Best Undercounter Ice Maker
The life of the party is boozy and fresh cocktails. Now, what’s a drink without ice? Especially, ice is needed in loads for organizing a dinner party, sleepover, or bartender service.
It’s not possible to stock up on ice in your regular refrigerator. Undercounter ice makers are separate, individual installments apart from your fridge that make ice in large quantities and store them for your beverages.
They can be placed under or within your kitchen cabinets for easy access and an integrated look. There are lone standing units of undercounter icemakers as well which take up some space or corner of your kitchen. Lastly, you may also come across mini portable undercounter ice makers.
They can be carried on the drinks table between your guests but requires early refills. Whether you are a self-connoisseur, a drink perfectionist, a bartender, or an entertainer, under-counter icemakers are flaunt-worthy lifesavers. Undercounter ice makers are absolute luxury appliances and pose a lofty price tag.
So, you need to compare many models based on their features and benefits to find your best undercounter icemakers for sprucing up your sparkling drinks. This article will introduce to you some best undercounter icemakers in the market. Let’s stir this conversation ahead.
Comparison Of Our Top Picks
Best Undercounter Ice Maker
Being an organizer enthusiast myself, I am a sucker for perfection. I need my guests to enjoy themselves to their fullest without complaints. I love entertaining my party with refreshing cocktails and drinks, so I need ice cubes in abundance. Here are my personal best undercounter ice maker reviews to help you make your decision.
If you are looking for the best undercounter ice maker for your home, hub, or bar, with premium features this is the ultimate buying guide. Let’s Shake it Up!
1. Manitowoc Undercounter Ice Machine
Beginning with a blockbuster appliance, this under-counter icemaker by Manitowoc displays excellence and convenience. I was spellbound by its storage and ice-making capacity. It has a whopping 52 lbs of ice production capacity just within 24 hours.
And I can store 25 lbs of ice in this undercounter icemaker at a given point in time which is very advantageous for me. I can host large parties without running out of ice cubes. I have a sufficient supply of ice for 100 glasses approximately This undercounter makes attractive octagonal icecubes.
I love the sleek body with the stainless-steel composition which compliments my kitchen interiors. Additionally, I can put the machine to rest for 4, 10, or 24 hours when not in use with a unique built-in Delay Feature.
The LED indicators and power buttons add extra stars to my satisfaction level. Further, I also get a pump drain kit and a 3-year warranty for reimbursement of any damage within this period under terms and conditions.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Capacity | 25 pounds |
2. Euhomy Commercial Ice Maker Machine
Euhomy is undoubtedly the best freestanding undercounter ice maker. I was spellbound by its 100 lbs/24 hours production capacity and 33 lbs ice storage bin. It’s not wrong that this product is the bestseller undercounter icemaker with years of user satisfaction and trust.
I felt satisfied using this icemaker for my commercial use as well as residential use. It has an ETL certification which approves its use in commercial places like pubs, bars, hotels, etc.
The multi-function panel was so fun and convenient to operate. I can find all commands at my tips on the panel.
A temperature indicator keeps me updated with the room’s weather. Unbelievably I can even decide the size of my ice cubes by simply altering the ice-making process time.| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Capacity | 100 pounds |
3. Manitowoc Air Cooled Undercounter Ice Machine
Perhaps the largest undercounter ice maker on this list. This Manitowoc model features a 90 lbs ice storage capacity and can produce 132 lbs of ice.
This unit is utilized mostly in coffee shops, bars, and commercial areas. It can be used for residential needs as well.
I like its smooth and attractive steel body with fingerprint-resistant panels that keep my undercounter icemaker clean from messy hands. I can easily glide the door and access the ice due to the slant bin design.
The push-out bin also provides me with ease of maintenance. Apart from this, it has Alphasan, an anti-microbial technology that withstands molds and mildew growths. According to me, you should go for it if you regularly organize large parties or own an extensive café/bar.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Capacity | 90 pounds |
4. Scotsman Undercounter Ice Maker
In my opinion, this is the most outstanding, best residential undercounter icemaker in terms of performance and output. I picked this icemaker for its one and only Water Sense technology that keeps checking the quality of my ice.
The water quality sensor accurately detects the hard water state and the control system purges mineral-laden water from the machine after every ice-making cycle. This decreases my cleaning instances. It ensures me that the quality of the ice will not be compromised in any condition.
The machine produces crystal-clear ice cubes which do not melt easily. The ice floats and stays put in beverages for a good time. The compact design allows me to place this undercounter icemaker in any convenient space in my kitchen.
I get 64 lbs of ice in just 24 hours of operation and 26 lb of ice storage capacity which ensures a continuous supply of ice without any party breaks.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Capacity | 26 pounds |
5. ULINE Undercounter Crescent Ice Maker
The most compact and space-friendly Undercounter ice maker is here. Uline Undercounter Crescent Ice Makers are light on water input and power consumption.
I just need 3 gallons of water for 23-24 lbs of fresh ice. I find it relatively low noisy than other ice makers.
It’s close enough to my fridge noise. I placed it conveniently within my kitchen cabinets without any heavy installation requirements.
It is made from alloy steel and showcases a classy black finish. It fills up around 12 lbs capacity of ice when I leave it overnight with half-mooned shaped ice cubes. I got it at a very reasonable price.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Capacity | 23 pounds |
6. EdgeStar Undercounter Clear Ice Maker
This is a very efficient and high-performing undercounter icemaker with a 50 lbs operational threshold and 25 lbs ice storage capacity. I found it very amazing for house parties, events, and other residential uses.
It has a pretty good speed and low noise mechanism which works for my parties. The computerized control is easy to grasp. I get perfect cube-sized and crystallized ice cube sheets. I can use an ice scooper as well.
The only painful thing is breaking the ice cube sheets into individual ice cubes which takes my time and effort.The icemaker bin is removable which allows me to place ice wherever I wish.
The ice sheets sometimes stick to the bin bottom or within each other as well. I find it tough to separate them immediately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Capacity | 50 pounds |
7. Smad Commercial Ice Maker Machine Undercounter
Another budget-friendly plus all-rounder best undercounter ice maker for residential as well as commercial use. I was surprised by its quick action ice-making.
This machine gave me 45 clear ice cubes within just 11 to 12 minutes. It has a 24-hour production capacity of 99 lbs with 33 lbs of ice storage. According to me this machine is one the best clear ice maker to buy if you desire a compact ice maker.
I can easily control all the functions of the icemakers with four simple digital touch buttons. There is a clear LED screen that displays the temperature and status of the ice machine.
The simple On and Off timer allows me to schedule the ice-making whenever I need. The maintenance was so easy with the self-cleaning feature of this best undercounter icemaker.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Voltage | 110 Volts |
| Capacity | 33 pounds |
Best Undercounter Ice Maker-Buying Guide
Ice may be a small element but creates a big impact on your beverage taste, look, and experience. Undercounter Icemakers are powerful machines that produce loads of ice in one go but they come expensive.
Your ice needs might be different which will impact the choice of your model. I have narrowed down some key characteristics one must look for in the best undercounter icemaker.
1. Ice quality
whether you are a lover of whisky, cocktails, rum, or any other kind of such beverage, you need to know the right kind of ice for you. For eg., if you are someone who likes their drinks to be chilled and maintain that consistency to the very end then you would need a kind of ice that melts slowly and keeps your drink chilled till the last sip.
But if you are someone who doesn’t wish their drink to be very chilled and just needs ice for diluting purposes then you should definitely opt for ice that melts in your beverage very quickly. Always remember that shape like flake, nugget and cube of an ice and size of your ice aspire your drink to be either cool and fizzy or to be perfectly diluted
2. Size and capacity
No one wishes for an ice maker which is too good to be true but doesn’t fit in your space. Size-wise, ice makers typically have a 15-inch width.
Make sure the ice maker you’re considering will fit in the space you have available beneath your kitchen worktops by taking measurements of its height and depth (in order to provide the ice machine needed ventilation).
You should think about how much ice you anticipate using each day as well as how much ice you’d like your device to be capable of storing when it comes to capacity. For instance, some devices have a daily capacity of at least 80 pounds of ice production but only 30 pounds of storage.
3. Cooling System
The cooling system means the mechanism which pacifies the heat build-up inside the undercounter icemaker. There are two options here- an air-cooled system or a compressor-based system.
For hot temperature surroundings, you should look for an air system that doesn’t need huge vents to release the heat. The vents particularly let out heat and take in cooler air to bring down compressor heat. Any cooling system that will be installed in your kitchen, in particular, has to be quiet.
4. Drainage
There are two main drainage systems within an undercounter icemaker for removing wastewater: Drain Pump and Gravity Drain. What should you choose depends upon the placement of your undercounter icemaker.
Gravity Drain leverages the power of gravity for cleansing water. For this, your undercounter icemakers should be in proximity to your kitchen sink within a distance of 1 to 2 feet.
Else if you have placed the undercounter icemaker far from the sink, choose the drain pump model. It pumps out water from your icemakers and releases it down the drain. Some models have an inbuilt drain pump. You may need to buy a separate drain pump for other models.
5. Cleaning And Maintenance
Manual cleaning and maintenance are tough and hectic. Try to go for an automatic and self-cleaning undercounter icemaker which cleans itself with just the press of a button. You only need to fix a drainage pipe.
For Maintenance, contact professionals as they know the correct way of servicing the appliance without damaging any crucial part.
6. Customization Options
Some undercounter icemakers have additional unbuilt customization options. There are panel buttons that allow you to change the shape or size of your ice cubes accordingly to your need.
You can get big slow melting ice cubes of small cubic ice. Also, look for a reversible undercounter icemaker door. It is useful while deciding the location for installing your ice maker.
Conclusion
Let’s raise a toast to the end of this comprehensive article. I hope you are ready to organize yet another party but this time with an unlimited ice supply. These were some of the best handpicked and self-used commercial and residential undercounted icemakers.
I will advise you to take either a cabinet-fit icemaker or a freestanding icemaker for the best results and maximum output. It gives you value for money with more capacity and storage features. Identify your needs before buying an ice maker because it’s a luxury investment. Gourmet Ice is just a buy away. Cheers!