A countertop ice maker is a small, portable ice maker that allows you to make ice without taking up space in your freezer. The unit sits on a counter and can be located anyplace there is an electrical outlet nearby. Some even work on batteries so they can go virtually anywhere. When choosing the best one for your needs, look for a countertop ice maker whose physical size and holding capacity meet your requirements. You may also want to take into account how much ice it can make in a 24 hour period.
The first thing to check is the physical size of the countertop ice maker. Some take up very little counter space, while others need a much larger area. Make sure that any units you are considering will fit in the available space. Check the weight as well, since some ice makers can weigh well over 50 pounds (22.7 kg) and are hard for some people to manage.
You should also decide how much ice you are going to need on a regular basis, and be sure to get an ice maker that can keep up with you. If you do a lot of entertaining and need a lot of ice on a regular basis, choose a countertop ice maker that can meet your demands. There are ice makers that can make up to 35 pounds of ice every 24 hours, freezing a new batch of cubes in less than 10 minutes. If you don’t need that much, look for a smaller unit, since the big producers are typically larger and more expensive than many of the others.
When making a lot of ice, a countertop ice maker with a large reservoir is usually more convenient than a unit with a small one. Since these machines are typically made to be portable, they don’t connect to a water line, but instead you pour water into the reservoir and the ice is made from that. If you intend to make a lot of ice at once, a larger reservoir is more convenient and requires less attention than one that needs constant refilling.
Another feature to consider is the power source. If you want a truly portable countertop ice maker, choose one that can run on either battery or AC power. For those who like ice cubes of varying sizes, look for a machine with adjustable cubes settings, so you can have your ice in small, medium or large cubes. When choosing the best machine for your needs, all of these considerations can be important.