn’t for you or if you want to keep fizzy drinks cold without them going flat, consider a clear-ice maker such as the Luma Comfort IM200. Clear ice keeps beverages carbonated longer than bullet ice does. In a side-by-side test, a soda with clear cubes from the Luma Comfort IM200 fizzed much less in a glass and tasted bubbly and sharp, while a soda with cloudy cubes quickly tasted flat.
It makes consistently clear ice that breaks apart easily. Like most clear-ice machines we tested, the Luma Comfort ice maker’s ice is crystal clear and forms slowly with running water, resulting in a rectangular block that breaks apart into clear ice cubes. During testing, the ice block was well formed and easier to break apart than the block made by other machines.
You can adjust the thickness of the ice. Like the other clear-ice machines we tested, the Luma Comfort ice maker has an option to increase the thickness of the ice, though it isn’t obvious (you need to hold down the power button for 5 seconds). The manual recommends using this mode if you’ll be using the ice maker in warmer temperatures (above 70 °F, basically) to ensure that the ice forms completely. (If you use the thicker setting in a cooler space, however, the block may be too dense to break easily.) Other clear ice makers we tested had specific buttons for ice-thickness control, but they required the same amount of trial and error to adjust thickness as the Luma Comfort ice maker.
But it takes longer than bullet-ice makers. The Luma Comfort ice maker usually took 20 to 25 minutes to complete each batch of ice at room temperature and more like 30 minutes in warmer environments. (Our bullet-ice-maker picks generate nine pieces in roughly eight minutes.) That said, it makes about three times as much ice per batch, so it works out to be roughly equivalent over time.
Nugget ice has a cult following because of its soft, chewable consistency. This model makes it beautifully, but it’s expensive and large.
This cheaper, tankless version makes the same great ice, but you need to refill the water reservoir between batches.
The GE Profile Opal 2.0 with Side Tank (also available in a tankless version) is the most prominent countertop ice maker that makes nugget ice, also called pebble ice, or “that ice you get at Sonic.” (Specialty ice has garnered attention of late, and nugget ice has become a star of #icetok.)
Of the three nugget-ice machines we tested, the pricey Opal 2.0 made the most consistently chewable and crunchable ice, turning an everyday soda or an elevated cocktail into a festive summer drink.
It makes excellent nugget ice. Of the three models we tested, the Opal 2.0 made the highest-quality nugget ice. The ice is chewy, fluffy, and doesn’t clump (the machine keeps the pebbles separated by draining melt water quickly). The Opal 2.0 makes about 1.5 pounds of ice per hour, and the double-pane reservoir holds roughly 3 pounds of ice and prevents it from melting longer than any other ice machine we tried.
It’s sleek and streamlined. The Opal 2.0 has a contemporary, user-friendly design. Its see-through, illuminated reservoir for the ice reminded us of an aquarium. It also has a water tank that attaches easily to the side of the machine via magnets. The tank allows for more ice to be made between refills, but you don’t have to use it. You can buy a slightly cheaper model of the Opal 2.0 that doesn’t include a side tank.
It has extra features not found on other machines. The Opal 2.0 is able to connect to Wi-Fi and can be programmed to respond to voice commands. It also has a UV light for sanitizing, but we haven’t tested its purported antimicrobial properties. You still need to clean the machine regularly.
It has solid satisfaction ratings. Though reviews include some typical small-appliance woes, its overall ratings are strong, ranging from 4.4 stars to 4.6 stars in thousands of verified reviews, placing it among the higher-rated ice makers available. GE offers a 60-day return policy and a one-year warranty for parts and labor.
But it’s large and expensive. The Opal 2.0 is 16.5 inches tall and 17.5 inches deep, and it takes up about the same amount of space on a counter as an espresso machine. It’s also expensive—typically almost five times the price of the bullet-ice makers we recommend. It is available in a tankless version, which makes the same excellent ice but costs less. (You just need to refill the water reservoir between batches.)
Nearly all the ice makers we tested were fine and did the job.
The Frigidaire FreeStanding Ice Maker, which is a clone of the other bullet-ice makers we tested, performed well.
We also like the Costway EP24228 bullet-ice maker, which has a matte finish that doesn’t show fingerprints as much as other machines’ surfaces did. It’s more expensive than our picks (the price was $250 at this writing), but if you happen to find it on sale, which it often is, it’s a good choice.
If the NewAir NIM045SS00 Portable Countertop Clear Ice Machine or the Frigidaire EFIC452 are the only clear-ice makers you can find, they are fine options. They made clear ice very well and lost points primarily for their less-intuitive controls and because we had to wait a minute or two for their ice to be soft enough to break apart.
The Iceman Nugget Ice Machine did a good job for half the price of the GE Profile Opal 2.0 (our also-great pick), but we don’t know much about the company. We noticed several virtually identical machines under other name brands (like other ice makers we tested), including this model from Mueller. If you really want nugget ice but don’t want to invest in the Opal 2.0, the Iceman model works. But it lacks the years-long track record of the Opal 2.0.
After reading this, maybe you realize you don’t need an ice machine at all. Instead, consider our guide to ice cube trays.
The Humhold Nugget Ice Maker took forever to make ice, dropping just three to four nuggets at a time. It is also a much smaller machine than other nugget-ice machines we tested, so it requires much more frequent refills.
Always drain leftover water out of your ice maker after use. This helps prevent mildew and off-tasting ice.
Wipe down the interior of the machine with a soft cloth, warm water, and some diluted dish soap. This gets rid of solid debris, mildew, and mineral scaling.
If you have mineral buildup and your machine has a dedicated self-cleaning cycle, you can use a diluted cleaning solution (such as vinegar, lemon juice, or a premade, nickel-safe ice-maker cleaner) to descale. You can even use a solution of water and bleach to sanitize the interior, which is what GE recommends.
After any sort of cleaning, it’s wise to run a few water-only ice-making cycles to rinse away any residue—and discard the ice, of course.
We had our eye on the Euhomy Nugget Ice Maker but didn’t test it this round. We plan to check it out next time.
Liam McCabe and Tyler Wells Lynch wrote previous versions of this guide, first published in 2017. This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Courtney Schley.
Andrea Barnes is a staff writer reporting on large cleaning appliances for Wirecutter. She previously worked as a research analyst. A number of avoidable appliance mishaps have led her to a passion for proper appliance care.
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Commercial Shaved Ice Machine Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).