Comparing Ice Makers: Undercounter Vs. Portable Ice Makers
For getting a better idea about ice maker, a comparison study between Undercounter Ice Maker and Portable Ice Maker is presented here.
Undercounter Ice Makers
Undercounter Ice Makers specially made for home. If you are addicted to ice then this smart little device at your home is the right choice for you! The quality of ice it makes is almost similar to the quality of ice you can find at Starbuck, restaurant or bars. That is to say; this ice maker can provide you the ice which very much similar to the ice made in the expensive machine. It has the ventilation compartment at the bottom of the machine, and the entire machine stands on four legs.
Benefits of Undercounter Ice Makers
The large capacity of under counter ice makers allows for a lot of ice production and storage. You need ice, a lot of it. Worry not, the under counter ice maker is at your service. It can produce tons of ice in one day. 50 pounds, 60 pounds-you name it. Not only this-this convenient device stores 25-30 pounds of ice in it and keep them frozen and unattached.
You only need to install this permanent fixture once, if not any gigantic problem comes in. At the back of this machine, there is direct drain outlet, drain pump outlet, and water inlet Pipe connector- all of these needs to be installed correctly in the right outlet before you can enjoy ice. As it is an under counter ice maker, the under counter area needs to be properly remodeled to install the outlet correctly.
Undercounter ice makers allow you to have as much ice as you need at all times. And you seriously never need to be worried about the scarcity of ice. As there is constant water supply, drainage facility, this magical device can produce ice without any stopping. Just make sure all the connectors are working properly, the water supplier is getting proper water, and the drain is not clogged; if these things are right, you can effortlessly get ice 24 X 7.
Cons of Undercounter Ice Makers
These appliances can be difficult to move. As this machine is all about connectors and wires, it could be pretty hectic if you try to run it. This device needs connectors to run properly, and all the connectors need a proper place to be plugged in and installed. With all these wirings, under counter ice makers are one of the most complicated device to shift.
The space under your counter may be prime real estate, and under counter ice makers take up space. They need a large area to be installed and to function properly. The very design of the machine is like that. With its large production and storing capacity, under counter ice maker also possess the need of acquiring a considerable amount of area.
Constant ice means endless water, which requires a water line and a drain. As this ice maker promise to supply ice continuously, it needs a continuous supply of water and also requires a proper drainage facility.
Portable Ice Makers
Portable ice makers are the-the specialized machine for making ice only. These machines are ideally of medium carton size-13-14 inches in wide and depth and 11-12 inches tall. Portable ice makers as the name suggest designed for easy portability, so these machines are light weighted. For the convenience of the-the ice making an average ice, makers take up to 5-10 minutes to produce nine cubes of ice of any size. Ice makers can be of various capacity 20-25 pounds production capacity per day for regular house hold use or 28-30 pounds ice production capacity per day for the pool, barbecue or house parties.
In a normal ice maker usually there is no automatic water supply facility. You have to pour the water from outside into the reservoir. You can use both tap and bottled water, however, bottled water is preferred by many for better tasting ice cubes.Digital ice makers contains colorful buttons and indicators to let you know whether you need to add water or take out the ice. The ice makers which include LCD display comes with a timer too which allows you to choose the time when you want the ice maker to start making ice.
Most of the ice makers comes with the facility of automatic turning off whenever it is done producing ice. Keep one important thing in mind: Ice makers are specially made for manufacturing ice, they do not have the feature of keep the ice frozen for the extended period. So, I suggest that take out the ice from the ice maker once it has been produced, keep them in zipping bags and put the bag in a freezer for storage. The majority of the ice makers provide the bullet shaped ice, with one hollow end. These ice cubes are not crystal clear like the one you find at a restaurant, but they surely taste the same and in some cases even better than the ice served at restaurants and bars.
Benefits of Portable Ice Makers
There is no need for a water line or drain with portable ice makers. Portable Ice Maker comes with a gigantic reservoir which can hold up to 5-liter water and the ice storing capacity of this ice maker is 2.7 pounds. It excludes the need of draining the water from the melted ice filtered in the reservoir to be used again. The need for direct plumbing is also minimal. The easy to use drain allows you to drain out the extra unused water comfortably through the circular hole of the drain. The plug on the drain is easily removable but unscrew it carefully as it is tiny in size. Make sure to put the plug back on the opening of the drain before using the ice maker again.
Portable ice makers are very easy to move. These machines are bought for ice making mainly. Besides home, you need ice for outdoors like during picnic, camping, barbecue parties and on RV or boats. So portability becomes a must have quality for ice makers. While buying ice makers make sure the ice maker is light enough for carrying easily, and also they must contain carrying handles.
Imagine you have a big party coming whether a pool party, barbecue or a dinner party where a large pool of guests is coming. You have to be prepared with food, cocktail and most importantly with many jars full of ice. Without ice, any party becomes like a song without any sound! A cold, chilling drink can make your party more vibrant and alive. Portable Ice Maker can help you to plan big events like this with real ease and comfort, just be sure to keep the water supply ready. Put the bullet shaped either small, medium or large sized ice in your drink and felt relieved. By making tons of ice a day, Portable Ice Maker becomes perfect for parties and special events.
Cons of Portable Ice Makers
Water must be added by hand to produce new ice. To keep the ice supply constant, you need to pour in water into the reservoir with your bear hand. For getting a significant amount of ice, you need to pour in the equal amount of ice into the machine. As there is no automatic water supply, you have to complete this work on your own which might be tiresome for some.
There are portable ice makers who can produce a significant amount of ice but for easy portability, many of the ice makers have the compact design. The compact portable size also means a smaller ice was making capacity. Some ice maker only can produce 20 pounds of ice in 24 hours. Every batch contains up to 10 ice cubes only which is pretty disappointing for some.
Which Ice Maker is Right for You?
The good product depends on your choice. If you need ice just for using at home or its surrounding area, then you need to buy the under counter ice maker. But keep in mind, this device needs the hazardous process of installation and pretty difficult to move. However, if you want constant supply of ice without any installation hazard and at the same time you need to carry the device around; then, of course, a Portable ice maker is the answer. Ice maker will make your life easier by supplying ice consistently.