Emerson are one of the oldest and well-respected names when it comes to the consumer electronics industry.

The main emphasis of the Company’s designs and marketing is directed at audio and video products which are  tailored to meet the needs of the consumer.

The products that they offer are televisions, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) players and video cassette recorders (VCR’s), audio accessories, microwave ovens, home theater, high end audio products, office products, mobile stereo and wireless products.

The Emerson portable ice machine has fast become the unit of choice for portable’s in this arena. They are affordable and have a nice sturdy build.

(1)- Emerson Portable Ice Maker

This portable little ice machine is made in a stylish all white and is ready to be transported where ever you want to take it. You can have ice on demand as long as you have it with you.

Small, but still makes 24lbs of ice in 24 hours. You get the added feature of a low noise compressor too. This means you will hardly hear it while it’s in operation – which can only be a good thing, especially if you have other things to do that require a quite atmosphere.

You get basic storage capabilities of 2.2lbs. It can make up-to 9 bits of ice every 10 minutes, so you wont have to wait to long overall for your cubes.

It produces bullet shaped cubes, in small, medium and large sizes to choose from. The unit has a simple to control electric panel that you can use to operate the machine, which features a simple display.

(2)- Emerson Portable Ice Maker – Silver

This silver colored unit from Emerson is great looking. You can have it fit in with the rest of your decor with limited fuss. The look of an appliance is always a beneficial feature and neutral silver makes this an easy choice.

You get a well built unit as well as some really useful accessories to make the ease of use much easier. You are supplied with an ice scoop which enables you to easily pick up ice. You are also given an ice basket.

There are plenty of units that don’t have the features this machine has. In terms of safety and security there is an auto shut off mechanism.

The daily ice amount that is available is 26lbs and it makes 3 types of bullet shapes also. You can store 2.2lbs of what you make and the flip up lid makes it easy to access the ice.

These are the top portables made by Emerson, if you want a wider range of small makers to choose from you can checkout our other articles and find something that is more to your liking.

(3)- Della Portable Ice Maker

This highly rated portable ice maker is manufactured by Della. It is a top loading machine that produces up to 26lbs of ice daily. It sports a sleek, compact design with see through window to allow for processing monitoring. A built-in alert system when low water level or maximum ice capacity is reached. Highly recommended!

As mentioned previous, we have the nugget an pellet ice – It is called nugget because of it’s small unique and soft shape. Again it is also similarly called Pellet ice for similar reasons, size look etc.

Chewable ice has come to be the perfect compliment for particular beverages such as smoothies, blended cocktails, salad bars and other therapeutic uses.

Benefits Of Nuggets and Pellets

One of the main benefits of chewable ice is that it melts slower, which also means it does not dilute drinks very quickly. And once the drink has been consumed – chewing the ice is easily done.

The clear crisp appearance of the ice even looks good which is another added bonus.

The third type of chewable ice is Pearl ice – this is made by ice-o-matic and has all the qualities of the aforementioned ice types

So where do you get a Nugget, Pearl or Pellet ice maker? Well, we have sourced some of the best machines for you. Check out the top chewable ice making machines below:

(1)- Brilliance 60 lb Nugget Ice Machine

You get a machine that is 15 inches in cabinet width. You can get 30lbs of ice from the unit. All of this will be made in 24 hours. You can store some of the ice, even over half i.e. 26lbs.

Nugget ice is produced – this is formed from compacted ice, this makes it softer and more chewable. The nugget ice will also absorb flavors of drinks that you put it in better than block ice

You can expect a lot of efficiency also with 40% less energy used and 50% less water. You can benefit from the the stylish sleek design. This unit is very agreeable with soft drinks because of it’s ability to absorb flavors.

You can also get 1 year parts and labor for all the components and you get 5 years parts on the compressor. Storage is good as you can store up to half of the ice it can make. It makes 26lb of ice and stores 12lbs.

(2)- Scotsman SCN60PA1SS Brilliance 15″ Stainless Steel Undercounter Ice Maker

You can make 80lbs of ice and store 26lbs of it in the storage bin. You can get nice drinks from the softer nugget ice that is created by Scotsman.

The self closing door is a good mechanism for safety reasons. You can operate the machine easily by using the user friendly control panel. The control pane shows you alerts such as no water, power being on and the machine letting you know that the machine now needs to be cleaned.

You can get a lot of ice ready for you to use with the SCN60PA1SS. The dimensions are 33 inches in height, 15 inches in width and 23 inches in deph

(3)- Ice-O-Matic GEMU090 85 lbs/day Undercounter Pearl Ice Machine

The air cooled ice-o-matic GEMU090, it can make 85lbs of ice for you every 24 hours. The front breathing stainless steel finished unit is air cooled. The chewable brand of ice is being used which is called Pearl.

You can store 22lbs of ice if you want to store ice and you can do this relatively quietly, as the machine operates with out making extreme amounts of noise.

The dimensions of the unit are as follows:

14.8 inches in Width x 22.75 inches in Depth x 33.37 inches in Height.

You can also fit the drainage section with a 1/4 inch inlet when fitting the machine. You can get a 2 year labor and parts warranty.

All the best in enjoying your pellet and nugget ice. You can check out more reviews by visiting the our other articles. They are even more ice machines to choose from here, even those that create more ice.

If you want to try and fix your your ice maker your self before calling our for a repair service their are some basic steps that can be followed that may resolve the problem.

Contrary to popular belief it is possible to fix an ice machine yourself.

Before we start with the tips it’s always good for you to have an overview of the process that takes place when ice is being made.

How Ice Is Made

The ice maker is connected to a water supply from a valve. The valve’s water supply line is controlled with an electric solenoid, this sends water in a special fill tube within the ice maker. It’s within the fill tube that the water freezes and is sent into an ice bin.

When this ice bin is full the unit automatically switches it’s self off.

Common Problems With Ice Machines

Unfortunately the most common problems with an ice maker is that it wont make ice, it wont stop making ice or it just stops working altogether.

What To Do When An Ice Maker Stops Working

Problem solving –

If the water supply is blocked or the solenoid isn’t working or the automatic stop mechanism isn’t working the ice maker wont work.

The pressure of your homes water supply can also have an impact on whether or not ice is made.

You will need to ensure that the bail wire that is above the ice collection drawer is not permanently locked in its upper position. If so this will shut off the ice.

Steps To Take

First thing to do is check that the bail wire above your ice tray is down.

Check the supply line for water, if you can hear the machine in operation and see the arm attempting to work. This will mean that the water valve is trying to get water but that it’s not arriving.

More likely than not the solenoid and valve are working – but no water is being supplied.

You will need to check the pipe and ensure that it is not caught up behind or under the fridge.

Generally it is better to have a 1/4-inch copper piping as this is better than plastic as it is much less likely to get caught.

Next you should check if the the tube pipe is actually frozen, this may happen if there is any thing that may be forcing ice back up the tube.

If you notice that ice cubes are decreasing in size – this is usually due to a frozen tube.

You can check the water line that is going into the freezer – to check for any blocks that may have occurred. Then you should check for a water shut off valve, which will be behind the refrigerator or under the sink. Once you have found the valve you should turn it off, then unscrew the copper or plastic line attached to the back of the refrigerator.

Once you have the piping put it in a bucket and then turn the valve back on, to see if any water pours out.

Checking The Tap Valve

You should check your tap valve. If you have a bad tap valve – because this is the pipe that connects to the ice maker this may cause a problem if it is not connected correctly.

If you have a problem with the valve you, should replace the valve inlet and tap valve. If your using a new tap valve the best one to use is one that requires a 1/4 inch hole drilled into it. Instead off a self-piercing type valve.

You can purchase an ice maker connecting kit and fit the valve yourself. If you’re not happy doing this you can call a repair person. Who you can ask to install an inline water filter at the same time they replace the valve.

Check On The Solenoid

The water line for your ice maker will attach to a solenoid, from the back of the refrigerator – which then fits into the ice machine. It may occur that the solenoid is defective or is not receiving power correctly.

The first thing you can try is to remove the sediment screen which is inside the solenoid and wash it down with water, to clean it off. While you are doing this you should inspect the seals to see if they are secure – before doing this you should unplug the refrigerator.

These are just some tips you may not of thought of. If you still can’t resolve the the issue, then it is best to consult a professional. You should also check out your warranty to see if your problems fall under it.

They also tick the boxes with customer care, you can get the instruction manuals for all their appliances by visiting their website here.

Kitchenaid are a brand that is dedicated to making appliances for the kitchen. It is there aim to continue innovating and there’s no sign of them letting up.

The company was once owned by Hobart corporation, but now they are owned by another big company Whirlpool Corporation.

The kitchenaid ice maker is also a great purchase if you are looking for quality and reliability. Here are some of their ice machines for you to have a look at.

(1)- The KitchenAid KUIO18NNZS Ice Maker

The Kitchenaid KUIO18NNZS is one of the companies best ice makers. It comes with all the essentials that you need. The with of the machine is just 18 inches which makes it an ideal size to save space, and fit in nicely with our kitchen or room decor.

The design features a drop down door so you can access ice quickly. You can produce 50lbs of ice with this machine, which can all be produce in a 24 hour time span.

The unit utilizes clear ice technology which is always an add bonus. When ice is clear it has a classy look as well as tastes good. The filter system will also ensure that you get the best possible filtered ice cubes, which only enhances your ice experience. The stainless steel ensures that the unit is strong and sturdy as well as stylish looking and classy

(2)- KitchenAid KUIC15NHZS Architect Ice Maker

KitchenAid-KUIC15NHZS is another great design from a number one provide of ice makers. You can rest assured that you are getting the very best when you buy a kitchen aid appliance.

You can use this ice machine in most places in the house. Its width is only 15 inches but don’t let this fool you, as it is still and good producer of ice.

You can make a nice amount of ice with the KUIC15NHZS, as it allows you to produce up to 25lbs of ice in a 24 hour period. You also have a nice amount of storage, as it can store 25lbs of ice which is half the ice made.

You can produce ice daily with this machine and the ice should be at it’s cleanest because it comes with a clear ice filter.

For your added convenience you can also reverse the door when installing the machine to either the right side or left. Once the storage bin is full the KUIC15NHZS will also shut off.

There plenty more Kitchen aid ice maker to choose from. These are the top models that we found. If you want more ideas about different units you can buy read the rest of our reviews here.