Planning for a huge party this weekend? Done with stocking your bar with the favorite drinks of your invitees? How about the ice? Planning to buy and stock them beforehand? Or run to your neighbor or shop at an off-hour for an additional bag of ice? Sounds disgusting right? Then how about buying an ice-making appliance for your cocktail parties? I am sure you would need one if you are a frequent party bird. You know pretty well how important it is to serve your guests some chilled drinks. If you are agreeing with me, then this post is for you. Read through to find the best ice makers for your cocktail parties along with their buying guide.
Ice Maker Machine for Cocktail (Buying Guide)
We all have refrigerators at home and they are capable of producing ice efficiently for our occasional drinks and food. But will their ice manufacturing capacity yield a large gathering? Maybe not. This is where investing in a dedicated ice maker becomes a favorite idea. They ensure that you get a constant supply of ice conveniently to chill all the drinks for the party. Here is the buying guide to help you choose the best ice maker for your cocktail parties.
1. Quantity of ice requires – You know the size of your guests every time you organize a party. so choose an ice maker that chunks out the required volume of ice within the prescribed frequency to chill out at the party. The ice makers that we have listed can produce about 65 pounds of ice in a day, which is a pretty good volume.
2. Storage capacity – At the party, you need to have an adequate amount of ice ready and handy as you will not know when you will need them. Go for an ice maker with a decent storage volume and a high degree of insulation to prevent ice from melting.
Check out: Bar Ice Machines: Best Ice Makers for Pubs, Taverns, and Clubs
3. Size of the ice cube – The ice makers that we have listed is capable of producing ice cubes in three different sizes. This helps you to cool down different drinks differently and please your guests abundantly.
4. Brand– The most important part of having a high functioning and durable ice maker is to buy it from a reputed manufacturer. Check the online reviews on the performance and features of the ice maker, before opting to buy one.
Related Reading: Best Portable Ice Makers 2022
The Best Ice Maker Appliance Maintenance Guide
Though all of the ice-making machines are capable of self-draining capability, they still demand some constant cleaning and maintenance so that it continues to produce odorless and tasteless ice cubes for many days. Frequent maintenance enhances the durability of the ice maker as well. The following steps will help in the efficient maintenance of the appliance.
1. Clean and sanitize the water system to remove mineral deposits that form and scale the sides of the appliance. To remove the scale build-up, clean the system by circulating a mild phosphoric acid solution through it. Follow the cleaning protocol given in the instruction manual.
2. Constant inspection of the condenser and the air filter helps in avoiding dirt and slime build up in the ice maker. Inspect and clean the air filter and the condenser fan blades frequently. Also, inspect the electrical components and the control box for loose connections.
3. Clean the exteriors of the appliance as well with the help of a neutral cleaner and a soft cloth. Clean the storage bin as well to avoid dirt build-up. Constant cleaning and maintenance help in saving money and time.
Must Read: How to Clean an Ice Machine?
What Are The Best Ice Makers For Cocktails?
Also Check: Best Budget Ice Maker Under $100
Best Ice Makers for Cocktails
#1. Euhomy IM-F Ice Maker – Best Overall
| Features | Rating |
| Easy to use | 9.4 |
| Easy to clean | 9.2 |
| Performance | 9.3 |
| Build quality | 8.8 |
| Noise level | 9.1 |
| Flavor | 9.2 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.3 |
Check Price on Online Stores:
The Euhomy IM-F ice maker chunks out beautiful and tasty ice cubes that are solid and dissolves slowly in the cocktails. This ice cube maker is capable of generating about 40 pounds of ice every day and takes an average of about 12-18 minutes to produce about 24 cubes of ice in a single cycle. The appliance allows the user to adjust the thickness of the ice, depending on your preference. You can make thicker cubes for your cocktails, and lighter ones for your iced tea or coffee. Thus you can make a perfect drink with this ice maker.
Being a portable ice maker, you can carry it comfortably to your party site and its removable ice basket ensures that you can port the ice from the ice maker to the bucket comfortably. It also comes with a scoop to remove ice easily. The automatic shut-off feature of the appliance ensures to stop ice production as soon as the bin is full, to prevent overflow.
This camping ice maker comprises an intuitive control panel with an LCD display that indicates when the water level drains out and when the ice is ready to be removed. There is also a timer with up to 8 hours’ delay to help with on-time ice production. Also, you can see through its transparent window to check if the ice is ready. This ice maker comprises advanced refrigeration technology that helps with quiet operation. It does not require any installation and is thus simple to use at the camping site.
What do we like about Euhomy IM-F?
- Holds up to 2.2 liters of water to produce 5 cycles of ice.
- Water recycling system collects melted water and reuses it to make ice
- Freestanding design with stainless steel body finish.
What do we don’t like about Euhomy IM-F?
- The ice maker has to be kept upright for about 24 hours before use
- The appliance is pretty large.
Check out: Best Home Ice Makers 2022
#2. Luma Comfort IM200SS – Best Clear Ice Maker for Cocktails
| Features | Rating |
| Easy to use | 9.3 |
| Easy to clean | 8.9 |
| Performance | 9.3 |
| Build quality | 8.4 |
| Noise level | 9.2 |
| Flavor | 9.3 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.2 |
| Value for money | 9.3 |
Check Price on Online Stores:
Do you want to serve your friends clear and restaurant-quality cocktails with ice all through the party? Then you should choose to buy the Luma portable ice maker. It forms excellent and restaurant-quality ice cubes that melt five times slower than cloudy ice cubes. This ice maker has a compact design and it is convenient to be used in small kitchens, poolside parties, RVs, small get-togethers, etc.
This ice making machine comprises a powerful compressor and is thus capable of producing about 28 pounds of ice a day. Forget about running to shops every time you run out of ice as you can prepare and store bags of ice in your refrigerator with Luma comfort. This ice maker features a hassle-free and simple design that demands no prior installation. You only have to plug in the appliance, add water, and wait for up to 15 minutes to enjoy fresh ice every time.
This ice making machine creates cube-shaped ice every fifteen minutes and gets you ice-ready without much wait. It also features a very well insulated interior that helps in keeping ice colder for a long time.
What do we like about Luma Comfort IM200SS?
- It manufactures crystal clear ice at the touch of a button.
- Comprises of certified BPA free parts
- Makes about 28 lbs. of ice a day.
What do we don’t like about Luma Comfort IM200SS?
- The cubes come in sheets and are small-sized, about ¾” of a cube
- Builds in slime and demands frequent cleaning.
Check out: Best Clear Ice Makers of 2022 for Party Birds
#3. Sentern Portable CLEAR – Best Countertop Ice Maker for Cocktails
| Features | Rating |
| Easy to use | 9.5 |
| Easy to clean | 8.9 |
| Performance | 9.2 |
| Build quality | 8.3 |
| Noise level | 8.8 |
| Flavor | 9.5 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 8.9 |
Check Price on Online Stores:
You can get perfect ice cubes for your cocktails with the Sentern portable electric ice maker. The ice cubes that it produces are harder and denser and thus it melts much slower than other forms of ice. It will help in keeping the drink cold and iced without diluting it or altering its quality. You will get well-formed 24 clear ice cubes every 15 minutes. It also features a large ice bucket that can store up to 2.4 pounds of ice at a time. There is also an option to choose between three different sizes of ice cubes by intelligently altering the cooling time.
This ice maker comprises a quiet and powerful compressor, that follows modern refrigeration technology. You can proudly introduce this ice-making machine to your friends and family, as it looks beautiful and elegant in its stainless steel body and compact design. Apart from great looks, this ice maker for cocktails is extremely durable as well. The ice maker comprises a 2.2L water tank along with an intuitive control panel. It operates pretty quietly at less than 42 decibels.
What do we like about Sentern Portable CLEAR ice maker?
- Program the machine and alter the ice making cycle as per convenience.
- Timer function with LED control panel
- Produced harder and denser crystal clear ice cubes
What do we don’t like about Sentern Portable CLEAR ice maker?
- The ice cubes come in sheets and demand manual breaking.
- Demands soft water supply for high-quality ice.
Check out: Best Countertop Ice Makers
#4. Scotsman CU50GA – Best Undercounter Ice Maker for Cocktails
| Features | Rating |
| Easy to use | 9.3 |
| Easy to clean | 8.9 |
| Performance | 9.7 |
| Build quality | 8.3 |
| Noise level | 7.6 |
| Flavor | 9.2 |
| Energy efficiency | 8.8 |
| Value for money | 9.4 |
Check Price on Online Stores:
The Scotsman CU50GA is an exceptional ice maker to yield to your night-long cocktail party with friends. Being an exceptional ice maker from a leading brand, it produces gourmet-shaped ice cubes to keep the drink cool for a long time. The gourmet-shaped ice cubes float on the drink, to keep its taste intact while preserving chillness. This ice maker consists of a self-contained condenser and an air cooler and is thus efficient in producing ice for all your overnight parties.
Being a mega ice maker that is capable of producing up to 65 lbs. of ice for 24 hours, you will never run out of ice cubes. It also has a large ice storage capacity of up to 26 pounds. This outdoor ice maker also comes with 1” adjusting legs and weighs about a hundred pounds. Thus you can shift it to the location of the party, provided you have the necessary power supply.
You will love its unique shape, slow-melting, and crystal clear ice that is free from odor and taste. Its water quality sensors are capable of differentiating hard water conditions and its control system purges the mineral pumped water with every ice-making cycle. Its user-friendly control panel warns when the unit runs out of water and when it is time to clean the ice maker.
What do we like about Scotsman CU50GA?
- Excellent water quality sensor to harvest high quality and quantity of ice.
- Produces hard, dense, and slow-melting gourmet ice cubes.
- Highly intuitive and user-friendly control panel.
What do we don’t like about Scotsman CU50GA?
- The unit is a little noisy while producing ice.
Check out: Best Undercounter Ice Machines 2022
How To Mix Every Cocktail?
Final Words
Irrespective of what your drinks are in the party, sodas, cocktails, whiskey, spirits, or plain juices, serving the chilled is an important sidekick. Investing in a good ice maker helps you to serve the purpose and we hope our guide helps you with the best ice makers for your fun-filled parties.
