What are the alternatives for obtaining ice when on a boat? This is a topic that many people ask themselves, and for a long period of time, the only choice was to purchase prepackaged bags of ice and hope for the best once it was carried aboard the ship. Boat owners, on the other hand, are now given with an alternative method of obtaining ice on their vessels, courtesy of the portable ice machine. Today, we’ll look at why ice makers are such a great addition to your boat, what to consider when purchasing one, and which portable ice maker for boats are the best of the best on the market.
6 Advantages of Owning a Portable Ice Maker onboard.
There are numerous advantages to having a compact ice maker on board your boat, especially if you’re out on the waters and not tethered to a dock all of the time. Portable ice makers provide a variety of advantages, which vary slightly from person – to – person. However, the following are the most common reasons that the equipment are found on boats.
- It gives you a feeling of home. Boating is a way of life for many, so why not bring the ultimate comfort with you?
- If you’ve taken your yacht out and on the water, you’re likely to be basking in the sunshine and bright skies.
- Drinks in glass or plastic bottles hold their coldness longer when ice cubes are added. The days of sipping warm beer are now behind.
- When you’re out on the water, it’s easy to sustain minor injuries like bumps and bruises. Ice on hand can help treat these minor injuries.
- Because they are small and won’t take up much room on your boat, portable ice makers are ideal for boaters with limited deck space. These appliances are also convenient to move due to their modest size and portability.
- For those who frequently hold parties on their boats, this is a welcome perk.’ When you have an ice machine, you can produce frozen drinks for your visitors to enjoy.
When Purchasing an Ice Maker for Your Boat, What to Look For
Now that you’ve read about the many advantages of owning a portable ice maker, you’re definitely eager to buy one for your own vessel. There are a number of prerequisites that must be met before an ice maker may be added to your boat’s inventory.
Speed
No one wants to wait more than a few minutes for ice, and that’s a mistake. If you’re looking for the most basic portable ice maker, you should be able to make a batch of ice in well under 10 minutes.
It’s important to consider how many ice cubes you regularly use at a time, and to ensure that the portable ice maker you choose can keep up with the demand.
Temperature
An ice maker’s only function is to produce ice, and it’s crucial to understand this. The temperature in which you plan to use the gadget must be taken into account because it does not function as a freezer. Make sure you buy an ice machine that can produce just enough ice for the number of people who will be using your boat on hot days. Keep ice frozen by having it stored in a freezer or boat cooler.
Cube size
The size of the ice cube doesn’t seem to matter, yet it does. But when you’re sucking on a cube of ice in an attempt to melt it sufficiently to fit in your water bottle, you’ll wish you had considered this element sooner. Choose an ice maker that can manufacture ice cubes of the exact size you require based on how you typically use ice. Keep an eye out for models on our list that can manufacture ice of varying sizes, as this function is common among portable ice producers.
Power
Due to the lack of battery powered portable ice makers on the market, almost all ice makers in this category are powered by electricity. For the most part, they only need nearly 300 watts of electricity, depending on the type and manufacturer.
Best Portable Ice Makers for Boats
People who buy portable ice makers need to know what to look for. It’s time to look for the right type of ice maker for both you and your boat. The dimensions, speed, features, materials, energy efficiency, and power consumption of the portable ice maker you choose for your boat are all important things to look at in our reviews to make sure you get the right one for your boat.
Vremi Countertop Ice Maker
Vremi’s Countertop Ice Maker is a sleek machine that looks good on a table top. Nine cubes of ice that can be chewed in as many minutes? You don’t need to go anywhere else. ABS and stainless steel are used to make the durable ice maker, which comes in at 9 5/8″ x 12 5/8″ x 13 5/8″ and weighs 12.5 lb. This means that it won’t take up too much space on your boat.
It has an auto-off feature that shuts off the ice maker when it’s full or needs more ice, lights that show when the machine needs more ice, and an ultra-quiet noise. It’s also very energy efficient because it only needs 120 watts to run and its 2.2l water reservoir recycles the water that comes from melting ice to make new ice cubes. The Vremi can hold 26 pounds.
A part of what enables the Vremi Countertop Ice Maker make so little noise is that it makes ice cubes that are cylinder-shaped instead of square-shaped. With the noise level taken into account, this is great. It means that you can drop ice cubes into the smaller water bottles.
Every time you buy something, you get a basket and an ice scoop with it. There is a 2-year warranty if the FDA and ETL certifications aren’t enough to put your mind at ease.
COSTWAY Ice Maker 26LBS/24H
If you like a lot of different things, the COSTWAY will be a good place for you. In size, it’s easy to move and will make the best use of your boat’s space. It has dimensions of 9.5″ x 14″ x 13.” The COSTWAY Ice Maker is made of ABS material that is simple to clean and keep clean. When you get back, 5 – 10 minutes after you left, 9 pieces of ice will be ready to eat.
When you use the COSTWAY Ice Maker, you can choose if you want small or large bullet-shaped ice cubes to be made in the machine. LED lights show when the bowl is full or when the water needs to be refilled. The ice maker only draws 100 watts and has a compressor cooling system. It has an energy-efficient design, and the machine can hold 26.5 pounds.
Control panel is simple and easy to understand. The COSTWAY Ice Maker comes in black, red, silver, white, and a nice shade of aqua that will look great on your boat.
As part of your buying of the COSTWAY Ice Maker, you’ll get an ice scoop and a detailed how-to guide. Six months is the warranty for this ETL-approved ice maker.
hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine
Another ice maker that can be taken with you is from the company called hOmeLabs. It looks like this hOmeLabs ice maker could be just what you need. It has dimensions of 9.5″ x 12.9″ x 14″ and is small but powerful. ABS plastic makes up the hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine, which is strong and has a steel-like finish. If you want to make ice, the machine can do it in just eight minutes! Using this machine is a breeze thanks to its automatic close off and indicator lights that tell you about everything you need to know.
The hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine can make small and medium-sized ice cubes, and it only needs 120 watts to run. The machine can hold 26 pounds. The hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine is often praised for how quiet it runs and how little space it takes up, which makes it a good choice for small boats.
When you buy the hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker, you get an ice basket that can be removed and a plastic ice scoop with it. Two years after you buy the hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker Machine, it comes with a warranty.
Euhomy Ice Maker Machine
There is now a portable ice maker in the mix. This model is 12.6″ x 9.6″ x 12.6″ and made of strong stainless-steel. Every time the Euhomy Ice Maker Machine runs, it makes nine small ice cubes or nine large ice cubes.
A set of buttons that are easy to use lets you quickly get around the ice maker’s features. As soon as your The Euhomy Ice Maker Machine needs between 180 and 240 watts to run, and it can make 26lb of ice at a time.
You can make ice in six minutes with the Euhomy Ice Maker Machine, which uses high-tech refrigeration to do it. In order to make bigger ice cubes, you’ll need almost twice as long. The Euhomy Ice Maker Machine has a quiet compressor built in, and many people say the only noise it makes is when the ice falls into the basket.
You can take the basket out and use an ice scoop with this ice machine. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from having a 1-year warranty.
Luma Comfort Portable Clear Ice Maker 28 lb
This stainless-steel compact ice maker is a monster. It makes 24 ice cubes per cycle, which is a lot. For people who have a lot of space and need a lot of ice, this is the best choice. It has dimensions of 11.3″ x 14.8″ x 14.1.”
Luma Comfort Portable Ice Maker uses technology that is make clear ice that would be good enough for a restaurant. If you buy this one, you can make up to 28lbs of ice. For this appliance, it only needs 130 watts to run.
Melting time is 5 times slower than ice made by other makers. This is why they buy it. If you want to make your boat look good, you can choose between silver and white. This Ice Machine comes with an ice scoop and a basket that you can take out and put back in. It comes with a one-year warranty.
You Need to Know this Before You Buy
If you want to buy a portable ice maker, here’s what you need to know before you do.
Cleaning
Every three months, you should clean your portable ice maker. This is an essential part of the maintenance process, and you should do it then as well. Regular care makes sure the machine works well and makes high-quality ice which it tastes good and doesn’t get moldy.
Below, you’ll find a general guide on how to clean a portable ice machine.
- You should make doubly sure that your ice maker is not plugged into its power source at all times.
- Throw away any ice that is in the basket. Open the drain to get any remaining water out.
- Remove any detachable parts from the inside, such as the basket or water filter.
- Use a soft cloth and soapy warm water to the portable ice maker’s inside, outside, and all parts that can be taken out.
- Clean the ice maker and its parts with cold, clean water until all of the soap can be seen on the surface of the water.
- Use a dry, soft cloth to dry the machine and its parts before putting it back together.
- Before you buy a ice maker for yourself, make sure you can handle the cleaning process.
Timer
They all have built-in timers that tell you when a quantity of ice has been made. But they don’t show the timer or have any kind of timer control. If you want a ice maker that has a timer, you’ll have to spend more money.
The water hookup
Only thing you’ll have to do is fill the reservoir with fresh water every 24 hours.
Let’s Watch This Video on How to Install Ice Maker on the Boat
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