Quick Answer: The NewAir ClearIce40 is a countertop clear-ice machine that makes up to 40 lbs of dense, restaurant-style clear cubes a day, with the first batch ready in under 15 minutes and new batches roughly every 7 minutes after that, per NewAir’s published specs. It lists at $399.99 but regularly sells closer to $299.99 (confirmed at West Marine, July 2026), needs no plumbing, and carries a 1-year limited warranty. It’s the best-selling machine in this category because it’s the easiest way to get genuinely clear ice at home — the trade-off is that its cubes are smaller than the 2-inch craft cubes a slower directional-freezing machine like the Klaris produces.
Most “clear ice makers” sold on Amazon aren’t actually clear — they’re bullet-ice machines that look semi-transparent but are hollow and melt fast. The ClearIce40 is different: it’s built around the same cascading-water, directional-freezing principle bars use to make genuinely dense, bubble-free ice, just automated into a plug-and-go countertop unit. We already rank it the top overall pick in our best clear ice maker guide; this review goes deeper on the specs, the cleaning routine, and where it actually falls short.
NewAir ClearIce40 at a glance
| Spec | NewAir ClearIce40 |
|---|---|
| Ice type | Clear, dense cubes (cascading directional freeze) |
| Output | Up to 40 lbs / 24 hrs |
| First batch | Under 15 minutes; new batch ~every 7 minutes after |
| Dimensions | 14.5"D (15.25" with drain plug) x 11.4"W x 13.75"H |
| Weight | 23.15 lbs |
| Finish | Stainless steel (black also available) |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
| Price | $399.99 list / ~$300 street |
NewAir ClearIce40 Countertop Clear Ice Maker
- Up to 40 lbs of restaurant-style clear cubes a day, first batch under 15 minutes, per NewAir's specs.
- Cascading water over a chilled plate — real layered clear ice, not hollow bullet cubes.
- Compact 23-lb countertop footprint, reservoir-fed, no water line needed.
- BPA-free parts, two-button operation, 1-year limited manufacturer warranty.
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Why the ice is actually clear
Cloudy ice happens when water freezes from every direction at once, trapping dissolved air and minerals in the center as it goes solid. The ClearIce40 avoids that by spraying water in a thin, continuous cascade over a refrigerated plate, so it freezes in directional layers — pushing air and impurities out ahead of the ice line instead of locking them in. It’s the same physics behind the cooler-in-the-freezer trick cocktail writer Camper English popularized in 2009, just automated into a countertop appliance instead of a 24-hour DIY project.
Output and speed
NewAir rates the ClearIce40 at up to 40 lbs of ice in 24 hours, with the first batch ready in under 15 minutes and subsequent batches dropping roughly every 7 minutes once the machine is running. That’s fast enough to keep a small party or a busy kitchen stocked, though like every countertop ice maker the storage bin isn’t refrigerated — ice made and not used will slowly start to melt back into the reservoir, so plan to bag or bin a batch if you’re not using it same-day.
Size and where it fits
At 14.5 inches deep, 11.4 inches wide, and 13.75 inches tall, and weighing about 23 lbs, the ClearIce40 sits comfortably on a standard counter, bar cart, or RV galley counter without needing a dedicated water line — it’s reservoir-fed, so you fill it by hand. That portability is a real advantage over undercounter clear-ice machines like the Scotsman CU50GA-1, which need to be plumbed in, at the cost of needing manual refills instead of a continuous water supply.
Cleaning and maintenance
NewAir recommends running the built-in clean cycle roughly every two weeks, with a full descale monthly in hard-water areas — a similar cadence to nugget ice makers like the GE Opal 2.0. The most common owner complaint across retailers is skipping this step: cubes turn cloudier and cycle times slow down when mineral scale builds up on the chilled plate. A nickel-safe descaler (not vinegar or CLR, which can damage the plate’s coating) keeps output consistent; see our best ice maker cleaners and descalers guide for a product that won’t void the warranty.
NewAir ClearIce40 vs. the competition
- vs. Klaris Clear Ice Maker (craft cubes): The Klaris ($549) grows four flawless 2-inch cubes over 8-12 hours using slow directional freezing — showpiece cocktail ice, at a fraction of the ClearIce40’s daily volume. If you want restaurant-bar-grade cubes for a handful of drinks a day, the Klaris wins; if you want enough clear ice to keep a household or small gathering stocked, the ClearIce40 wins on volume and price. Full breakdown in our best clear ice maker guide.
- vs. Luma Comfort IM200SS (budget): Same cascading-water method in a smaller cabinet, throttled to about 28 lbs/day for roughly $100 less. The ClearIce40 is the better buy for anyone who entertains regularly; the Luma is fine for a couple that just wants clear ice occasionally.
- vs. a nugget ice maker (different ice, not a rival): Nugget machines like the GE Opal 2.0 or Euhomy intentionally make soft, cloudy, chewable ice — a different product for a different use case, not a lesser version of clear ice.
The ClearIce40 by the numbers
| Metric | Figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Daily output | 40 lbs | Roughly 40% more than the budget Luma Comfort IM200SS's ~28 lbs/day, per NewAir's own spec sheets for both machines. |
| Cycle time | ~7 minutes | A fresh batch every ~7 minutes after the first under-15-minute batch — fast enough to refill a bin during a party without running out. |
| Street price vs. list | ~$100 off | Lists at $399.99 but confirmed at $299.99 at West Marine (July 2026) — worth price-checking before buying at MSRP. |
| Weight | 23.15 lbs | Light enough to move between a kitchen counter and an RV or boat galley, unlike plumbed undercounter clear-ice units. |
Who should buy the NewAir ClearIce40?
Buy it if you want genuinely clear ice — not the semi-clear bullets most countertop machines make — without plumbing, and 40 lbs a day covers your household or entertaining needs. Skip it if you specifically want the big 2-inch craft cubes a cocktail bar serves (get the Klaris instead) or you actually want soft, chewable nugget ice, which is a different machine entirely.
The bottom line
The NewAir ClearIce40 earned its spot as the best-selling clear ice maker by doing one thing well: turning out real, dense, restaurant-style cubes on a countertop with no installation. It’s not the machine for showpiece cocktail ice, but for everyday clear ice in water, soda, and mixed drinks, it’s hard to beat at $299-400.