Ice makers are quickly becoming essential home appliances, whether you love entertaining or simply enjoy having an icy, refreshing drink whenever you want. Under c
Under Counter Ice Maker Comparisons
Table could not be displayed.
Best Under Counter Ice Makers
1. EdgeStar IB120SS Built-In Ice Maker
The majority of under counter ice makers are fairly expensive machines, costing around $600, but this one offers good value for money at an impressive $300 price tag. It doesn’t have the high capacity of other ice makers at 12lbs of ice cubes, but that’s enough to meet the needs of most families – even those who enjoy hosting BBQs and dinners – and the unit’s compact and convenient size more than makes up for the smaller capacity. It has a 6lbs storage bin and the automatic switch off feature ensures that once the bin is full, the machine stops producing ice. Another great feature is that this storage bin also functions as a freezer, which is not something you see often even in more expensive ice makers. This is a really useful function, keeping ice ready for use whenever you need it with no risk of melting.
It’s also a front-venting unit, so you can have it professionally installed directly into your kitchen or bar cabinets. Alternatively, you can use it as a freestanding machine since it has a stylish black cabinet and stainless-steel door. It is also approved for installation in RVs and boats.
- Dimensions: The unit is 15″W x 18.5″D x 25.5″H
- Weight: 54lbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: Not required.
2. The Sunpentown IM-150US Ice Maker with Freezer
This is a high-performance yet affordable ice-maker that makes ice very quickly, making it perfect for kitchens and entertaining when you need high volumes of ice. In fact, it can produce up to 12lbs of ice in crescent-shaped cubes over 24 hours, which is more than enough for most households. It has a built-in freezer which is fantastic for storing around 6lbs of ice too – a very useful function that most ice-makers don’t have. Excess ice is stored in a freezer bin, ready to use whenever you want, so there’s no need to wait for fresh ice to be produced.
It’s good value for money too, costing around $380. It can be installed as either a freestanding unit or a built-in ice maker, and its stainless-steel design and reversible door is stylish as well, so it will fit in with your kitchen décor. For optimal performance, it’s best to install the ice maker in a cool section of your home and out of direct sun. Manufacturers do recommend that you use a licensed plumber to install the ice maker.
- Dimensions: The unit is 15″W x 18″D x 25″H
- Weight: 55lbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: Not required
- Defrosting: Manual
3. SPT IM-600US Stainless Steel Undercounter Ice Maker
The home isn’t the only place that can benefit from a high-quality ice maker – it’s a great workplace amenity too. Because of the high-volume of people and the high demand over peak periods like lunch hour, you need an ice maker that has a very good production capacity and storage to make sure there’s always enough ice for everyone. It’s also easily operated using computerized controls.
The SPT IM-600US is a great fit for the workplace, with a 50lbs production capacity for ice cubes and a storage bin that can hold 25lbs of ice ready to use whenever you need it. With great storage like this, the best way to make use of this machine’s capacity is to start a new batch overnight so you walk in to a full bin of fresh ice each morning. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a freezer to store ice for very long periods, but it’s insulated well enough to ensure that the ice in storage doesn’t melt very quickly, especially in an air-conditioned office.
It’s fairly easy to install – although using a professional is recommended – and has a reversible stainless-steel door, so you can set it up to open from either side. It looks good from a style perspective too, making it a functional but good-looking addition to your office kitchen or cafeteria. It’s recommended that you use filtered or purified water to get the best quality ice cubes, and that the unit is cleaned once a week to remove scale build-up.
The ice it produces is of a very high-quality, but it does come out in sheets instead of cubes, so you have to break them up manually.
- Dimensions: The unit is 14.6″W x 23.6″D x 32.8″H
- Weight: 100lbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: Required but the hose is included
4. Whynter UIM-502SS Built-In/Freestanding Clear Ice Cube Maker
If high-capacity and high-quality ice is non-negotiable in your home, then this is the under counter ice maker for you. It’s energy-efficient and offers a production capacity of 50lbs a day with the ability to store 25lbs of fresh ice, on par with many commercial ice makers. This is more than enough ice for any household, so it’s great for entertainers and people who run small businesses from their home. One great feature is the automatic switch-off that stops ice production as soon as the storage bin is full, so you’re never going to have an overflow of ice.
This is also the ideal under counter ice machine for anyone who is only interested in the very best ice for their drinks. It produces clear, gourmet ice cubes – the same quality as ice used in top restaurants and bars. This isn’t just about looking great, as ice cubes like these are harder than normal ice cubes, so they melt slower and don’t dilute your drinks.
A good amount of effort has gone into the design of the unit itself. It has a reversible stainless-steel door to make placement in your kitchen, bar or office easy, and its black cabinet walls means it looks great even if you leave it freestanding rather than installing it into a cabinet. It’s recommended by the manufacturers that you have it installed professionally rather than going the DIY route.
- Dimensions: The unit is 15″W x 24.5″D x 32.5″H
- Weight: 77lbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: Required but the hose is included
5. Scottsman CU50GA-1A Built-In Ice Maker
This is
Its production capacity is impressive too at 65lbs, with a storage capacity of 26lbs – the same as would be required for a commercial bar, so get ready to entertain the whole neighborhood!
This ice maker is all about producing a high quantity of the very best ice cubes, so it also comes with a fully-integrated water quality sensor and an integrated control panel that keeps you informed about water quality. This monitors the quality of the water coming into the machine and, if hard water is sensed, it automatically flushes away excess minerals. This prevents scale build-up which can cause wear-and-tear on the machine as well as negatively affecting the quality of your ice cubes.
When considering this machine, keep in mind that it is a large and fairly heavy unit, and manufacturers do recommend having this machine professionally installed by a licensed plumber.
- Dimensions: The unit is 14.9″W x 22″D x 34.4″H
- Weight: 112lbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: This unit uses a gravity drain
6. U-Line Bl95B-00 Ice Maker
This is a premium-quality ice maker with a stylish all-black finish, but it’s great looks do come at a higher price. You can expect to pay over $1,000 for this under cabinet unit that produces 23lbs of ice per day.
There are some impressive features to this unit that may justify the price tag for many people. It’s impressively quiet, makes elegant, crescent ice cubes very quickly and has an integrated freezer function to ensure no ice goes to waste. It can store 12lbs of ice, so it’s great for entertaining or for large families, and it features a reverse door so that you can install and use it with ease. This ice maker can also come with a customized look, so you can choose the color door panels that best suit your kitchen or bar.
Despite being an under cabinet ice maker of such high quality, it
- Dimensions: The unit is 13.9″W x 17″D x 25″H
- Weight: 66lbslbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: Not required
7. Orien FS-55IM Built-In Ice Maker
This ice maker is a good choice for energy-conscious households or offices, as it is Energy-Star approved and CFC-free. It is air-condenser cooled, makes up to 44lbs of high-quality clear or gourmet ice cubes per day and has a storage bin that can hold up to 25lbs of ice. These ice cubes are the preferred choice for cocktails, spirits and high-quality wines because they look great and melt very slowly, so drinks don’t get diluted as quickly. It also has an automatic shut-off switch that detects when the machine is full of ice and switches off the cycle.
For ease of installation, it has a reversible stainless-steel door, and manufacturers recommend that you use a licensed plumber to install the unit – either as a free-standing or under cabinet ice maker– due to it requiring a gravity drain.
- Dimensions: The unit is 14.6″W x 23″D x 33.5″H
- Weight: 113lbslbs
- Line in: Yes
- Drainage: Gravity drain or condensate pump is required
I hope that these guides were helpful to you. If you are unsure whether to get an ice maker, I highly recommend reading why you should get an ice maker.