To help you wade through all the choices, we put 15 ice makers to the test. Five of them were standouts, with the Best Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker coming out on top as our best bet overall. Cloudiness in the ice cubes was an issue across all of the machines we tested. Our testers recommend using distilled water instead, if possible (we used tap water in our tests).
Our other big consideration was water tank capacity. No one wants to have to constantly refill their ice maker, especially while hosting a party, so all of our picks below feature large tanks. Instead of relying on your freezer to keep all your drinks cool, a countertop ice maker will ensure your household has plenty of fresh cubes for making cocktails, mocktails, iced coffee, and more. A compact ice maker is also a handy appliance for camping, RV trips, tailgating, or anywhere where you might end up during the hot summer weather.
Grabbing one of the best ice maker machines will be a very useful purchase if you want to make your own ice in a hassle-free way. As opposed to using the best ice packs for Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker, making your own ice provides you with more versatility and control over the quantity and variety of ice you want to make – whether it’s cubes, clear ice, or any of the huge variety of ice cube styles out there.
With an ice maker, you’ll want to note the capacity of the machine so you know the total amount of ice you’ll be able to make, as well as the rate at which the machine can produce it.
What to Consider
Ice might not seem like a complicated matter, but there are quite a few considerations you’ll want to keep in mind as you shop for a countertop ice maker.
Ice Style
There are a surprising number of ice cube styles out there today. Some of the most popular shapes for countertop ice makers are bullet, square, and nugget ice cubes.
Bullet cubes are the most common, and they can often be made in multiple sizes. Square cubes are often produced in large batches, but they come out of the ice maker in sheets, forcing you to break them up by hand. Finally, nugget ice cubes are soft and chewable—they’re the cube of choice at restaurants like Sonic and Chick-fil-A—but they melt quickly and tend to be more expensive due to their popularity.
Size
Before you invest in a Best Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker, consider how much space you can dedicate to the new appliance. If you plan to use your ice maker regularly, you’ll need room on your counter to accommodate it. If your kitchen is small, look for a more compact machine that measures less than 13 or 14 inches on the longest side. If you have more counter real estate available, go with a larger machine, which generally will produce more ice.
Capacity
Most countertop ice makers designed for home use can produce 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours. This is more than enough for households of four to six, assuming there are no major ice demands (like a party). Larger households or offices may appreciate a more productive machine that churns out 30 or more pounds of ice per day.
Water Source
Countertop ice makers either use water from a built-in reservoir or a connected water line, but the former option is most common. Reservoir ice makers need to be refilled with water when they run out, but the major benefit is they don’t require any plumbing connections—you just fill the tank and they’re ready to use. Just keep in mind that most machines recommend using filtered water to prevent mineral deposits from building up.
Noise Level
If your Best Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker will be running all the time, you’ll appreciate a quiet machine that doesn’t hum or clink constantly. Look for one that produces less than 40 decibels of sound, which is about the noise level of a library.
Best Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker Machine
1. Luna Comfort Clear Ice Maker
- Dimensions: 11.13 x 14.25 x 13.88 inches
- Output: 28lbs per day
- Weight: 25.3 pounds
The Luna Comfort Clear Ice Maker looks to be an excellent all-round option for those wanting a handy ice-making machine.
With it, you’ll be getting a 10-cup water capacity, which should offer some consistent output of high-quality clear ice, especially with ice looking to be created every 15 minutes.
In addition, the Luna Comfort Clear Ice Maker also features a relatively compact design that means you’ll be able to place it anywhere, be it in a kitchen or campsite, provided you have access to an outlet of course.
There are also convenient creature comforts in the form of push-button controls and an LED display, as well as an alert to let you know when the ice maker is full, or the water level is low.
2. AGLUCKY Countertop Ice Maker Machine
- Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.7 x 12.6 inches
- Output: 26lbs per day
- Weight: 16.8 pounds
If it’s more of a compact ice maker you’re after, the AGLUCKY Countertop Ice Maker Machine should be a fantastic option.
It looks to only be a handful of inches wide at 8.7, and is relatively square at just over a foot deep and tall, meaning you should be able to place it in a variety of settings without it taking up too much space.
In addition, the AGLUCKY Countertop Ice Maker Machine also looks to be rather capable with a quoted output of 26lbs of ice in 24 hours, and 9 ice cubes in as many minutes. In addition, as the ice is used, this machine can make more of it, which is handy.
You’ll also find that this ice machine shouldn’t make too much Best Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker, even under full load, so you’ll be able to make ice in peace.
3. Silonn Countertop Ice Maker
- Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.7 x 12.5 inches
- Output: 27lbs per day
- Weight: 15 pounds
The Silonn Countertop Ice Maker looks to be a fantastic budget option for an ice maker machine.
It has a quoted output of 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours, and takes 6 minutes to make 9 ice cubes, so you’ll have ice available in no time at all.
Handily, the Silonn Countertop Ice Maker looks to be convenient to control with a pretty much one-touch operation, as well as providing the opportunity to make two different sizes of ice cubes, and it’s also got a useful self-cleaning function.
In addition, this ice maker looks to be quite quiet with a quoted noise level of less than 35dB, which is similar to that of a fridge.
4. GE Opal 2.0
- Dimensions: 17.5 x 13.43 x 16.5 inches
- Output: 24lbs per day
- Weight: 38 pounds
If you’re specifically after nugget ice, then the GE Opal 2.0 should be an especially capable option for it.
You’ll find a decent capacity here, with this Best Automatic Round Ice Cube Maker being able to hold up to 48 ounces of ice at a time, alongside the ability to begin creating ice in 20 minutes or less and a total output of 24lbs of ice per day.
How We Tested
Our testers tried out a total of 15 ice makers. They evaluated the speed and quality of the ice production of each one, as well as the noise level of the machine while in use. Each machine was also given a numerical score for its portability, performance, and capacity.
Special features like design elements and adjustability were also noted and factored into scoring. Finally, testers considered whether they would buy the machine themselves and/or recommend it to family and friends.