Euhomy Ice Machine Review

We purchased the Euhomy Ice Machine so our reviewer could put it to the test in their home bar. Read on for the full review.

The Bottom Line:

There’s a lot to love about this inexpensive workhorse of an ice machine, though the constant noise and the small-ish production capacity can be a nuisance in quiet environments. 

Pros:

• Steady production of ice
• Large and small cubes
• Easy to use
• Quick to clean
• Budget-conscious

Cons:

• Noisy
• Small difference between large and small cubes
• No home for the ice scoop

Buy on Amazon, Around $229

There are many instances where a great ice maker would come in handy. If you’ve got a small fridge or dorm-sized freezer, making cocktail ice can call for space you just don’t have. Likewise, if you’re heading out on a boat, RV, camper van or other mobile situations—a spacious freezer for constantly chilled ice may not be in the cards. That’s where a portable ice maker like Euhomy’s option comes in handy—it turns out pounds of ice in a few minutes (once you get the machine up and running). Depending on what drinks you’re making, this unit offers both large and small ice cubes and switches between the two quite quickly (and a great cooler will certainly help keep all of the above cool). 

Euhomy’s ice machine can also step in if you’re having people over. Keep the ice machine running for 24 hours before a party and you will have icy cubes coming out at a rapid clip all night—no need to wait for trays to fill and freeze for ready-to-go ice.

Testing Notes

Installation: This icemaker arrives with minimal installation—just fill it up with water, remove protective stickers, and your ice maker is ready to start freezing down cubes. Do note that before you turn the unit on, you have to leave the machine upright for at least 24 hours.

Capacity: This ice maker advertises making 26lbs of ice, which is the rough equivalent of 2 to 3 trays of ice. 

Design: Streamlined brushed steel design and a compact footprint make this unit a subtle countertop addition. 

Performance: Overall, this is a reliable ice maker. It consistently pushes out ice cubes every few minutes, and the cubes are large and condensed, so they won’t melt quickly in a drink. It produces two sizes of cubes and keeps them chilled consistently. I do wish the cube size varied more widely—there are standard-sized cubes and ever-so-slightly smaller-sized cubes. If one cube was oversized, or say, the smaller cube was pebble-sized, the machine would offer far more versatility in cocktails. 

The machine does require foresight while using. It takes a couple of hours to start producing ice, and you do need to empty the tray frequently in order to keep the output moving along. 

Cleaning: A removable ice basket and matching scoop make it easy to take the machine apart to clean. The interior wipes clean with hot water.

Price: Sitting at under $200, Euhomy’s ice maker is a perfectly serviceable ice machine if you’re short on freezer space. No additional tools or tricks are required. 

Our Review

The biggest hurdle—and it's not much of one at all—is setting up the machine. Once it arrives, the unit needs to sit upright for 24 hours before it's ready to use. Remove a few stickers, wipe away any packaging peanuts, place it upright, and 24 hours later the machine is ready to start pumping out ice. (Note that the fan on the right side of the unit needs space to vent out.)

Once you turn on the machine and fill it up, cubes will start pumping out within an hour. 9 cubes are produced every 8 to 12 minutes. At that capacity, this machine is ideal for 2 to 3 people to have several rounds of drinks, or if you’re willing to continue removing the ice and transferring it to an ice bucket or a freezer, you can serve a larger crowd. I let it run for days and it continued to turn out clear, chunky ice—you can have enough for two to three shakers of ice at any given time in the chamber. 

While the machine runs, there’s a low, monotonous humming that fills the room. It’s not particularly annoying if you have music playing, but I wouldn’t want to be living my day-to-day life with this machine running. 

Since the machine does not require permanent installation, all you need is a flat surface, access to clean water, and a tri-pronged plug to produce ice. Save counter real estate by storing it in a closet or cupboard when not in use (just remember to remove the water before storing) and break it out solely for get-togethers or cocktail hours. For RVs, boats, outdoor wet bars or other alfresco or on-the-go drinking places, store and plugin this machine as needed. 

What’s particularly useful is the intuitive control panel—users can see through the transparent window for process monitoring and ice level checking. The modern design also uses a light indicator which will inform you when the water levels in the reservoir run low (though the machine will continue to reuse water as long as possible). The smart panel flags when it's time to remove ice to allow the unit to keep on producing.

One qualm is it's not the quickest. It takes about an hour and a half to start producing ice. Once you have the ice, you need to continuously empty the machine to have the ice maker fill up consistently. The move here is to set up the ice maker before a get-together and transfer the frozen cubes to your freezer to allow the maker to continue rolling. I like pouring the cubes into ice buckets or placing them in a Tupperware in my freezer so I can grab ice with ease. 

That said, the ice that comes out of the machine is condensed and thick—perfect for shaking cocktails. If you use filtered water, the ice that comes out is almost completely clear and super fresh.

There are two sizes of ice, a larger, 1.5-inch cube and a slightly smaller pellet. The large cubes are the big draw here because they are slower to melt and are condensed enough to stand up in long shakes. If you do feel like smaller ice, adjust the control panel and it will immediately swap to more petite pellets of ice. 

There’s also an included scoop that fits inside the removable ice bin while not in use. That said, I wish there was a place for the scoop to live outside of the machine—I didn’t like leaving it on the kitchen counter when I waited for the ice to chill down.

There’s not much that can go wrong with this intuitive, easy-to-use unit, and if something does, a helpful troubleshooting card will offer solutions to issues such as ‘why is the ice melting quickly?’ and ‘why is there water leaking from the bottom?’ The brand is based in China and most support materials have been translated over—though the instructions are not very thorough, and are a little tough to read through at times. If you do have issues, a one-year warranty should cover any snafus.

The Competition

• GE Profile Opal | Countertop Nugget Ice Maker

GE’s excellent option (view at Amazon) offers all the draws of a standard ice maker, but with a few appealing touches, including water waste minimization and Bluetooth compatibility. Tech appeal aside, it is not a machine for those on a budget.

• NewAir Nugget Ice Maker

NewAir’s pricier option (view at NewAir) turns out covetable nugget ice—hyper-compressed ice pellets that have a signature crunchy, chewy texture. That said, it’s as noisy as Euhomy’s option, and the storage is not refrigerated.

• EdgeStar Built-In Ice Maker

If you are looking for a larger-capacity ice machine, this built-in option from EdgeStar (view at Amazon) functions as an additional freezer, producing 6 pounds of ice at a time. It does take up more space than a conventional portable ice machine, but the sleek design and front-facing vent ensures it tucks snugly under a countertop.

Final Verdict

Euhomy’s ice maker (view at Amazon) is an appealing (and affordable!) option for those looking to expand their ice making capacity, or for those folks who need a portable ice maker in a pinch. That said, it does require a bit of patience and participation to ensure your ice is coming out at a steady clip.

Why Trust Liquor.com?

Kate Dingwall is a seasoned sommelier and spirits writer. She has spent six years writing about the field, and ten years working as a bartender slash sommelier. Her freezer is always stocked with large cubes to pair with her favorite Scotch.