Portable countertop ice makers might come in convenient when there is a minimal amount of ice that your refrigerator could offer, and that could be a problem, especially during summer.
If that wasn’t all, in case you plan on throwing a home party and there is a little bit of ice available for your visitors to add to their cocktails and mocktails, it wouldn’t be a welcoming sight.
If you’re a frequent party organizer, a portable countertop ice maker could be a useful gadget for keeping you ready for a party and cooling or even while you are traveling or camping.
What Is A Portable Countertop Ice Maker?
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A portable ice maker is a small appliance that can produce a large amount of ice in a day, it does not require a permanent water line for the same.
The ice-making process is the same as the built ice makers and refrigerator-freezers. You just have to add water and the ice maker will do all the work for you.
Portable ice makers do not require a drainage system unlike other ice maker machines such as under-counter ice makers.
It is an ideal appliance for outdoor kitchens or RVs, you need to have an electrical outlet to use it.
9 Reasons Why You Need A Portable Countertop Ice Maker
The following are the reasons why you require a portable countertop ice maker-
You Have A Small Freezer
You may not have space left in your refrigerator’s freezer. Many people choose to store food in their freezer and when they do want to have ice, there is none left in there. Having a portable ice maker will be the ideal option for you.
You Organize Parties Often
If you’re someone who likes to organize parties often, then having a portable ice maker will make things easier for you. Nobody wants to run to a convenience store in the middle of a party, an ice maker has huge storage and can make ice in seconds.
You Have A Small Kitchen
If your kitchen has a small space then a big refrigerator might not be able to fit in. This is where a portable ice maker comes in, you can keep it anywhere in the house not only in the kitchen.
You Don’t Like Ice Trays
Ice trays can be a hassle and time-consuming, if your freezer doesn’t come with an ice maker you will probably spend most of your time filling ice trays. An ice maker will make your work easy and make a decent amount of ice for you in just a few minutes.
You Like Camping
If you like to camp out in the wild and mountains pretty often then having a portable ice maker will give you the luxury to have ice at hand. You could enjoy your cold drink out in the wild with ease.
You Live In A Dorm
If you’re living in a dorm then most probably you don’t have a kitchen. A portable ice maker will be very useful in this case, you could have cold water or drinks without spending money on expensive refrigerators.
You Like To Have Cold Drinks
If you’re someone who doesn’t like their drinks hot then having a portable ice maker will be very helpful. You could have icy cold drinks at your convenience, as an ice maker has plenty of storage it will be convenient to have ice all the time.
You Go Fishing Often
Imagine you’re in the ocean in a boat sailing through peacefully with a glass full of your favorite cold beverage with you. This can really happen with a portable ice maker, you just need to have an electrical outlet and you’re pretty much done.
You Stay At Your Office More Often
If you like to work hard and you find yourself in the office more often than at your home then an ice maker will make things better for you. You could store snacks like chocolates and other stuff along with having ice with you at your office.
Advantages Of A Portable Countertop Ice Maker
There are many advantages of a portable countertop ice maker, if your refrigerator does not have a built-in ice maker then buying a portable ice maker will protect you from the hassle of filling trays and buying bags of ice every time you need it.
A portable ice maker also makes it convenient for you to have ice even in the wild for instance, on a camping trip, fishing trip, or if you live alone in a college dorm, office, etc.
How Does A Portable Countertop Ice Maker Work?
To start a portable ice maker you just have to simply plug in the appliance and press the button to start it. Fill it up with clean, filtered water, and your work is done. The machine has cooled trays in which it makes ice and dumps it in a storage bin.
The time taken by the machine to make ice and fill up the storage bin varies on different factors such as the type of ice maker machine you have, the quality of water, and the condition of your machine.
On average, a portable ice maker can make up to 15 kg of ice each day and can store up to 0.9kg of ice.
Once the ice has been dumped in the storage bin, it is no longer kept frozen and it starts to melt most machines then use that melted water to make the next batch of ice without wasting water.
What To Look For In A Portable Countertop Ice Maker?
Here are some factors you should consider before buying an ice maker machine-
Ice Production Rate
the ice production rate of portable ice makers obviously depends on different brands of machines but the overall production rate can be as low as 9 kg to 15kg of ice in a day.
If you use ice frequently then consider buying a machine with a high production rate of ice. At the same time keep in mind that the storage capacity of the machine is also different from the capacity of the ice it produces.
Types Of Ice
the ice has the same taste and texture as the ice made by a traditional freezer ice maker. An ice maker can produce a variety of ice shapes such as
- Bullet
- Crescent
- Cube
- Half cube
- Gourmet
- Nugget
Ice Size
Many machines offer different shapes and sizes such as small, medium, and large-sized pieces. Search for a machine that can produce a variety of shapes and sizes options.
Look And Style Of The Machine
you can buy a machine that will match the décor theme of your kitchen. A portable ice maker comes in different styles and features. For example, if you have a black-themed kitchen then choose a black portable ice maker, it will match your kitchen dynamics perfectly.
Types Of Ice Maker
There are different types of ice makers available to choose from, for business and for household use.
Built-in/under-counter ice maker: Built-in ice maker can fit easily under the counter if your kitchen counter does not have much space. It also offers a large ice production rate and storage capacity.
Commercial ice maker: if you’re a business owner then getting an ice maker will have a large storage capacity and the production rate will be ideal for you.
Outdoor ice makers: Most outdoor ice makers have a greater insulation capacity.
Portable ice makers: Portable ice makers can be kept in a kitchen or outdoors or even in an office.
Tips On Using Your Portable Countertop Ice Maker
Here are some tips which you can do to use your portable countertop ice maker perfectly-
Use Filtered Water
Filtered water produces crystal-clear ice cubes. Without it, the ice cubes come out soft and cloudy from all the mineral buildup. Using filtered water not only makes clean and healthy ice cubes but it will also requires less cleaning.
Clean It Regularly
It would help if you learned how to clean the countertop icemaker. Clean your device at least once a month to have clean and healthy ice cubes. Remember to wipe your machine’s storage bin and water reservoir to keep the inner mechanism clean.
Keep It Cool
Most portable ice makers have insulated storage bins, but you should still consider the temperature of the room the ice maker is being kept. The temperature should be kept between 10°C to 26°C to get the best result.
Frequently Asked Questions/FAQs
It usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes for a portable countertop ice maker to produce ice. While a traditional ice tray takes hours to make ice, with a portable ice maker there’s no more waiting.
A portable countertop ice maker does not require a waterline or drainage line, it only requires a power outlet with a supply of 110-120v power. This makes a portable ice maker portable which could be used outdoors and indoors.
Most portable ice makers produce bullet ice but there are some ice makers which produce nugget ice which is mostly used in restaurants.
You can clean your portable ice maker either manually or some of them also come with a self-cleaning option.
Manual cleaning: use a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar solution and run the ice maker as usual. Throw out the first batch of ice and drain the water reservoir and clean the machine with clean water at least 2 more times and dispose of the ice cube batch each time.
Self-cleaning: Just like manual cleaning, use a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar solution and switch your device into self-cleaning mode. Allow the device to run a complete cleaning cycle, then the device will rinse itself and the device is cleaned and ready to be used.
No, you do not need a water line to use your portable countertop ice maker as it could be filled up manually without using the water line.
Conclusion
Thus, it may be concluded that portable countertop ice makers are needed appliances for your home in case you’re house is party central or if you merely want to have a regular supply of chilling ice.
Cleaning these portable countertop ice makers is simplified by applying simple cleaning solutions that will leave your equipment looking neat and tidy.
Using filter water for a hygienic and cleaner ice-making experience is always a good idea, making a portable countertop ice maker your choice for serving convenience while also dealing with churning out large amounts of ice with ease.