Are you considering buying an ice cream under the counter? You have come to the perfect location. An under-counter or built-in ice maker is a great option if you want to produce a lot of ice without wasting your counter space. An under counter ice maker also hides well inside any decor just like how a dishwasher fits. For home use, a portable ice maker suits you much better for your requirements, but if you don’t have space to place even a portable ice maker on your kitchen’s counter, then you should go for an under-counter ice maker. When looking for an under-counter ice maker, there are several crucial variables and features you should consider that we are going to discuss in the buying guide, but before that, you will find under-counter ice maker reviews consumer reports. So, check out the list of 5 best under-counter ice makers followed by the buying guide to make an informed decision.
Reviews Of 5 Best Under Counter Ice Makers
1. Euhomy Commercial Ice Maker Machine IM-CM
If your business demands loads of ice, then you should get yourself a highly efficient ice maker machine. Euhomy brings to you a commercial ice maker machine, which is capable of producing 100 lbs of ice per day. It comes with a large storage capacity as well, where you can store 33 lbs of ice easily. With this machine at your disposal, you don’t have to worry about the overflow of ice cubes, thanks to automatic overflow prevention. The ice maker comes with ETL certification and is approved for commercial use. It doesn’t matter if you work in an indoor kitchen or outdoor kitchen, you can place this ice maker in any setting.
Equipped with a smart LCD panel, operating this ice maker won’t be difficult for you, as you can easily change the temperature and size of ice cubes. The ice maker features a‘ Clean’ button, which if you press will begin cleaning the machine automatically. Since it is a commercial unit, it features a powerful compressor for turning water into ice, but don’t worry about the noise, as it won’t produce much. The unit comes with an energy certificate, which indicates it won’t consume too much power, thus keeping your electricity bills low.
2. Smad Commercial Ice Maker Machine Undercounter
Check out this undercounter ice maker from Smad, which despite being used in commercial setups is portable. The ice maker features front venting for built-in installation. The company has installed a reversible door on the ice maker that supports both, left and right-hand swings. The unit can be used as a freezer, which keeps the ice frozen for some time. You will get a tube with the ice maker that you need to connect to the cold water source to get ice cubes.
You can install the ice maker yourself, but in case, you feel the need for a plumber, do call one. The ice maker produces 99 lbs of ice per day out of which, 33 lbs can be stored inside the storage. Equipped with automatic overfill prevention, the ice maker won’t let ice cubes overflow. The ice maker features auto shut-off as well, which comes into play when the ice bin is full.
3. EdgeStar IB250SS Built-In Ice Maker
EdgeStar is among the top manufacturers of refrigerators, wine coolers, air conditioners, and ice makers. The ice maker in discussion is one of the top-selling models of the company, which can produce 25lbs of ice every day and store 20lbs in its ice storage. The machine produces crescent-shaped ice that lasts longer compared to the ice of any other shape.
You can also use the machine as a freezer, as it will keep your ice frozen. You don’t require a drain line with this ice maker. The ice maker consists of a hinge on both sides, thus letting you open the door from the left as well as from the right side. With this incredible ice maker, you will get a water line, ice scoop, and removable ice bin.
4. Manitowoc UDF0140A NEO 26" Air Cooled Undercounter Dice Cube Ice Machine
If you are looking for an ice maker that produces ice in large quantities but doesn’t leave as big of a footprint, then you should buy Manitowoc Undercounter Air-Cooled Ice Machine. This ice maker comes with a scoop and holder with holder location options. The machine has a beautiful exterior panel, which is fingerprint-resistant. A bin is attached to the ice maker at the front side, which is somewhat slanted and comes with an easy glide door. The machine can produce ice up to 132 lbs., whereas, the storage capacity of the bin is 90 lbs.
Coming with Alpahasan, this ice maker won’t let mold, mildew, bacteria, and yeast accumulate inside of it. You can choose the size of ice cubes you want this machine to produce, whether half, full or regular ice cubes. The ice maker features pop-out air filters, which prohibit polluted air to get inside and contaminate the ice formation. Overall, it is a very capable machine, which can produce top-quality ice.
5. Scotsman CU50GA Undercounter Ice Maker
With a capacity of 64 lbs of gourmet ice in 24 hours, you will definitely want to have such an ice maker in your kitchen. It isn’t just the large production of ice, but large storage as well, which is around 26 lbs in its spacious storage cabinet. The overall width of the ice maker machine is 15 inches, which allows it to fit inside tight spaces of the kitchen as well. You will get the best quality ice at the end, which will be crystal-clear, uniquely shaped, tasteless, odorless, and slow melting. Therefore, you can add ice to your drinks without worrying about diluting because it just won’t.
The ice maker boasts a water-quality sensor that detects whether the water used for preparing the ice is hard water or portable water. There is a cutting-edge control system incorporated into the machine that purges mineral-laden water with every harvest cycle to get more time between cleanings. The machine is equipped with an easy-to-use control panel, which lets you know about the status of the machine, whether it is on or off, getting a reminder about cleaning the machine and absence of water during ice making process.
Things To Look For When Buying An Ice Maker
1. Ice Quality
You will find different types of drink ice. The best for you depends on what you need. If you want ice cream for your whiskey cocktails, try to find a device that makes ice. If you want soft-palate ice cream, buy a device that produces nugget ice cream. Also check the size of their ice cubes, the speed at which they melt drinks, and their outline.
2. Daily Ice Making Capacity
Ice-making capacity, also known as crafting capacity, is the total amount of ice hockey that a unit can make in 24 hours. The ideal amount will depend on your needs. If you need a lot of ice throughout the day, we recommend an 18 lbs + ice maker. When the ice maker only works for 1 or two people, even a 5kg under counter ice maker will do.
3. Storage Bin
The next important number to look for is the storage capacity. This is the maximum amount of ice that a component storage bin can hold. This is often half of the manufacturing capacity. For example, an under-counter ice maker with a build capacity of 20 kg will have a storage capacity of 11 pounds. The more ice you need the more complex the storage capacity must be. The other feature of the storage bin to consider is whether it is insulated or refrigerated. Most versions have insulated tubs, which means the ice will melt after a while. These ice makers often expect a drain link to remove the filtered water. Other versions have a refrigerated storage bin. Your ice cubes will stay strong even if you leave them on for days. These versions often do not require a drainage link. Surprisingly, refrigerated models are not always the most expensive.
4. Drainage
There are 3 types of possible scenarios when talking about ice machine drainage: no drainage, gravity pump, or pump drainage. Obviously, no drainage ice machine would be the most convenient and easiest to set up. Manufacturers of refrigerated ice generally do not require any drainage. Manufacturers of gravity-drained ice require that a hose be connected to the device from which filtered or wastewater can flow by gravity. If your kitchen sink or drain isn't gravity-available, you'll need a version that can use a pump drain. A pump drain can drain water into a sink or drain located higher than the appliance.
5. Cooling System
Compressors from ice makers can be atmospheric or water-cooled. Virtually all contemporary ice machines use air-cooled compressors. Vents and fans circulate air out of the space inside the unit to cool the circuit breaker. The hot air is discharged to the outside and the colder air is sucked to continue the heating process. Air-cooled components use more energy and can increase air conditioning prices (due to their hot exhaust air), but they do not require additional water other than that used to produce ice. A water-cooled appliance uses water to cool the machine. Popular water is discharged through the drain. Water-cooled units consume much less energy but require a lot of water to operate. This is why they are kicked out of this market. While looking for ice cream under the counter, buy one.
6. Water Supply
You don't have much of a choice here as most under-counter ice makers require a line. You don't include water in a tank-like with small ice makers. Be aware that many manufacturers recommend installing an in-line water filter to maintain ice quality and protect the ice maker.
7. Cleaning And Maintenance
Start looking for a device that is easy to wash and maintain. Some components have a CLEAN button. If you press it, water will flow through the device and flow out. For many under-counter units, however, it's still a great idea to call an expert if something goes wrong. They have complicated systems and several components that you can easily damage when looking to repair.
8. Other Features
Assess whether the appliance includes a door. This is important as it gives you the freedom to install the ice maker you need in without walls or a chimney preventing the door from opening properly. On the exact same note, check if you can use a custom panel. It allows you to customize the way of your own ice maker.
How Do Ice Makers work?
The hypothesis of ice machines, whether mobile, free-standing, or under the counter, is that they transform water into ice. The process itself is much more complex and requires several parts to be removed.
At the heart of an ice machine is a compressor. The circuit breaker pushes a refrigerant (in the form of a gas) through a set of tubes known as a condenser. From the condenser, the refrigerant is cooled by water or an atmosphere. This is exactly what the manufacturers of water and air-cooled ice cubes refer to.
In the case of a water-cooled machine, the heater is removed through the drain. In the case of an air-cooled ice maker, the hot air is exhausted through the vents on the back or front.
The liquid moves through a part known as the evaporator. It absorbs heat from the environment and turns into gas. There is water constantly flowing over the evaporator. It slowly melts as it loses heat and turns into ice hockey.
Ice forms because many cubes are tied together in a sheet. It is pushed with a plunger or simply by heating the surface under them. As they fall into the trash, they break down into individual cubes (although sometimes you don't have to come apart).
The evaporator can be designed to generate ice in a variety of forms such as full cubes, half cubes, balls, or pebbles.
Among the makers of ice nuggets, the latter procedure is somewhat distinct. The evaporator has the shape of a cylinder and water slides on the interior walls. An auger then scrapes the ice in the form of soft palate flakes.
Obviously, details may vary from one ice maker to the next. For example, gourmet ice cream makers use a more complex procedure to ensure that the ice cream is very clear and tough. However, this is really how cubes are created when you press a button on your own ice maker.
Wrap Up
Under-counter ice makers are known for their large size, so if you need lots of ice on a daily basis, then you should definitely buy an under-counter ice maker. Installing this type of ice maker is very easy and needs to be done just once. You can get as much ice as you like at your will, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t choose an under counter ice maker. Just pick one from the under counter ice maker reviews consumer reports and get the desired amount of ice every time.
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