Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC189 vs Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker

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

Frigidaire EFIC189 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.2 vs 3.5). The gap is mostly about Value buyers who want a steady, fast supply of ice for drinks and coolers without paying for nugget or clear-ice machines. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC189

4.2

2 sourcesall derived$85.82as of Aug 1

The Frigidaire EFIC189 is the value champion of portable ice makers: a compact bullet-ice machine that RateMyIceMaker praises for consistent ice and fast 5-6 minute cycles. A 4.4-star average across 14,000-plus owner ratings backs that up, making it the go-to for anyone who just wants a steady supply of ice quickly and cheaply. It is loud and makes only hard bullet ice. On value, nothing touches it.

Strengths

— Excellent value — fast bullet ice for around $82.78
— Consistent bullet size, shape, and weight with two size options
— Quick ~9-minute cycles; first ice in well under 15 minutes

Watch-outs

— Makes hard, cloudy bullet ice — not nugget or clear cubes
— Loud at about 67 dB during operation
— Awkwardly placed rear control panel and fiddly drain plug

$85.82 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

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 →

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 EFIC189

The value bullet-ice pick, sharing the hard-bullet-ice format with the Magic Chef MCIM22SV but with a stronger track record and higher owner ratings. It is far cheaper than the nugget GE Profile Opal 2.0 and the clear-cube Frigidaire EFIC452-SS, and a more reliable value than the budget nugget Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255.

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.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Frigidaire EFIC189	Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker
Ice Type	Bullet (2 sizes)	Clear square cubes (2 sizes)
Output	Up to 26 lbs/day	Up to 40 lbs/day
Cycle Time	~9 minutes	15-18 minutes
First Batch	Under 15 minutes	—
Noise	~67 dB	Quiet
Owner Rating	4.4 stars (14,000+)	—
Footprint	Compact countertop	—
Warranty	1 year	1 year
Dimensions	15"D x 11"W x 14.5"H	14"D x 11"W x 15"H
Wattage	200 watts	120 watts
Water Tank	—	2.3 qt
Bin Capacity	—	2.4 lbs
Self-Cleaning	—	No (manual)

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