It's hard to imagine that ice makers
have only been in existence since the last century. In the past, ice
was hard to acquire. Consumers often had to rely on delivery
services which provided huge blocks of imported ice from colder
regions. In some of the hottest parts of the world, ice was
expensive and considered a luxury.
The History of the Ice Maker
The advent of the home refrigerator in the 20th
century brought food preservation and ice cube production into modern day
homes, and in the 1960's, home freezer ice makers made ice readily
available to the masses. The downside was that these early
ice makers were primitive: water was poured into a mold and then
left in the freezer until it turned solid. The resulting ice cubes
were then extracted several hours later.
Today's Modern Home Ice Maker
Today's
modern home ice makers found in most new refrigerators are much more
advanced and act like ice cube "assembly lines." These ice makers
make use of electric motors, electrical heating units, and
electrically-operated water valves. All of these mechanisms are
powered by a refrigerator's electrical
circuit. The ice maker is then hooked up to the home water line in
order to provide water for the ice cubes.
Why
Freezer Ice Makers are Inconvenient
Many consumers often complain that home freezer ice
makers are slow at making ice. A new batch of ice can take anywhere
from 75 to 120 minutes. Yet another complaint about freezer ice
makers is the quality of the ice. For those living in areas with
water chock full of minerals, this affects the taste of the ice
cubes. Moreover, because the ice in freezer icemakers is stored in
the refrigerator, the ice often picks up unpleasant food odors. All
of these drawbacks can be eliminated with a
portable ice maker.
Portable Icemaker Benefits
Simply put, the main benefit of a portable home ice maker is the fact
that it produces ice quickly. Most home units can make ice in just
minutes. Once the unit is plugged in and water is poured into the
reservoir, the ice making cycle begins. This eliminates any set up
time or adjustment period for the compressor to reach a specific
temperature.
Residential ice makers also allow you to control the size of your
ice cubes and even your ice quality. Most units take either bottled
or tap water while some give you the flexibility of a direct water
line connection. With a portable ice maker, you can enjoy great
tasting ice in a matter of minutes, and it's easy to see why they're
a welcome addition to parties and gatherings!
Choosing a Portable Ice Maker
When doing your research on a countertop portable
ice cube maker, in addition to looking for the lowest price, it's
important to take other several factors into consideration before making
your purchase. Here are some common questions to ask yourself when
deciding on a specific unit:
How much ice do I need?
How much ice can I store?
What size ice cubes do I want?
How do I maintain my portable ice cube maker?
How much ice do I
need? One of the key factors to choosing a portable ice maker is
figuring out how much ice you need. This will eventually help you
determine the size of the unit. After all, you don't want to run out
of ice in the middle of a cocktail party or BBQ. Compact countertop
ice makers such as the
NewAir
AI-200W can produce up to 35 pounds of ice per day, while small
portable ice makers such as the
NewAir
AI-100R can make up to 28 pounds per day. If you
need anything more than this, you may have to look into purchasing
into a commercial unit or an under counter ice maker.
How much ice can I store? While portable
ice makers can store varying amounts of ice, keep in mind that they
can't store ice for long periods of time. In other words, once ice
is produced, it's meant to be used pretty quickly. You'll find that
the greater the unit's ice making capacity, the large the storage
bin.
What size ice cubes do I want? Countertop icemakers produce bullet-shaped ice cubes, and some
models such as the
NewAir AI-200SS, will produce ice cubes in three sizes - small,
medium, and large. The large size ice cubes are roughly the same
size as those you'd make in a typical ice tray.
Most water dispenser-ice maker combination units
such as the
NewAir
AI-300S crushed ice maker can only produce ice in one size, so depending on how
you like your drinks, you may want to consider purchasing a unit
that makes multiple ice cube sizes for more versatility.
How do I maintain my portable ice cube maker? Proper maintenance of a portable ice maker ensures year of
hassle-free service and prevents ice maker problems, so make sure you take good care of your unit.
Maintaining a portable ice maker is usually easy: simply wipe down
the outside of the unit and clean the water reservoir regularly
after use. Another way to ensure great tasting ice and a properly
functioning unit is to occasionally clean the machine with a cap of vinegar or
lemon juice.
For even easier cleanup, models such as the
AI-210SS
by NewAir even boast self-cleaning cycles!
Compare Portable Ice Cube Makers Side-by-Side
If you're still confused over which model to choose,
simply look at the chart below. We've compiled our
top rated
portable icemakers together
and compare them side-by-side.
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