10 Best Ice Maker That Uses 5 Gallon Water Bottle for Effortless, High-Quality I

Customer Review: So far, this thing is a superstar!!! I am using a 5 Gal Primo water bottle inside the home. It makes ice very quickly and options towards what freeze level and how much, clean option works well – I can say enough – This ice maker is an absolute good buy. I only had it a week and really hope it lasts.

Customer Review: muy mala calidad todo el tiempo tira agua moja todo el piso se acaba un galón de agua y no hace nada de hielo

Customer Review: Prior to buying this Brio water dispenser we owned a Primo brand dispenser (also purchased from Amazon) we were pretty happy with it, for the most part. Over the past few years the primo has developed a taste I didn’t care for, but no one else in the house seemed to notice or care. I tried cleaning it with vinegar and water flushes and dilute bleach and water flushes but the taste remained. I figured it was just the brand of 5 gal bottles we were having delivered so I drank a lot of wasteful single serve plastic bottles to avoid the water from the Primo unit. Finally the cooling part of the Primo broke so I started looking for a replacement.I definitely wanted another bottom fed cooler. Once you get rid of that 5 gallon bottle perched on top of your cooler you’ll never want to go back. Just not having to deadlift the 50 lb bottle and flip it over without spilling a bunch of water on the floor is reason enough, right? Then there is the nice clean look of the cooler without the bottle perched on the top. Anyway, the Brio is a bottom fed so it fit the bill there. I also liked the sound of the “self cleaning ozone” feature so I decided to give the Brio a try, and I’m so glad I did.This Brio is such an improvement over the Primo it replaced. Let’s start with little things. The Brio pump is quieter. No one in our house cares about this but I’ve seen people complain about noisy bottom fed coolers and the Brio is pretty quiet.The Primo had a room temp button but the water was the nearly the same temp as the cold. It was a pointless and never used button on the PrimoThe Brio room temp button is just that, room temp water. I measured each spout and the cold is 43°F, room temp is 71°F, and hot is 178°F. Now you may already know this but 178°F is a great temp for steeping most white and green teas as well as herbal blends. Oolong and black teas want to be a little hotter (up over 200°F) but for a relaxing cup of sleepytime tea this thing s perfect. The Primo only reached 165F°. Point Brio.Also note you can turn off the hot water in the Brio if you don’t want to use it and don’t want to waste the energy heating water you won’t use. This was the same with the Primo.Tall containers fit better in the Brio. The Brio has a full 1 3/4″ (4.5cm for you non-Americans) more space under the spout than the Primo did, a full 10 inches from base to spout as well as a slightly wider perch than the Primo. I can fill my baseball stadium “big ole beer” cups, my Bubba Keg, even my wife’s tall 64oz Camelback fits under the Brio nozzle no problem. That never worked with the Primo, you were always holding cups at a weird angle with your finger over the edge to feel when the water was close to the top. Point BrioThe Brio is attractive, at least in my opinion. Black and stainless fit well in most any decor. The Primo was the same color scheme so a wash there.The taste. The water from the Brio is delicious. I don’t know what the deal was with the Primo, maybe it was age or some tubing they used I didn’t like but I’m back to drinking water from the dispenser instead of destroying the environment with plastic single serve water bottles. I’m going to make regular use of the “self cleaning ozone” feature in hopes of keeping it that way. I much prefer being an environmentally conscious citizen but I just couldn’t drink the water from the Primo, it was gross.So I guess you’ve figured out by now I really love this Brio water cooler and I highly recommend it. It is on the higher priced side of water dispensers but not by a lot and to me, if the self clean feature works it is 100% worth the extra money to have a cooler I will continue using for many years because the water will actually taste good.

Customer Review: I bought this product back on April 13, 2023. I love it, and it works very well. On January 31, 2026, it started malfunctioning. We try to make it work ourselves, but it only works for a little while. Please provide some instructions to see if we can fix it ourselves. If you have any suggestions, I would appreciate them.

Customer Review: This is a small commercial ice maker that is perfect for our farm kitchen, but wouldn’t be right for every situation.First, it can take a permanent hookup to tap water OR bottled water but does require a gravity drain and a dedicated electrical circuit. We designed our farm kitchen with a tap water connection and a drain near the floor specifically for an ice maker, but I could imagine putting this on a countertop and running the drain hose to an adjacent sink.Second, it’s not a large capacity machine by commercial standards. You could not run a restaurant of any size with it. I would estimate that the bin holds an amount of ice similar to a refrigerator ice maker, although I think it refills quicker than any refrigerator ice maker I’ve owned. For our farm kitchen, it is the right size because we do not have an ice maker in the fridge and I mostly need ice on days I am blanching produce for the freezer. I tried it yesterday starting with a full bin and was able to work all afternoon without running out of ice. So for a very small cafe, or a rec room or outdoor kitchen without an ice maker in the fridge, this would be a good size.The unit arrived in good shape (very well packaged!) and was pretty easy to install as long as you have the right water connection. They even supply a fitting that looks like the male end of a garden hose (we didn’t need it, but might be useful for rigging up water when the room wasn’t designed for an ice maker). I’ve only used it a few days but have had no issues so far (I’ll update this review if problems develop). It is compact so I was able to fit it in a small space and could even use a rolling cart and scrap piece of countertop I had on hand to elevate it to a good working height. Price point was good to get the ice capacity I need without investing in a large commercial machine. Recommended as long as you carefully consider the size unit you need.

Customer Review: We got the icemaker out of the box and it has a huge dent in the front. Package seemed fine.Ice maker drops ice in huge chunks so I have to use an ice pick to pry them apart . Ice in a beverage melts really fast once it’s in a drink.Would have sent it back but I had a plumber install it already.

Customer Review: Everything works as advertised. The white sticker for cup placement is annoying to remove, but I used goo-gone to remove the gluey residue and everything works well as it should! Ice maker is a breeze and instructions and care is straight-forward. Worth the money!

Customer Review: Do not buy until they remove supper ugly cup replacement sticker right at water dispensing place. The sticker is hard to remove. No good reason for that sticker. After spending about 60 minutes to remove using hot water soaking and even acetone. That 4 inch by 4 inch ugly glue still stays. It’s insane and I am upset. But yet not returning the unit. Everything else appears to be flawless so far. Noise is also not too loud. I don’t believe anybody would keep with that sticker on at home, keeping aside at business place.

Customer Review: Love this water cooler! The bottom-load feature makes changing bottles so easy, and I love having hot, cold, and room temperature options. It looks great and works perfectly for everyday use.

Customer Review: I’m very happy with this purchase so far. It’s a nice looking cooler that fit perfectly in the space I have. The temperature of the cold water is perfect for me although it may be too cold for some. I’ve only used the hot water once, for a cup of noodles, and it worked great and I’m looking forward to using it for hot tea this winter. The “room temperature” water is actually pretty cold, but it might be because I don’t keep the hot water switched on unless I need it. If you want room temp water you can use the “hot water” with the heat turned off. The only issue that I’ve had so far is it can be a little noisy sometimes, but you can turn off both switches at night and it’s perfectly quiet. I saw reviews that mentioned taller water bottles didn’t fit under the machine so I bought the shorter of the 2 options that Walmart had and it fit fine (American Maid 5 gal) but I think there’s plenty of space for the square stackable bottle they have.09/18/24 – I’ve only had the machine a week and I’m aware of the other complaints I’ve seen others have. If I have any issues I’ll be sure to update this review but so far it’s all good.10/07/2024 – After a month of use I’ll still give this machine 5 stars but there are a couple of things that bug me. First is that the noise can get really annoying sometimes. It’s okay when it’s a consistent noise, but sometimes it’s an inconsistent vibration and almost sounds like the machine is struggling. I have the machine close to my desk so I have to turn it off at times so I can get some work done. Luckily, the water stays cold for quite a while with the cold switch off. I turn it off at night and the water is still pretty cold when I grab a glass in the morning. The second thing that bothers me is the “water low” warning light. It’s a really bright red flashing light that you can’t turn off. No big deal unless you have the machine in your bedroom and only have one jug like I do. I have to unplug the machine to get any sleep. I’ll probably have to void my warranty to disconnect this feature.01/28/2025 – I’ve had the cooler for almost 5 months now and am still very happy with the purchase. No further issues other than the previously mentioned issues. I’ve used the hot water feature many times for tea and cocoa this winter and it works great. I live near one of the fires in LA and it was so nice to have this dispenser when we weren’t able to drink our tap water. I can definitely say that I recommend this purchase and will update if I have any major issues in the coming months.06/26/2025 – 9 Months in and no further issues with this machine. I figured out how to avoid the horrible red “empty” light without unplugging the machine. You can hear when the machine is sucking up air and if you open the door quickly enough, the empty light will not turn on. You just have to keep it open until you refill the jug.

Customer Review: Perfect for my needs! I use it daily for my iced coffee and it never disappoints. Makes ice quickly and doesn’t take up much space. Highly recommend for small households.

Customer Review: Works great in my camper. Easy to set up and the ice comes out fast. Only wish it had a bigger water tank so I wouldn’t have to refill it as often.

Customer Review: If you love nugget ice, this machine delivers exactly what you’re hoping for – soft, chewable, restaurant-quality pellet ice at home, consistently and quickly.The biggest differentiator is speed and volume. It produces up to 35 lbs per day, and the first batch is ready fast. The ice texture is true crushed pebble/nugget style – not hard cubes disguised as “pellet” ice. It’s ideal for iced coffee, sparkling water, cocktails, and entertaining.The stainless steel exterior feels premium and modern on the countertop.Noise level is typical for a countertop ice maker, noticeable but not disruptive. It’s not silent, but it’s absolutely reasonable for the output.

Customer Review: If you love that soft, crunchy “nugget” or “sonic” ice, this ice nugget maker is an absolute game-changer. It produces perfect, chewable ice with a satisfying texture that elevates everything from water and soda to cocktails and iced coffee. The machine heats up quickly, churns out ice fast, and keeps a steady supply going without a lot of babysitting. Setup is simple, and the compact design fits nicely on a countertop without feeling bulky.What really stands out is the consistency and quality of the ice—it’s light, airy, and never rock-hard. The machine is also surprisingly quiet compared to traditional ice makers, and cleaning is straightforward, which makes it easy to use daily. While it’s an investment compared to basic ice trays, the convenience and restaurant-quality ice make it 100% worth it. If you’re an ice lover or entertain often, this is one of those appliances you’ll wonder how you lived without. Just as good quality as the expensive machines.

Customer Review: I ordered the Brio Top Loading Water Cooler Dispenser after the heating unit in our Primo – Easy Top Loading Water Dispenser failed.Several observations now that I have installed and am operating the Brio unit:• The Brio unit is taller and it is easier to access the buttons and to dispense water than the Primo. The Primo sits rather low and looks like it should sit on a 12” riser stand. Since the cooling section was still working, I donated the unit to our startup church and the leader asked me if there was a platform for the Primo unit to sit on. So it IS low.• The space under the dispensing nozzles where one puts the glass, bottle or container is taller on the Brio and will take a full size ½ gallon pitcher. The Primo unit would not. The lip on the container shelf on the Brio is larger so that your bottle is less likely to fall off.• The on/off switches for the hot and cold water are on the left side of the Brio rather than the back as on the Primo making them easier to access.• The child lockout for the hot water button is much easier to deal with on the Brio than on the Primo unit (I had to oil that one to get it to slide easier and there was barely a lip on that one for the flesh of one’s finger to grab on to).• The Brio is more top heavy than the Primo, which resulted in the delivery people delivering it upside down. According to the User Manual, the unit is never supposed to be tilted to the side more than 45°, let alone upside down (Amazon’s delivery people obviously weren’t informed of this). I believe this has to do with the refrigerant fluid needing time to return to the collection reservoir before the chilling pump can be turned on. I let it sit for several hours upright before assembling and filling with water. What makes the Brio top heavy is that both the heating and chilling units are near the top of the interior (leaving an empty bottom section) rather than the chilling unit sitting on the base as it did in the Primo.• The hot water setting on the Brio seems a bit hotter than the hot water on the Primo unit. It measures ~170°F. I didn’t measure the Primo’s temp, but suppose it was around 160°F. The “hot water” from the Primo took longer to cook stuff than my prior dispensers.• The bottle burps faster on the Brio than the Primo, allowing for faster chamber filling after cleaning the unit and for water dispensing.• The water flows faster out of the hot and chilled water nozzles on the Brio than the Primo, but the room temperature water comes out rather slowly on the Brio unit (weird).Other Notes:Due to the rather large vacant space under the heating/chilling section, there is little reason why Brio couldn’t make the bottom front panel a hinged door and allow for a 5-gallon bottle to be stored in the bottom section. (Brio, are you listening?)Longevity: The Brio just appears to be built a bit more solid than the Primo unit. The heating coil on the Primo went out on mine, hence necessitating its replacement as it was out of its 1-year warranty. It appears the Brio unit has the same heating pod as the Primo unit. I suspect the same vendor, so I don’t think that has improved. I sadly haven’t been able to find the proper Hot Water Tank online, so if it goes out, one is stuck buying a new dispenser. You may be able to find a used unit on eBay by searching for OEM Hot Water Tank for Water Cooler DispenserError in the User Manual: The manual says to turn the unit on with the power switch on the back side. While there is a molded space for a power switch, there is none on this unit. Honestly, a power switch really is not necessary and for this unit, turning on the hot and/or cold switches on the side powered the unit on.For the minor price differential, I would recommend the Brio Top Loading Unit over the Primo Top Loading Unit.If you found this review helpful, please vote it a thumbs up or up vote.

Customer Review: I couldn’t be happier with this water dispenser! From the moment I set it up, it’s been working flawlessly. It was easy to assemble, looks sleek in my office, and doesn’t take up too much space.The hot and cold water functions work perfectly—the cold water is refreshingly cool, and the hot water is ideal for tea or instant meals. It’s also surprisingly quiet compared to other models I’ve used in the past, which is a huge bonus.Refilling is simple, and the water flow is steady and strong. I also appreciate the safety lock on the hot water tap—great feature for families with kids.If you’re looking for a reliable, no-hassle water dispenser, this one is a fantastic choice. Highly recommend!

Customer Review: The media could not be loaded. 🗓️ Length of Ownership:I’ve had this ice maker for almost a year now, and I’m genuinely impressed by how well it’s held up. I wasn’t expecting it to last this long for the price, but it’s been a great investment, especially during the summer.❄️ Performance:We keep the machine running constantly in the warmer months, and it consistently provides fresh ice throughout the day. You can choose between small or large ice cubes—though even the “large” ones aren’t huge, they’re a perfect size for our drinks. As long as the bin isn’t full, the machine keeps producing ice reliably without any issues.🧼 Maintenance:Taking care of this machine has been very simple. About once every two weeks, I wipe it down with vinegar and warm water—mainly the inside compartment and the removable basket. That’s really all it takes to keep it clean and running smoothly. It’s not complicated at all and only takes a few minutes.🔊 Noise Level:The noise level is surprisingly reasonable. It’s not silent, but it’s definitely not loud enough to be annoying. We usually have it running in the background, and it doesn’t bother us at all.👨‍👩‍👧 Usage & Capacity:It’s just my husband and me using it, and it easily covers our daily needs—typically 6 to 8 drinks a day in the summer. If you have a larger family or entertain often, you might want something with a higher capacity, but for us, this size is just right.✅ Pros:Still working great after nearly a yearCompact and stylish designOption to choose between small and large cubesReasonably quiet operationVery easy to clean and maintainPerfect for small households or couples❌ Cons:Ice output might not be enough for large families“Large” cube size is still relatively small (just FYI)💬 Final Thoughts:If you’re looking for a reliable countertop ice maker that doesn’t take up much space and delivers consistent performance, this one is a great choice. It’s easy to use, easy to maintain, and perfect for keeping your drinks cold all summer long. We’re very happy with it and would definitely buy it again.

Customer Review: Makes ice and does reasonably fast. It is a small machine so it is not going to supply a big event. For the two of us it is sized well. Works well but it is a bit noisy so we have it in the room with the freezer. It would be nice to have an easier way to fill the water. You need to remove the ice basket and look inside as you fill the reservoir. An external window would be great. But all in all not too bad. Love the ice.

Customer Review: I’m impressed that this owner spoke with me directly when I had a problem. He was very helpful in working with me to get my machine working 100%. We like ice in drinks and in making crisp salads. It is so helpful and works great. The machine is easy to use and automatically makes ice. It was not overpriced and I recommend this ice maker. You can also have cold and hot water in the same machine. Enjoy your new machine.

Customer Review: So when we first got this water dispenser/ ice maker end of October it worked great. I set it up with the 5 gallon water jugs and it kept up with the ice demand for my family of four. We followed the manufacturer recommended maintenance of cleaning it regularly. It is a pain to clean due to tight spaces and the pieces not being removable. We cleaned it after every water jug refill so about once every 1-2 weeks. Despite this the inside would still get a flaky white residue build up which was annoying but because we cleaned it so often it was mostly manageable and didn’t affect the performance. Well in April it stopped working correctly. It will only make half cubes of ice and the coils in the overflow tank constantly freeze over which makes the ice maker completely stop making ice. It says it comes with a one year warranty but the only way to contact the company is through email. I have tried reaching out several times over the past month and have not gotten any responses whatsoever ( I did check spam/ junk folders). Overall I would say don’t waste your time or money. It’s a pain to clean, didn’t last a year, and the company’s customer service is nonexistent apparently.