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10 Best Ice Makers for a Home Bar: Pros, Cons & More

A home bar cannot be perfectly functional without an ice maker, a good ice maker to be exact; this is especially important if you regularly have people over for parties and special gatherings.

A lot of people are quite content with making ice with their freezer, however, this is not the best way to make ice as ice from freezers are not always fresh and they can affect the flavor of drinks.

There are a lot of things attached to getting a good ice maker for your home bar and the process can be quite tedious.

In this article, some of the best ice makers have been carefully reviewed so you can find it easier to make a choice whenever you need one for you home bar.

1. Vremi Countertop Ice Maker

best ice maker for home bar

One of the reasons why people choose to go for ice makers is the freshness of the ice they produce.

This ice maker can produce a tray full of ice cubes in just nine minutes.

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It may not be grand enough to produce ice for your parties and social gatherings, however, it fits perfectly into a home bar and will serve your family well enough.

It is reasonably priced, it is very portable, and it holds 2.2 liters of water at a time.

Unlike a lot of ice makers that produce annoying noise, this machine works quietly and it is energy efficient, so you don’t have to think too much about how much energy it will consume.

Pros

  • It’s reasonably priced
  • It doesn’t make noise
  • It’s energy efficient

Cons

  • Low water holding capacity

You can check it out on Amazon here.

2. IKICH Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop

IKICH Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop, Ice Cubes Ready in 6 Mins, Make 26 lbs Ice in 24 Hrs with LED Display Perfect for Parties Mixed Drinks, Electric Ice Maker 2L with Ice Scoop and Basket best ice maker for home bar review

Make ice in as little time as 6 minutes with this IKICH ice maker.

It is compact and portable; perfect for home bars.

The machine comes with a translucent viewing window through which you can look at the ice without opening it. It produce hollow-shaped ice pieces in place of the more common square ice.

Apart from the fact that it takes little time to produce ice, the machine makes use of high-density polyurethane foam layer to provide insulation so the ice stay frozen for a long time.

To make it easier to use, it comes with two infrared sensors that work with LED indicators to let you know when the ice basket is full and when the machine needs to be refilled.

Pros

  • It’s quiet
  • It comes with a 2 year warrantee

Cons

  • It’s a bit small in size and capacity

Check it out on Amazon here.

3. hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker for Countertop

hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop Electric Ice Making Machine Ice Scoop 1.5 lb Ice Storage best ice maker for home bar review

Like the other ice makers in this review, this product features a lightweight and portable design.

You can make up to 26 lbs of ice per day with this ice maker and it can do this without producing any disturbing noise.

It produce ice in two different sizes but in shape of bullets and not square.

Apart from home bars, this ice maker is perfect for road trips, camping and other outdoor activities.

You don’t need any form of expertise to operate the machine and it doesn’t require any special form of installation.

Indeed, it is one of the best ice maker you can acquire for home bars.

Pros

  • Aesthetically pleasing design
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Quiet operation

Cons

  • Insulation could be better

Check it out at Amazon here.

4. FirstBuild Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker

This is one of the more exquisite ice makers on this list.

Just imagine how great it would be if you could make nugget ice in your home and not have to go to a few select restaurants before you can enjoy the delight of these chewable nugget ice.

Weighing up to 44 pounds, it is not as lightweight as a lot of the other products but it will still fit perfectly in your home bar.

Better still, you can connect the machine to your phone through Bluetooth and monitor it from your smart phone.

You can see through the ice tray as the machine makes ice.

If the party is not too large, this ice maker should serve you, your friends and you family well.

Pros

  • Sleek design
  • Smart technology

Cons

  • It’s a little expensive
  • It tends to make noise when in use

It’s available at Amazon here.

5. VIVOHOME Electric Portable Compact Countertop Automatic Ice Cube Maker

VIVOHOME Electric Portable Compact Countertop Automatic Ice Cube Maker Machine 26lbs day Silver ETL Listed best ice maker for home bar review

This VIVOHOME ice maker is another portable and lightweight ice machine that will look great as part of your home bar.

In just about 6 minutes, your ice will be ready to use; that is one of the fastest times you will get out there.

There is no need for any special installation procedure and the machine is quite easy to operate.

The bottom part of the machine is designed to store residual water and prevent it from leaking and messing up your space.

Although the machine comes with an automatic overflow protection, it features a transparent window through which you can monitor the ice making process.

Pros

  • Easy to operate
  • Automatic overflow protection
  • Reasonably priced

Cons

  • Customers have complained that the ice melts quickly

6. hOmeLabs Freestanding Commercial Ice Maker Machine

hOmeLabs Freestanding Commercial Ice Maker Machine - Makes 99 Pounds Ice in 24 hrs with 29 Pounds Storage Capacity - Ideal for Restaurants, Bars, Homes and Offices best ice maker for home bar

If what you need is a large ice maker that can produce sufficient ice for your parties and gatherings, and at the same time fit into your homes bar, this hOmeLabs ice machine is for you.

It can produce up to 45 ice cubes in as little as 15 minutes.

What’s more interesting is that there is enough storage space to store about 29 pounds of ice, so you can be sure you won’t run out.

As big as it is, it is very easy to control and it has an LCD indicator that lets you know exactly what is going on with the machine.

You can also choose the thickness of ice cubes you want.

Pros

  • Produces large quantities of ice
  • Easy to operate
  • Can serve commercial purposes

Cons

  • It is quite expensive
  • No warranty

You can find it on Amazon here.

7. Euhomy Commercial Ice maker Machine

Euhomy Commercial Ice Maker Machine, 100lbs 24h Stainless Steel Ice Cube Machine with 33LBS Ice Storage Capacity, Free-Standing Ice Maker Machine best ice maker for home bar

Just like the hOmeLabs freestanding ice machine, this Euhomy ice maker is capable of making large quantities of ice, even on a commercial scale.

The ice cube tray can hold up to 45 ice cubes, all produced within 13 – 20 mins.

The body is made from strong stainless steel; this adds to the durability.

It comes with any easy-to-operate LCD panel, through which you have access to the power, the running mode, ice thickness, and more.

If you want this ice maker in your home bar, you should know that it requires water supply, drain, and filter.

Pros

  • Stainless construction
  • Makes clear and strong ice cubes
  • Easy to set up

Cons

  • It is quite big
  • Relatively expensive

Here’s a link to it on Amazon.

8. Aicok 26lb Portable ice Maker Machine

Aicok 26lb Portable Ice Maker Machine for Countertop, Stainless Steel, Ice Cubes 6 Minutes, 26lb Ice 24 Hrs, Self-clean Function, LCD Display, Ice Scoop Basket best ice maker for home bar

When we talk about popularity, this ice maker is one of the most popular for domestic use.

While it is true that it produces about 9 pieces of ice in 10 minutes which may not be sufficient for when you have people over at your place, it is still perfect for you and your family.

Another good thing about this machine apart from its portability is that it comes with polyurethane foam insulation board that helps to keep your ice cubes frozen for longer.

It also features a self-cleaning function that will keep it clean and hygienic.

With the infrared sensing technology, the machine gives signals when the ice basket is full and when it runs out of water.

Pros

  • Self cleaning function
  • Infra-red sensing technology
  • Fast action

Cons

A few customers complained that it leaks

You can find it on Amazon here.

9. Igloo ICEB26BK Portable 26-Pound Automatic Ice Maker

Igloo ICEB26BK Portable 26-Pound Automatic Ice Maker, Black best ice maker for home bar

Even though it is a portable ice maker, you still get to choose between two different ice cube sizes and the machine will make them in just seven minutes.

It comes with a removable ice basket that has a 2 lbs capacity and an ice scoop with which you can pack the ice.

You get to see as the ice forms through the transparent window.

The control panel is lit by LED light and it alerts you whenever the ice basket is full and whenever the machine needs to be refilled with water.

When not in use, you can easily drain the water through the drain plug.

Pros

  • Quick freezing
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Ice melts easily
  • May not be suitable for a large crowd

It’s available at Amazon here.

10. EdgeStar IB120SS Built in Ice Maker

EdgeStar IB120SS Built in Ice Maker, 12 lbs, Stainless Steel and Black best ice maker for home bar review

You should consider this ice maker if what you need is a machine that can produce ice that will remain frozen for a long time.

This ice maker looks somewhat like a small refrigerator; that is because it has a refrigerated storage bin that helps the ice last longer.

It can produce up to 12 pounds of ice in a day.

The fact that you don’t need any drain makes it more perfect for your home bar.

Installation is not so hard but it can be quite tricky and some technical know-how may be needed if you can’t go about it yourself.

The singular ability to function as a freezer makes it one of the best ice makers for your home bar.

Pros

  • Operates as a freezer
  • Ice lasts longer
  • No drain required

Cons

  • It makes a little noise

It’s available at Amazon here.

Conclusion

These are some of the best options you have as regards ice makers for home bars.

Some of the products discussed are versatile enough to serve commercial purposes and a number of other uses, however, they will all fit perfectly into your home bar.

Depending on how frequent you use ice and the size of your family, you can either choose to get a small portable ice maker or a larger commercial one.