Plus, depending on how your cabinets are laid out, it may be difficult to fully open the top of the machine on your countertop (as was the case for our tests). Say hello to this perfectly compact, stylish, and portable appliance that will keep your beverages nice and chilled! Comparable machines instruct you to “clean surfaces as needed,” but there’s not an obvious way to get into the guts, as it were.

Also, make sure that the water level is sufficient and that there are no obstructions or debris affecting the ice-making process. On the third run, I filled each ice maker’s water tank to capacity and timed how long it took to create its first cubes, how much ice it had made after an hour and how long it took to fill its ice bin.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. Turn Off and Unplug the Ice Maker: Before cleaning, make sure to turn off the ice maker and unplug it from the power source. With the Igloo, I used the self-cleaning function multiple times and observed whether it was consistent in making a handful of ice cubes within 10 minutes of turning on (it was). To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The Igloo has a sleek retro look, doesn't take up as much space on the counter as other machines I .

Slow Ice Production: If the ice maker is producing ice at a slower rate than expected, consider using colder water or reducing the ambient temperature around the ice maker.I was so excited to get this that I think I’ve eaten more then I’ve used for my drinks lol I love it. The control panel or LED display should light up, indicating that the ice maker is ready to start producing ice.

We gathered data on each machine's speed of batch production, quantity of ice produced per hour, noise level, and ice quality (taking note of bubbles and impurities that could cause the ice to melt more quickly). Similar to other bullet-ice makers, the Igloo ice maker produces ice that’s neat and decent enough for drinks. They had me take a photo of the ice maker with the cord cut and immediately refunded my money so that is why I gave it two stars instead of one. The cleaning setting is super easy to use, and the machine is quiet while running, save for the pitter-patter of those nuggets being made. For the machine being on the smaller side, it still has a decent water capacity and churns out a good amount of ice per hour.

This sleek-looking stainless steel ice maker produces 1 pound of ice nuggets per hour, and the bin can hold up to 3 pounds. Reliability: Like many small appliances, countertop ice makers are not built with the kind of durability that larger appliances are. Once a sufficient amount of ice has been generated, open the ice maker and carefully collect the ice cubes. The side tank allows for more ice to be made between refills; you can also opt for a cheaper version without the side tank. Virtually everything I liked about the Igloo—its compact size, quick ice-making and comparative value—also applies to the Frigidaire Compact Countertop Ice Maker, a very close runner-up.