Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker vs Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable comes out ahead by a clear margin (3.5 vs 4.1). The gap is mostly about Budget and on-the-go buyers who want a lightweight, fast bullet-ice maker for an RV, boat, dorm, or backup ice supply. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #5 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker

3.5

2 sourcesall derived$159as of Aug 1

The Frigidaire EFIC452-SS is the clear-ice specialist here, making transparent square cubes instead of cloudy bullets or soft nuggets. IceArtisan rates it 3 out of 5 and IceMakerSpot 4 out of 5, both praising the clarity while noting the cubes emerge fused in sheets you have to break apart. Up to 40 lbs a day and a 2.3-quart tank suit a home bar; slower cycles and manual cleaning are the price.

Strengths

— Makes genuinely clear, square cocktail-grade cubes
— Up to 40 lbs a day from a generous 2.3-quart tank
— Two cube sizes with a first batch in about 15 minutes

Watch-outs

— Cubes come out fused in sheets that have to be broken apart
— No self-cleaning, so descaling is a manual job
— 15 to 18 minute cycles are slower than a bullet maker's

$159 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable

4.1

3 sources2 derived$188as of Aug 1

The Magic Chef MCIM22SV is a budget bullet-ice maker that keeps a quick, steady supply of cube ice coming for around $130. Figure about 9 cubes every 7 minutes, up to 27 lbs/day, with two size options and simple LED controls. At roughly 20 lbs it is genuinely portable for RVs and boats. It makes only hard bullet ice and carries the durability caveats typical of the budget tier, but it is a capable, affordable workhorse.

Strengths

— Affordable bullet-ice maker for around $130
— Fast cycles — about 9 cubes every 7 minutes, up to 27 lbs/day
— Two ice cube sizes via simple LED controls

Watch-outs

— Hard, hollow bullet ice that melts quickly
— Ice can come out wet and clump together
— Short warranty and only average long-term durability

$188 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker

The only clear-cube maker among these picks, producing presentation ice that differs from the bullet ice of the Frigidaire EFIC189 and Magic Chef MCIM22SV and the nugget ice of the GE Profile Opal 2.0 and Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255. It costs more and runs slower than the bullet makers but far less than the Opal.

Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable

The budget bullet-ice alternative to the Frigidaire EFIC189 — same hard-bullet format and similar fast cycles, but with a thinner track record. It is far cheaper than the clear-cube Frigidaire EFIC452-SS and the nugget GE Profile Opal 2.0, and unlike the budget nugget Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 it sticks to the simpler, more reliable bullet-ice format.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker	Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable
Ice Type	Clear square cubes (2 sizes)	Bullet (2 sizes)
Output	Up to 40 lbs/day	Up to 27 lbs/day
Cycle Time	15-18 minutes	~7 minutes
Water Tank	2.3 qt	—
Bin Capacity	2.4 lbs	—
Self-Cleaning	No (manual)	—
Noise	Quiet	—
Warranty	1 year	1 year
Dimensions	14"D x 11"W x 15"H	14.1"D x 9.5"W x 12.9"H
Wattage	120 watts	50 watt-hours
Weight	—	~20 lbs
Controls	—	LED touch
Features	—	See-through lid, exterior drain
Footprint	—	Compact countertop
First Batch	—	7 minutes

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