GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker Review. Worth It In 2024?

Last updated on December 9th, 2024 at 04:52 am

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At the time of this writing, the GoveeLife Smart Ice Maker is priced at $160 retail, but we were able to find it on Amazon below for as low as $110. A savings of $50.

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Hey everyone! I’m here to tell you all about the GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker. You might be wondering if it’s worth buying in 2024, and I’m here to help you figure that out.

Have you ever wished you had an ice maker that wasn’t stuck in your fridge? One that makes ice super fast, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and can be used anywhere? And what if you could control it with your phone? Pretty cool, right?

Well, that’s exactly what this countertop ice maker does! It’s one of those new-fangled machines that makes getting ice super easy. It’s actually the second most popular smart ice maker out there (after the Ge Profile Opal 2.0)!  

To give you the best review possible, a ton of time was spent testing this ice maker out over the past few months. It was even compared to some other top rated ice makers to see how it measures up against the competition. And you can definitely trust what I say! We’ve been using and testing different countertop ice makers for over 3 years now, so we’ve got a pretty good idea of what to look for. We know a good ice maker when we see one! 😉

Stick around, and I’ll break down everything you need to know about this machine. By the end of this, you’ll be able to decide if it’s the perfect match for you, or if you’re better off exploring other options.

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Should You Buy The GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker?

This Machine Might Be Perfect For You If:

1. Your kitchen is a bit cramped, and you don’t have a lot of counter space.
2. You’re sick of running to the store for ice and want a super easy way to make it at home.
3. You need ice fast – like, faster than your fridge can make it.
4. Your fridge’s ice maker is broken, and you don’t want to spend a ton of money to fix it.
5. You don’t have a water line for an ice maker, but you still want the convenience of having one.
6. You love to go camping, hit the road, or spend time outdoors, and you can’t live without ice.
7. You’re all about cool gadgets and having things be as easy as possible.

But It Might Not Be The Best Choice If:

1. You only have access to tap water, and you don’t want to clean the machine regularly.
2. You really like those perfectly clear square ice cubes or the soft, chewy nugget ice.
3. You have a big family or entertain a lot, and you need a ton of ice.

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GoveeLife Smart Unboxing, First Impressions and Operation

When we opened the box, we found everything we needed: the ice maker itself, a little basket to hold the ice, a scoop, and the Instruction Manual. Our first thought? We think it looks really nice! It kind of reminded us of another popular ice maker we’ve also tested, the Silonn Slim01b, because they have a similar style. But anyway, just like you see in the pictures, it’s got this sleek stainless steel finish, with a control panel on top that’s super easy to figure out. Plus, it has a see-through lid so you can peek inside and see how the ice is made!

Using the GoveeLife Ice Maker is a piece of cake! It only has 3 buttons and 7 little lights. The middle button turns it on and off. The button on the left lets you choose between three sizes of ice: small, medium, and large. And the button on the right starts the self-cleaning mode (which is super handy!). The 3 lights on the left show you what size ice you’ve chosen. The 4 lights on the right let you know if the self-cleaning is running, if you need to add more water, if the ice basket is full, and if the machine is connected to your Wi-Fi.

And speaking of Wi-Fi, here’s one of our favorite things about this ice maker: You can control it from your phone! And not just when you’re at home, but from anywhere at all. Seriously, anywhere! It doesn’t matter if you’re down the street or miles away, you can still tell it what to do.

Just imagine this: you’re at work and you realize you’ll want some ice for a nice cold drink when you get home. Just grab your phone, open the app, and turn the ice maker on! By the time you get home, you’ll have a bunch of fresh ice ready to go. How cool is that? This feature really takes these ice makers to a whole new level of awesome.

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Ice Cube Style and Production Speed

The GoveeLife Ice Maker makes those cylinder-shaped ice cubes with the hole in the middle—you know, the ones that look like little bullets. I’ll be honest, it’s not our absolute favorite kind of ice. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not bad ice or anything. It’s actually great for things like sodas, milkshakes, or any drink where you want it to cool down quickly. The thing is, because it’s hollow, it melts a bit faster than other types of ice. So, if you’re making fancy cocktails or other drinks with alcohol, it might not be the best choice. It can make them watery too quickly! Basically, it’s not the kind of ice you can use for every drink.  

The good news about this ice maker is how fast it makes ice! That’s pretty common for countertop ice makers, especially ones that make bullet ice. Depending on the size of ice you choose, it can make 9 cubes in about 6 to 9 minutes. And it can fill up the whole ice basket (which holds about 1.6 pounds of ice) in about an hour. Pretty impressive, right?

I should point out that how fast it makes ice can change a bit depending on how warm or cold the water is and how warm or cold the room is. But don’t worry too much about that. This thing has been tested out a bunch in all kinds of different temperatures, and it still pumps out the ice pretty fast, even when it’s hot out!

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GoveeLife Ice Maker Storage and Production Capacity

One thing to keep in mind about this ice maker is that it doesn’t hold a ton of water or ice at once. That’s also quite normal for most bullet models. But even though it’s compact, the GoveeLife actually has one of the biggest water tanks we’ve seen in a bullet ice maker. It holds about 2 liters of water, which is more than some other models that only hold 1.5 liters. That means you won’t have to refill it as often, which is always a plus!

On the other hand, the ice basket can hold about 1.6 pounds of ice (remember it can be filled in about 1 hour). It’s not the biggest, but it’s not the smallest either! Many bullet ice makers hold at least 1.3 pounds, so this one’s pretty average. Again, it’s all about that compact size!

So, if you’re someone who needs a lot of ice, like maybe you throw big parties all the time, this machine might not be the best choice for you. But if you’re just looking for an ice maker for occasional or moderate use, or maybe for small get-togethers with friends and family, it should do the trick! Just keep in mind that you might have to refill the water and empty the ice basket every so often.

They say this machine can make up to 26 pounds of ice in a day. I’ll be honest, we didn’t test that out ourself (who has time for that?!). But based on how fast it makes ice and how well it performed in our other tests, we’re pretty confident it can crank out a lot of ice throughout the day if you need it to.

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GoveeLife Performance and Noise Level

Like I said earlier, this ice maker was put through its paces for the past four months. We really wanted to see how well it works, both when it’s brand new and after using it for a while. It was checked to make sure it kept making ice at the same speed and quality, even after hours of use. It was also made sure all the different features worked like they were supposed to – things like the automatic shut-off, the indicator lights, and the self-cleaning function. It was even made work in a really hot temperatures (around 90°F!) to see how it would handle it.

And guess what? This ice maker totally exceeded our expectations! Everything worked perfectly every single time. The only thing that was noticed in the hot was that it made ice a little slower, but the quality of the ice was still awesome.

Now, here’s the thing that really impressed us the most: This ice maker is really quiet! To be honest, it’s the quietest one we’ve ever used. I actually had it sitting a lot of times right next to my laptop while I was working at night, and it didn’t bother me at all. I wasn’t even trying to test how quiet it was – I just didn’t have anywhere else to put it at the time! Seriously, it’s incredibly quiet. If you’re someone who likes peace and quiet, you’ll love this ice maker.

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Smart Functions And Ice Preservation

Here’s a really handy feature: this machine (like most modern ice makers) knows when to stop! It has this automatic shut-off thing that kicks in to end ice production when the bin is full. Once the basket starts to get empty (either because you’ve used some ice or it started to melt), it will automatically start making more ice as long as there’s water in the reservoir. Pretty smart, right?

There’s one important thing you need to know about countertop ice makers: they don’t actually keep the ice frozen. So, if you don’t use the ice for a while, it’ll melt back into water. And like I mentioned before, this kind of ice melts pretty easily, especially the small size. We also noticed in our tests that not only does it melt fast, but it kind of sticks together when it starts to melt. And because it’s hollow, it can be a little tricky to get the cubes apart without breaking them.

But don’t worry! If the ice does melt in the machine, it’s not a big deal. The water just goes back into the tank and gets used to make more ice. No harm, no foul!”

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Convenient Drainage and Portability

This ice maker also has a handy little drain at the bottom. It’s got a plug in it, which can be a little tricky to get out sometimes (as usual with many counter ice makers that have this same plug). But the drain is really useful for cleaning the machine and keeping it in good shape. It also helps prevent any mold or mildew from growing inside because of leftover water.

Okay, one last thing I want to mention is how portable this machine is! There are a few reasons why it’s not just for kitchen counter use. First of all, it doesn’t need to be hooked up to a water line – you just fill up the tank manually. Second, it’s pretty lightweight (about 16 pounds), so it’s easy to move around. And third, it’s quite compact, so it can fit in just about any space.

So, if you like to go camping, take road trips, or spend time on a boat, you can totally bring this ice maker along! Just make sure you have a way to plug it in, and you’ll have ice wherever you go.

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Score Breakdown

Our Overall Rating: 8.1

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Our Final Thoughts On The GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker

After trying out the GoveeLife Smart Ice Maker, I’ve got to say, we were really impressed! This machine is all about convenience. It’s good-looking, compact, portable, and super easy to use. Plus, it works like a dream! And to make it even better, you can control it from your phone, no matter where you are. That’s just awesome!

Now, if we had to be picky, there are a couple of things that aren’t our absolute favorite. First, the type of ice it makes isn’t as good as some other types. It melts a little faster and can be a bit tricky to use in certain drinks. Second, it doesn’t hold a ton of water or ice at once, so you might have to refill it and empty it more often.

But honestly, those things aren’t a big deal for many people. If you don’t use a lot of ice, and you’re not a big fan of drinks that need to stay cold for a long time (like cocktails), then you won’t even notice those things.

So, is the GoveeLife worth the money? Here’s our honest opinion: If you just want a basic ice maker and you don’t care about controlling it from your phone, then you might want to consider a more basic model. There are plenty of other good ice makers out there that are cheaper and don’t have any fancy features.

But if you’re looking for the ultimate in convenience, the GoveeLife is the way to go! It’s a fantastic ice maker that comes with some really cool extras.

Before I wrap things up, I do want to mention a few other smart ice makers that are a bit cheaper than the GoveeLife. You might want to check out the smart versions of the Euhomy Im-01 and the Silonn Slim01b – these are already popular models, and now they have all the bells and whistles of a smart ice maker! There’s also the Joyplanet, a brand new option on the market. All three have similar features to the GoveeLife, but GoveeLife has been around longer and has a lot of happy users (including us!). The Joyplanet is still pretty new, while the Euhomy and Silonn smart models build on the success of their non-smart counterparts.

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