The Top 7 Portable Ice Makers

We get it, when you want ice … you want it RIGHT NOW. The COSTWAY portable ice maker is a beast at cranking out the cubes. You can expect cubes for your drink in just 6 minutes.

Besides its speed, we like how compact and lightweight this portable ice maker is. Weighing in at less than 20 pounds, it’s easy to carry or it’ll fit on any countertop. Plus, it has a large see-through window, so you can see how much ice is left without opening the lid. This model produces up to 26.5 pounds of ice in a day.

If you don’t like this model’s bright blue aesthetic, consider the similar Frigidaire ice maker instead, which comes in six additional color options.

This portable ice maker is the perfect accessory for your home bar or rec room. We’re huge fans of its stainless-steel exterior and contrasting black lid, which makes it look much more premium than other options.

Other stainless steel ice makers like the Igloo Ice Maker from Williams Sonoma or the Portable Ice Maker from Sharper Image cost as much as $250, while this one is priced at a much more reasonable $180.

This Northair model makes 35 pounds of ice each day, which is 10 pounds longer than most. It includes an ice basket and scoop and will produce 9 cubes of ice in just seven minutes. Its compact design makes it portable and easy to travel with. Operation is incredibly simple, and indicator lights will let you know when to add more water. You even have the option to make small, medium, or large ice cubes.

The Euhomy ice maker is the perfect solution for folks who need a lot of ice, but don’t have the space for a commercial model. It outputs 24 ice cubes every 15 minutes, which means it produces around 40 pounds of ice cubes every 24 hours, which is twice as much as some other models.

This is one of the few models that offers a water recycling system, so when the cubes melt, it’ll collect that water, filter it, and reuse it to ensure no water is wasted. Unfortunately, its included removable basket only stores 2.2 pounds of ice at a time, so you’ll have to empty it if you need to produce large quantities of ice.

On the plus side, this model produces clear ice cubes that are harder and denser. This means the cubes melt far slower, which makes this model a good choice for cocktail lovers!

This pricey ice maker from GE is unlike any ice maker we’ve come across. That’s because it produces “pebble ice.” In case you’re unfamiliar, pebble ice (which is sometimes called nugget ice) has a much softer, more chewable consistency. This pellet-shaped ice is frequently found at Chick-fil-A or Sonic fast food restaurants, and the GE Profile Opal is the only home ice maker that makes this type of ice.

If you have the budget for it, this ice maker is perfect for making slushies and cocktails. The cubes are light and airy so they are distributed more evenly across your drink — and they won’t water it down, either.

Compared to portable ice makers that produce bullet-shaped ice, the Opal produces smaller quantities of ice at a slower rate. Its container holds just under 3 pounds of ice, which takes roughly 2.5 hours to fill. Fortunately, as soon as you scoop some ice out of it, the Opal instantly fires up to start producing more.

It has a large tank that doesn't require as frequent refilling as competing models. There's even a convenient smartphone app for scheduling ice production and turning the unit off and on remotely, which together make this ice machine worthy of a splurge — especially if you're obsessed with nugget ice.

This premium ice cube maker is ideal for businesses or large gatherings. Whether you're looking for a freestanding or built-in model, this unit functions with either installation, producing up to 88 pounds of ice within 24 hours.

Can't wait that long? It pops out nearly 32 ice cubes within 12 to 18 minutes. It’s worth mentioning that this unit is about 24 inches tall, so it will likely fit on most countertops with overhanging cabinets.