Best ice makers for cocktails and dinner parties

This was by far my favourite ice machine – a perfect balance of quality, output and good looks at a sensible price point.

Both small and large ice ‘bullets’ came out nice and even, with batches taking an average of about eight minutes to freeze during testing, but it could do it in as little as six. I liked the fact that the icechef is slim and compact, so I didn’t have to sacrifice too much counter space, but it was still capable of producing an impressive 12kg of ice in 24 hours. At just 6.6kg, it’s relatively light, so it’s easy to transport to a friend’s barbecue. The built-in handle makes it a breeze to carry, too.

Of all the ice makers tested, I liked the look of this one the best. Its matte black exterior was easy to clean and blended well with other kitchen appliances on my countertop. While this isn’t the cheapest or quietest option on test, there’s nothing else to fault this handy little machine. It will serve you well whether mixing margaritas for a crowd or chilling a bucket of beers at a garden party.

I found that this perfectly sized machine made ice just as well as the more expensive models tested. I liked that the Iceman was particularly intuitive to work, and unlike some other machines I used, it had a dedicated cleaning cycle button. I also loved the clear LED display. Even people who have never seen the machine before (or who may have enjoyed a couple of margaritas beforehand) could work it without issue.

There’s a detachable handle so you can carry the machine to a friend’s party, for example, and it’s pretty quiet, emitting just a gentle hum during the freezing process. The reason this model didn’t snag the top spot is that it produces slightly less ice in 24 hours than the Caso – 10kg compared with 12kg – and its speediest freeze time is slightly longer (seven minutes rather than six).

This high-quality electric ice cube maker can produce up to 12kg of ice in 24 hours. Much heavier than the Caso and the Iceland (8.25kg heavier, to be precise), it’s a little less portable but cuts a fine figure on your countertop with its gentle curves. I found that it made clear and evenly shaped bullet ice, and I particularly liked how large its serving ‘window’ was. This made it easy to scoop out ice, as well as see at a glance how much ice was ready to go.

The machine is marginally more complex to operate than some other models – for example, it requires a particular series of button pushes if you need to set the cleaning cycle or want to change between small and large bullets of ice. On the flip side, this is a machine that feels built to last.

If you often throw large parties, this professional-grade ice maker will help keep things cool. Notably larger than other ice machines I tested, the Gastroback has the size and oomph to churn out nine ice cubes every 7-15 minutes (depending on ambient temperature), and up to 15kg of ice in 24 hours.

You can leave it to do its thing for longer periods before having to refill the 2.8l water tank – or transfer finished cubes out of the catch tray (all machines stop producing ice when the trays reach capacity). That means you can maximise the amount of ice you have ready to go at any given time, which is handy if you’re powering through rounds of cocktails or refilling drinks buckets. The machine’s quiet, while the stainless-steel exterior makes it easy to clean.

However, this machine is huge. You can see in the testing image above that it’s twice the size of the other ice makers I used. Realistically, this model will be too big and heavy (it weighs more than 11kg) for the average person’s home use. It’s best suited to those with a garage, laundry room or basement, because it’s too large to fit most kitchens. However, if you often cater to a crowd, this ice maker could come in handy.

Love frozen daiquiris, slushies, granitas, or Hawaii-style shaved ice? This is the gizmo for you, as it churns out very fine, snow-like shaved ice as well as slightly coarser flakes. Before you get too excited, though, I should note it’s not a stand-alone machine – instead, it’s sold as an attachment for the KitchenAid artisan stand mixer (£419, Kitchenaid.co.uk).

To use the attachment, simply fill its accompanying puck-shaped cups with water and pop them in the freezer to harden before attaching the shave ice head and ice puck to the front of your KitchenAid mixer. The stand mixer’s motor powers the attachment’s blades, which shave down the ice puck to your preferred consistency, with one block making enough for a cocktail or two. If you already have the KitchenAid appliance, this add-on is great fun to use, but it’s unhelpful if you don’t have a stand mixer.