Frigidaire Portable Ice Maker EFIC189 In-depth Review

Frigidaire has a number of ice makers but we purchased and reviewed the   EFIC189-Silver Compact Ice Maker. It’s one of their most popular portable ice makers for making bullet ice.

Key Specs

Where to Buy Price at publication $99.99

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

Compared to Other Bullet Ice Makers

8.0 Performance

There were a couple of factors that gave the Frigidaire the performance edge over its closest rivals. One was the good average capacity per basket as well as the amount of ice produced per hour. The latter we attributed to the wider basket design and the functioning of the scooping mechanism.

Additionally, the Frigidaire also produced consistently good quality ice bullets even though the net weight was a little less than its main rival. The time it took to produce one round of ice bullets averaged over 9 minutes. Although one of the longer times, the overall performance turned out one of the best.

7.7 Ice Capacity Test: One of the Best

For our ice capacity test, we run three consecutive full basket tests. From this data, we calculate how much ice the machine could make in an hour and extrapolate this to a 24 hour period.

Although most portable bullet ice makers, including this Frigidaire, claim to be able to make up to 26 lbs (12 kg) of ice per day, it is unclear under what conditions this capacity can be reached. 

What we found is that this Frigidaire EFIC189 produces around 19.6 oz (555 g) of ice per basket or roughly 323 g (11 oz) per hour. A full basket of ice takes an average of 103 minutes, so you need to check on your machine every hour and forty five minutes.

8.5 Ice Quality Test: Consistently Good

Our extensive testing of portable ice makers shows that the large ice bullets should weigh at least 5 grams each. It took this Frigidaire about 7 rounds of ice making to stabilize the ice bullet weight at 5 grams or more, which was slightly faster than other rivals. On a couple of occasions, the Fridigiare topped the upper benchmark of 7 grams and it won out with excellent overall capacity.

8.3 Design

We purchased the popular Frigidaire EFIC189-Silver Compact Ice Maker for $99.99 on Amazon. It has a rounded front design with a large transparent lid and additional view window in the rear. Features that stand out are the larger ice basket, less cramped interior, and open design with high visibility. The larger water reservoir can hold up to 2.3 quarts or 2.2 liters.

In The Box

• One ice maker machine
• One user manual
• Ice scoop
• Ice basket

Our Frigidaire EFIC189-Silver Compact arrived securely boxed between styrofoam padding and wrapped in plastic. The ice basket was securely  taped to its hold and the ice scoop likewise taped to the bottom of the basket. There was another piece of tape to remove which secured the ice scooping mechanism to the bottom of the ice making hold. The user manual was in English and French.

Dimensions

9.0 Build Quality: Good

The Frigidaire Ice Maker has good fit and finish and is virtually fingerprint-free. Likewise, the transparent lid is a high-quality plastic that doesn’t stain easily. Although insulation proved effective, the rear hinge of the lid had a slight gap. Also, the ice basket, while solid and well constructed, sat a little high in the tank area.

7.5 Panel Design: A Little Cramped

We felt the panel design of the Frigidaire EFIC189 was a bit cramped, but other machines such as the AGLucky 12H are basically the same. Due to the more open and visible design, the only place for the control panel—if not in the front of the machine like the Euhomy—is at the extreme rear. Perhaps a raised panel design would help.

7.5 Lid Design: Insulation Not So Great

Good insulation is important for a portable bullet ice maker since these machines don’t store ice in a ‘cooler’. To test lid insulation, we leave the machines running overnight and check the preserved ice quality the following morning. We found the Frigidaire maintained comparatively good ice quality. The material quality of the lid is excellent and it doesn’t stain easily nor lose its sheen.

8.0 Ice Basket: Good Length

The Frigidaire ice basket is a hard plastic. Scooping ice from a hard plastic basket is much easier than from the common flimsy type. Additionally, the basket is longer compared to most other machines which also allows for easier scooping. Unlike some designs such as the Igloo, there is no raised ridge on the bottom of the basket.

One issue with the ice basket is that it sits a little high up, which allows for 2.2 L in the reservoir rather than just 2 L. However, the basket can tilt and block the infrared sensor triggering an erroneous Ice Full alert if you don’t push it down firmly.

Water Reservoir: Nice Volume

The water reservoir of the Frigidaire holds 2.3 quarts which is about 2.2 liters. It is one of the largest reservoirs by about 200 ml. This is largely due to the raised height of the basket, which can be an issue. Like all other machines we have tested, the max water line is white and rather difficult to see.

Drainage Plug

The plug in the Frigidaire is much the same as other machines. The tether is a hard plastic and the stopper itself is silicone. When pulled out, it hooks neatly on the side of the machine.

Ice Scoop

Cord and Plug

This Frigidaire has a white power cord which measures a standard 71 in. (1.8 m). For a countertop device, this is quite long so you shouldn’t have any issue finding a place for the machine. The plug has three prongs meaning that it is earthed or grounded.

8.4 Usability

The Frigidaire operates within a very comfortable noise range, has excellent visibility, scoop leverage, and the fingerprint-free body is easy to keep clean. The controls, however, are a little cramped and far back, while the drainage plug and water guard are not the easiest to deal with.

8.5 Ease of Use: Smooth Going

Button responsiveness on the Frigidaire was good. However, we didn’t like the panel’s far rear positioning—you need to be close up to get a good view—and felt the controls were a bit cramped.

On the other hand, visibility inside the machine is excellent. It is easy to see how the ice mechanisms are working which helps with cleaning and dealing with any potential troubleshooting.

Unlike other machines such as the Silonn, the Frigidaire has a lengthier basket so it is much easier to scoop. Additionally, the basket is made of a firm plastic so it doesn’t move around and supports downward pressure quite easily.

8.2 Noise: Levels One of the Lowest

Some manufacturers like to sport claims of 40 dB. However, this almost always applies to small ice bullets. While making large bullets, most portable ice makers operate between 67 to 69 dB. This Frigidaire EFIC189 recorded 67.2 dB and is the quietest machine tested by 0.3 dB.

8.3 Cleaning: Mostly a Breeze

Keeping the inside of your ice maker clean is all important. Large particles or grime can clog the water guard and interfere with the Add Water sensor.

While testing this Frigidaire, we had an issue with the Add Water alert even though the tank was full. Eventually, as a last resort, we used white vinegar water to clean the machine thoroughly which fixed the issue.

Therefore, you should regularly drain and wipe clean the inside of the water reservoir. This includes removing the water guard and cleaning it with a bleach solution to remove any grime or slime.

For the Frigidaire, the water guard didn’t come out that easily, but we managed. Likewise, the drainage plug was a little difficult to pull out and the plastic tether felt harsh on the hand.