These Nugget Makers Will Instantly Upgrade Your Ice Game

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Ice probably isn’t something you spend a lot of time obsessing about. Until you have a rapidly melting cube in your perfectly crafted batch of drinks, or you get a load of the crystalline cubes your favorite bartender throws in your cocktail.

Most people wouldn't expect so much hoopla around frozen water, but nugget ice — also known as pellet ice or Sonic ice — has a major fandom surrounding it, and once you introduce yourself to these primo cubes, you won’t turn back. The craze over the porous and chewable tiny tater tot-shaped ice has die-hard fans tracking down commercial-grade ice makers to install at home.

People are seriously hooked on it, with one New Yorker food writer claiming that “Good ice is pellet ice, and to know it is to need it.” Even Matthew McConaughey searched high and low for years so he could have the self-proclaimed “best damn ice in the world” 24/7. The hype around nugget ice is real — and with the help of this guide, you can enjoy some of this buzzworthy ice for your next batch of custom cocktails.

The Best Nugget Ice Makers of 2023

What to Consider

If making the perfect ice cube has become an A-1 priority for you, you’re in the right place. But simply choosing any nugget ice maker won’t do. In addition to basic aesthetic and size considerations, keep the following in mind before settling on your chosen winner.

Price

Brace yourself for sticker shock. Believe it or not, you could drop more than $10k on a nugget ice maker. The most expensive models are commercial-grade machines from brands like Manitowoc, which typically sells machines to restaurants and bars. Fortunately, there are a handful of countertop nugget ice makers geared toward homeowners that won't break the bank.

Typically priced starting around $400, these models are by no means cheap, but they are the easiest and most inexpensive path to getting that delicious, chewable ice you crave. However, they don't produce as much ice as a portable ice maker does, which brings me to my next point: yield.

Yield

How much nugget ice do you plan to make? Before purchasing a nugget ice maker, you should not only take into account how many people in your home will be chomping away on the ice, but also how fast the ice can be produced (ounces per hour) and how large the maker’s ice bin is (also represented in ounces).

Ice Maker Style

As with all our guides, we try to keep the end user in mind before making the final pick. Most of the recommended ice makers in this guide are countertop machines, since they're the most inexpensive and easiest to buy. A handful of appliance manufacturers, including GE, have created built-in ice makers that are installed under your kitchen countertop. This type typically starts around $3,000, but they do make and store larger quantities of ice, making them a top choice for people who entertain often.

How We Selected

To come up with the best representation of nugget ice makers on the market, I tapped my considerable experience testing ice makers over the years, both on a professional and personal basis. I kept in mind how long an ice maker takes to produce a bin of ice. I also scoured professional reviews from Food & Wine, Good Housekeeping, and others. Before including any products in this guide, I also carefully read reviews from real-life users on Amazon and social media.

I’m confident that the models below last the longest, are the easiest to maintain, and will bring your favorite chewable ice to your own kitchen.

Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker

Out of all of the nugget ice makers I tested, the GE Profile Opal 2.0 had the best balance of production amount, ease of use, and convenience. It makes just under a pound of ice in an hour and comes with a 0.75 gallon “Side Tank,” so you don’t have to constantly fill its tank throughout your day. This unit is capable of cranking out 38 pounds of ice per day, with the first batch ready to go in 10 minutes or less.

The ice maker is sleek and looks more premium than competing ice makers from Newair and Frigidaire, which have mostly plastic bodies. The Opal 2.0 comes in a traditional or black stainless-steel finish to match your other appliances. It’s short enough to fit under your kitchen shelves but still has a large bin that holds just over 3 pounds of ice, which is plenty for a family of four.

With a price that hovers around $600, the GE Profile Opal 2.0 isn’t cheap, but features like its integrated water filter and UV light help produce higher-quality and better-tasting ice that won’t clump. The nugget ice maker also has Wi-Fi connectivity and a smartphone app, which allow you to set schedules, so you know its bin will be full when you need it to be.

Lastly, it’s worth a mention that around 30 reviews of the 1,000-plus I sifted through mentioned that the ice maker began leaking after several months of use. If your ice maker is out of warranty, it costs $250 for servicing, but if your unit can’t be repaired, you will be refunded $125 of that. So, I recommend investing in an extended warranty or protection plan just to be safe.

Nugget Countertop Ice Maker

Although there are more budget-friendly ice makers, the Newair Countertop Nugget Ice Maker is the only one worth buying. A number of customers who purchased ice makers from other brands such as Euhomy and Frigidaire reported extensive leaking, loud grinding noises, and just overall unpleasant experiences while using (and later returning) the machines.

I tested the Newair countertop ice maker for just under a month, and my experience has been mostly positive. The Newair produced ice around 30% faster than GE Profile Opal 2.0, and its bin can store a bit more ice. I found that the ice in the Newair melts at a faster rate, though. On the plus side, the Newair has a smaller footprint, which is a big deal if you’re tight on counter space.

The ice maker’s fan is louder than the GE’s Profile Opal line of ice makers, too. So loud that you can hear it in the other room. When ice falls into the bin, it sounds a bit like popcorn popping. Not terribly annoying, but noticeable.

The Newair’s ice also wasn’t as soft as the GE ice. It’s perfectly chewable, but it doesn’t make comparable ice to commercial-grade machines as you’d find at restaurants like the GE Profile Opal line does.

Given the fact that the Newair is over $100 cheaper than the GE, its loudness and its lesser build quality might be worth dealing with in the name of some extra savings.

Profile Opal 1.0 Nugget Ice Maker

The Profile Opal Ice Dispenser is GE's latest ice maker that promises ice production at an impressive rate of 1 pound per hour, which in theory means you could make 24 pounds of ice in one day.

Of course, this is under the assumption you continuously empty its bin as the product keeps churning out more ice. GE says that the smaller capacity is offset by a faster ice production rate. And although my tests found that this ice dispenser did indeed produce ice faster than the competition, I often found myself needing more ice than the bin had available. That's why I recommend this ice maker for commercial settings like an office where it will constantly be used and won't be sitting idle, which results in a bin with melted ice.

Although the ice maker was quiet and made ice at a faster rate than the competition, my review unit also began to leak just two weeks after setting it up, forcing me to use two washcloths on my counters surrounding the ice maker at all times. GE backs its ice makers with a 1-year warranty, and Amazon sells a 5-year protection plan.

If you need a sleek-looking ice maker that can churn out nugget ice fast, the Opal Ice Dispenser is still powerful, easy to use, and makes perfectly-soft nugget ice. It’s a great, less-expensive option for people who love to throw parties and have ice on hand, but aren’t ready to make a huge financial investment.

Professional Lewis Bag and Mallet

Although every other product recommendation in this guide are machines that you plug in, I figured that given how expensive nugget ice makers are, you might be interested in alternatives to get that chewable ice you crave — and a simple wood mallet and a Lewis Bag might just be the solution. Going the old fashioned route not only saves you big bucks, it offers stress release and a bit of exercise to boot.

Lewis Bags were originally used by bankers to transport coins, but 19th-century bartenders were clever enough to use them for drink preparation. All you have to do is insert ice cubes into the canvas sleeve, and hammer away all your frustrations. The canvas bag soaks up the water inside, so you won’t make a mess — although I do recommend you place the bag on a cutting board to protect your countertops. The ice is much easier to chew and is perfect to use with cocktails.

If you’re willing to spend extra for a more durable, triple-stitched bag, consider the McSology Lewis Bag.

Pebble Nugget Ice Maker

This is far from the fanciest nugget ice maker on the block, and the price reflects that. This maker is a great option though if you don’t want to spend a lot of time fussing over your ice maker, and you can wait 15 minutes (oh, the horror!) for the first batch of ice to emerge.

The nuggets that emerge from this maker are top notch: crunchable, softer than typical cubes, with an optimal melting speed. The 3-quart water reservoir and powerful compressor are capable of cranking out up to 30 pounds of ice a day. The two-ways water refill system allows you to manually or automatically refill the water as needed.

The nuggets that emerge from this maker are top notch: crunchable, softer than typical cubes, with an optimal melting speed. The 3-quart water reservoir and powerful compressor are capable of cranking out up to 30 pounds of ice a day. The two-ways water refill system allows you to manually or automatically refill the water as needed.

The machine has a self-cleaning feature, ensuring perfect, fresh ice anytime.

Nugget Ice Maker for Countertop

This nugget ice maker is a memorable housewarming gift—and everyone loves great ice, so it’s a safe bet too. This ice maker is small, which also means your giftee doesn’t have to remake their kitchen to fit it in. And because it’s on the smaller side, it makes ice within 7 minutes.

The crushed nuggets cool drinks down fast and offer pleasing pint-sized pockets of joy for old and new nugget fans. The maker is user-friendly, with an ice scoop holder in the back, making dispensing ice convenient. The transparent lid means you don’t have to play guessing games on the level of ice.

This maker has an add water and ice full indicator light, making monitoring it easier than ever. The self-cleaning function takes about 15 minutes.

Self-Dispensing Countertop Nugget Ice Maker

If you don’t love the idea of reaching in with hands or a scoop to grab ice every time you want to top off a drink, this self-dispensing counter model is calling your name. This nugget ice maker is small enough to fit on your counter, and is an ideal accessory for parties and home bars.

The restaurant-quality ice is ready in 15 minutes, with the ability to crank out up to 55 pounds in 24 hours. The ice maker offers a self-cleaning function, ensuring consistently fresh flavors. Those with large families will appreciate the easy one-button operation that anyone can master. Indicator lights guide you through the process, and ensure you never (perish the day) run out of ice.

Pellet Nugget Ice Maker

The people have spoken! This ice maker is Amazon’s best seller, with users raving about how “quickly and efficiently” it cranks out ice. It only takes 7 minutes to get your first batch of perfect ice, and then you can make ice every 6 minutes thereafter. This unit makes 35 pounds of ice per day, and the self-cleaning function makes your ice consistently tasty all the time.

The ice machine uses smart tech to detect when the ice is full or low, and will alert you. The ice maker comes with a removable ice basket and scoop. This ice machine is great for homes and offices, and its medium footprint means it will fit into a lot of nooks and crannies.

Other Nugget Ice Makers We Considered

• Frigidaire Countertop Nugget Ice Maker: The Frigidaire EFIC237 ice maker is inexpensive and it has a small footprint, which makes it appealing for folks on a budget and for those who are short on counter space. I dismissed the Frigidaire for testing because of several negative customer reviews.
  

• GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker: At the time of publishing, the first-generation Opal ice maker costs about $50 less than the newer 2.0 model. I think given the newer models' sleeker design, quieter motor, and added smart features, it’s worth spending extra for. The newer model’s ice drawer doesn’t drip as much as the first-generation model and it's faster at draining water when it comes time to clean the machine.

• Qualeben Countertop Ice Maker: The Qualeben countertop ice maker is one of the few models that I’ve come across that allows users to install a water line directly into the unit. That means you won’t have to manually refill the water reservoir. However, the ice maker oftentimes is out of stock and some customer reviewers noted that they were sent a bullet ice maker, not one that makes nugget ice.

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