Quick ice cubes at the touch of a button, without a long wait in the freezer compartment – that’s what the Qexreed ice cube machine promises.
Summer temperatures, a spontaneous garden party or just a desire for a cool drink – the question of ice cubes arises. Classic silicone molds in the freezer take hours, take up space and are rarely filled enough when you urgently need them. Ready-made ice cubes from the supermarket or gas station are an emergency solution, but they do not solve the space problem in the ice compartment.
Electric ice cube machines promise a solution: fill in water, switch on and get a refill after a few minutes. The Ice Cube Maker from Qexreed falls into this class of devices. According to the manufacturer, it should produce nine ice cubes in just six to eight minutes and deliver up to 12 kg of ice per day. There is also a viewing window with blue interior lighting, a self-cleaning function and a side water drain.
We looked at how the device, which currently costs around 90 euros, performs in everyday life, whether the promised times are realistic and what uses it is suitable for.
Design and equipment
The Qexreed ice cube machine Ice Cube Maker comes compactly packaged with an ice scoop, collecting basket and instructions. With dimensions of around 35 × 23 × 30 cm (D × W × H) and a weight of around 6.9 kg, it is one of the rather small representatives of its guild. The matt plastic housing is cleanly processed and makes an overall high-quality impression.
The visual highlight is the large viewing window on the front, through which you can watch the device at work. Ice blue interior lighting ensures a real eye-catcher during operation – the device attracts attention, especially at parties or behind the bar. It is operated via three buttons on the top: large ice cubes, small ice cubes and automatic cleaning. Status indicators indicate a full ice container or no water. The water tank holds 1.5 liters and the water drain on the side makes emptying easier. A practical carrying handle makes transporting it to the campsite or barbecue party easy. With a noise level of just under 50 dB(A) from one meter away, the machine works at a tolerable volume.
Practical test
Before the first use, a thorough cleaning cycle is recommended to remove production residues. We then fill the tank up to the mark, insert the basket and close the lid. After switching on, we select the ice cream size by pressing a button.
The compressor starts up audibly, but it’s not annoying. The first nine ice cubes end up in the collecting basket after around eleven and a half minutes. We don’t reach the six to eight minutes specified by the manufacturer here – a known effect because the device has to cool down first. The following runs are a little quicker at around eight and a half minutes because the water in the tank and the cooling elements are already pre-cooled. If you want to produce larger quantities, you should still allow some time.
The cubes themselves have an elongated teardrop or spherical shape and are hollow because they are created by nine “cooling lugs” in the device. In size L they measure approximately 3 × 2 cm, in size S they measure approximately 3 × 1 cm. The hollow cubes cool drinks quickly, but melt more quickly than solid cubes.
Practical: As soon as the container is full or there is too little water in the tank, the machine stops automatically and reports this on the top of the button. However, a problem that we already know from other machines also occurs here: the cubes produced can stack up so badly that they block the sensor, even though there would still be plenty of space left in the collecting basket. It helps to regularly distribute the ice cubes in the basket with a scoop.
After use, the 30-minute self-cleaning program ensures that everything is rinsed thoroughly. The tank can then be easily emptied via the side water drain – a detail that is missing from many competitors. If tap water contains lime, we recommend using filtered water to reduce descaling.
Preis
The Qexreed ice cube machine currently costs around 90 euros. This puts it in the middle of comparable devices. Functionally equivalent machines are sometimes cheaper – but the Qexreed scores with its stylish look and blue lighting.
Conclusion
The Ice Cube Maker from Qexreed is a well-functioning, stylishly designed ice cube machine at a fair price. The ice cube machine cuts a solid figure in the test. It is compact, sufficiently quiet and easy to transport thanks to the carrying handle. The operation via three buttons is intuitive, and the automatic switch-off when the container is full or empty is practical. We particularly like the side water drain, which makes emptying noticeably easier.
The six minutes promised by the manufacturer for nine ice cubes cannot be achieved in reality – around eight to nine minutes is realistic. The hollow, teardrop-shaped cubes cool drinks quickly, but also melt quickly.
