As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Best ice makers: nugget and cube machines compared on output, bin and space
Ice makers: a daily output figure is not the ice in the bin
Every output figure here is what the maker claims for 24 hours, and no maker here says its bin keeps ice frozen. GE says the Opal's bin does not keep ice frozen, and Euhomy says its machine has no refrigeration function. The bins also hold far less than a day's output: GE's holds 3 lb against a 38 lb claim, and Igloo's 1.25 lb against 26 lb, which is about 21 basketfuls (our arithmetic). So judge a machine by how quickly it refills a bin you will empty, and by what it needs from your kitchen.
| Machine | Ice | Daily claim | Bin | Rated at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra | Nugget | 38 lb | 3 lb | 70 °F air, 60 °F water (32 lb at 90 °F and 70 °F) |
| Silonn SLIM17B | Nugget | 33 lb | 1.76 lb | Not found |
| Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK | Cube, small or large | 26 lb | 1.25 lb | Not found |
| Euhomy IM-02 | Cube | 100 lb | 28.6 lb (33 lb in its headline) | Not found |
Countertop or undercounter? Three of these are countertop machines that you fill by pouring water into a reservoir. The Euhomy is a larger machine that needs a water supply and a gravity drain lower than itself. Euhomy's page calls it an under-counter machine and lists it at 31.5 inches high. The manual supplied with the listing asks for 5 cm clear at the rear for the connections and 25 cm at the front for the door and airflow, and gives no side gap, so ask Euhomy before you box it in.
Nugget ice, with room to maintain it: GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra
GE's page claims up to 38 lb a day at 70 °F air and 60 °F water. The manual asks for an indoor 55 to 90 °F room, a flat surface that can carry it full of water, and four inches clear at the sides and back (a GE support note says three in a cabinet; allow four). It weighs 37.6 lb empty, and GE recommends two people to move it. Descale about every four weeks, depending on water hardness, and check the rear air filter at least every two months. Draining means unhooking two rear tubes, and the side tank is hand-wash only.
Nugget ice on a small counter: Silonn SLIM17B
Silonn's page says up to 33 lb a day, while the Amazon title says 36 lb. There is no water line; you pour drinking water into a 1.1 litre reservoir. The manual supplied with the listing gives a 10 to 32 °C room (about 50 to 90 °F, our conversion) and 7 to 32 °C water. It states clearance twice, 3 inches at the sides and back and 5.9 inches for the hot-air outlet, so allow the larger. It says to clean weekly and not to use strong acids, strong alkalis, detergent or solvents. The self-clean mode starts by holding ICE/CLEAN for five seconds.
Small or large cubes, filled by hand: Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK
Nostalgia Products, whose manual covers this Igloo, claims up to 26 lb a day and nine cubes every 7 to 15 minutes, from a 2-quart tank. The manual wants a 45 to 90 °F room and six inches of empty space on every side. It says household use only, not outdoors, and never to leave it unattended while plugged in.
Change the reservoir water every 24 hours, drain through the plug on the bottom, and dry it with the lid open for 24 hours before storing. Nostalgia's page lists 14 x 11 x 16 inches and 22 lb; the Amazon table says less, so measure your space.
Read the Igloo guide · Check the Igloo on Amazon
If you can plumb it in: Euhomy IM-02
Euhomy claims up to 100 lb a day, in cycles of 11 to 20 minutes. It drains by gravity, so the drain hose must stay connected and sit lower than the machine. Euhomy's page lists outdoor gatherings as a use, but the manual and FAQ supplied with the listing say it is not for outdoor use, and the manual's warranty excludes commercial use. Those two documents also disagree on cleaners: the manual suggests lemon water or weak vinegar, while the FAQ says not to clean with acids such as lemon juice or vinegar. Clean at least weekly, and ask Euhomy which applies to your unit.
The hub also lists a Frigidaire EFIC452-SS guide, which is not one of the four picks above.
Based on published specifications and manuals, not an ice-making test. Sources checked September 28, 2026: GE XPIO13SWSS (geappliances.com) and its owner's manual (images.salsify.com), GE Opal bin note (products.geappliances.com), Silonn SLIM17B (silonn.com) and the manual supplied with its listing (m.media-amazon.com), Igloo manual (manuals.nostalgiaproducts.com) and Igloo product page (nostalgiaproducts.com), Euhomy Lucid M1 (euhomy.com) and the manual (m.media-amazon.com) and FAQ (m.media-amazon.com) supplied with its listing. Amazon links are affiliate links.
Compare every model in this category
Each row says who the model suits, its main strength and its main catch, taken from each guide's listed sources. Open a guide to confirm the exact model and what's included before you buy on Amazon.
| Product | Best for | Main strength | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS Nugget Ice Maker | Nugget-ice buyers with room for the side tank and regular care | Side tank means less frequent reservoir fills, per the listing | Bin is not a freezer; daily harvest is not ready-to-serve capacity |
| Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK 26-Pound Ice Maker with Carry Handle | Indoor counters with six inches free on every side | Small and large cube sizes, per the manual | Six-inch clearance on every side needs far more room than the body |
| Frigidaire EFIC452-SS 40-Pound Countertop Ice Maker | Indoor counters with six inches free at the back and sides | Plus and minus buttons adjust the cycle by up to six minutes | The manual gives 13 to 25 minutes per cycle; the listing mentions six minutes |
| Euhomy IM-02 (Lucid M1) 100 lb Commercial Cube Ice Maker | Indoor spaces with a water line and a floor or gravity drain below the machine | Rated 100 lbs a day with a water line, so no hand filling | Needs a drain lower than the machine because there is no pump |
| Silonn SLIM17B Countertop Nugget Ice Maker | Small counters and indoor rooms between 10 C and 32 C, filled by hand | Small 11.3 by 8.66 inch footprint per the manual, with a 15-minute self-clean mode | No water line: the 1.1 L reservoir is filled and refilled by hand |
What to check before buying
The ice maker guides here cover countertop bullet, clear-cube and nugget machines and one larger plumbed unit. They separate the daily output claim from what the basket actually holds, quote the clearance each manual asks for, and note how water gets in and out, the room temperatures allowed, and how often the manual expects cleaning.
- Daily output vs basket. Daily output is not stored ice. The guides give each basket's capacity, from about 1.25 to 3 pounds on the countertop units and 28.6 pounds on the plumbed one, several note the basket is not a freezer, and they report output figures tied to set air and water temperatures, and a daily figure that differs between manual and listing.
- Clearance around it. Required space ranges from about 3 or 4 inches at the sides and back to 6 inches on every side, and one larger unit needs 25 cm at the front. One manual gives two different clearance figures.
- Water in and out. Most countertop units here are filled by hand from a small reservoir. The larger unit needs a water line and a drain lower than the machine because it has no pump, and another drains from the rear.
- Indoor use and room range. Several manuals limit use to indoors, even where the listing mentions camping or RVs, and some set room temperature ranges such as 55 to 90°F. One guide also finds the manual labelled with a different model number from the listing.
This page collects 5 ice maker guides from Plain Buy Guides. Each guide covers one exact Amazon listing: the maker's published specifications, what the listing says is included, the fit and installation limits that decide whether it suits you, and the main caveat, with every source listed and dated. Nothing here is based on hands-on testing, and no guide promises a price or stock level.
In the table above, the Best for column says who each model suits, and the strength and caveat columns carry the first point each guide makes. Open a guide before buying to confirm the exact model, the included parts and any conflict between the listing and the maker's documents, which each guide reports rather than settles. Side-by-side pages put the published facts of two models from this category in one place.
Compare the published specs
The main figures stated in each ice maker guide on this page, side by side, with each guide's sources behind them. Units are as published; nothing here was measured by us.
A table scrolls sideways when it is wider than the screen. Select a column heading to sort.
| GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS Nugget Ice Maker | 32 or 38 | three | 360 † |
|---|---|---|---|
| Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK 26-Pound Ice Maker with Carry Handle | 26 | 1.25 | 105 |
| Frigidaire EFIC452-SS 40-Pound Countertop Ice Maker | 40 | 2.4 | 120 |
| Euhomy IM-02 (Lucid M1) 100 lb Commercial Cube Ice Maker | 100 | 28.6 or 33 | 198 |
| Silonn SLIM17B Countertop Nugget Ice Maker | 33 or 36 | 1.76 | 160 |
— means the guide does not state that figure. “or” means the guide states more than one figure, for example where two sources disagree, for different modes or versions, or where a kit includes two tools; open the guide to see which applies. † means the guide reports that another source gives a different figure, or doubts the figure; open the guide. Only single figures in the column’s unit, with no mark, word or note in brackets, are sorted and counted below.
By the numbers
These cover only the 5 ice makers on this site, not the whole market. Ranges use the figures the guides state; the lowest and highest link to their guides, and the median is the middle of those figures. A model whose figure is missing, not applicable, more than one, marked, in words, in another unit or qualified in brackets is left out of that line.
- Ice a day across the 3 of our 5 ice makers that state one figure: 26 lb to 100 lb, median 40 lb. Lowest: Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK 26-Pound Ice Maker with Carry Handle. Highest: Euhomy IM-02 (Lucid M1) 100 lb Commercial Cube Ice Maker.
- Basket or bin across the 3 of our 5 ice makers that state one figure: 1.25 lb to 2.4 lb, median 1.76 lb. Lowest: Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK 26-Pound Ice Maker with Carry Handle. Highest: Frigidaire EFIC452-SS 40-Pound Countertop Ice Maker.
- Power across the 4 of our 5 ice makers that state one figure: 105 W to 198 W, median 140 W. Lowest: Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK 26-Pound Ice Maker with Carry Handle. Highest: Euhomy IM-02 (Lucid M1) 100 lb Commercial Cube Ice Maker.
Read the full Ice Per Hour buying guide (ice-per-hour.pages.dev).
- GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS Nugget Ice Maker
GE Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS guide: nugget ice, a three-pound bin, the 0.75-gallon side tank, four-inch clearances, descaling and air-filter care, conflicting specs.
- Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK 26-Pound Ice Maker with Carry Handle
Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK handle ice maker guide: six-inch clearance, 7 to 15 minute cycles, two cube sizes, a 1.25-pound basket, a 2-quart tank and indoor-only use.
- Frigidaire EFIC452-SS 40-Pound Countertop Ice Maker
Frigidaire EFIC452-SS guide: up to 40 lb a day, 13 to 25 minute cycles, six inches of clearance, a rear drain, cleaning every three days and a refrigerant conflict.
- Euhomy IM-02 (Lucid M1) 100 lb Commercial Cube Ice Maker
Euhomy IM-02 (Lucid M1) 100 lb ice maker guide: gravity drain and water line, 25 cm front clearance, conflicting cleaning and outdoor advice, and the warranty terms.
- Silonn SLIM17B Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
Silonn SLIM17B nugget ice maker guide: a 1.1 L hand-filled reservoir, temperature limits, two clearance figures, the self-clean cycle, warranty and size conflicts.