Whether you have a home bar/pub shed or not, when you entertain at home you will need some ice for those long drinks and cocktails. Depending on the amount of guests will determine how much ice you will need. So what is the best method of making ice at home?
Ice molds are great, but are limited to how much ice they can produce in a short space of time. Buying in bags of ice is also a great way to have a good supply. But the best way to make ice at home is to get an ice maker machine. Once you fill it up and turn it on you will keep getting ice made for you while you enjoy entertaining your guests.
So a countertop ice maker machine sounds like a good idea for all your ice needs.
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Countertop Ice Maker Machine
Making ice for home entertaining is fine with ice molds, I have been using these for many years. However you have to plan well in advanced for any party or get together.
Buying ice from the store is also easy and convenient, but they take up space in the freezer and if left for long can stick together as one massive ice cube.
So is a small ice making machine worth the purchase?
Only if you need plenty of ice on occasions. If just Lou and I were the only ones that used ice, then I would stick to ice molds. However seeing as we like to entertain friends now and again, I feel it is worth investing in an ice maker.
Fooing Ice Maker Machine
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There are plenty of countertop ice makers to choose from and they all look pretty similar too. I have opted for a middle range smart looking ice maker.
It is a Fooing Ice Maker Machine in sliver with a clear lid. It does look good and is pretty compact too and includes.
- Some large ice bags to store ice in freezer
- Ice tray which collects the ice and lifts out too
- An ice scoop and hook for hanging it on side of machine
The Features:
- Bullet shaped ice in two sizes
- 9 ice bullets per cycle
- 6 minutes per ice cycle
- quite running (45Dbs)
- Add water indicator
- Ice full indicator
- 1.8L water tank
- Self cleaning cycle
- Drainage plug for emptying
- Compact at approximately 12 inches depth x 9 inches width x 13 inches height (30cm x 22cm x 32.5cm)
- Rubber feet for stability
It has all the features you need for a compact ice maker for the home.
But does it actually work okay?
Using The Fooing Ice Maker Machine
After unboxing the ice maker unit, which is very well packaged to protect it in transit. I set it up to make some ice.
Here is how it went:
The maiden voyage has the ice maker unit on my bar countertop just so Lou could film it easily.
I plug it in ( you are supposed to let the unit stand for several hours before you switch it on, and advise you do that) and fill the water tank (there is a water line inside).
Press on button for one second and I selected small ice bullets. The machine immediately starts running through its first ice making cycle.
After what seemed like a long time there were some signs of movement. Lifting the lid you can see the ice dropping off of the ice prongs at the back of the machine. These are then scooped up by a paddle and lifted and dropped into the ice tray sitting above the water resevoir.
The paddle goes back into position and then the next ice making cycle begins. I timed the second cycle and it took 6 minutes before there was signs of movement again, and the next lot of ice is lifted and dropped into the ice tray.
After 5 cycles the ice tray is just under half full, which is a decent amount of ice. This took 30 minutes, so to fill the ice tray it will take around an hour.
As this is just a test run I turned the machine off after it had completed five cycles and used some of the ice to make me and Lou a gin & tonic each, it would be rude not to.
I didn’t try the self cleaning option as I had only used it for half an hour. But I did empty the machine which is done by pulling a plug underneath the water tank.
Obviously make sure you have a container to catch the water which flows out quickly ans easily. A quick wipe inside and out and that was the first time I used the Fooing ice maker.
My Thoughts On The Fooing Ice Maker
I am actually fairly impressed, the ice is good, the machine is pretty quite and it just keeps making ice until you turn it off.
The first cycle only produced 6 ice bullets and they were not uniform in size, some smaller than others. I am not sure why this is, however the second cycle and beyond produced 9 ice bullets all of the same size.
Once the machine is in place and stood for a few hours to settle, it is easy to use. Just plug it in, fill up the water tank, switch it on and select small or large ice, then let it do its thing.
It is actually quite nice to to have to leave the bar to go and fetch some ice, we now have ice to hand right in the bar.
Obviously it is early days for my ice maker, but we shall see how it performs over time. We have got several events locally this summer and we do tend to meet up at the pub shed before hand for some pre-event drinks.
So it is going to be going through its paces, and I will come back to add an update to see how the ice maker has faired.
But for now it works how it is supposed to, and has quite impressed both me and Lou.
If you have any questions about the Fooing Ice Maker, then comment below and I will reply with an answer.
Here’s to ice for those long drinks this summer, cheers!
UPDATE: My Fooing Ice Maker is now 7 months old and I am pleased to report it is still performing great, so glad I bought it.
Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.