Mix up a batch of lemonade because we've tested the best countertop ice makers on the market just in time for summer. (Amazon)(Amazon)
Let's face it: Refillable ice cube trays are limiting. They're often empty or contain not-quite-frozen cubes at the most inopportune times, like when you're craving an afternoon iced coffee or hosting a bunch of friends for book club. They also can't produce the chewy nugget ice everyone seems obsessed with lately. But you know what can? The best countertop ice makers. These appliances crank out nugget- or bullet-style ice by the pound, so we tested the best ice makers for 2025 to see what deserves a spot in your kitchen.
You'll find a broad spectrum of ice makers, from top-of-the-line to cheap-and-cheerful. Some have a large footprint, and others are compact and even portable. After researching hundreds of these appliances, we narrowed the testing pool down to eight popular picks, focusing on countertop models versus undercounter ice makers, which look more like mini fridges and can be expensive to buy and install. Each countertop ice maker we tested makes 26 to 40 pounds of ice per day, but most have to be emptied (into the freezer or an ice bucket) to reach that output. We evaluated the machines for speed, size (both in dimensions and capacity) and value.
Related: More cooking must-haves, including Ina Garten's go-to kitchen gadgets, the best cookware sets and the best chef's knives.
Type of ice: Bullet | Dimensions: 12.2"D x 9.06"W x 12.8"H | Capacity: 1.25 lbs. | Speed: 9 cubes per 7 minutes
Need to quickly cool off a drink? This retro-cute countertop ice maker produces ice in mere minutes. Our tester praised its easy-to-understand LED control panel, which has buttons for small or large ice and shows if you need to add water or if the ice basket is full and needs to be emptied.
She said it was so quiet she forgot it was even on. "The only time it makes any noise is when the ice is finished and about to dispense into the ice basket — but it's still very quiet."
The gadget's cube design looks sleek, plus it comes in fun colors like pink and aqua, perfect for summer parties. That said, if you have a small kitchen like our tester, you may not be able to leave it out on the counter all the time. "It feels cumbersome for the counter (especially in my one-bedroom apartment)," she noted. "Maybe I'd feel differently if I had a house with more counter space, but I'm not sure."
This machine can produce 26 pounds of ice over 24 hours — a solid amount, but the bucket holds just a little over a pound, so you'll need to empty it often. Despite those drawbacks, our tester says, "I was impressed with the functionality. It made quality ice that I enjoyed in my daily iced coffee. Plus, the price is right at less than $100."
Type of ice: Bullet | Dimensions: 12.3"D x 8.7"W x 12.6"H | Capacity: 1.25 lbs | Speed: 9 cubes per 7 minutes
The Aglucky machine was easy to set up and start using. I gave it a quick wipe out with a mildly soapy cloth and hand-washed the removable plastic basket and scoop. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet this appliance was. I expected a lot more racket, but it sounded like the low hum of a white noise machine, outside of the mild clunking of the 9 cubes that are produced every 7 minutes.
This countertop ice maker is certainly compact and fairly unobtrusive in its design. But a practical issue right out of the box was that the giant warning sticker on the top was impossible to remove. I needed Goo Gone to deal with it!
The controls are intuitive — all you do is select "S" or "L" for small or large bullets of ice. The large size is not particularly large, more what I would consider average. The cubes started coming out nine at a time in about 7-minute cycles, but once the small basket fills up, the "Ice Full" light turns red and no more ice will be made until you empty the basket into a bucket or your freezer. There is also an indicator light that lets you know when to add more water.
If you're tired of refilling plastic ice trays and want to serve a few drinks at your next small gathering, this appliance will do the trick. At just $40, and easy enough to move around, it's the kind of appliance you could use daily and tuck into a pantry when it's not needed.
Type of ice: Nugget | Dimensions: 16.5"H x 10.5"W x 17.5"D | Capacity: 3 lbs. | Speed: 2.5 oz per 10 minutes
Kitchen gear-heads have been raving about GE Profile's Opal ice makers practically since they launched a decade ago. Many consider them the gold standard for chewable nugget ice, and the Opal 2.0 Ultra is the newest addition to the lineup. Our tester confirmed that if you're a nugget ice purist, this is the machine to get. "It makes admirably consistent nugget ice in both size and shape. The ice is very similar to what you'd see at Chick-fil-A or Sonic," she said.
When asked if she would consider it nice-looking enough for her countertop? "Absolutely — it's very sleek. However, it's also quite bulky. You'll need a decent chunk of counter for this beast — it would be a huge space hog in a smaller kitchen. It's also so tall that it doesn't fit under my cabinets, which is a bummer."
It takes about 10 minutes to start churning out pellets a few at a time. But if you start with an empty ice bin, you're in for a long wait — it'll be around three hours before it's full.
At $579, the Opal is not cheap, but it comes with features other ice makers lack, including a self-cleaning function (preventing build-up will make your ice taste better and the machine work more efficiently). Our tester found it to be a fairly simple process: You pour in a sanitizing solution of water and bleach, then hit the "clean" button. "The only fussy thing is draining the tubes on the back once the cycle is over," she noted.
It also comes with a stainless steel scoop that attaches to the side of the machine. And it holds more ice than nearly any other appliance we tested — 3 pounds. Want more details on this deluxe device? Check out our tester's full review.
Our time spent testing ice makers yielded these factors to keep in mind when you're shopping.
Ice type:
Nugget: This is the pellet-style, slightly chewy ice you find at fast food places like Sonic and Chick-fil-A. It cools down your drink quickly.
Bullet: This ice is cylindrical with a hollow center, and each piece tends to remain separate. It melts slower than nugget ice and can keep drinks cooler, longer.
Clear: Like the name suggests, this ice is crystal clear, not cloudy (a sign of ice that contains lots of air pockets). Most machines that make clear ice require distilled water. Some of these machines produce bricks of cubes that you have to break up yourself. It melts slowly and is a favorite of mixologists.
Speed: Most machines start to produce ice in 6 to 10 minutes. That's fast enough for most people's everyday use, but if you're hosting a crowd, you'll likely need to plan ahead (and store the ice from your ice maker in your freezer) to keep up with demand.
Yield and capacity: Machines vary widely in capacity. Some make 26 pounds of ice per day, and others up to 40. Depending on how much the basket can hold, you may be emptying it often into a bucket or your freezer.
Price: If you know you'll use an ice maker multiple times each week, and you value the ease of having ice on hand for entertaining, you may want to pay for a higher-end, large-capacity model.
Ease of cleaning: Some machines must be drained and then washed, and others are self-cleaning.
As the resident kitchenwares tester for Yahoo, I researched hundreds of ice makers for this story. I then narrowed the pool down to eight of the most popular models, some of which I tried and others which I sent to my colleagues across the country. We all used these ice makers consistently over several days in our own homes and reviewed the gadgets using the same rubric.
After opening each package, we noted if there was any setup required and how easy the ice makers were to use. As we tried the appliances, we evaluated how fast they worked and if they were noisy. To rank on our list, they had to excel in the following tests:
Speed test: How fast does it make the promised volume of ice? Some machines started producing ice in as little as seven minutes.
"Zoom" test: How noisy is it? Could you have it running while on a Zoom video meeting for work?
"Lug" test: How easy is it to carry the machine to the sink or put it away in a cabinet? Is it light enough you could tote it in your car for a weekend at an Airbnb?
NewAir ClearIce40 Countertop Ice Maker ($245): This machine is pretty intuitive. Like other clear ice makers, it produces a rectangular tray of ice with connected smaller cubes that you need to break apart. Our tester found this step tedious, so she often ended up with chunks of four or six cubes at a time.
Silonn Countertop Ice Cream Maker ($88): Our tester found this model almost too easy to use, though she was surprised at how noisy it was. "The sounds aren't consistent because the machine turns on/off as you use the ice. I had to turn it off while I was having a movie night because it was disruptive." She felt it produced plenty of ice for two people, but not enough for a party.
Magic Chef Portable Countertop Ice Maker ($129): "I was a little intimidated at first, but this was super easy to use!" said our tester of this bullet ice maker. It yielded its full capacity in about 90 minutes and had a stainless steel finish that would integrate nicely with other appliances. It performed similar to our top overall pick from Igloo, only losing out due to its higher price.
Euhomy Countertop Ice Maker with Handle ($90): This was one of the fastest machines, churning out its first batch of bullet ice in just six minutes. It also has just one button, comes in several colors and works quietly. The cons are that there's no holder for the included plastic scoop (an issue with many of these appliances) and that the 26-pound output isn't quite enough for more than a few people.
Luma Comfort Clear Ice Maker ($253): Our tech expert, Rick Broida, tested this model and offered this assessment: "It's large, loud and expensive, and it doesn't live up to its core promise: clear ice cubes. Actually, it does, provided you accept the hassle of using distilled water — but that's the same key 'ingredient' for clear cubes made in trays and machines alike. Maybe I expected some special magic here that would produce them with tap water. Alas, no luck." Like other clear ice makers, this one delivers a solid brick from which the cubes must be broken, which is difficult with the flimsy plastic scoop that's included. And breaking the ice tends to ruin the cube shape; mostly, you wind up with large chunks or shards.
Nugget ice is the slightly chewy, pebble-looking ice many people refer to as Sonic-style because it's what you get at the fast-food chain (and others like it). Bullet ice is cylindrical with a hollow center and not quite as soft as nugget ice. Nugget ice tends to melt faster, cooling down drinks more quickly; bullet ice lasts longer and can be made in various sizes.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.