Several years ago, availing ice is like getting needle from a haystack. In tropical countries, they have to buy ice from a delivery service that imported hefty blocks of ice from either an industrial refrigeration plant or from a colder climate area. The price of ice then was very steep, a rare luxury that left people who wanted to keep their food cold no other choice but to buy it. For those who live in the equatorial countries long ago, they did not even know what “ice” looks like.
It was only during the 20th century when things made a turn for the better. This came with the birth of refrigerators that made ice production and food preservation convenient for homes and stores. It was also during the 1960s when automatic ice makers became in-demand.
Since then, procuring ice is not very difficult. All you need to do is to fill some water in a plastic ice tray, put it inside the fridge, wait for the water to freeze and you have ice. With ice makers, it’s the same process, except for the fact that the pouring of water and the extracting of ice cubes are fully automated. This is why home ice makers are also regarded as ice cube assembly lines.
Ice Makers
Ice makers works on an electric motor, electrical heating unit and an electrically operated water valve. Power can be provided to all the elements once you hook-up the ice maker onto the electrical circuit that powers your refrigerator. Aside from this, you also need to hook-up the ice maker onto your house’s plumbing line in order to ensure that fresh water is used for the ice cubes. This water-intake tube and power line runs through a hole on your freezer’s back portion.
Popular Portable Ice Maker Brands
EdgeStar Portable Ice Maker (Titanium)
This portable ice maker can be plugged to a standard 110-volt outlet. All you need to do is to fill its reservoir with bottled or tap water and in a matter of 10 minutes, you have ice cubes. This is a good addition to your office, bar or kitchen appliances. It is best for tailgate parties, picnics, camping, outdoor get-togethers or anywhere a standard water supply cannot be obtained.
It has 3 distinct sizes ad it can produce up to about 28 lbs. of ice every day. It also has user-friendly controls and frosted view windows. The price ranges from $179.10 to $259.99.
Koldfront Portable Ice Maker (White)
This portable ice maker can be plugged into a standard 110-volt outlet. It can produce ice in a span of 10 minutes. It is available in different sizes and its insulated storage bin can store about 2 lbs. of ice at a time. It can also produce 28 lbs. of ice every day.
In case the ice melts, it is automatically drained to the reservoir and then filtered back to the machine, producing more ice. Furthermore, it has a frosted view window and easy-to-manage controls. Since it is portable, permanent installation is not necessary, making it perfect for cottages, boats, RVs, wet bars, offices and the like. The price ranges from $170.10 to $239.
WindChaser ICM15S Ice Man Portable Ice Maker
This portable ice maker can produce ice cubes in a matter of 6 to 8 minutes. It has a fully automatic and easy to use system. You can just add some water and plug it in. It has a compact design, insulated storage compartment, soft touch controls and stainless steel case. tube ice machine