Countertop Ice Maker Reviews Only a Handful of People Know
Purchasing countertop ice maker is an ideal option for your outdoor activities that require cool water or a bunch of ice cubes
14/12/2018
nostalgia products
Countertop ice maker process ice at a moderate speed, and can be used anywhere due to its portability design. Purchasing countertop ice maker is an ideal option for your outdoor activities that require cool water or a bunch of ice cubes. Notably, every office big or small has included unit placed in the lunch room or tea room. Most hotels provide countertop ice maker for their customer to drink cold water and pick some ice for refreshment. The common challenge is on how to buy the appropriate unit for your cooling services. People end up purchasing poor-quality units due to lack of enough knowledge on such products. Significantly, factors such as ice quality, production capacity, and the speed at which the unit dispenses ice cubes should be considered when making a purchase decision.
There are several brands and models of Countertop ice maker available in the market. Make sure you buy the one that matches your ice making requirements. You can easily check countertop ice maker reviews of some brands so you will have extensive knowledge on what it entails. Checking the particulars of various models will enlighten your understanding on such models and how they can contribute to ice cubing process. You will know how long such ice cubes will take to melt in your drink. Most online store display varieties of units, making it convenient for you to choose the countertop ice maker that will be helpful for your icing work. Significantly, make sure to experiment your newly purchased unit, just to be certain that you will not run out of ice at the worst moment.
How to operate countertop ice makers
Identify a convenient space to put your countertop ice maker. This unit is small and can be placed on any surface where power can be accessed. Your ice making space can be kitchen countertop, Table, inside your car, on a moving boat, or at the field shade. Plug-in the power cord cable on your power source. Don’t worry about the power consumption, this unit only requires 110-120V outlet for its optimum operation. You can use the DC inverter to hook up the unit to the power source in your car.
After everything is arranged and your machine is ready to work, switch it on and start making your ice. You should check the manufacturer manual for a further guideline on how to use your countertop ice maker. You will find the recommendations on how to add water, and how to remove the used water.
Your countertop will need regular maintenance for it to work effectively. Proper handling will prevent an unnecessary failure that can interfere with your ice production. You should occasionally wipe the machine using vinegar or lemon juice. The external surfaces need to be wiped almost every day to get rid of dust. Also, remember to clean ice scoops for hygiene purposes.
How do countertop ice makers work?
Countertop ice makers function just like any traditional freezer. Water is manually poured into the rotating ice tray. Then the compressor and fan solidify water into ice. The warm refrigerant then triggers the ice to be dispensed into the bin. Most countertop units release cylindrical ice commonly known as bullet ice. While others produce cubed ice, which classically looks like the ice found in the restaurants. Surprisingly, portable countertops do not need a drain or water line to operate. They take the opportunity of melted ice to form more ice. If you wish to empty the container and add new water, use the plug positioned almost at the bottom of the reservoir and free out the used water.
The ice production volume simply means the amount of ice a unit can produce within 24 hours. On the other hand, the ice storage capacity is the highest amount of ice a machine can accommodate at a time. Since countertop ice makers are manufactured with the assumption that ice usage is expected throughout the day, the production capacity is characteristically larger as compared to the storage capacity. Immediately the bin is full with the ice, the unit will suspend the production until all the cubes are dispensed out of the container. When the cubes are not removed, they will automatically be melted to make fresh ice. Most countertop ice makers dispense their first cubes into the bin within a short time possible. With countertop ice makers, there is no more delay in the process of ice. This is practically opposed to traditional ice makers.
Portability Advantages of countertop ice makers
Countertop ice makers are relatively small and can be placed on any surface conveniently without the space barrier. Surprisingly enough, they can hold a considerable volume of ice cubes. Most countertops ice makers are 15 inches tall and have a width measurement of 12 inches and above. What makes countertop ice makers portable? They don’t necessarily need a water line or drain line in order to process ice. They only need a source of power, and they can be comfortably transferred anywhere 110-120V outlet can be accessed.
Don’t exhaust your freezer space trying to keep ice. Use countertop ice maker right next to your cooking space in the kitchen instead, and have a steady production of ice. It also works conveniently in the minibus, leisure room, and office rooms. Countertop ice makers are ideal appliances for students who would like to cool their foodstuffs, and drinks in the dorm. They can cool drinks throughout the day from a very small space.
You can take your trips on a bus or a boat with your countertop ice maker beside you. They are easy to carry around and small to any available space. Don’t leave them behind when you are going for a party, picnics, tour, graduation ceremony, or anywhere away from home, yet you will need a cool drink. You will only need an inverter to transform DC to AC right from your car, and everything will get cool. Countertop Ice Makers consumes 150-300 watts at 115 volts, so your invert must have the matching specifications.
What to consider before you purchase countertop ice makers
You may want to consider the functional features and physical appearance of your unit. Some countertop Ice Makers connects to a water line, but most of them work with water poured directly. Some brands are manufactured to work with detachable ice baskets or digital timer. Are you going to work with it on your kitchen, or you want to move with it from one place to another? How significant is a display screen? Most people are attracted by the colors fabricated on the unit. Do you want black, gray, blue or white stainless steel? The unit you will eventually take home should match your preferences. Maybe your home appliances are green. So, you will pick the unit you believe will suit your home decors. After you visualize how you want your unit to operate, it will be simple to find a suitable one for your ice-making purpose.
Countertop ice makers are considerably cheap and accessible in your nearest town. The prices vary depending on models and automated features included in the design. You can find some units at a cost of $100 while others classically cost up to $450. A close countertop ice maker reviews discourage anything cheaper below $80, as you may end up acquiring a problematic unit with very less lifespan. For how long will your unit serve before it is rendered helpless? If you are planning to run your unit 24/7 while connected to power, you may consider purchasing a Countertop ice maker that is strong and designed to operate for long. How many ice cubes do you want your unit to make per day? Ice production volume is a very important factor to consider when buying Countertop ice makers. Machines with higher production capacity may cost you moderately.
6 Best Countertop Ice Makers Reviewed
NewAir AI-215SS 50 lb.
This countertop unit is compact and slender in design, but can still produce a high volume of ice cubes for big parties and large family gatherings. NewAir AI-215SS process and dispense 50 pounds of bullet-shaped ice within 24 hours a day. What is more, this wonderful unit can make cubes of three varied sizes, and turn out 12 ice cubes within 13 minutes.
The NewAir AI-215SS is packaged with detachable ice bins, ice scoop, digital timer, LCD display, and cleaning tools. There are different light emitting diodes that will alert you when more water is required or ice bin needs to be drained. It has an inbuilt drain line mounted on it and is easy to operate. It may store a small amount of ice at a time, but can always dispense to free space for new ice.
This countertop unit requires no installation and is designed to operate at a high speed for your quick ice processing. It sizes measure 17 by 17 by 14 inches, and it fabricated in red and stainless steel.
ICE103 countertop ice maker by Igloo
Igloo ICE103 is one of the ultra-portable countertop units that make about 26 pounds of ice cubes on a daily basis. Its storage capacity is about 2.2 pounds per dispense time in the stainless steel ice bucket. Igloo ICE103 can produce small, medium and large sizes of ice cubes. It freezes water a span of six minutes.
Igloo ICE103 is designed to operate 24/7 with minimal failure, and it has a long lifespan. The size of this appliance is measured at 14 x 12 x 15 inches. Due to its moderate size, it is advisable to place it on top of a strong surface to unpredictable avoid fracture.
This unit is accompanied with detachable ice bucket, an ice scoop, and functional button controls. It comprises of the LED which shows an alert that the bucket is full of water is needed. This model holds more ice, and it dispenses ice cubes at a faster speed. It is relevant to say that this countertop unit is cheap and productive. It is cased with a black lid and abrasive stainless steel.
Portable ice maker AB-ICE26S, Color Silver
AB-ICE26S Silver is a glossy silvered countertop ice maker with an outstanding on its rear view. This unit is designed with a technology that makes it faster and convenient for most users. AB-ICE26S Silver has a number of controls that mitigate its operation, and it can hold ice up to 2 pounds. Just like other countertop ice makers, this unit produces about 26 cubes LBS per day. AB-ICE26S Silver releases ice within 6 minutes, but it takes roughly 15 minutes to produce a full batch of ice cubes.
Avalon Bay AB-ICE26S
Avalon Bay AB-ICE26S is attractive in its design. This model is fabricated in three different colors - black, silver, and red. On the outside, it has a beautiful design with black and white decorations. This countertop unit weighs up 20 lbs and is 14.80 x 14.70 x 11 inches in measurement. Its size makes it ultra-portable and it is suitable for all outdoor activities.
Avalon Bay AB-ICE26S runs on 115 volts and it uses a 3-prong power outlet. On the top of this unit, you will find the control buttons with LED which will be alerting you to empty and add water in the basket. These features are knowledge-based and save you from guesswork that may cause malfunction. What is more, it is manufactured with automatic overflow protection to avoid water spillage outside the basket.
One batch of ice production takes only 6 minutes or 13 minutes for large size ice cubes. Each cycle generates 9 bullet-shaped ice molded with a hole at the center. This unit can generate about 26 pounds of ice cubes on a daily basis. During purchase, you will find it packed with hand-held ice scoops for removing ice cubes out of the basket.
Avanti WIMD332PC-IS portable countertop ice maker
To cope up with its competitors, this countertop unit produces 25 pounds of ice cubes within a span of 24 hours. The spectacular feature of this unit is realized on its unique dispenser that creates a hole at the center of an ice cube.
Avanti WIMD332PC-IS is accompanied with tray and scoop at the time of purchase. Cleaning this unit is simple as it requires or vinegar and water. What makes this countertop ice maker portable is its small size of 16.5 x 12.2 x 14.2 inches measurement.
Della Portable ice maker
Della Portable Ice Maker produces about 26 pounds of ice cube daily and can accommodate roughly 1.5 pounds of ice per dispense cycle. It has two options of sizes and can dispense 9 ice cubes within 6 minutes.
The functional features incorporated in this unit include LED indicators, digital overflow protection, detachable basket, and scoop. It is hot-swappable and requires no installation once connected to a power source. The control buttons are user-friendly and can be operated without prior skills.
The unit is relatively small and can be placed anywhere in the house, or in the vehicle for outdoor activities. This is supported by its size of 18 x 21 x 20 inch measurements.
Verdict
In conclusion, countertop ice makers are portable, easy to handle and can operate without much installation work. There is no limitation on where to use this machine – you can accompany yourself with the unit to any outdoor events. To experience optimal production of ice cubes, you should purchase a unit that suits your freezing wants. All countertop units reviewed in this article are good options for your home and outdoors ice production requirements. However, you must learn to handle your unit with care to avoid unpredictable failures. After passing through this review, you should be able to find your dream countertop unit that will produce quality ice cubes at a minimal speed possible. This will save you time, and money for running up and down in search of ice at the nearby restaurants.