Have you ever been to the local bar and thought to yourself “how the heck are they getting that much ice? I wish I had pounds of ice as they do!”. I mean, sure, a Compact Refrigerator or Wine Fridge can keep your booze chilly for you to crack open during hot days, but nothing can match a crisp-cold Beer Glass when the sun is splitting the stones, and if your bar isn’t right next to your Freezer Container, you’re going to have a hard time tackling the lack of easy access to ice.
Moreover, if you only need a refrigerator for producing ice for the home bar then countertop ice makers would be a better choice. The best countertop ice makers can make different types of ice for your drink. You have the freedom to choose the ice types such as nugget/sonic ice, clear ice, bullet ice, etc. Also, it provides an option to choose the size of ice.
Thankfully, there is a solution; you should get a bar refrigerator with ice maker. Quite convenient isn’t it? Believe it or not, but your home cocktails will never be the same, and your guests will be blown away by your drinks. Grab your Cocktail Shaker and Glassware Set, prepare your Bar Set, and let’s get to the reviews.
Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker Review Center 2021
| Image | Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | #1 - EdgeStar IB120SS Built in Ice Maker | 99% |
 | #2 - Midea WHD-113FSS1 | 96% |
 | #3 - Whynter UIM-155 Stainless Steel Built-In Ice Maker | 93% |
 | #4 - EdgeStar CRF321SS | 89% |
 | #5 - Danby DPC6012BLS | 85% |
Want to learn more?
Now that you’ve seen our top 5 recommendations, we’ll give you more detail on each of them, including why we liked them. When you’re ready, click the yellow button to get the best price on Amazon!
#1 – EdgeStar IB120SS Built-in Ice Maker
Right off the bat is the EdgeStar IB120SS. You’re probably thinking “Isn’t that JUST an ice maker?”. Well, that’s not wrong, but it’s not entirely true either. The EdgeStar isn’t truly an ice maker/fridge combo, it’s an ice maker/freezer combo, which means that it can keep your drinks quite cold and make them look good at the same time.
Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The ice making part in ice maker/fridge combos are usually too small, which would be a big setback for those needing ice on a daily basis. Being a dedicated unit, EdgeStar’s IB120SS model is faster when it comes to making ice and better when it comes to storing it, making it ideal for serious users, which brings us to the next point.
Quite honestly, the EdgeStar IB120SS isn’t for the average consumer. It’s designed for those seeking a perfect solution for an endless supply of fresh ice, as it can produce up to 12 pounds of ice per day. It’s designed for true heavy users or home bar owners. Just plug it to your water line, and you’ll be good to go forever, literally.
As for the operation, the EdgeStar IB120SS Built is an automatic ice maker, which means that it keeps producing ice until the tray gets full, which triggers an internal mechanism that shuts down the machine and reverts back to the freezer mode. Once you remove the ice from the bin and lower the level, the IB120SS resumes making ice again. Rinse and repeat. Talk about hands-off operation, huh?
What we like about it
The EdgeStar IB120SS is the perfect solution for those seeking a serious solution for their ice making needs. It produces ice continuously and automatically, giving you the ultimate hands-free experience. Furthermore, it offers a large tray that can store up to 12 pounds of ice. If you have a nice home bar that lacks a professional ice-making solution, the EdgeStar IB120SS would be the perfect ice maker for your needs, so make sure to check it out.
#2 – Midea WHD-113FSS1
The Midea WHD-113FSS1 offers both a compact fridge and a freezer, thus giving you the best of both worlds without blowing a hole in your wallet. The low price point does come with a catch though, as this cooler doesn’t connect to your water line and, therefore, doesn’t feature an automatic ice maker, which means that you’ll have to use bagged ice or ice trays in the freezer to get the crisp cubes that your beverages need. Nevertheless, Midea does make up for the lack of an automatic solution through a bunch of convenient features that would surely make your experience smooth and seamless.
First, the design of the Midea WHD-113FSS1 is perfect for small and cramped spaces, as it features a reversible door that opens from either side. How impressive is that? The legs are adjustable as well, which adds to the practicality of the design.
Furthermore, both the fridge and the freezer come with their own temperature controls, which means that you can use the first for your food and the latter for your drinks without having to worry about ruining either of them. The temperature ranges differ as well, as you get 32′ to 50′ F in the fridge and -11.2′ to 5’F in the freezer.
Sure, the Midea WHD-113FSS1 doesn’t offer the same ice-making capabilities found in the EdgeStar IB120SS Built-in Ice Maker, but for the price you’re paying, it’s undoubtedly worth a short, especially for people who can’t decide whether they really need an enormous ice-making capacity.
What we like about it
Unlike the EdgeStar IB120SS, the Midea WHD-113FSS1 is the average consumer Ice Maker/freezer combo. It’s well-priced to fit any budget, it comes with several convenient features, such as the adjustable legs and reversible door, and it offers enough capacity for any small home bar. Just put your ice trays in the freezer, and you’ll have a decent supply of ice for all your beverages. If you’re not that serious about your home bar and just looking for a cheaper alternative to a real ice maker, the Midea WHD-113FSS1 is the way to go.
Check Price on Amazon [wps_alert type=”announce”]Related Reviews: Best Commercial Ice Makers of 2021[/wps_alert]
#3 – Whynter UIM-155 Stainless Steel Built-In Ice Maker
Back to dedicated ice makers with the Whynter UIM-155 Stainless Steel Built-In Ice Maker, which, although being a freestanding refrigerator, can be used as a built-in freezer that would make your home bar look modern and professional without eating up too much space. You don’t even have to worry about draining, and you get a one-button easy operation, which makes this freezer a true winner when it comes to convenience.
Whynter’s UIM-15 ice maker boasts a door that’s made of stainless-steel, so no need to be concerned about durability, and a High-efficiency CFC-free compressor for an efficient cooling experience. This ice maker gets water directly from your water line and can produce up to 12 pounds of crescent-shaped ice cubes per day, but only stores 6 pounds. The ice bin and tray are included, so it’s a matter of set and forget when it comes to this freezer.
The only thing that you need to know is that professional help is required when installing this ice maker. Once that’s done, you’re bound to get ice cold beverages that would satisfy you as well as your guests on hot summer days. Excited to get your Wine Aerators and Wine Chillers yet?
What we like about it
It’s hard to come by a good ice maker when you’re on a budget, but nothing is impossible, and the Whynter UIM-155 Stainless Steel Built-In Ice Maker is the best example of that. Despite its low price tag, Whynter’s freezer is quite efficient thanks to the CFC-free compressor and aesthetically appealing with a stainless steel door and a beautiful black cabinet. The capacity of this ice maker is also quite convenient, as it can produce up to 12 pounds per day and can store 6 of them with ease. It’s simple, in this price range, no Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker can rival the Whynter UIM-155 Stainless Steel Built-In Ice Maker.
#4 – EdgeStar CRF321SS
Small space can be a real bummer and a great obstacle between you and getting the home bar you’ve always wanted, but many brands are circumventing the issue by manufacturing compact fridges and freezers, EdgeStar included. The EdgeStar CRF321SS is the perfect solution for those seeking a small ice maker that they can add to their home bar without taking up too much space.
The EdgeStar CRF321SS is dorm sized fridge-freezer combo with a lot to offer in terms of functionalities. It features reversible stainless-steel doors, the same used in the Midea fridge reviewed above, with a door bin in each compartment. You also get slid out racks and a molded worktop, which add to the convenience.
Thanks to its compact size, the EdgeStar CRF321SS can be installed as a freestanding or an under-counter bar refrigerator. Either way, you have to use ice bags or ice trays to get your wine cubes as this is a manual ice maker.
What we like about it
The EdgeStar CRF321SS is a nice-looking fridge-freezer combo that’s sturdy, convenient, and efficient. Despite its compact size, this ice maker is a beast when it comes to convenience. It can fit your beverages and make your ice without eating up too much of the space, thus making it a must-have for small home bars delving into professionalism. Given the price of this freezer, you shouldn’t miss it if you’re on a budget and looking to get your bar to the next level.
#5 – Danby DPC6012BLS
The Danby DPC6012BLS, aka the party center, is a compact Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker that can produce up to 4.4 pounds of ice every day. The name “party center” is due to the fact that you get two separate compartments, each of which has its own temperature control, that can hold your wine, beer, soda, or any beverage. It has nothing to do with actually being in the center though, as the Danby DPC6012BLS is designed to be a built-in freezer, one that you can place under your kitchen counter for a modern look and convenient bartending.
Aesthetically speaking, the Danby DPC6012BLS is pretty dope looking thanks to the bright interior lighting, which can turn any dark room into a cool man cave. This ice maker isn’t only shiny though, as it’s also loud. It’s quite when the doors are closed, but you’ll get a noisy welcome when you open the freezer to grab a beer. For customization, you get a set of removable shelves, which means that you can fit virtually any kind of booze in it.
Finally, this freeze boasts frost-free fan-forced cooling, which provides superior performance. In other words, not only are you getting a beautifully-made, ergonomically-designed Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker, but also one that can get the job done perfectly without taking up too much space. Quite the perfoect companion for your Wine Totes, Wine Opener, and Wine Glass Sets, isn’t it?
What we like about it
All in all, the Danby DPC6012BLS is a well-priced designed Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker that’s quite nice for home bars and rooms that need a drink cooler/ice maker combo. Granted, it’s not the best when it comes to performance, nor will it be able to fill an Ice Bucket in one run, but you’re surely getting the bang for your buck considering the price you’re paying. Besides, you get internal lighting that can give you the perfect man cave look you’ve always wanted as a kid, so what are you waiting for?
How We Chose the Top Bar Refrigerators with Ice Makers in Our List
The beverage fridge is an integral part of any bar, be it a home or professional one, and the ice maker is what makes the difference between a good and the best glass of wine. For those very reasons, we couldn’t just pick the first available Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker to recommend to our readers. We had to go through an extensive vetting process that included checking a set of features to determine whether a product is worth your time or not.
The above products passed the test with flying colors because they checked all the boxes when it comes to the following criteria:
Space
If you have a large bar, you shouldn’t worry about the space and focus on other features. If the available space is limited, you need to determine the size of the fridge you’re going to use depending on the size of your home or professional bar. Some coolers can be used as an under counter fridge, others should have their proper corner, etc.
Ice Making Capacity
You’re here because you’re looking for a Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker, which makes the ice-making capacity a critical part of the purchasing process. Ask yourself how much ice do you need per day? Are you a heavy ice user? Are you going to use the ice maker for professional or home use?
The reviewed bar refrigerators with ice makers have different ice making and storage capacities to suit different needs and preferences, so make sure to determine your needs before choosing one product or the other.
Price
Why the above recommendations aren’t necessarily cheap, but they’ll surely give you the bang for your buck if you’re looking for a good quality to price ratio, making any of them potentially the best Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker depending on your budget.
Settings and Feature
Sometimes, extra features and functionalities can be the strong selling point of certain products. Each of the above Bar Refrigerators with Ice Makers offers something in particular. The EdgeStar IB120SS, for example, has an automatic operation, making it one of the best freezers when it comes to convenience.
Different Types of Bar Refrigerators with Ice Makers
There are 6 different types that you should know about:
Automatic Ice Makers Vs. Manual Ice Makers
When it comes to choosing between automatic ice makers and manual ice makers, it all boils down to personal preference and budget. While automatic ice machines are more convenient when it comes to operation and better suited for those needing ice continuously, they’re usually more expensive than their manual rivals, which require you to use ice bags or ice trays to get chilly cubes for your Martini Glasses. Nevertheless, manual ice makers would be the better option if you’re on a budget and just need some ice cubes every now and then.
Dedicated Ice Makers Vs. Ice Maker/Fridge Combos
Again, the choice depends on your needs and preferences. Dedicated ice makers are, as the name implies designed to make ice and that’s it. They’re ideal for someone who needs a lot of ice cubes on a daily basis, but they cannot be used for the beverages themselves most of the time.
Ice maker/fridge combos, on the other hand, are the perfect machines for someone looking for a solution to both beverage storing and ice making, and they’re usually cheaper than dedicated ice makers.
Water Cooled Ice Machines Vs. Air Cooled Ice Machines
The primary advantage of air-cooled ice makers is the fact that they are more cost-effective than their water-cooled counterparts because they do not involve additional expenses once they’re set and running. The problem is that they do require some space, as they’re usually bulky and they need at least 6 inches of clearance around the air intake and discharge areas.
Water cooled ice machines, on the other hand, are more convenient are more space efficient, and they’re usually cheaper and faster, giving them the edge when it comes to convenience.
Why You Need the Best Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker in Your Kitchen
There are several reasons as to why you need to get the best Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker in your kitchen, but the main triggers for such need are the following:
They Save on Space
Why get a wine fridge, beverage cooler, and an ice maker, which would make your available space a total mess, when you can combine the three and get a Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker?
Granted, these appliances are a bit expensive, but they’re an absolute bargain considering how much space you’d be saving, which can be put to better use in your home or professional bar.
They Are Convenient
The Best Bar Refrigerators with Ice Makers are high-priced but getting one would save you a lot of time when you’re having guests around, and it’s a sure way to blow them away by how professional your bar is. Besides, a bar refrigerator with an ice maker would come in handy during hot summer days, when the only thing between you and getting a fried brain would be your crisp cold beer glass.
They Reduce Maintenance Costs
Let’s face it; appliances require a lot of maintenance, and the only thing that would reduce such costs is getting the best products around. By purchasing the Best Bar Refrigerator with Ice Maker, not only will you have some ever-wanted peace of mind thanks to the reliable construction, but you’ll also reduce maintenance costs if something goes south as you’ll have to repair a single machine rather than a couple of them if you go the separate route.
While you’re here, check out some of our other kitchen appliances!
Sources: