Frigidaire Portable Ice Maker EFIC189 vs Igloo Portable Ice Maker

Overall Verdict

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The Frigidair has a rounded modern-looking design with a wide transparent view window. Its drawback is a rather small control panel at the rear of the roof. The Igloo sports a retro Nostalgia design with a convenient carry handle and small view window. Looks aside, the Frigidaire completely outpaced the Igloo in the ice making ranks. The Frigidaire put out hefty ice bullets of 6.2 g on average and managed 11.4 oz per hour versus 6.7 oz for the Igloo. Additionally, the Frigidaire produced 1.8% waste or broken ice per basket load while the Igloo was a whopping 9.4%. The Frigidaire strikes the balance between good design and performance excellence.

Pros & Cons

Performance
Production capacity
Internal visibility
Firm ice basket
Good insulation
Easy to clean exterior

Retro design
Carry handle

Ice basket fit
Drainage plug

Control panel quality
Performance

Key Specs

Dimensions LxWxH

9.5 x 14.1 x 12.9 inches

$107.76

Weight

16.9 lbs (7.7 kg)

L12.5 x W8.5 x H12 inches

Ice bullet sizes

Small and Large

18 lbs (7.15 kg)

Indicators

Add Water, Ice Full, Power, S / L

Small / Large

Water reservoir

2.3 qt

Add Water, Ice Full, Power

Average capacity / Basket

19.6 oz

1.6 qt (1.5 L)

Where to Buy

*You help support HealthyKitchen101's product testing and reviews by purchasing from our retail partners.

Analysis and Test Results

Performance

Overall Performance Scoring

8.0

5.2

Ice Capacity Test

7.7

5.4

The Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker on a countertop with a full basket of ice and a timer showing 1 hr 48 min. In the background is a shelf with various kitchen appliances.

Top down view of the Frigidaire EFIC189 ice maker to the left with one load of ice removed and placed into a black colored baking tray on the right. Badly formed ice is seen separated into a bowl on a scale showing 15 grams.

A timer in front of a portable ice maker showing just over 2 hours on the counter.

A basket of ice from a portable ice maker being emptied into a jug resting on a scale.

Ice from a countertop ice maker in a jug weighing some 484 grams

A full basket of ice from a countertop ice maker tipped for sorting into a black making tray with the ice machine in the background and a small scale in the foreground.

Average Time Basket

103 min

134 min

Average Weight Basket

19.6 oz (555 g)

15 oz (424 g)

Average Waste Basket

0.6 oz (10 g)

1.41 oz (40 g)

Capacity Hr

11.4 oz (323 g)

6.7 oz (190 g)

Capacity24 Hrs

17.1 lbs (7.76 kg)

10.1 lbs (4.6 kg)

Ice Quality Test

8.5

4.8

The Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker to the left and a bowl on a scale with one round of nine ice bullets measuring 63 grams.

Nine ice bullets in a small bowl on a scale weight 45 grams pictured next to a countertop ice maker.

Average Weight Bullet

0.2 oz (6.2 g)

0.13 oz (3.8 g)

Design

Overall Design Scoring

8.3

7.8

In The Box

The Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker to the left with its box in the background to the right. In between is the included ice basket, ice scoop, and user manual.

Top down view of the unpacked igloo portable ice maker. To the right of the ice maker is the removable basket, an ice scoop, the manual, and a customer service card.

A portable ice maker just removed from its box and secured within styrofoam pads.

A man handling a countertop ice maker with the product box seen in the background.

Dimensions

Width

9.5" (24.1 cm)

8.5" (21.6 cm)

Depth

12.8" (32.4 cm)

12.5" (31.8 cm)

Height

13.0" (33.0 cm)

12.0" (30.5 cm)

Weight

17.0 lbs (7.7 kg)

18.0 lbs (8.2 kg)

Build Quality

9.0

8.2

Top down view of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop ice maker with its lid open.

Side view of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop ice maker showing the quality of seem joining.

Side and rear view of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop ice maker.

Bottom view of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop ice maker.

A close up side view of a portable ice maker with two rows of ice makers on a shelf in the background.

Panel Design

7.5

6.8

Close up view of the panel of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker.

A close up of the control panel on a portable ice maker with two fingers indicating the relative size.

Buttons

2 - On/Off, Select

On/Off Clean; Select

Power Indicator

Yes

Ice Full Indicator

Yes

Add Water Indicator

Yes

IceS Indicator

Yes

IceL Indicator

Yes

Lid Design

7.5

7.1

Degraded ice shown in an ice basket of a portable ice maker after being left to run overnight for 8 hours.

Ice degradation shown in a baking tray after being left overnight in a working portable ice maker.

A top down view of a countertop ice maker with ice seen through the transparent lid

Material

Transparent plastic

Plastic

Ice Basket

8.0

8.8

White hard plastic basket of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker.

An empty ice basket being held up in front of a portable ice maker.

Length

7.9" (20.1 cm)

7.4" (18.8 cm)

Height

3.6" (9.1 cm)

4.5" (11.4 cm)

Depth

5.0" (12.7 cm)

4.3" (10.9 cm)

Material

Hard white plastic

Hardish plastic

Water Reservoir

A top down view of a portable ice maker with the lid open and the removable ice basket resting at the side of the machine.

Capacity

2.3 qt (2.2 L)

1.6 qt (1.5 L)

Drainage Plug

A silicone plug being removed from the bottom of a portable ice maker.

Material

Hard plastic and silicone

Silicone

Ice Scoop

Material

Hard white plastic

Hard plastic

Cord and Plug

The white electric cord and three prong plug of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker picture against the front of the machine.

Length

5.9 ft (1.8 m)

6.1 ft. (185 cm)

Plug Type

3-pronged

Usability

Overall Usability Scoring

8.4

7.5

Ease of Use

8.5

6.8

Alt: The Select button being pressed on a countertop ice maker to choose the ice size.

Water being poured into the reservoir of the Frigidaire ice maker.

Ice being scooped out of the basket of a countertop portable ice maker.

The hand gripping a countertop ice maker by lifting up the handle.

A full basket of ice being removed from a portable countertop ice maker.

Noise

8.2

8.4

A sound meter showing 67.2 dB being emitted from the working Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker.

A sound meter showing 66.3 dB standing next to the air vent of a portable countertop ice maker.

Decibels

67.2 dB

66.3 dB

Cleaning

8.3

8.7

The empty water tank of the Frigidaire EFIC189 countertop portable bullet ice maker with the water guard shown in the right hand upper corner.

A water guard found in the reservoir of a portable ice maker.

Self Cleaning

Yes

Behind the Comparison

Roger ShitakiReviewer

Roger Shitaki is a writer, author, and editor. His niches are household appliances, health & wellness, and travel. He’s a freelance contributor to a Tokyo lifestyle website and a leading ophthalmology magazine in Asia.

Lap VoTest Lead

Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.

Nguyen NtkVisual Specialist

Nguyen Ntk is a graphic designer, photographer, and videographer whose philosophy centers around respecting and celebrating the beauty of reality. Through his lenses, Nguyen strives to capture the true essence of objects and events, showcasing and highlighting authentic features without distortion or exaggeration.