The Best Options To Get An Ice Maker For Your Home

Everyone loves having ice available.

No one wants to fill up ice trays and have to wait for a hundred years (okay, maybe not that long) for their ice.

When Floridian John Gorrie, M.D., invented the first ever ice machine in 1845, he probably would have never dreamed how far his invention would go.

Now, when you go to a restaurant, bar, hotel or stop in for some fast food, you always see ice makers. Ice makers are now a part of our everyday life.

Most of these businesses use large commercial ice makers. Commercial ice makers can produce 100’s of pounds of ice every day and are used not only for commercial purposes, but also for industrial.

What if you want to have a simple ice maker for your home? What if someone wants to enjoy ice for their home bar or have it available when people come over to visit? What are the best options for an ice maker for the home?

There are four options available to you. Let’s investigate each one.

A Fridge With A Built-In Ice Maker

The first way to enjoy ice at home is by purchasing a fridge with a built-in ice maker. A Fridge with an ice maker is a great way to add the option of ice to your home. Most refrigerators with ice makers will also give you the feature of selecting ice cubes or crushed ice. Most, if not all of them, will have a water dispenser as well.

The great thing about having a built-in ice maker in your fridge is that everything is together in one place, and you don’t have to give up any space for an extra appliance. Combining appliances is an excellent way of saving real estate in your kitchen.

The negative of having a built-in ice maker is that ice can often take the odor or taste of the food in your freezer. This means that the ice that’s produced is lower quality ice than what’s produced from a stand-alone ice maker, and your beverages are often wasted because of the extra flavors.

There is no doubt about it that fridge ice makers have come a long way. It’s a solid option for having ice in the home, and if you are looking to replace your fridge, it may be the best option for you.

An Under-The-Counter Ice Maker

The second option to enjoying an ice maker at home is by purchasing an under-the-counter ice maker. These ice makers are great because they hide under your counter, and looks almost like a built-in dishwasher. The ice is always fresh and clean, and you don’t use up any counter space.

Most under-the-counter ice makers can also become freestanding ice makers. This means that if you do not have any room under your counter, you can set it up in a storage room or garage.

Some under-the-counter ice makers give you the ability to customize the front panel. A custom front panel gives your ice maker a nice finished look and blends everything in with your kitchen.

The negative about under-the-counter ice makers is that they can be pricy, and they need to be installed by a professional. Most of the time, you’re going to need to install a water line and a drain line which can begin to add up.

The EdgeStar IB120SS Built-in Ice Maker is an excellent choice for your kitchen. It has front-venting which is very important if you are going to enclose it and a beautiful stainless-steel design.

Another great built-in ice maker is the EdgeStar IB450SS. This ice maker produces 45 lbs of ice each day and can store up the 25 pounds. It’s important to note that this ice maker is not a freezer, and though it is well insulated, the ice will eventually melt. This is why you will need to connect a drain hose to this unit so that all the excess water will drain away.

This ice maker produces clear, restaurant quality ice for your home. It’s great for entertaining, and you’ll love it for your home bar.

If you have the money, an under-the-counter ice maker is your best choice.

A Small Commercial Unit

Another option for you to enjoy ice at home is by purchasing a small commercial unit. Like the under-the-counter or freestanding ice makers, they will need to have a drain line and a water line installed.

If you are planning on using a lot of ice, this is usually your best option. Commercial ice makers are great because of the many features available.

An example would be the VEVOR 110V Commercial Ice Maker. This ice maker produces 88 lbs of ice every day. It makes 40 clear ice cubes every 12 to 18 minutes, and it can store up to 90 pounds of ice at one time.

This commercial unit is excellent for your business, but many people also buy it for their homes. It’s energy efficient and doesn’t waste water, having a 99% water usage rate (which is an industry leader).

One of the best features of this ice maker is that it uses blue light technology to stop bacteria growth. This means that you always know you have pure, clean ice in your glass. You have heard the nightmare stories of hotels and their ice – you can rest assure that your ice is clean.

The Costway Commercial Ice Maker is another great compact commercial ice maker that would fit nicely in your home or home bar. It also produces 88 pounds of ice each day and has an ice cycle of 12-18 minutes.

Installation is a breeze, and it’s simple to operate. It’s also priced right, making it one of the cheapest commercial units you can buy.

The Costway Commercial Ice Maker can be a free-standing unit, or you can use it as a built-in. It’s a reliable machine, and has outstanding customer reviews. It’s definitely worth a closer look.

A Portable Ice Maker

The last option for you to enjoy great, clean, fresh ice at home is by investing in a portable ice maker.

The fantastic thing about portable ice makers is that they are not just limited to your home. A commercial unit, an under-the-counter ice maker, and a built-in fringe ice maker isn’t going to be portable – you know that!

Portable ice makers can go with you camping, RVing, and you can even take it along with you on your boat. If you are having people over for a party and they all decide to move the party outside – just take the portable ice maker with you.

Portable units don’t produce as much ice as a commercial unit, but they are comparable to under-the-counter and built-in fridge units.

Portable ice maker produces about 25-35 lbs of ice every day. They usually take about 10 minutes to run the ice cycle, and they can store between 2-3 pounds of ice at one time.

Portable ice makers are easy to clean, troubleshoot and operate. Best of all, if the ice maker has spent its final days on this earth, it’s not that much money to replace it with a brand new unit.

You can store the ice maker wherever you want. It can easily fit on your countertop or tucked away in your closet. Most portable ice makers last for a long time and are made to transport easily.

The hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker is a great example. It costs less than $200, and it’s well made.

This portable ice maker produces 26 pounds of ice a day and can store 1.5 pounds at one time. It takes 8 minutes to make the first batch of ice and produces ice in two ice sizes: small and medium. The smaller ice is excellent for throwing in your water bottles, and the medium sized-ice is terrific for all kinds of mixed drinks.

The hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker is an Amazon bestseller, and it has hundreds of positive reviews. It’s an overall great ice maker.

Another great portable ice maker is the Frigidaire EFIC103 stainless steel ice maker. This ice maker is also well built and has hundreds of positive reviews.

It can produce 2.6 pounds of ice every 24 hours and has an oversized storage bin that can hold 2.2 pounds of ice at one time.

This portable ice maker can produce three ice sizes: small, medium and large, and will produce its first batch of ice in as little as 6 minutes. You can check out the Frigidaire EFIC103 on Amazon.

This ice maker is a great unit and will last you a long time. If you are looking for a way to get ice at home, then I would suggest you purchase a portable ice maker. They cost a lot less than other ice makers, and their use far exceeds the house.

If you are looking to add an ice maker to your home, these are the best options for you. Choose the option that best fits your life and kitchen.

I purchased a portable ice maker several years ago, and we use it every day. We often host social events and always having ice available is a necessity.

If you have any questions or comments, you can post them below.