Costway High Capacity Portable Ice Maker Review

One of our top recommendations for most people is the Costway portable ice maker.

It’s a sleek little work hose capable of making up to 26.5 pounds of ice every day, which is plenty for most families.

It’s also enough for parties, small home events, and even a small office.   

And the price is excellent, at less than $150.

With a sleek, modern design, the Costway looks perfect on any kitchen counter, boat, RV or wherever you want to use it.

Unlike a built-in ice maker, you can move this one from room to room, or use it on your backyard deck or patio.

See our complete review below to decide whether this is the right unit for you. 

If you want alternatives to the Costway ice maker, then check out our reviews of other popular models.

It’s a close race between Ivation and other popular compact ice makers brands such as Igloo and Della. They are all attractive and share many of the same features.

But there is one thing that sets the Ivation ice maker apart: it’s portability.

If portability is important to you, then you’ll love this ice maker. You can carry it everywhere you want in a backpack, and make great ice for coctails if you have power socket and water.

Weighing just 17.5 lbs, this is one of the lightest portable ice makers you can buy.

So it's a pleasant surprise to learn it matches the production and storage capacity of other heavier portable ice makers.

The Costway ice maker punches above its weight.

Despite its compact size, it can produce up to 26.5 pounds of ice every day. That’s more than what you need for your daily cocktails or slushies. Even a large family can’t use all that ice in a day.

To make full use of the Costway’s capacity, you’d have to invite a few friends over for an evening carouse. Or carry the ice maker to a friend’s birthday party or wedding shower.

With more drinks to chill, the ice maker will have to work harder.

The Costway ice maker has another feature that makes it ideal for high-demand situations. It only takes 6 minutes to prepare another batch of ice cubes.

And the best part is that you don’t have to tell the machine to make more - or when to stop.

It also has a sensor that tells the machine when the ice bucket is full, which stops further production. As soon as you scoop some of the ice out, the machine automatically kicks back into action.

You just need to make sure there is enough water in the tank, and you can keep making ice all day long.

So whether you are home alone, enjoying chilled smoothies with the family or having a good time at a friend’s party, the Costway portable ice maker is good for all of them.

The ice maker is easy to use. Unlike a standalone ice maker, there is no setup involved. You don’t need to connect a water line or figure out the drainage. Just plug it in, add water to the tank and switch it on.

There are two buttons on the Costway that control everything.

One button is for switching the unit on/off. The second is for selecting your preferred ice cube sizes.

There are also two indicators. One lights up when there is no water and the other when the ice basket is full.

Note that you don’t always have to be there to make ice. You can leave the unit on in the morning and find ready ice cubes in the evening.

When the ice bucket gets full, it will stop making ice.

But since the ice cubes are not refrigerated, they will melt.

As the level of ice in the bucket falls, the ice maker kicks back into gear.

We've scanned the web to get others' opinions about this inexpensive ice maker.

A few owners have encountered  problems such as weird smells and unexpected breakdowns.

To get rid of smells, a thorough cleaning with vinegar or an ice maker cleaner is the answer (this is true for all portable ice makers, it's not a problem that is unique to the Costway).

As for the breakdowns, the Costway ice maker is not the most durable unit we've reviewed. 

We expect it to last two-three years of constant use.

But if you just want a cheap, light and high-capacity ice maker, the Costway is a good choice.

Most verified owners on Amazon happy with their purchase. Many noted that the unit produces more ice than they expected.

If you are looking for a more weather-resistant portable ice maker  for camping, road trips or your RV, then I suggest the Koldfront Portable Ice Maker.

But if you just want an ice maker to put in your kitchen or office, the Ivation is plenty good enough and will save you money.

You now have no excuse for those tedious trips to the store now and then.

There are plenty of affordable portable ice makers that will save you time and ensure you never run out of ice.

But the Costway high-capacity portable ice maker is one of the best around for the average kitchen or office. 

It’s small, it’s light, it’s easy to use and it produces more ice than you’ll most likely ever need.