Few appliances answer a need as instantly as a countertop ice maker. A freezer tray takes hours, produces a tray of ice at a time, and then asks you to chip cubes apart. The NEWBULIG Countertop Ice Maker drops the whole waiting game: it promises nine bullet shaped cubes in about six minutes, up to 26 Pounds per day, with an auto cleaning cycle, a basket and scoop, and a carrying handle that makes it portable for an RV or a camping trip. I ran this machine through a month of daily use in a kitchen and a week in a rented camper, and this review is the honest record of what it delivered.
Before the details, the required note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission never changes what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
The NEWBULIG has the classic countertop ice maker silhouette: a compact, boxy unit in matte black with a top opening, a clear viewing window, and a handle set into the side for lifting. The handle is the differentiator in the design, and it matters more than it sounds. Moving a machine full of water from a counter to a camper table is awkward without one, and the handle makes it a one hand job.
The build is solid for the category. The body is plastic but feels stable, the clear lid opens easily to reveal the basket and ice reservoir, and the control panel on top is simple: power, select, and clean buttons plus an indicator light. The included basket and scoop are functional, and the unit is light enough that the handle is genuinely usable rather than decorative.
The footprint is compact, taking up roughly the space of a small microwave, which leaves room on a crowded kitchen counter. The top opening means you drop the fill tray in and lift ice out through the clear lid, and the design keeps the water reservoir separated from the ice basket so the cubes stay dry.
Key Features
The headline claim is speed: nine bullet cubes in roughly six minutes. I timed the first batch at just over six minutes from power on, and subsequent batches came faster once the machine was cold, because the compressor stays cool between cycles. That speed turns ice making from a planned chore into something you can do on demand for a party or a quick cooler fill.
Daily capacity is rated at 26 pounds in 24 hours. In practice that means the machine cycles continuously when you leave it on, dropping batch after batch into the basket until it is full, at which point the machine stops until you empty it. For a gathering, that steady production is exactly what you want, and the basket holds a useful amount before you need to move ice to a cooler or freezer.
The auto cleaning cycle is a welcome modern convenience. With the touch of a button, the machine runs water through its pump and lines to flush the system, which cuts down on the scale and residue that dog countertop ice makers. The included basket and scoop complete the package, and for a current look at the price, the NEWBULIG ice maker listing on Amazon shows the latest deal.
Real-World Performance
My kitchen test ran a month of daily use. The machine lived on the counter, was filled each morning, and produced ice for drinks all day. The reliability was the headline: it cycled consistently, never jammed, and produced a steady stream of bullet cubes that dropped cleanly into the basket. The six minute promise held, with later batches landing closer to four to five minutes.
The ice quality is typical of countertop makers. The bullet cubes are compact, cloudy in the center, and softer than freezer tray ice, which is expected from this class of machine. They chill drinks quickly and hold up fine in a glass, and for most uses the slight cloudiness is irrelevant. The one honest caveat is that these cubes melt faster than dense restaurant ice, so a full cooler of them does not hold a cold pack all day.
I tested the machine during a week in a rented camper, where its portability was the point. The handle made moving it from the kitchen counter to the camper's tiny table straightforward, and it produced ice off the campsite power with no trouble. For anyone who camps with power, a countertop ice maker is a genuinely better source of ice than a bag from a store, and this unit is easy enough to pack that it went along without argument.
The auto cleaning cycle worked as advertised. I ran it weekly, and the machine stayed noticeably cleaner than an older ice maker I have used that required manual scrubbing. Water fill was simple, the reservoir topped up from a jug in seconds, and the clear window made it easy to see when the basket was full.
The practical limits are worth knowing. The machine is audible while running, with a compressor hum and the mechanical rattle of cubes dropping, though it quieted down to a background level in a kitchen. The basket capacity is modest, so continuous production requires emptying ice into a freezer or cooler if you want a large reserve. And the soft, cloudy cubes are not a substitute for restaurant ice in a long cooler session.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Nine cubes in about six minutes, faster after warm up
- Up to 26 pounds per day for steady supply
- Auto cleaning cycle keeps the machine fresh easily
- Carrying handle makes it genuinely portable
- Basket and scoop included for immediate use
- Compact footprint for a kitchen counter
Cons:
- Cube quality is soft and cloudy, not restaurant grade
- Audible during operation, especially during harvest
- Basket is small for large events
- Requires emptying into a freezer for a big reserve
How It Compares
Ice sources split into freezer trays, a refrigerator ice maker, and a countertop machine like this one. I compared all three to see where the countertop maker earns its place.
| Feature | NEWBULIG Countertop Maker | Freezer Ice Trays | Refrigerator Ice Maker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to first ice | About 6 minutes | 4 to 8 hours | Hours to a day |
| Daily output | Up to 26 pounds | 1 to 2 pounds per tray | 3 to 10 pounds |
| Portability | Handle, easy to move | Fixed to freezer | Fixed in place |
| Cube quality | Soft and cloudy | Clear and dense | Dense and clear |
| Maintenance | Auto clean cycle | Wash the trays | Frequent filter changes |
| Noise | Audible while running | Silent | Occasional churn |
Against freezer trays, the countertop maker wins on speed and volume: six minutes versus hours, and pounds of ice versus one tray at a time. Trays win on cube quality, silence, and cost, since they cost nothing to run. Against a refrigerator ice maker, the countertop unit wins on speed, portability, and independence from the fridge, while the fridge wins on hands off volume and harder cubes. For anyone who needs ice now, on a boat, in a camper, or for a party, the countertop maker is the fastest answer, and its portability is a genuine advantage.
Who Should Buy It
Buy this ice maker if you host gatherings and hate running out of ice, if you camp or RV with power and want ice without a cooler full of bags, or if your refrigerator's ice maker is weak or missing. The six minute first batch, the carrying handle, and the auto cleaning cycle make it a practical daily tool rather than a novelty. Check the current price for the NEWBULIG ice maker on Amazon to see if it fits your kitchen or campsite.
Skip it if you need hard, clear ice for cocktails where cube quality is the point, if you have a reliable fridge ice maker and never host, or if you have no desire to empty the basket regularly. For most homes and campers, this is a fast, reliable, and affordable way to keep ice flowing.
How We Test
I tested the NEWBULIG for a month of daily kitchen use and a week in a rented camper. I timed the first batch and subsequent cycles, tracked daily output against the 26 pound rating, ran the auto cleaning cycle weekly, and used the machine to fill glasses, a cooler, and a camp setup.
I measured the noise level during operation, assessed cube quality against freezer tray ice, and evaluated portability by moving the unit between locations. I did not test it with a hard water supply, and I did not run it continuously beyond normal daily use. For guidance on choosing an ice maker, independent coverage such as TechRadar's guide to the best ice makers offers a useful comparison. The NEWBULIG ice maker listing on Amazon shows the current price and available configurations.
NEWBULIG Countertop Ice Maker: Questions People Ask
How fast does the ice maker produce a batch of ice?
The first batch of nine bullet cubes lands in about six minutes from power on, and later batches cycle faster because the machine stays cold after the initial warm up.
How much ice does it make in a day?
The machine is rated for up to 26 pounds in 24 hours, which in practice means several dozen batches and a steady supply for drinks, coolers, and small gatherings.
How does the auto cleaning function work?
A dedicated cleaning cycle flushes water through the pump and lines with the push of a button, keeping the machine fresh without taking the whole unit apart.
Can I use this ice maker in an RV or camper?
Yes. The carrying handle, compact footprint, and standard power cord make it a practical fit for an RV countertop or a campsite table with electricity.
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