Similar to other standard countertop ice makers, the Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 makes nine bullet-shaped cubes every eight minutes. Within a half hour, you’ll have enough ice to chill a few drinks. Short of having an in-door ice dispenser in your refrigerator, the KBice self-dispensing nugget ice maker does an excellent job of filling the void.
But in terms of quality and speed, we’d recommend having this machine around to anyone who hosts often or whose family loves a constant flow of icy cold drinks. Standing at less than a foot tall and 8.5 inches deep, this Igloo ice maker takes up less counter space compared with others (including our other pick). The Magic Chef ice maker has been around for a while, so we don’t expect many surprises. Reviews of it are slightly better than other ice machines, averaging around 4.4 stars on Home Depot’s website. Keep plenty of fresh ice on hand with an icemaker that stores up to 25 pounds of ice and can be installed undercounter or almost anywhere within 100 feet of a drain.
We also survey our members about their firsthand experiences with refrigerators to gauge a brand’s performance over time. In our most recent surveys, CR members told us about more than 80,000 new refrigerators (all with icemakers) that they purchased between 2013 and 2023. The refrigerator brands in the survey include Frigidaire, GE, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool. All new refrigerators are much more efficient than models from a decade ago, but they’re not all created equal. The information on a refrigerator’s EnergyGuide label will help you find a model that will keep your utility bills in check.
Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). If the NewAir NIM045SS00 Portable Countertop Clear Ice Machine or the Frigidaire EFIC452 are the only clear-ice makers you can find, they are fine options. They made clear ice very well and lost points primarily for their less-intuitive controls and because we had to wait a minute or two for their ice to be soft enough to break apart. The Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 is a variant of the classic bullet-ice machine, but it has some functional details we appreciate and tends to be widely available and easier to return. Staff writer Andrea Barnes covers large cleaning appliances, including dishwashers, and also provides tips on how to get the most out of your dishwasher and laundry appliances.
If you love cold drinks, a countertop ice maker might make your day. But whether you want to chill a tumbler of lemonade, fill a cocktail shaker, or ice enough drinks for a party, the straight-forward Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27 and the compact Igloo IGLICEBSC26 do the job well. I’m not the most tech-savvy person, so I was a bit worried about setting up the ice machine properly, but the instructions were thorough and self-explanatory. This basically just meant filling up the reservoir with fresh new water, inserting the ice bucket, and pressing the main button on the screen to start ice production.
Storage capacity underneath which allows you to retain more ice depending on volume of visitors, or day-to-day needs. This ice machine also has long, Adjustable Legs for Added Stability – Easier to store in tight areas or in spaces with uneven surfaces. Each ice machine unit has four 6” legs that can be adjusted to provide better stability and balance.
This bullet-ice maker is compact and has a self-cleaning mode. But because of its slightly smaller size, you need to refill it a bit more frequently. We tested the blue version and it has just the right pop of color without being loud on your countertop. The front also has a Frigidaire Gallery stainless steel-colored faceplate. When it’s kept stain-free, it gives the icemaker a clean look. When you first unbox the EFIC255, the manual recommends you run a cleaning cycle.
It also has wifi and voice control capabilities, which don’t necessarily seem like things you’d need in an ice maker — but as the old saying goes, go big or go home. Finally, there’s a professional-grade ice maker that looks sharp enough for frigidaire washing machine home kitchens. Versatile controls put you in charge of everything about your ice, including cycle timing and ice thickness. The stainless steel door is fingerprint-resistant, so this clear ice maker is ready for duty in your home bar.
After that was done, we set this Frigidaire to start making ice. We found that the EFIC255 produces about 24 ounces of ice in an hour, roughly on par with other ice frigidaire freezer makers in its price range. Though many of the ice makers we tested showed streaks on their stainless-steel finishes, this model showed them more prominently.