Ice Demand & Machine Sizing
Capacity is a constraint, not a preference. Enter what the household actually gets through, the temperature the machine has to work in, and one peak evening — the calculator returns the minimum nameplate rating that survives the derate, and tells you whether the bin or the compressor is the thing standing in your way.
1. Everyday demand
A filled 16 oz tumbler holds roughly 6 oz of ice.
2. Your conditions
Use your worst month, not the annual average.
Summer mains water runs far above the 50°F rating condition.
3. Peak test — can it cover an event?
Optional. Fill these in to test one specific machine against one specific evening.
Countertop bins hold 1.5-3 lb. Undercounter bins run 12-30 lb.
A countertop bin is insulated, not refrigerated — ice sheds mass back to the reservoir the whole time it sits there. Bagging into a freezer is the only way to bank a real reserve.