Have you ever gotten ready to enjoy a cold beverage, only to realise the ice cube moulds in your freezer were empty?
With only enough ice to fill about two glasses, such moulds are too small and inconvenient to rely on, when you’re hosting a party or just want a pitcher of cold lemonade for your family. It’s also tough to store bags of ice you’ve bought from the supermarket – unless you have an upright or chest freezer with enough room to spare.
If you’re looking for a convenient solution, consider countertop ice makers. They’re small, lightweight and produce restaurant-quality ice right at home.
So, never run out of ice, with our curated list of options below, which is based on top-rated reviews on Amazon. Become a Prime member and enjoy ice-cold beverages as early as tomorrow.
1. Best Overall: Silonn Portable Countertop Ice Maker
Pros
- Produces nine cubes every six minutes
- See-through window
- Large storage capacity
- Self-cleaning function
Cons
- Unrefrigerated storage basket
A classic ice maker, the Silonn makes nine cubes every six minutes. That’s about 11.7kgs of ice in 24 hours. Although the cloudy bullet-shaped ice cubes don’t exactly scream gourmet, you can pick from two sizes, and they’re perfectly primed to cool down your beverages in seconds. The reservoir holds enough water to make ice continuously for a few hours at a time, so you don’t have to refill it too often. A see-through window allows you to check on the ice, without opening the lid and letting out the cool air. The ice cube maker even has a self-cleaning function! However, do note that the storage basket, which holds up to 600g of ice at a time, is unrefrigerated, and will need to be emptied, otherwise the ice will eventually melt back into the reservoir.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh62.06 for 12 months with select banks.
2. Best Portable: Igloo Automatic Portable Ice Maker
Pros
- Compact, portable
- Produces nine cubes every seven minutes
- Self-cleaning function
- Attractive colour
Cons
- Drain plug may be difficult to remove
Compact, with a convenient portable design, Igloo’s ice maker has a carry handle that you can use to take it with you to a friend’s house, or the pool, where it can churn out nine ice cubes every seven minutes. Its ice basket stores up to 500g of ice at a time, and a large, transparent lid allows you to easily view the progress. Reviewers like the appliance’s five-cycle self-cleaning function, which makes clean-up effortless. You can select from two sizes – small or large – from the LED-lighted control panel. Reviewers enjoy its attractive colour and lightweight design, but some complain that the drain plug is difficult to remove, since the pull tab is quite small. There’s also no integrated space for storing the ice cube scooper (included).
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh133.82 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh114, and two-year extended warranty for Dh162.
3. Best Nugget Ice Maker: Joy Pebble Nugget Ice Maker
Pros
- Fast appliance
- Produces 100 nuggets in 14 minutes
- Transparent lid
- Convenient carry handle for portability
Cons
- Can be noisy
Summer time is the perfect season for snow cones and slushies. Joy Pebble makes this possible, with its portable ice maker. The appliance produces 100 nuggets of ice in 14 minutes, or up to 15kg of ice per day. The countertop ice maker is compact, with a convenient carry handle, and indicator lights that let you know when it’s full or empty and requires attention. A transparent cover makes it easy to monitor progress. Reviewers say it’s fast and produces just the right consistency – soft, chewy ice. However, it tends to be noisy when it’s operational.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh101.15 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh86, and two-year extended warranty for Dh121.
4. Best Value: COWSAR Countertop Ice Maker
Pros
- Compact and portable
- Self-cleaning function
- Indicator lights
- Fast-acting appliance
Cons
- Quality issues, according to reviewers
A great choice for portability and value for money, COWSAR’s ice maker can make nine bullet-shaped ice cubes in as little as six minutes. It’s compact, features a carry handle and has a transparent cover that allows you to peek into the ice maker. The appliance’s 1.2-litre water tank can produce 11.7kg of ice within 24 hours. It also has advanced features, like a self-cleaning function that just requires you to long-press the power button to initiate, along with indicator lights that notify you when the ice is ready, or when the tank needs refilling. Over 2,000 reviewers give it 4.4 stars, but a few comment on quality issues, which required them to have the appliance repaired after a few months of use.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh56.91 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides one-year warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh57, and two-year extended warranty for Dh81.
5. Best Budget: Geepas Ice Cube Maker
Pros
- Large, 2.2L capacity
- Automatic turn-off feature
- Easy to use
- Accessories included
Cons
- No carry handle
Geepas’ countertop ice cube maker is a cost-effective option, if you’d like to buy something that’s not just fast, but portable, too. Select from two sizes of ice cubes, which can be stored in its large, 700g ice container. The appliance produces 12kgs of ice in 24 hours – that’s up to 1,400 ice cubes. It has an automatic turn-off feature that kicks in if the water reservoir is empty, and it comes with all the accessories you need to get started, including a scooper. The large, 2.2-litre water reservoir is big enough to cater to your parties or event, but do note that since this appliance doesn’t have a carry handle, it may be cumbersome moving it from one place to another.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh29, and two-year extended warranty for Dh41.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
