The Best Countertop Ice Maker for the RV

The countertop ice maker is one of the most common small kitchen appliances purchased by RVers. This might seem like an odd thing for a person to spend money on, and an even odder thing to keep in a teeny tiny camper kitchen with very little cabinet or counter space. However, nearly every person who makes the jump to a countertop ice maker will tell you they don’t regret making the switch and will never go back.

If you’ve been contemplating purchasing an ice maker for your RV kitchen, you may be wondering if it will truly be worthwhile. You might also be wondering which ice maker to purchase and how to care for it.

In this article, we will address all of these things so you can buy with confidence, knowing you are spending your money wisely on an item that will serve you well.

Why Buy a Countertop Ice Maker for Your RV?

Let’s first address the “why” behind buying an ice maker for your RV. After all, purchasing something simply because everyone else is doing it is never a good idea. This is especially true when the item in question must fit in a small space such as an RV. Instead, everything you purchase for your tiny home-on-wheels should fill a true need.

Obviously, in the case of a countertop ice maker, the need being filled is one for ice. Not only can an ice maker provide your family with ice during your travels, it will do so without the use of a freezer. This is ideal for those without freezers in their rigs but is also nice for those who are simply trying to save space in their small RV freezers.

Countertop ice makers are also efficient. Many models can make a batch of ice in only a few minutes. This makes it easy to fill an entire ice chest, and means you’ll never run out of ice again.

Finally, we should mention that a portable ice maker can even save you money. Bags if ice aren’t exactly expensive, but that few dollars per bag can add up fast if you camp often. Therefore, while an ice maker is an investment, it is one that will pay for itself fairly quickly if used regularly.

Choosing the Perfect Countertop Ice Maker

Clearly, an ice maker is a great appliance to have around an RV kitchen. The next question is which ice maker you should buy. There are a number of great countertop ice makers on the market and choosing just one can be overwhelming.

Lucky for you, we’ve done the legwork and have narrowed the list down to our top 3 picks:

Best Overall

Our overall favorite machine is the Igloo ICEB26. This wonderful little unit has a production capacity of 26 lbs. in 24 hours, and a cycle time of only seven minutes. During one cycle, you can expect to get a full two pounds of ice. It can also make ice in two different sizes, meaning you’ll have ice to please all tastes.

The one drawback to this ice maker is its weight. The unit weighs in at a hefty 22.7 lbs, making it difficult to move from one place to the next and adding to the total weight of your RV. Additionally, many users find that ice left in the machine for a while will take on an odd taste.

That, said this is a solid appliance that is sturdy, efficient, and gives you a good bang for your buck.

On a Budget

Want ice while camping but don’t want to spend a fortune? Not to worry! There are plenty of inexpensive ice makers out there. Our favorite budget version is the Vremi Countertop Ice Maker. This appliance is sold for a bit over $100 and is worth every penny.

Once again, we see a production capacity of 26 lbs. in 24 hours. This unit makes 1½ pounds of ice at a time, and each cycle requires a full nine minutes rather than seven, but it is still a relatively efficient appliance—and considering the cost savings, we’d say waiting those extra couple minutes is not a problem.

At just over 23 lbs., this ice maker is also quite heavy, meaning you will want to find a permanent place to keep it. It is also quite noisy, emitting some shrill beeps that can become quite annoying. Nevertheless, this is an excellent appliance!

Light and Small

Finally, there is the hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker. This little 19.4-pound gem is the lightest and smallest on our list. Taking up about as much space as an average coffee maker, it is ideal for those looking to save space or refrain from adding too much weight to their rig.

This is yet another ice maker that yields up to 26 pounds of ice per day. Each cycle produces eight cubes. While we are the first to admit that this isn’t much ice, when you consider a cycle only requires between six to eight minutes to complete, you’ll realize that making enough ice for all your needs in a reasonable amount of time is totally doable.

This maker also allows the user to choose between two sizes of cube. This is an awesome feature that many people appreciate, especially those who disagree with their spouse's ice preferences.

Caring for Your RV Countertop Ice Maker

Once you have an ice maker for your RV, you will want to know how to properly care for it. Fortunately, this is incredibly easy to do. Below are our top tips:

• Use only filtered water. Dirty water will result in a dirty machine and ice with a bad taste. Refrain from using tap water, opting instead for filtered water.

• Clean the machine regularly. Even if you stick with filtered water, the machine will get dirty over time. Clean your ice maker regularly, making sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

• Don’t run it constantly. The more you run your ice maker, the shorter its life will be. Instead of letting ice melt and refreezing it when needed, remove ice from the bin and store it in the freezer until you need it. This will help you avoid running cycles unnecessarily.