Best Under Counter Ice Makers (Perfect Picks for 2023)
The Wine Coolers Team Jun 10, 2023 11:22 AM
Finding the Best Under Counter Ice Makers can be a tough task. You should know whether the oven's quality and features are good enough or not.
Intro
Many machines are fairly fine, but others are just not worth what you're paying for, and it might be difficult to discriminate right away; appliances tend to obscure their statistics to make it more difficult to pinpoint what's wrong with them. That's where our shopping guide comes in.
We'll go through what makes one excellent, and then we'll look at a few of the best under-counter ice makers we could locate.
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- BrandEdgeStar
hOmeLabs Freestanding Commercial Ice Maker Machine - Makes 99 Pounds Ice in 24 hrs with 29 Pounds Storage Capacity - Ideal for Restaurants, Bars, Homes and Offices - Includes Scoop and Connection Hose
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- BrandSunpentown
Scotsman CU50PA-1A Undercounter Ice Maker, Gourmet Cube, Air Cooled, Pump Drain with Cord, 115V/60/1-ph, 14.4 Amp (15 Amp Circuit Required), 14.9" Width x 22" Diameter x 34.4" Height
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- BrandScotsman
COSTWAY Commercial Ice Machine, 88LBS/24H Automatic Portable Freestanding Ice Cube Maker with Scoop, Auto-Clean Ice Machine for Supermarkets Cafes Bakeries Bars Restaurants Black
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- BrandCOSTWAY
DUURA DI50P 65Lb Premium Clear Ice Cube Maker Machine with Drain Pump Blue LED and Energy Star Built-In Undercounter or Freestanding Household Residential or Commercial Use, 15 Inch Wide, Silver
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- SCORE8.8AI Score
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- BrandSPT
Manitowoc UDF0140A NEO 26" Air Cooled Undercounter Dice Cube Ice Machine with 90 lb. Bin - 115V, 135 lb
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- BrandManitowoc
Ice Maker Commercial Ice Machine Self Clean, 45 Cubes per Batch in 11-18 Minutes 100lbs/24H 33lbs Storage Bin, Advanced LCD Panel w/Clear Indicators, Freestanding for Restaurant/Home/Food Truck Use
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- BrandFREE VILLAGE
Euhomy Ice Maker Machine Countertop, 45Lbs/24H Portable Compact Ice Cube Maker, with Ice Scoop & Basket, Perfect for Home/Kitchen/Office/Bar (Silver)
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- Prime
Last update on 2023-06-10 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bin-Style Undercounter Ice Makers
Undercounter Ice Makers with Bins Undercounter ice makers with bins store their completed products in a detachable storage bin. You can extend the life of your ice cubes by choosing containers with lids that give extra protection from light and humidity.
Larger types may contain up to 300 pounds of cubed ice at a time, while smaller models typically carry around 100 pounds. All versions require electricity to operate and are best suited for light commercial use in places like convenience shops, restaurants, and hospitals, among others.
Pan Style Undercounter Ice Makers
Undercounter Ice Makers in the Pan Style Pan-style ice makers store their ice in a detachable stainless steel pan. This type of ice maker is perfect for areas where a significant volume of ice is required but there isn't enough floor space to store it all.
Furthermore, these versions include wire baskets that make it easy to remove and change water trays when they become full. Also ideal for light commercial applications such as convenience shops, restaurants, hotels, and more.
Bucket Style Undercounter Ice Makers
Undercounter ice makers in the bucket design resemble a mini-refrigerator on the floor under your kitchen counters. They are intended to keep the inside of its huge capacity insulated bin cold so you can have fresh ice whenever you want!
Some types also have a dispenser for hands-free access. This is an excellent choice for full-service restaurants, hotel kitchens, and other high-volume commercial ice-making applications!
Best overall: EdgeStar IB120SS Built in Ice Maker
Best use: Freestanding Commercial Ice Maker Machine
Best for budget: Sunpentown Under counter Ice Maker
Best popular: Scotsman CU50PA-1A Undercounter Ice Maker
Bestseller: COSTWAY Commercial Ice Machin
Placement
Under-counter ice makers are basically identical to tiny fridges in terms of placement. As previously noted, due to their substantial weight (about 50 pounds) and somewhat huge dimensions, these machines may appear a little bulky in your kitchen and may not fit people with limited space.
As a result, before you pay, make sure the installation space is large enough for the machine to stand stably. Furthermore, knowing where you intend to place the device will assist you to select the appropriate size and kind.
So you can be confident that you will acquire one that is fully capable of meeting your ice production and storage requirements.
Ice Classification
There are built-in ice makers that will freeze water into various forms: dice or bullet shapes are common, while others are intended to generate nugget ice, cube ice, or crescent ice.
- Dice ice is ideal for mixed beverages and soft drinks. Because ice melts slowly, it does not significantly alter the flavor of your drinks.
- Crescent ice is ideal for soft drinks, mixed beverages, and blended drinks. It's not suitable for sipping beverages like cocktails and whiskey since it quickly melts, cools, and dilutes your drink.
- Nugget ice: This ice is tiny and soft, making it ideal for beverages, fountain beverages, and blended drinks. Because of its softer nature, it easily melts and washes down your beverages. When chewed, the softness makes it very easy to break down. As a result, ice chewers prefer nugget ice.
- Bullet-shaped ice melts faster into your drink than dice ice or crescent ice. It's ideal for soft drinks, margaritas, iced tea, and mixed cocktails.
- Gourmet ice: This type of ice is typically seen in high-end liquors and upmarket beverages. It has the slowest melting rate on our list and effectively cools your drinks.
Production Capacity
To make an informed final purchase selection, consider how much ice you require on a daily basis. If you intend to use the ice maker for commercial reasons, the machine's produce should be greater than 26 pounds per day. Capacity ranging from 12 to 20 pounds of ice each day, on the other hand, appears to be more than adequate for domestic applications.
Storage Space
A decent under-counter ice maker, designed especially for commercial usage, must have adequate storage space to handle the majority of ice demands for any type of application. The ability to retain around 5 pounds of ice at a time is sufficient to host a dinner party or an outdoor event for 7-10 people.
Clear, high-quality ice
The ice that comes out of standard ice trays is hazy. Why is this the case? Impurities, to be specific. You can get rid of them by boiling your water first, but no one likes to take the time to do that and then let it cool. Built-in ice makers can produce clear ice–that is, ice-free of contaminants that are not only visually appealing but also tastes better.
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What is the reason behind the high cost of under-counter ice makers?
Any nice, strong, long-lasting gadget will be more expensive. Undercounter ice makers, in particular, are a piece of fairly powerful equipment in relation to their small size. Size, capacity, brand name, water filter, and ability to generate nugget ice are all aspects that may contribute to your ice maker's high price.
Is a drain required for an under-counter ice maker?
Undercounter ice producers must have a mechanism to drain. When choosing a model, you have two drainage options: gravity drains or drains pumps, and your choice will be depending on the installation site.
If you have a kitchen sink within one to the left foot of where you want to put your ice maker, you can go with a gravitational drain—gravity will perform the draining job.
If you're going to place your ice maker any further away, you need to get a drain pump, which will carry the extra water away from your machine and down your kitchen drain. The drain pump option may be incorporated into your ice maker or you may need to purchase a separate drain pump.
How do you clean an undercounter ice maker?
For model-specific cleaning instructions, go to the manufacturer's website for your ice maker. However, here are six general cleaning instructions for your ice maker:
- Unplug your ice maker.
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Empty and clean your ice bin using dish soap.
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Turn off the water supply to the ice maker, remove the drainage cap, and allow the liquid pan to drain into an empty bucket. Replace the drain cap when it has been drained. Then, add one part ice maker cleanser to two parts water to the water pan.
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Reinstall the ice bin, reconnect the ice machine, and perform a cleaning cycle.
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Pour out the first round of ice. Then replenish with clean water and repeat the process.
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Remove the ice, then reconnect the water supply.
Undercounter ice makers are a great tool for making a large volume of ice in a short amount of time. They feature a stronger motor, a higher capacity, and a considerably more sturdy structure as compared to portable ice producers. If you want to buy a decent one, our evaluations of the best under-counter ice makers will tell you practically all you need to know to make an educated decision.