Get a countertop ice maker if you can't run a drain

Yes, portable countertop ice makers don’t need a drain—they recirculate the water and you empty the bin by hand.

Here’s how they work: you pour water into a reservoir, a small pump sends it up over a set of cold metal tubes. Ice forms around the tubes, then a brief heating cycle releases the cubes into the storage basket. Any meltwater from that basket just drips back down into the reservoir and gets reused. That’s the whole trick—no drain line required because it’s basically a closed loop.

The trade-offs are real. Ice comes out smaller and softer than from a plumbed machine, production is slower (usually a batch every 10–20 minutes), and you have to empty the bin once it’s full or it melts back into water. You’re also refilling the reservoir every few dozen cubes, especially in summer.

That said, they’re perfect for a camper, an office,