Popular Undercounter Ice Maker Brands
Undercounter ice makers have to do a lot of work. Machines that aren’t especially well made won’t hold up for long. To help ensure you pick a model that will do its job well and do it for many years to come, it’s smart to know a little about the brand’s reputation before buying.
We checked the reviews provided by customers for some of the top brands in the undercounter ice maker space to bring you a summary of how people feel about each of them. This is what we found.
EdgeStar
EdgeStar makes a number of undercounter ice makers that get strong reviews from customers. Most of their undercounter ice makers get praised for being easy to set up, working well, and making ice quickly and efficiently. Some reviewers mentioned a couple of models producing ice in sheets that you have to break apart, and one model earned some complaints about being too loud. However, the main consensus among buyers of this brand is that their undercounter ice makers are a great purchase and an affordable price. Hands down, this is one brand that should be at the top of your list.
Hoshizaki
Anytime repeat buyers of a brand show up in the reviews, you know it’s one you can count on. Hoshizaki’s undercounter ice makers get rave reviews from customers for having longer lives than other units they purchases, as well as working well. Many reviewers mentioned coming straight back to Hoshizaki when the time came to buy a new ice maker because of how many no-stress years they got out of the last one. For an ice maker you can count on for a long time, this is another solid brand to consider.
Ice-O-Matic
Ice-o-Matic’s undercounter ice makers have earned their share of happy customers. Reviewers talk about how quietly and quickly the machines work and say they’ve had no issues with them. Some models make nugget ice that customers especially love. However, keep in mind that a lot of the undercounter ice makers from Ice-O-Matic are made for commercial use. If you install one of their commercial models in a home residence, it is possible that you may void the warranty. This is a reputable brand that should be considered, but it may be wise to check with the company before you buy.
KitchenAid
While they are better known for their line of stand mixers, KitchenAid does sell a few ice maker models that can be installed either as a built-in or freestanding model. However, unlike most other KitchenAid appliances, the reviews here are rather mixed. The customers that are happy are very happy, but those that aren’t say they received lemons that never really worked well to begin with. Based on the reviews, how happy you’ll be with a KitchenAid ice maker depends entirely on whether you end up with one of the lemons or not. For any other category, we would typically put KitchenAid near the top of the list, but when it comes to ice makers, you may want to avoid this brand.
Koldfront
Better known for their popular portable unit, Koldfront has a built-in ice maker that gets predominantly positive reviews from customers who say installation is simple, it makes a lot of ice at a quick pace, and it just generally works efficiently and well. Some reviewers praise how quiet it runs, others complain that it’s loud, so that aspect really seems dependent on individual expectations, and possibly the environment in which they were installed. The most common complaint that customers have is that the ice sometimes comes out in larger pieces that have to be broken up. Other than that, most customers are satisfied. Definitely a solid brand to consider, but it does lack the depth of built-in options that other brands offer.
Manitowoc
Manitowoc offers quite a few high-capacity undercounter machines that get very strong reviews from customers. They say their units work great, produce lots of ice fast, and are easy to hook up. Some reviewers complain that their ice makers are loud, others talk about being pleased with how quiet they are. So once again, it depends on your personal expectations and the location in which it is installed. Like a few other brands listed here, Manitowoc is better known for manufacturing commercial units. Nevertheless, when it comes to residential ice makers, this is still a solid brand to consider.
Scotsman
Scotsman offers a range of undercounter ice makers, several of which are Energy Star certified. Their ice machines have an especially impressive reputation for having long lives, several reviewers mention having ice makers that last over thirty years before the time comes to buy a new one (so naturally, they go straight back to Scotsman again). While those are likely extreme cases, Scotsman does have a truly stellar reputation with 5-star reviews pretty much across the board. It would be a disservice to not consider this brand in your search.
Summit
Summit makes a few models of undercounter ice makers that get mixed, but primarily positive reviews. Happy customers say their ice machines make ice quickly and work effectively. A few reviewers complain that they’re noisy or the ice has to be broken up within the storage bin. Much like KitchenAid above, Summit offers many appliances with a solid history of performance, but perhaps their line of ice makers aren’t quite up to par, yet.
U-Line
U-Line sells a few built-in ice machines that get mixed reviews from customers. Most are happy with their purchase, saying the machines make ice quickly, the installation is easy, and the machine is quiet. Others complain that the ice maker is noisy or that they had problems getting it to work. Again, this is likely dependent on the environment where the device resides. The good news here is that more people left positive reviews than negative. If you’re okay with a little noice and you get a unit that works well, reviews suggest you’ll be satisfied.
Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.
