Portable Ice Maker Not Making Ice – How To Fix?

My portable ice maker is not making any ice. This question is asked when your ice maker stops making ice. There are a few obvious reasons why no ice is being made. We will help you figure out what the problem is. We’ll offer some other tips and tricks on how to fix any issues so that your portable ice maker can function properly. We will start with the most common reasons first.

Portable Ice Maker Not Making IcePortable Ice Maker Not Making Ice

The following tips are reasons why your portable ice maker is not making ice:

Portable Ice Maker Won’t Make Ice

Power To Ice Maker

Make sure the power cord is plugged in and the ice maker is turned on. If the ice maker does not power on, try plugging it into a different power outlet. Most kitchen power outlets use GFCI. This type of outlet will reset if overloaded and not produce power. You can reset the outlet by pressing the small button located on the outlet. To verify that your portable ice maker is turned on, check the indicator lights on the top of the device to ensure that the “Power” light is illuminated. If the ice maker is powered ON and it will not make ice, continue reading below.

Level Of Water To Ice Maker

On most portable ice makers, manually adding water is required to create ice cubes. If you do not add water, there isn’t any water for ice cubes to form when the water levels are low. Check the water level in your ice maker. Fill the water reservoir to the line or indicator. If the water is filled properly and the ice maker still does not make ice, continue reading more tips below.

Temperature Of Water

Do not use hot or warm water when filling your portable ice maker reservoir. Preferably, use filtered cold water to fill the ice maker reservoir. If you use warm water in your ice maker, it will take a longer time frame for the warmer water to get to the freezing point. The water in your ice maker needs to be cooled down to the proper temperature before it can begin making ice cubes. So the colder the water you add to the ice maker reservoir, the faster it will make ice cubes.

Temperature Issues

Portable ice makers all include a refrigeration unit to keep the ice cubes frozen. Many ice makers that are cheaply built may have less insulation to keep the ice frozen. This issue can result in your ice melting quickly. Your ice cubes may melt faster than normal if it is warmer in your home. If you have the heater on in your home during the winter months, the ice in the basket may melt faster than normal. Some of the ice cubes might be smaller than usual or appear to be melting fast. If this occurs with your portable ice maker, place your ice cubes in the main freezer to keep them frozen.

Ice Maker Is Full

Most portable ice makers have a sensor that lets it know when it’s time to make ice. If the ice maker ice bucket is full, it will not make anymore ice cubes. To make more ice, you must remove the ice in the ice bucket. The ice maker will sense that the ice bucket is empty and begin making more ice cubes. If this sensor is not working properly, the ice maker will make too much ice and it will overflow.

Portable Ice Maker Parts IllustrationPortable Ice Maker Parts Illustration


Portable Ice Maker Is Not Working

Other Portable Ice Maker Problems

Ice Maker Water Filter Issue

The ice maker may not be making ice because of a clogged water filter. Check the water filter in your portable ice maker. It may have some gunk built up and needs to be cleaned. Simply remove it and clean it with hot water to remove anything buildup that could be causing a problem.

Plug Drain On Ice Maker

If the plug drain is open or not installed properly, the water will pour out and ice cannot be made. Be sure your portable ice maker has the drain plug installed correctly.

Ice Maker Vent Fan Issue

Some ice makers have a fan on the side to blow away hotter air. Be sure this is not blocked against a wall as the air needs to be able to escape the ice maker. If the fan or vent is blocked, the ice maker may not be able to properly make ice.

Ice Maker Display Not Working

If the ice maker has a display panel and it is not responding to touch, simply reset the ice maker by unplugging it for about 5 minutes to reset it. Plug it back in and try the panel to see if it is responding. If not, there may be wiring or a board issue.

Ice Maker Water Line Clogged

The water in the reservoir travels to the ice making part of the device through a water line. This water is then frozen and transformed into ice cubes all through this water line. If the ice maker water line gets clogged with hard water or bent, the water cannot travel from the reservoir to the ice maker. If you suspect the water line to be clogged, unplug the ice maker from power. Check the water line on the ice maker to be sure there is nothing preventing the water from flowing freely. Take the water line out of the ice maker and clean it out using hot water. This will remove any clogs that may be present. Replace the water line once it is clean and test the ice maker.

Troubleshooting portable ice makerTroubleshooting a Portable Ice Maker

How to troubleshoot a portable ice makerHow To Troubleshoot a Portable Ice Maker

Troubleshooting Portable Ice Maker

1. Power Light is not turning on

  • Portable Ice Maker is unplugged. Plug into outlet.
  • The fuse is blown or circuit breaker is tripped. Replace fuse or reset circuit breaker.
  • If too many items are plugged into a single circuit, move some items to a different plug.

2. Ice Basket Light is on

  • Ice Storage Basket is full. Remove ice from Ice Storage Basket.
  • Low temperature protection activates when ambient temperature is lower than 41ºF (5ºC). Move Portable Ice Maker to a warmer place, where ambient temperature is higher.

3. Water Indicator Light is on

  • Water Reservoir is empty. Add clean water.
  • Water supply system is damaged.

4. Ice Basket Light and Water Indicator Lights are on

  • Ice-making area may be blocked. Check for blockage in Ice-making area. Dislodge blockage.
  • Internal components are damaged.

5. Ice-making performance is poor

  • Air Outlet is blocked. Clean Air Outlet. Wipe with a soft, damp cloth and dry.
  • Water temperature is too high. Fill with cold or room-temperature water.
  • Ambient temperature is too high. Move Portable Ice Maker to a cooler place where ambient temperature is lower than 95ºF (38ºC).
  • Refrigerant is leaking and/or refrigerating system is damaged.

6. Portable Ice Maker is noisy

  • Fan or pump is damaged.

Portable Ice Maker Service Manuals

Crownful Portable Ice Maker Manual
Deco Portable Ice Maker Manual
Della Portable Ice Maker Manual
Dreamiracle Portable Ice Maker Manual
Euhomy Portable Ice Maker Manual
Frigidaire Portable Ice Maker Manual
GE Portable Ice Maker Manual
Hamilton Beach Portable Ice Maker Manual

Igloo Portable Ice Maker Manual
Insignia Portable Ice Maker Manual
Kismile Portable Ice Maker Manual
Magic Chef Portable Ice Maker Manual
Novete Portable Ice Maker Manual
TRUSTECH Portable Ice Maker Manual
VIVOHOME Portable Ice Maker Manual

Need more troubleshooting help with your portable ice maker? Please leave a comment below and we can have someone help you. Please leave the model number of your ice maker so we can better assist you.

13 thoughts on “Portable Ice Maker Not Making Ice – How To Fix?”

  1. Appliance Repair Assistant

    Brandi L Christensen.

    Here are common issues with a Vivo Antarctic Star ice maker and solutions to fix it yourselves.

    Issue: The ice maker isn’t making ice or is making it very slowly.
    Solution: Check the water supply line for any blockages or kinks. Make sure the water pressure is sufficient, and the water filter is clean. If needed, replace the filter.

    Issue: The ice from the ice maker has an unpleasant taste or smell.
    Solution: Replace the water filter or clean the ice maker, depending on the cause. Make sure the ice storage bin is clean and sanitized.

    Issue: The ice maker is producing too much ice and overflowing.
    Solution: Adjust the ice maker settings according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. You might need to decrease the ice thickness or reduce the amount of time the machine operates.
    -RR

  2. Brandi L Christensen

    Having issues with our Vivo Antarctic Star ice maker.
    We have tried calling the manufacturer for service and they don’t have a service department for their appliance! Very frustrating!
    Thank you in advance!

  3. Allen Vetter - DIY Repair Assistant

    Donna McMinn,

    Ok thanks for that.

    Make sure it has a steady water supply.

    Check the water reservoir and add water if needed.

    Many portable ice makers will turn off automatically if there’s a problem with the water supply line including an empty tank.

    Clean any water filters on the ice maker.

    Try adjusting the temperature.

    Check to make sure the ice sensor isn’t blocked.

    -RR

  4. Allen Vetter - DIY Repair Assistant

    Donna McMinn,
    Hello, can you tell us the model number of your ice maker?
    Try unplugging the ice maker for a reset.
    Is the fan possibly being blocked and unable to spin?
    -RR

  5. I have a Sionn Trim2 countertop icemaker. The water is not recycling and the machine is not making ice cubes completely. I have only had the device 5 months. I have looked for informaiton on the machine onlilne but have not been able to find anything. Thank you for any help you can give.

  6. The ice mold is stuck and won’t move up. It has power and water and was making ice cubes yesterday. I was able to unplug it and restart, but now turned back on and power is on but the mold won’t move.

  7. Just bought a mini Frigidaire ice maker and I put the water in and all the lights work on it, but it goes through all the process of making the ice but it doesn’t make any ice at all.

  8. Kathy L Curtsinger

    Insignia mdl NS-IMP26SLO – The ice mold is stuck and won’t come down. It has power and water and making ice cubes last night. It did this but was able to unplug it and restart, but now turned back on and power is on but the mold won’t move.

  9. ALLEN VETTER - DIY Repair Assistant

    Karen,
    Can you send us the model number of your Hamilton Beach Ice Maker?
    We can help you once we know the exact model number.
    Thanks!
    -RR

  10. Just bought my Hamilton Beach portable ice maker and it worked 2 weeks. Now the add water light is on and won’t go off and it’s not making ice and it is full of water. I unplugged it to reset but it didn’t work. Any help would be appreciated.

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