Portable ice makers use somewhere between 100 and 200 Watts maximum. Compared to undercounter, freestanding, or built-in ice makers, portable ice makers are far more energy-efficient. The wattage a portable ice maker uses is minor and won’t add up too much to your electricity bills.
Do Portable Ice Makers Use a Lot of Energy?
No, portable ice makers generally don’t use a lot of energy. The amount of power that an ice maker uses generally varies from brand to brand and model to model. While there are indeed some old-model portable ice makers that use a fair amount of energy, there are also some energy-efficient models that use far less energy. This is mostly due to the fact newer ice maker models are made using different, more energy-efficient materials.
Portable ice makers use more or less energy depending on how well they are maintained. Not descaling the unit every once in a while will put more pressure on the evaporator mechanism and make the machine use more energy when producing ice. Regular ice maker cleaning prevents buildups and ensures the machine doesn’t use too much power.
Bear in mind that regardless of the ice maker brand, producing a couple of first batches of ice after it has been sitting for some time will take a bit more energy. Once the ice maker is completely cooled down, it will no longer use as much energy to function.
The Startup Energy Used
A portable ice maker uses a higher amount of energy (wattage per minute) only when it is just started. Most portable ice makers use 100 watts on average when running consistently, while the unit will use about 200 or even more watts once it is started. Once the ice maker gets its kickstart, it will start using less energy. It takes 7 to 15 minutes for a portable ice maker to make a batch of ice, meaning – it will start using less energy within the next 15 to 30 minutes.
Voltage Used by Ice Makers
The average portable nugget ice maker will work on a 120V outlet. Depending on the model and the attachments, some may also function with 220V outlets. An adapter can supply any ice maker with the optimal energy flow and reduce energy consumption.
What You Can Do To Reduce Wattage
Tips on what you can do to reduce wattage are listed below:
1. Use the machine out of sunlight
When using an ice maker directly under sunlight, the heat radiation emitted by the sun will start warming up the unit. The warmer the unit gets, the more energy it will consume to cool itself down and the sunlight will warm the pieces up – making the cooling system operate under pressure and increase the wattage the unit is using.
Use the ice machine in a shaded place, away from any direct sunlight. While sunlight might not increase the energy usage drastically, it is possible to save some money by simply placing it in the shade.
2. Use cool water
Whenever an ice maker is producing ice, it starts by cooling off the water that is sitting in the tray. The warmer the water is, the more energy it will use to cool it off and turn it into ice. Use chilled water instead to make the unit use less watts and spend less time cooling the water.
3. Leave some space around the unit
Every ice maker cones with fans going from the side to the rear that keep the unit cool and allow it to work more efficiently. If the fans don’t have enough space to operate, they will fail to keep the ice maker cool – therefore causing it to use more energy.
Final Thoughts
Overall, ice makers do not use that much energy. However, this depends on how you are using them. If you give the unit the proper maintenance and use it where you are supposed to, then it should not use up an incredible amount of energy.
