EUHOMY Commercial Under Counter Ice Maker Review: lots of ice, a few quirks

I picked up the EUHOMY Commercial Under Counter Ice Maker mainly because I was tired of buying ice bags for parties and constantly running out when people came over. I also wasn’t willing to drop $2,000+ on a Whirlpool or similar built-in unit. This one sits in that mid-range: not cheap countertop gadget, not high-end kitchen appliance either. I’ve been using it as a built-in under a bar counter, with regular home use plus a few larger gatherings.

From day one, this thing’s main selling point is simple: it makes a lot of ice, fast. The 85 lb/day number is obviously their lab spec, but in normal use it still cranks out more ice than a regular freezer ever will. If you’re used to emptying those tiny fridge ice bins after one family dinner, this is on a different level. You get clear, square-style ice cubes that look more like what you’d see in a bar than in a fridge tray.

But it’s not plug-and-play like a countertop nugget maker. You need a water line, a drain, and a bit of patience for setup. The drain pump helps a lot if your drain is higher or not directly under the machine, but you still have to think about hose routing and the note they give: the drain pipe should be below the drain of the machine. Skip that, and you’re asking for standing water and headaches. It’s more like installing a dishwasher than a toaster.

In short, this is a pretty solid option if you want serious ice production without paying luxury-brand prices, but it’s not perfect. You trade some build and long-term reliability compared to the big brands for a much lower price and a decent feature set (auto-clean, timer, adjustable cube thickness). If you’re handy or at least not afraid of basic plumbing, it’s doable. If you expect to just unbox and forget it, you might be annoyed by the installation and the bit of maintenance it needs.

From a value perspective, this is where the EUHOMY makes the most sense. One user mentioned their old Whirlpool under-counter ice maker would cost around $2,400 to replace now, and this unit is roughly a quarter of that price. That lines up with my own shopping: the big names are very expensive, especially for something that just makes frozen water. So if you want a built-in or under-counter setup without spending a small fortune, this hits a nice middle ground.

What you get for the money is pretty solid: high ice output, a 24 lb bin, a built-in drain pump, auto-clean, a 24-hour timer, adjustable cube thickness, and a reversible door. You also get customer service that, based on multiple reviews, actually responds and tries to help. One person with a damaged bin got taken care of, and another whose older unit died out of warranty still got a partial refund or discount offer. That doesn’t fix everything, but compared to some random no-name brands that ignore you, it’s worth something.

The trade-offs come down to long-term durability and parts availability. If you spread the cost of a Whirlpool over 10+ years, the yearly cost might actually be similar or even better. With this EUHOMY, if it only lasts 3–4 years, you might end up replacing it sooner. For some people, that’s fine because the upfront cost is lower and technology changes anyway. For others, especially if you hate dealing with installations, that’s a bigger issue.

For home users who are tired of buying ice bags or dealing with tiny freezer ice makers, the value is pretty good. For small bars, Airbnbs, or offices that want a reliable ice source without overspending, it’s also reasonable — just budget for maintenance and accept that it’s not a forever machine. If you want something you’ll install once and forget about for a decade, you might be better off saving up for a higher-end brand. But if your priority is good performance at a relatively low price, this EUHOMY earns its keep.

The design is pretty no-nonsense: stainless steel body, front door with a handle, and a simple LCD control panel up top. It’s meant to either slide under a counter or sit freestanding. The reversible door is actually useful — you can swap it to open left or right depending on your layout. In my case, I had to flip it so it wouldn’t slam into a cabinet. It’s not complicated, but it’s not a two-minute job either; you’ll need a screwdriver and a bit of patience.

The unit is relatively compact for what it does, but don’t underestimate the depth and height. With the adjustable feet, you’re close to standard counter height, but if your counter is unusually low, you might be pushing it. The front-venting setup means it can live in a built-in space without needing a ton of extra air gaps at the sides, but you still shouldn’t cram it in with zero room. If you’re replacing something older, measure twice. Several people, including me, had to trim wood or adjust the opening.

Installation-wise, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, the built-in drain pump saves you from needing a floor drain. That’s huge for home bars or kitchens where the only option is tying into a sink drain. On the downside, the water line connection isn’t universal. If your old unit used a different style connection (like many Whirlpool/Kenmore units), expect a quick trip to the hardware store for an adapter. Also, they insist on keeping the unit upright for at least 24 hours before use, which is standard for refrigeration, but it’s another little thing to plan around.

In day-to-day use, the design is decent. The door feels okay, not luxury-level but not flimsy. The bin is easy to access, and scooping ice isn’t awkward. It’s fairly quiet for what it is — you’ll hear the compressor and water running, but in a bar or kitchen it blends into background noise. Compared to a fridge ice maker, it’s louder; compared to a commercial machine in a restaurant, it’s quieter. Overall, the design is practical, but you can tell where they saved some cost versus premium brands.

Build-wise, the machine feels solid enough for the price but not indestructible. The stainless steel outer shell looks good and is easy to wipe down. The door has a decent weight to it, and the internal bin is plastic, which is standard. One user did get a bin that arrived cracked from shipping, which obviously isn’t ideal, but they said EUHOMY customer service handled it quickly and replaced it. That at least shows they don’t vanish when there’s a problem.

The bigger question is long-term durability. One reviewer mentioned an older version of this ice maker broke after about 1.5 years of occasional use. That’s not great, especially if it’s plumbed in and built under a counter—replacing it is a hassle. To their credit, customer service offered either a 15% discount on a new unit or a small refund, even though it was out of warranty and parts weren’t available. That’s nice from a service standpoint, but it also confirms another issue: spare parts are not easy to get. With brands like Whirlpool, you can often find parts and keep a unit going longer. With this, if something important fails after warranty, you’re probably replacing the whole machine.

Maintenance is straightforward but not optional. The self-cleaning function is a plus, but you still need to run it and occasionally wipe down the interior and bin. The manual suggests regular cleaning based on usage, and that’s not just a suggestion — if you skip it, minerals and slime will eventually build up, especially with hard water. Also, the warning about the drain pipe being below the machine’s drain is there for a reason. If you ignore it, water can back up, which is bad for both hygiene and the machine’s lifespan.

Overall, I’d rate durability as average to slightly above average for this price range. You’re not getting the bulletproof feel of a $2,400 Whirlpool, but you’re also paying a fraction of that. If you treat it decently, keep it clean, and install the drain correctly, it should last a few years. If you’re expecting 10+ years of worry-free use, like some people got from their old Whirlpool units, this probably won’t match that. It’s more of a mid-term solution than a lifetime appliance.

Performance is where this thing actually shines for the price. The 85 lb/day figure is the marketing number, but even if you don’t hit that in normal use, it still pumps out more ice than most households will ever need. When I ran it continuously for a party weekend, I was seeing a full batch of about 40 cubes roughly every 12–15 minutes once it was up to speed. That lines up with their 10–18 minute claim, assuming normal room temperature and decent water temperature.

The 24 lb storage bin is big enough that you can fill a couple of large freezer bags or a cooler without babysitting it constantly. One Amazon reviewer mentioned bagging the ice and tossing it into the freezer to keep it fresh, which is exactly what I ended up doing before guests came over. The bin itself is insulated but not actively cooled, so if you just leave it full all day, the bottom layer will slowly melt and get reused. For regular daily use (drinks, small gatherings), that’s fine. For stockpiling ice for events, you’ll want to move it to a freezer.

Noise-wise, I’d call it pretty reasonable. It’s not silent — you’ll hear the compressor kick on, water flowing, and the ice dropping. But it’s way less annoying than those cheap countertop machines that whine and rattle. Under a bar counter, it blends into the background after a while. In a quiet, open living space, you’ll notice it, but it’s not deal-breaking unless you’re super sensitive to noise.

One point to be aware of: long-term reliability is a bit of a question mark. One reviewer said their older version of this brand’s ice maker died after about 1.5 years of occasional use, which isn’t great. The positive side is that customer service did respond and offered either a discount on a new one or a small refund, but that doesn’t change the fact that the unit failed early and parts were not available. So in terms of pure performance while it works, it’s solid. In terms of how many years of service you’ll get compared to a Whirlpool at triple the price, you’re probably giving up some lifespan.

On paper, the specs are pretty straightforward: up to 85 lb of ice per day, about 40 cubes every 10–18 minutes, and a 24 lb storage bin. It runs on standard 110V, and the unit itself is roughly 15" wide, 18.5" deep, and 34" high with the adjustable feet. That size matters, especially if you’re replacing an older Whirlpool/Kenmore under-counter unit. One reviewer mentioned it’s a bit wider than their old Whirlpool, and I ran into the same thing: I had to shave a bit of trim to slide it in.

The ice is the clear, square-ish type, not the hollow half-moon fridge stuff or nugget ice. You can tweak the thickness using the control panel, which basically adjusts how long each cycle runs. Thicker ice takes a bit longer per batch but melts slower in drinks and coolers. The bin doesn’t have its own freezer compressor; it’s insulated, but the ice will slowly melt and the water gets reused for more ice. So it’s more of an ice reservoir than a long-term storage freezer.

The machine comes with a drain pump built in, which is important. A lot of cheaper under-counter units rely on gravity drain, meaning your floor drain has to be lower than the outlet. This one can push water up to a reasonable height, so if you’re tying into a sink drain or don’t have a floor drain, it’s much easier. Just keep in mind their warning: if you disconnect or don’t use the pump, empty the ice bucket first, or you’re risking water where you don’t want it.

Overall, the package is pretty complete: machine, internal bin, door already mounted (and reversible), and the control panel up front. You’ll still likely need a water line adapter depending on your existing plumbing. One user had to buy one to adapt from their Whirlpool-style line, and I had to do the same. So don’t assume it’s a direct swap for every brand. For the price, the feature list is solid, but it’s not a magic box — you need to plan your space, water, and drain ahead of time.

In everyday use, the machine is genuinely effective at doing the basic job: always having ice around. If you’re used to running out of ice halfway through a barbecue or having to grab gas station ice before guests arrive, this solves that. After the first 30–40 minutes of start-up, it settles into a rhythm and the bin starts to fill up nicely. For a family that uses ice daily for drinks plus occasional entertaining, it more than keeps up.

The adjustable ice thickness is more useful than it sounds. On thinner settings, the cubes freeze faster but melt faster in drinks. On thicker settings, they take a bit longer to produce but they last longer in a glass or cooler. I ended up setting it slightly on the thicker side; the ice felt more solid and didn’t water down drinks as quickly. One reviewer also mentioned liking the choice between smaller and larger cubes — it’s not a crazy feature, but it does give you some control instead of being stuck with one default.

The 24-hour timer is handy if you don’t want it running all the time. You can set it to start making ice before you get home or to shut off overnight. In practice, I mostly left it on when I knew I’d use it a lot and turned it off for a couple of days when I didn’t need much ice. It’s not smart-home level or app-controlled, but the basic scheduling works and the display shows ambient temperature and settings clearly enough.

Where effectiveness dips a bit is around maintenance and long-term use. The self-cleaning function (pressing the “Timer Clean” button for 5 seconds) is useful, but you still need to remember to run it regularly, especially if you have hard or well water. One reviewer with well water said they like having fresh ice versus old freezer ice that absorbs smells, which I agree with, but with well water you really do want to be disciplined on cleaning to avoid mineral buildup. If you ignore that, any ice maker will start to misbehave over time, and this one is no exception.