Introduction
Unlike traditional times, ice has become more versatile in its usage and more and more people are using them in their home, recreational vehicles, and offices. The portable ice maker will not only provide convenience for you, but it will also save you the trouble of heading to the convenience store to buy bags and bags of ice for use every now and then.
In this article, you will learn all about the portable ice makers and what all you need to know before you make any purchases. Plus the benefits and disadvantages it has over other types of ice makers.
Reasons for buying
If you find yourself hosting parties or gatherings every now and then or you use ice frequently in your activities like,
- Camping
- Tailgating
- Boating or fishing
- Recreational Trips
Then you probably need to get yourself the portable ice maker so you can make ice with you on the go.
Another reason to may want to get the portable ice maker is you probably require ice often at work on your office break rooms 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The ice machine will not let you down, plus you will not have to make a lot of investment budget and space wise.
How it works
The ice making machine is actually pretty simple when it comes to its engineering. It has 3 main components that do all the work beside other features.
- The electric motor with a cooling unit
- A heating unit
- An ice tray
As soon as you input water into the machine, it is pumped to the ice tray to prepare to start the freezing process. Once the right level has been arrived at, the cooling unit will activate and the motor will run freezing the water into ice.
The thermostat available in all ocean making machines will automatically shut off once the process is done. The ice will remain frozen on the ice tray where the heating unit will start to conduct heat onto the base of the tray towards the huge clump of ice to separate it into smaller cubes.
As soon as the ice is made, it can be scooped and ready for use. There are 4 types of ice cubes the ice maker will give off depending on the kind.
- The cubical ice cubes – they are about a ⅞ inch wide hence they take a while to melt into ice. The choice may be traditional but the best choice among all the other types.
- Crescent cubes – they are more stylish in appearance and have more length in them. They look like a half circle shape, the crescent moon shape bit slightly wider.
- Gourmet – these are the fanciest kind of cubes that are commonly used with scotch, whiskey or bourbon. They are used in upscale restaurants.
- Nuggets – these are the smallest in size, weight, and shape. They look like little pellets and very ideal for use with carbonated drinks. People tend to appreciate the crunch as they drink and it has less fizzing qualities.
The ice cubes could appear either clear or cloudy- white. The white kind usually detects a sign of impurities in the water or machine.
That is why it is advised to clean after every use as even though the taste may not change with the cloudy, the look may not appeal to some.
Factors to consider when buying
Before making any choices to purchase a certain kind of portable ice maker, you may want to look at a few things first so you can end up with the best portable ice maker that will suit your needs.
Size of the machine
Being that they are portable, they will take up little spaces, but there are still different sizes you can choose from. Depending on if the ice maker shall be used in your recreational vehicle or at home, on your countertop or the office, you could play around with the different sizes available.
You also have to look at the interior capacity of the machine. How much ice can it hold at a time? How many cubes can be produced and stored? Although storage is limited to a few hours before it begins to melt up again.
Remember the machine is only meant to make the ice, not store it. In case you want to store you may need a freezer or invest more money and get one with built-in storage.
Deciding on these factors is crucial in that a small machine may not serve you effectively or efficiently and a big machine may cause you to waste energy and space.
Production speed
The ice maker you purchase should be quick enough to produce the quantity you desire in good time. The machine will make certain pounds of ice in a day from as low as 20 pounds to 60 pounds depending on the brand and size you choose.
Every model creates a machine that will give off the most efficient ice cubes in between 15 to 20 minutes maximum. You could buy a small one that constantly produces ice the whole day and you won’t have to keep filling water and waiting for ice.
Cost of the machine
On a normal scale, the ice making machines are inexpensive. They range from $100 to $250 but there can be other more expensive brands that sell at $300.
For that price range, the features in the machine have to be impeccable and outstanding otherwise it may not be with the trouble to get an expensive machine that you don’t constantly use.
The other side of the coin also states that if you purchase a cheap machine, you should also expect the main cost to follow close by. Problems will start to creep up in less than a year of service and you will be held with the choice or replacing or repairing.
If at all you use ice making machines in events only, you could go for a slightly cheap machine, not one that will compromise the quality of the ice cubes, something with the quality for as it may take you years and years before the next innovation.
But for common use, spend a little more than the budget to get the best portable ice maker you can. One that can produce over 45 pounds of ice a day with no problems. Little or no main cost and a certified warranty.
Durability
How long the machine lasts is a major factor to consider. As mentioned above. You don’t want to go for repairs every now and then incurring costs you shouldn’t have been incurring in the first place.
To know if the brand or model you are buying has longevity, you could search online and read reviews and see what other users are saying about it. Word of mouth is important when you want to purchase an electronic appliance.
Search for models that will give you many years of great service and low to no cost on maintenance. The appliance may not last decades like the fridge and others but it should stay long enough to provide good service.
Ease of usage
The machine should be user-friendly and have a simple interface for all to understand. Most ice making machines have intuitive controls like those on a microwave for ease to the user, basic instructions and have manuals upon purchase.
Since the ice maker is the portable type, there are no real installations which take off a little burden from the entire process. Besides that, other models may have features that should be eco-friendly and simple to understand for users. Speaking of simple innovation, here is the next point.
Innovative features
As explained above, some models may present extra innovative features that could both be useful and costly to you. Some of them include the intelligent water use feature.
This is where the water will filter itself and refreeze the water again like a continuous cycle meaning you don’t have to keep refilling.
Other incredible features could be;
- Self-cleaning mechanisms
- Recycling mechanism
- Ice size collection panel
- Ice scoops included, among others.
If you would like your ice maker to have such features then you may want to pay more than just the basic price of $100.
Ice-type and sizes
I explained above the basic types of ice cubes that can be manufactured by the machine. Before you make a purchase, inquire on which ice cubes you will be getting or if you will have the option to choose from the variety. You don’t want to arrive home and find that your machine is producing pellets and it’s at a party, you will be very frustrated.
Also, inquire on the general density of the ice cubes as that reflects in the quality if the machine.
Looks and appearance
If you love fancy, then you might want to look at the small array of colors available for the machine and choose wisely. Most companies have strict colors like black, white or stainless steel making it hard to find other colors that may have blended with the palette colors of your home, kitchen or office.
The finished are actually very great when it comes to these machines but they have 2 kinds of shapes, the box and smooth edges which is common for the portable type.
Energy consumption
The portable ice makers are very small and therefore their energy consumption is kept to a minimum. But if you are precise about the consumption of energy in your appliances, you may want to place a keen eye.
The maker you place for your rec vehicle may only need a 12-volt plug which may not be so heavy for the vehicle.
Other types of ice makers tend to have more high energy usage, than the portable type.
Pros and Cons
For every product, there are always praise areas and flaws. For the portable ice maker here are the great and not so great features about them.
Pros
- Small and accommodatable in size to most areas including the trunk of a car.
- They are easy to store away when not in use.
- Simple interface therefore very easy to use.
- They work fast.
- In about 15 to 20 minutes after you refill with water, you can expect to have ice cubes which are a great relief especially in parties, events, social gatherings, and general occasions.
- They are portable, hence the name. You can literally carry the machine everywhere you go.
- They do not require a dedicated water line. Some work may come up when you have to keep refilling the water yourself all the time unlike the unmanual way of a water line. But it also means that without water, it doesn’t have any effects.
- It’s very easy to clean.
Cons
- Being that they are compact in size, they do not have the capacity to store the ice cubes once they are produced. This means that once it has stayed on the tray for a while, the ice will melt back to water.
- The amounts of ice produced are relatively low. No more than 2 kg unless you have the other types of ice making machines.
- They don’t provide long term guarantees on the quality of the product.
Review comments
After some in-depth research. There are the most common brands that people tend to buy portable ice making machines. This list does not limit any other brand and does not speak against it either.
These are the most common brands that sell this product.
- Magic Chef
- Koldfront
- Avalon Bay
- Aviation
- Igloo
- Edge star
- Luma comfort
- Newair, among other brands
Conclusion
Having the portable ice maker might be the best decision you will ever make in your purchase list. It provides convenience, efficiency and an embrace of fast technology. When you want to have an iced tea or coffee, a milkshake, an ice shake, a smoothie or just some scotch, this is the way to go.
No more visiting the convenience store in the late hours or in the middle of the party. All the freedom is in your hands with this appliance. Am sure after you read the buyer’s guide above, you have an idea of what the best port ice maker should be.
Take a what to the store and get one your self, or better yet order online.