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So above all else we focused on how quickly and how well the machines produced ice, paying little attention to the listed output for each. To get a full 26 pounds of ice, you’d have to stockpile batches in your freezer all day. If you have the counter space and the cash, we recommend splurging for the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank because it provides a seemingly endless supply of “the good ice” . If you prefer crystal clear ice in an actual cube, the NewAir Luma Comfort will provide it for less than half the price of the Opal.
So, to find a model worthy of the space it takes up, we tested several ice making machines at a variety of price points. One—a countertop nugget ice maker—stood out above the others, but they all did what they were supposed to, which is to turn out ice quickly and efficiently. And to learn more about how we tested ice makers and what we looked for, scroll toward the bottom. This portable ice maker from NewAir, the same company that makes the Luma, does everything the Frigidaire does with all the same features, but it’s more compact. It has a footprint of 8.74" x 12.32" and stands just over a foot tall. You can choose a stainless-steel or matte black body and purchase an extended warranty if you buy directly from NewAir.
The best countertop ice maker overall: GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank
For thicker ice cubes, you can turn off the machine then hold down the power button for five seconds, which restarts it in a different mode. Any appliance that’s going to take up semipermanent residence on the kitchen counter has to be worth it. Even the smallest ice makers are pretty bulky, though none of the machines we tested were unreasonably large either. When it was time to make ice, we cleaned each ice maker according to the manual, then filled the reservoirs to their max capacity with filtered water and watched each machine do its thing. We took note of how long each machine took to start making ice and complete a full batch, we scooped and chewed a ridiculous amount of ice, and we refilled each machine when necessary. Setting up the Opal 2.0 takes a little extra time because you have to run the self-cleaning cycle four times before the first use—but after that making ice takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Filling the water tank is easy via a dedicated opening on the top of the machine and within 15 to 30 minutes you’ll have your first tray of 24 connected clear ice cubes. There are indicators for both a minimum and maximum water level and alert lights for an empty water reservoir and full ice basket. But for as useful as we find them, we concede that they can clog your counters.
Other countertop ice makers we tested (a.k.a. budget picks)
But no matter what type of ice you crave or how much you have to spend, a countertop ice maker is a useful addition to your kitchen because the ice it makes isn’t like regular ice—it’s cool ice. And by “cool,” we mean not rock-solid like what you’d get from an ice cube tray or your freezer’s built-in ice maker. A freestanding ice maker produces ice that’s cold enough to chill a cocktail but still soft enough to be perfectly chewable. The GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker is the Tesla Model S (that’s the fancy one for non-car folks) of countertop ice makers, both in terms of luxury and tech. But what really makes this the best countertop ice maker is the type of ice it produces.
The manual recommends cleaning the machine once a week with a solution of diluted bleach and water. NewAir markets the Luma as a portable ice maker, but like any appliance with a compressor, it shouldn’t be transported on its side. If it does end up horizontal, it should rest upright for a while to ensure optimal performance. So while it’s small and lightweight enough to move (25 pounds, compared to the Opal’s 38 pounds), it can’t be quickly tossed in a trunk and then plugged in the second you reach your destination. When you need ice and you need it fast, these portable ice makers get the job done.
The best countertop ice maker for clear ice: Luma Comfort Countertop Ice Maker
Like the other machines in this style, the lid has a viewing window into the ice basket and a drain plug on the front underside makes it easy to empty and clean. Its see-through ice bin holds up to 48 ounces at a time and for a better look at how much is inside, you can turn on the LED light. A drip tray helps to protect your counter, and you get a basic ice scoop too (alternatively, there’s a pricier model with a push-button dispenser). This machine connects to Wi-Fi and has its own should you want to schedule a fresh batch of ice while you’re away from home or you want to control your ice maker via Google or Alexa. Of all the machines we tested, the Opal 2.0 produced the most ice, and thanks to the side tank, produced it consistently.
While we expect any machine to make some noise, we paid attention to the noise level of each while actively making ice and resting. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. Whether you're making soft-serve, gelato, or loading it up with mix-ins, homemade ice cream is an indulgence worth undertaking. We drank a lot of coffee to find the best machine for caffeinating your mornings.
Also, some customer reviews rightly highlight that the machine is fairly noisy when working. But it’s perfectly quiet when not actively making nuggets, and we wouldn’t expect a machine that magically produces Sonic-quality ice to do so silently. Even with the tank attachment, the machine itself is sleek and fairly slim, and though its footprint is slightly larger than the other ice makers we tested, it’s worth every inch of counter space it takes up, and it’s just short enough to tuck under a cabinet. The Luma can make up to 28 pounds of clear ice a day and the control panel is simple and intuitive.
While you could save a few inches and a few bucks by opting for a model without the side tank, we don’t recommend going that route. The tank functions as an additional water supply and triples the Opal’s water storage capacity. Without the tank attachment, you’d have to fill the water reservoir much more often, and considering how quickly this ice can go, we’d recommend the side tank if you’ve already decided to splurge on the Opal 2.0. Filling both the water reservoir and the side tank takes some getting used to—the drain tubes were a little awkward to work with at first and we spilled.
If you just need ice and you need it quickly, these more affordable countertop ice makers are nearly identical in terms of performance, capacity, size, and price. They all make the exact same cloudy but chewable bullet-shaped ice in two different sizes—and they do it quickly too. After the initial setup, you can expect to hear the first cubes drop into the included ice basket within about 10 minutes. So if you aren’t particular about the type of ice you’ll get and want to spend less than $200, you can confidently choose any of the following machines based on personal preference (or sale price, if you’re lucky).
The brand’s self-proclaimed “good ice.” Though some reviews sometimes mistakenly call it “crushed ice,” it’s actually made by compressing ice flakes into perfectly chewy little nuggets. It’s the kind of ice that comes from a dwindling number of fast-food soda fountain dispensers and ice aficionados may know as Sonic-style ice. Though it looks much smaller than the Opal, this compact ice maker by Frigidaire is just about the same depth and only two inches narrower (17.8" D x 11" W x 14.9" H) and comes in four finishes, including stainless steel.
It can produce up to 26 pounds of bullet ice in 24 hours and after the initial setup, the first batch will drop down from the Evaporator Fingers (yes, that’s what they’re called) into the ice basket within about 10 minutes. Once the basket is full, the machine will stop automatically but will start again once you empty the ice basket—unless the water level is too low, at which point an Add Water indicator illuminates. You can check the ice basket via a viewing window on top of the machine. Cleaning is easy too; just remove the plug on the front underside of the machine to drain and rinse.
After unboxing we let the ice makers sit on the counter undisturbed for two hours. Like refrigerators, new ice makers should remain upright for an hour or two before being plugged in to make sure any jostling of the compressor and other parts that occurred during shipping settles out. According to the manual, the inside of the Luma only needs to be wiped down with a warm, damp cloth before it's ready to start making ice. After that cleaning instructions are simply to clean with a diluted detergent solution as needed, which is easy to do thanks to the drainage port on the back; simply rinse the interior with the suggested solution, drain, and dry. Unlike the Opal, the Luma doesn’t have a self-cleaning function. We’re partial to clean lines and sleek designs, but understanding that everyone has different preferences, we favored machines that offered more than one color or finish option.
