The “Mini” Kitchen Gem I Regret Not Buying Sooner

The day the ice maker in my freezer broke was a very sad day. The handyman tasked with fixing it came back a total of three times before concluding that it needed a replacement piece that isn’t manufactured anymore. My husband and I use our ice maker all the time, especially in the summer, so we decided to quickly pivot to a countertop version. We needed something small (our counter space is limited!), and we wanted a workhorse — an ice machine that we could use all day, every day. Enter: the Igloo Electric Countertop Ice Maker Machine.

This machine makes two sizes of bullet ice, which are sphere-shaped ice cubes with holes in the middle (they remind me of bowling alley fountain sodas!). There’s no finicky install required — just plug it in, fill the tank with water, and turn it on. It makes nine ice cubes in about five minutes, and stores up to two pounds of ice at a time. It’s compact (it measures about 12 inches deep, 12 inches wide, and 14 inches high), quiet, and super simple to use. We refill ours with water once or twice a day, and we let it run overnight so we can have ice in the morning. In short, this thing is a lifesaver! 

Admittedly, having a countertop ice maker is a luxury. But even before the ice maker in our freezer broke, my husband and I were considering getting one simply because of how slow ours was. Because we reach for ice multiple times a day, it’s been a completely worthwhile investment. We picked our Igloo Electric Countertop Ice Maker for its size and price point, and we’ve been faithfully using it every day for a year now. We learned that not all ice machines are created equal when a pebbled ice machine we were using bit the dust in under a year. Bummer! But this little ice maker hasn’t let me down once. 

The Igloo is totally reliable and makes my drinks feel special. I love waking up in the morning and filling my Stanley tumbler with ice and water, and it’s fun to treat myself to a midday Diet Coke with bullet ice in a cute glass. My husband fills his water bottle to the brim as well, and we both truly love it. 

Ice makers in general can be a little annoying to clean, but this one is small enough that it doesn’t feel like too much of a burden. There’s a drain plug at the bottom which makes emptying the water simple, and washing it is a chore I don’t mind doing. We prefer the smaller bullet ice cube size because it yields crunchier ice, and also is a little bit quicker to make. Although we use the ice maker ourselves every day, it’s also come in clutch for entertaining purposes — no ice bucket needed!

This small, workhorse of an ice machine is perfect for me and my husband. If you have a larger household, I can see how you may want a larger ice maker, but this one is perfect for the two of us. It doesn’t take up too much counter space, but if you have an especially tiny kitchen then this similar ice maker has a slightly smaller footprint (it’s 12 inches deep, 9 inches wide, and 12 inches high) and comes at a lower price point.

If your ice trays just aren’t cutting it, I would 100% recommend this Igloo countertop ice maker. It’s the miniature MVP of the summer!