When packing camping gear, one of the last things you’d expect to list down is an ice maker. After all, it doesn’t exactly seem like a necessity. But if you have extra space in your car to bring one, trust me when I say this, bring one.
You won’t regret it. Of course, do so during the summer as it may not be necessary if you plan on camping on the beach during the winter.
And don’t worry, ice makers nowadays aren’t as complicated or heavy-duty as they used to be. If you do a bit of research, you’ll find a ton of camping ice makers that can plug into your car and make ice in under an hour to give you a refreshing spin on your drinks. In fact, there are so many options right now that choosing the right one can be hard.
And that’s where I come in. In this article, I’ll go through a number of the best ice makers for camping. By the end of the article, you’ll have a crystal-clear idea as to which of the lot best suits your camping needs.
By the way, The Camping Air Conditioner is sponsored by readers. When you buy through one of our links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Ice Makers For Camping - Summary Review
In a hurry? Here are the top 3 ice makers I would personally go for.
Every camper is different, and so are their needs. If you’re looking for the best ice maker for campers on the market, I’d personally go for the Frigidaire Portable Ice Maker.
If you plan on camping in a larger group, then the Luma Comfort Ice Maker would be idea as it can produce more ice. And if you’re after portability and convenience, you can’t go wrong with the Igloo Portable Ice Maker.
- Produces 26lbs/day
- Portable and compact
- No chemicals
The Best Portable Ice Makers for Camping
Ice makers are great. They provide you with ice on demand so you, your friends and family can keep your drinks cool at all times. And thanks to advancements in technology, you no longer need to part ways with your ice maker when out camping.
If you do a bit of research, you’ll find that there are many great camping ice makers out there. And to help you find the right one for your needs, below, I’ll review four of my favorite ones.
Frigidaire Ice Maker - Best for Camping Overall
To kick off our list, we’re looking at this Frigidaire Compact Ice Maker. While you can use it at home as a countertop ice maker, it’s very convenient to bring out camping as well. This is specifically designed to be a home ice maker and a portable ice maker, which is one of the reasons it ranks so highly on this list.
The beauty of this ice maker is that it works fast. It’s said that this ice maker can make over 26 lbs of ice in 24 hours. While you likely won’t need that much ice on your next camping trip, it’s still a great feature.
This specific model features compressor cooling. The downside to this is that it uses a lot of energy, so you will need to bring a power source with you if there’s none on the camping trip. This is definitely not the pick for minimalist campers, but it’s still a highly functional model that’s great for large and long camping trips.
On top of that, it comes from a very trusted brand. So, you can rest assured that it passes all quality control measures and will be a fully-functioning machine when it arrives at your door.
- Ice maker produces up to 26 lbs of ice in 24 hours
- Water reservoir: 3.1L Noise: 42DB
- Power: 160W Ice cube basket capacity: 2.0 lbs
- Countertop ice maker features compressor cooling
- Ice maker features an adjustable cube size
- Produces 26lbs of ice in 24 hours
- Adjustable cube size
- 3.1L water reservoir
- First ice cubes are made in just 15 minutes
- Not the most portable option
- Can be quite loud
Luma Comfort Clear Ice Cube Maker Machine - Best for Larger Groups
This next option was a true standout in the market. The reason I chose to highlight this model is because it can make square ice cubes. This may not seem like a big deal, but if you know a thing or two about ice, you’ll know that square ice cubes take much longer to melt. This means it creates ice that will keep your drinks cooler for longer, which is a huge plus.
Another cool feature is the fact that it has a boxy design. This makes it a great option for long camping trips where you have to be ergonomic about the way you pack things. On top of that, it’s very strong and durable. On top of that, it can make up to 28 pounds of ice a day, which is far more than most ice makers on the market.
The downside to this machine is that it uses compressor technology. However, keep in mind that most portable ice makers use compressors, so this isn’t exactly unique to the Luma model.
This is also definitely not the most affordable model on the market, but it isn’t as expensive as a lot of models with its power either. So, while you do have to spend a bit for this model, rest assured that you are getting your money’s worth over the coming years.
- Have clear, restaurant-quality ice that melts five times slower than cloudy ice
- Powerful compressor produces 28 pounds of ice a day
- Simple, hassle-free ice dispenser requires no installation
- Cube-shaped ice is created as frequently as every 15 minutes
- Produces restaurant-quality ice cubes
- Great for larger camping groups
- Simple and easy to use
- Ice is produced as quickly as in 15 minutes
- Pretty chunky in design
- Not the lightest model
Igloo Automatic Portable Ice Maker - Best for Portability and Convenience
The Igloo automatic portable electric ice maker machine is one of the highest-rated ice makers on the market today. This is one of the best options for camping because it’s compact and very easy to carry around.
So, you won’t have to spend time trying to find space for the ice maker before you head off on your camping adventure. And while it’s small, it can still hold its ground against the bigger models on this list.
This ice machine makes about 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours and can hold up to 2 pounds of ice at a time. This is a fair amount of ice that will be more than sufficient for your camping trip. It also comes with an ice basket and scoop, so you don’t have to worry about how to serve the ice to guests while on a trip.
It also has a very convenient and well-thought-out interface. So, using the ice machine and tweaking the settings is a breeze, which is another reason this model ranks so highly on our list.
- Stores up to 2 pounds of ice at a time
- Makes 9 small or large cylinder-shaped ice cubes in as little as 7 minutes
- Can produce 26 lbs of ice in a 24-hour period
- Portable and convenient design
- Can store up to 2lbs of ice at a time
- Portable and easy to carry around
- Can produce up to 26lbs of ice in 24 hours
- Can make ice cubes in just 7 minutes
- Not the most durable in design
Hamilton Beach Portable Ice Maker
When it comes to kitchen appliances, Hamilton Beach constantly ranks as one of the best brands available. So, it should come as no surprise that this Hamilton Beach model is one of the best portable ice machines on the market.
It makes 9 ice cubes every 7 minutes or up to 26 pounds of ice per day, which means no guest will be left without ice when out camping. Additionally, you have a couple of options when it comes to cube sizes, which gives you an element of control that you won’t have with a lot of other options.
It even includes an ice scoop. While this isn’t a necessity, it’s definitely a neat add-on to have with an ice maker.
- Makes up to 26lbs of ice in 24 hours
- Produces 9 ice cubes every 7 minutes
- Different cube sizes are available
- Comes with an ice scoop
- Not the most aesthetic design
- Bulky shape and design
- Makes up to 26 pounds of ice per day
- Produces 9 ice cubes every 7 minutes
- Choose from 2 different cube sizes
- Includes ice scoop
How Long Does It Take a Portable Camping Ice Machine to Make Ice?
In most cases, it can take the standard ice maker anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes to start making the first 5-10 ice cubes. After that, it’s pretty consistent until it fills up.
Most camping ice makers on the market can store up to around 2lbs of ice at any given moment, so if you are in need of ice quickly, make sure to set the ice maker up and get it going before you start to settle down at your camping site.
That way, by the time you’re finished settling, you will have plenty of ice ready for you and your camping buddies to enjoy your drinks with.
How Much Electricity Do Portable Ice Makers Consume & How to Power Them?
To give you a more accurate estimation as to how much electricity a portable ice makers consumes, we’ll take a look at our most portable pick, the Igloo Ice Maker.
Let’s suppose this 120 volt model runs for a full 24 hours. In that case, it will consume a total of 2.88 kWh per day (24 hours), and depending on the price of electricity ($0.15 for example sake), it will cost you $0.43 cents per 24 hours to run this ice maker.
As for powering your ice maker up, depending on your model, you can plug it straight into a power outlet, into your vehicle’s auxiliary power outlet, and even into a solar generator such as the Jackery shows below.
- Capacity - 518 watt-hour (24Ah, 21.6V)
- Multiple outlets (USB, DC, 110V)
- Solar-powered / recharging
- Easy to carry and operate.
Why Do I Need an Ice Maker When Camping?
Okay, so why is an ice maker necessary for camping? After all, if you have portable propane or butane stoves and a cooler/mini fridge, do you need anything else on your trip?
Well, for one, you won’t realize it until you go out there yourself, but you don’t have access to many of the things you’re used to when at home. For example, you won’t have a refrigerator.
And while that might not seem like such a big deal, you’ll be missing your refrigerator the second the summer sun hits and your drink gets warm. Besides, you also need to learn how to store food safely in your car while camping and ensure it doesn’t go off during the trip.
Having a cold drink during a camping trip is a must have. This is the epitome of a summer getaway. And while most people think all they need is cooler, you’ll be surprised at how quickly coolers heat up. If you’re going on a 3 or 4-day camping trip, rest assured that everything in your cooler will start to get warm by the second day.
So, what’s the solution for this?
In my personal experience, I found that a portable ice maker is the best option for most campers. This is because these ice makers can be plugged into the car and the rest is super easy. All you have to do is load the water into the tub, hit the “on” switch, then wait for the ice.
On top of that, some of the best models on the market allow you to choose the size of the ice cubes and can even keep them frozen for you for a couple of hours. This is great when everyone decides to get together and have some drinks while camping. Being able to add a couple of ice cubes to your drink when on an outdoor adventure with friends can take things to a whole new level.
Conclusion
Camping in the 21st century is much more different to camping just a few decades ago. Technology has allowed us to add new layers of comfort to our camping trips, and one of these comforts is having ice for our drinks. With a portable ice machine, your camping trips will never be the same.
However, you have to make sure to find the right model. So, take another look at our list below, check out which models tick your boxes, and all you have to do after that is order the one that works best for you.
