Clear ice is dense and slow to melt, so it chills a drink without watering it down. Countertop clear-ice makers freeze water in layers, pushing air and minerals out as they go. Here are the three we'd buy.
- Best overallNewAir ClearIce40$279.99 list
- Best valueFrigidaire EFIC452About $150
- Best cocktail cubesEuhomy Rock Plus$399.99 list
Side by side
| Model | Price | Rated output | Ice bin | Water | Noise | App | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NewAir ClearIce40 | $279.99 list | 40 lb a day | Insulated bin | Built-in reservoir | Not published | None | 2 years |
| Frigidaire EFIC452 | About $150 | 40 lb a day | 2.4 lb | Built-in reservoir | About 46 dB | None | 2 years |
| Euhomy Rock Plus | $399.99 list | Not published | 2 L | Built-in reservoir | Not published | Wi-Fi app scheduling | See Euhomy |
NewAir ClearIce40
- Price
- $279.99 list
- Rated output
- 40 lb a day
- Ice bin
- Insulated bin
- Water
- Built-in reservoir
- Noise
- Not published
- App
- None
NewAir's ClearIce40 makes a new batch of clear cubes about every seven minutes and is rated for 40 lb a day. It has an insulated bin, recycles meltwater, and comes with a 2-year warranty.
It's simple: two buttons and indicator lights, with no app, timer or self-cleaning cycle. List price is $279.99, and NewAir often runs it on sale.
What we like
- New batch about every 7 minutes
- 2-year warranty
- Insulated bin
What to know
- No self-cleaning cycle
- Small cubes, not cocktail-sized
Frigidaire EFIC452
- Price
- About $150
- Rated output
- 40 lb a day
- Ice bin
- 2.4 lb
- Water
- Built-in reservoir
- Noise
- About 46 dB
- App
- None
Frigidaire's EFIC452 makes clear square cubes in two sizes and is rated for 40 lb a day. Reviewed measured 24 cubes in under 15 minutes. It comes in several retro colors and has a 2-year warranty.
Reviewed noted the shutoff arm can be blocked by a stray cube. It runs at about 46 dB.
What we like
- About $150
- Two cube sizes
- Retro colors
What to know
- Shutoff can jam on a stray cube
- No app
Euhomy Rock Plus
- Price
- $399.99 list
- Rated output
- Not published
- Ice bin
- 2 L
- Water
- Built-in reservoir
- Noise
- Not published
- App
- Wi-Fi app scheduling
Euhomy's Rock Plus makes 2-inch, crystal-clear square cubes, the kind you'd get in a cocktail bar. It has two modes, one for speed and one for clarity, an app for scheduling, and one-touch self-cleaning.
Big clear cubes take longer to freeze, so output is far lower than the other two, and at $399.99 it costs more. It's a machine for people who make cocktails, not for filling a cooler.
What we like
- 2-inch clear cubes
- App scheduling
- Self-cleaning
What to know
- Much lower output
- $399.99
Getting the clearest ice
Even a clear-ice maker does better with clean water. Filtered or reverse osmosis water has fewer minerals to push out, so you get clearer cubes and less scale. See the best water for an ice maker.
Questions
Why is homemade ice cloudy?
Tray ice freezes from every side at once, trapping air and minerals in the center. Clear-ice makers freeze in layers to push them out.
Does clear ice really melt slower?
Dense, air-free ice generally melts more slowly than cloudy ice of the same size, and bigger cubes melt slower than small ones.
