The Frigidaire EFIC189 is the value champion of portable ice makers — a compact bullet-ice machine that RateMyIceMaker scores 8.1/10 for its consistent ice and fast cycles at around $140. With a 4.4-star average across 14,000-plus owner ratings, it is 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, but on value it is unbeatable.
Full review
Real-World Performance
The EFIC189 is the workhorse value pick, and reviewers consistently praise its core job: making a lot of bullet ice quickly and consistently. RateMyIceMaker scores it 8.1/10 and singles out that it not only has good capacity but also consistently good ice bullet size, shape, and weight. IceArtisan found it had the performance edge over its closest rivals due to good average capacity per basket and amount of ice produced per hour, attributing it to a wider basket design and an effective scooping mechanism.
Speed is a strength. Shouldit reports a cycle time of just 5-6 minutes and up to 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours, with the first batch ready in well under 15 minutes. Real-world sustained output is lower than the headline number — closer to 17-20 lbs/day in continuous testing — but that is typical of compact bullet makers and still plenty for drinks, coolers, and everyday use. The two selectable bullet sizes add a bit of flexibility.
Ice Type and Quality
The EFIC189 makes hard, hollow bullet ice — the cloudy cylinders typical of inexpensive portable makers. It is not the soft chewable nugget ice of the GE Profile Opal nor the clear square cubes of the Frigidaire EFIC452-SS. Bullet ice melts faster and is harder on the teeth, but it chills drinks effectively and is the format most buyers picture when they think of a countertop ice maker.
Within the bullet-ice category, the EFIC189's consistency is its edge. Reviewers note the cubes come out uniform in size and shape batch after batch, which matters for a machine you will run daily. The ice is functional rather than fancy, which is exactly the point at this price.
What Reviewers Loved
Value and reliability drive the praise. A 4.4-star average across more than 14,000 owner ratings is an enormous, overwhelmingly positive sample, and the expert reviews back it up — RateMyIceMaker's 8.1/10 and IceArtisan's performance-edge verdict both frame it as the best bullet maker in its class. For around $140 it delivers fast, consistent ice without the premium of a nugget or clear-cube machine.
Owners also like its simplicity and compact footprint. There is no app, no complex menu — you add water, pick a cube size, and it runs. It is light enough to move to a deck or RV for entertaining, and small enough to live on a counter. The combination of low price, strong output, and broad owner approval is why it is the value benchmark of the category.
Where It Falls Short
The honest weaknesses start with noise: RateMyIceMaker measured it at 67.2 dB, loud enough to be noticeable in a quiet room and far louder than the whisper-quiet GE Opal. Reviewers also flag ergonomic gripes — an awkwardly positioned control panel at the top rear, an ice basket that sits high and can tilt to interfere with the full sensor, and a fiddly drain plug that is hard to remove.
Like all bullet makers it is prone to mineral buildup and needs regular descaling, especially in hard-water areas, or output and ice quality decline. And the bullet ice itself is the lowest tier of ice quality here — fine for cooling drinks, but not the chewable or clear ice that buyers seeking those will want. None of this undercuts its value; it simply defines the EFIC189 as a no-frills, high-value workhorse.
How It Compares to Alternatives
The EFIC189's closest rival is the Magic Chef MCIM22SV — both are compact bullet makers at a similar price. The Frigidaire wins on owner-rating volume and expert scores, making it the safer value bet. Against the premium GE Profile Opal 2.0, it gives up nugget-ice quality, smart features, and quiet operation, but costs a fraction as much and produces more ice per hour.
Against the clear-cube Frigidaire EFIC452-SS, the EFIC189 is cheaper and faster but makes lower-quality cloudy bullet ice rather than clear cubes. It is the pick when raw ice volume and value matter more than the type or appearance of the ice — the practical default for most buyers.
Who It's Best For
Buy the EFIC189 if you want the most ice for your money and do not care that it is hard bullet ice — for stocking a cooler, chilling drinks at a party, or everyday kitchen use, it is the value leader. Step up to the GE Opal if you want chewable nugget ice, or the EFIC452-SS if you want clear cocktail cubes; choose the Magic Chef only if it is meaningfully cheaper, since the Frigidaire has the stronger track record.
Strengths
- +Excellent value — fast bullet ice for around $140
- +Consistent bullet size, shape, and weight with two size options
- +Quick ~9-minute cycles; first ice in well under 15 minutes
- +Strong 4.4-star average across more than 14,000 owner ratings
- +Compact, lightweight, and simple to operate
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
- −Prone to mineral buildup, needing regular descaling
How it compares
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.
Who this is for
At a glance: Value buyers who want a steady, fast supply of ice for drinks and coolers without paying for nugget or clear-ice machines.
Why you’d buy the Frigidaire EFIC189
- Excellent value — fast bullet ice for around $140.
- Consistent bullet size, shape, and weight with two size options.
- Quick ~9-minute cycles; first ice in well under 15 minutes.
Why you’d skip it
- 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.
Rating sources
“It not only has good capacity, but also consistently good ice bullet size, shape, and weight.”
“With a cycle time of just 5-6 minutes, you can have a total of 26 pounds of ice made in just 24 hours.”
“The EFIC189 had the performance edge over its closest rivals due to good average capacity per basket and amount of ice produced per hour.”
Our 4.5 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
