6 best ice makers — Rating 2022

*A review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

An ice maker is needed to continuously produce ice cubes. This is necessary if you often drink drinks with ice or constantly receive guests. Moreover, such a device is needed if you have your own bar or cafe. Ice makers are capable of creating different types of ice, in large quantities or in small quantities, they come in different sizes and capacities. How to choose the best icemaker from this variety? We have collected the highest quality and most productive models especially for you to make it easier for you to decide.

How to choose the best ice maker

An ice maker is a device that you need to choose the right one. The choice will depend not only on your needs, but also on the purpose you want to give the model. For home, country, office or business use of the ice maker, different devices are needed. Therefore, we have compiled a list of recommendations that will help you decide on the option.

1. Determine what exactly you need an ice maker for. If you often drink cocktails or chilled drinks, you will need a medium capacity model. If you only occasionally need to freeze a portion of ice, it is better to buy a low-power and inexpensive generator. A productive and fast ice maker will be needed if you open a cafe or bar — the load on the device will be completely different, as well as the need for ice. Therefore, it is important to immediately decide why you need the device.
2. See what types of ice the appliance generates. Modern ice makers are capable of producing several forms of ice: cubic, finger, flake, granular. There are also models that produce non-standard types of ice — figured, spherical or hemispherical, and so on. Flake and granular ice should not be added to drinks and alcohol, it is intended for storing products in display cases and quickly cooling bottles.
3. Decide what performance you need. You need to estimate how much ice you need and for how long. Based on this, choose the performance. The higher it is, the more ice will be in less time. But the cost of a “fast” device will be more expensive. So if you drink iced tea once a day, you don’t need a generator that can freeze 100 cubes in an hour.
4. Learn what kind of cooling an icemaker uses. Devices can be water and air. The former use water to cool the chamber and freeze ice. They use less electricity, take up little space and can be built into various surfaces. But on the other hand, they consume a lot of water, require connection to the sewerage system and are more expensive. Air ones are cheaper, easier to install, they can be put anywhere. But they take up more space (they cannot be leaned against the wall, you need at least 50-70 cm of space) and require frequent cleaning of the capacitors.
5. If you need a small ice maker, take a look at the fill models. These are the simplest models that do not require connection to the sewer and water supply. They produce a small amount of ice and consume only a little electricity. Such a generator is ideal for the home or mini-bar.
6. See where the ice will be stored. There are two options — a built-in hopper of a small volume or an external storage in models designed to freeze more than 100-150 kilograms of ice per day. In the first case (as a rule, these are all home models and options for cafes), it is important to turn off the device in time or empty the hopper — it quickly fills with ice.
7. Decide where you want to install the device. There are models for embedding or installation on the floor or table. It is only important that you can bring all the necessary communications to the chosen place.
8. Take a look at the design of the model. If an ice maker is not only a way to get a few cubes of frozen water for you, but also part of the interior, you should take a closer look at models with a colorful design. If it will stand in a far corner in a cafe or bar, the appearance of the device is not important.
9. If your area has hard water, purchase an ice maker with a water softener. This device is necessary so that the generator can work longer. Hard water spoils the «insides» of the generator, leaves precipitation. In addition, it is simply harmful to drink it, even when frozen.

Actually, these recommendations are enough to choose the best ice maker for your home, office, cottage or small business. Choosing the right device, you will not overpay and will not get a device whose power you will not have enough.

Rating of the best ice makers

GASTRORAG IM-50

Rating: 4.9

High performance model that creates finger ice. During the day, the ice maker is able to freeze up to 50 kilograms of ice, so it is well suited for popular bars and cafes. The icemaker is air-cooled, so it’s important to give it space. It is convenient that the device has indicators for filling the hopper and lack of water. It will signal if it needs something, so it will not be possible to miss the problem.

The device received a strong and reliable metal case made of stainless steel. This will allow him to work for a long time even in the most active production, without breaking. But because of the material, the icemaker weighs 47 kilograms. The device is quite large — 54x61x82 cm, so it is better to install it on the floor. The model has a built-in hopper for 13 kilograms. Unfortunately, the generator can only make one type of ice in one size — fingers 27 mm thick and 42 mm high. So diversifying the “ice menu” will not work, and all drinks will come with ice of the same shape and size.

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CASO IceMaster Ecostyle

Rating: 4.8

Small compact ice maker with low performance. Ideal for home, small bars and cafes, makes up to 12 kilograms of ice per day. The ice maker works very quickly — it freezes one portion of ice in 6-13 minutes. The finished product is stored in a small hopper for one serving. There is a viewing window on the lid — through it you can observe the freezing process. The ice maker is made of metal and plastic in a chic modern design, it is compact and lightweight — only 24x34x35 cm and weighs 9.3 kilograms. So you can put it on a table or bar counter without fear for the integrity of the latter. A big plus is good thermal insulation. The ice in the bunker may lie and not melt for several hours.

The ice maker is a flood type, so it is important to maintain the water level. The tank is only 1.7 liters, but the indication of a lack of water will allow you to remember about timely replenishment. The device turns off automatically after making a portion of ice and beeps loudly, attracting the attention of the owner. Pleased with the fact that the generator is capable of producing two sizes of ice, but only one type — finger.

PROFI COOK PC-EWB 1079

Rating: 4.7

Another mini ice maker for the office, home or small cafe. It is capable of producing up to 15 kilograms of finger ice per day. One serving of ice freezes in 10 minutes. Up to 1.7 liters of water is placed in the tank, and if it is not enough for operation, the device starts to squeak and demand to add liquid. The generator also reports when the container under the ice is full. In fact, this generator is slightly better than the previous rating model. But it costs almost a third more and does not look so chic.

The device is made according to the filling type. Therefore, it does not require connection to water supply or sewerage. The ice maker is so compact and convenient that it can even be taken out into the countryside. Provided that you find where to connect it to power. It weighs only 10 kilograms and has dimensions of 28x36x39 cm. The case is combined, made of metal and plastic. The lid has a viewing window to control the freezing of ice.

Clatronic EWB 3526

Rating: 4.6

An interesting model for home or office. The capacity of the ice maker is up to 15 kilograms per day, it makes up to 9 ice cubes in 10 minutes. Pleased with a large capacity for water — 2.2 liters, which is 500 ml more than the previous two models. It needs to be filled less often than the previous ones. This will allow you not to worry about the amount of ice and maintenance of the device. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to take it out to nature — the model is designed only for indoor use.

The ice maker is bulk, so you need to monitor the amount of water in the tank. The model has three indicators — fullness, lack of water and work. The ice maker is more expensive than the CASO IceMaster Ecostyle, which is similar in functionality. But due to the increased volume of the water tank and the enlarged bunker, this can be forgiven. The device is quite compact and will find a place on any table or bar counter — it weighs 10 kilograms and has dimensions of 24.5x33x37 cm. But the design let us down — the ice maker looks more like an inexpensive bread machine than anything else.

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Gastrorag DB-02

Rating: 4.5

The younger brother of the icemaker-leader of our rating. This model is designed for home or office use, suitable for a small cafe. The device is capable of freezing up to 15 kilograms of ice in 24 hours, up to 9 cubes in 10 minutes. This is a jellied ice maker that produces traditional cube-shaped ice in two sizes. The device has a small water tank — only 1.5 liters. So you will have to replenish stocks often. Up to a kilogram of ice is placed in the bunker.

The ice maker received a stainless steel body and a lid with a viewing window. We were pleased that there are carrying handles on the sides, which is convenient. Despite the usual performance for a home generator, this model is larger and heavier — it weighs 13 kilograms and has dimensions of 30.5x35x36 cm. So, it may be too heavy for your table, and you will have to look for a more reliable place. The design also let us down — the icemaker looks unattractive, resembling more of an industrial model. But the model turned out to be cheap and affordable, which is a big plus.

Gemlux GL-IM-88 2 l

Rating: 4.4

And our rating is completed by an inexpensive and efficient ice maker. The device has a capacity of up to 15 kg of ice per day. In 10 minutes, up to 9 pieces can freeze inside. The great advantage of the model is that it is able to produce three sizes of finger ice at once. The water tank will hold 2.2 liters. The ice bin can store 800 grams of finished fingers for several hours. The device reminds you to add water if it runs out, and reports a lack of water.

The model is quite large and heavy — it weighs 11 kilograms with dimensions of 25x36x33 cm. The design is more reminiscent of industrial ice makers, so it may not fit into a modern kitchen. A serious advantage is the timer for turning on the ice maker. You can fill it with water and set the time when it starts freezing. And then by the appointed time you will have fresh ice in the bunker. Just remember to take it out.

Attention! This rating is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.