We all need a little more ice in our lives.
Nugget ice is the newest craze, and while it may sound strange at first, there are some great reasons that nugget ice has taken over the countertop ice maker market!
It’s what makes Sonic’s drinks so delicious because they end up tasting like snow cones or even better – a frozen slushie with chunks of flavored syrup.
Some people use their homemade nuggets to make their own s’mores and other campfire treats too. So when you get tired of those old-fashioned cubes from your freezer, give these new countertop models a try!
And if you’re looking for an affordable but still high-quality option, the GE Profile Opal is a great choice.
Nugget ice makers are an excellent alternative to traditional cube ice. Chewable ice is a brilliant invention that has gained quite the following.
And no matter how much people try to change their minds about chewing on icy bits (ahem: crunching), they’ll always have nugget-ice makers as an alternative for when you need more than just water or lemonade.
We looked at the below models so that you can find one that meets your requirements perfectly!
The large cubes are hard to chew on, while nugget ice has a chewy exterior that’s easy for everyone to enjoy.
The technology of creating this type of artificial snow ices still needs adjusting though because some machines have been known to produce small pieces with hardness levels unsuitable for chewing purposes.
The problem of it being too cold is now solved with nuggets, but that doesn’t mean the machine can be any old one you find.
The article below is a list of the top iced and nugget ice makers for 2021. They are ordered by their production rates, starting with those that can produce 25 pounds in one day up to 315 pounds per day.
What is this Nugget Ice fad?
Recently, the ice industry has been seeing a major churn with companies like Dairy Queen and Sonic pushing for nugget ices over cubed. Why do people so adamantly prefer their new version of “ice cube”?
Nugget Ice has a more prolonged cooling effect because its shape allows for a greater surface area exposed to the air which in turn creates an insulating layer against retained coldness with less contact made on frozen water molecules
The quality of cubed ice that makes it inferior is its cubes.
It’s hard to chew!
Unless you have one tough tooth or dental work done by dentists who know what they’re doing- chewing through solid blocks will take its toll on your pearly whites (not to mention hunger).
Well, this nifty invention puts all these benefits of freezing without any downsides since jagged edges don’t exist here.
How cubed ice is made?
Regular ice is made by putting water in a cube and freezing it. The freezer makes the water cold and then dumps it into a square bin.
Nugget ice is made differently
first, Water is poured into a cylindrical form, where it is cooled down to freezing degrees. As a result, thin sheets of ice protruding from the cylinder.
Then the sheets are pushed through an auger and shaved down to snow ice. Finally, the ice is chopped into small pieces. At this point, all of the nuggets have been made and are ready for packaging.
Snow ice is made of tiny pieces, similar to what you’d find in a margarita machine. Flakes have been expertly shaven off of the block, but they’re still not cubes at all!
And finally, The flaked ice is quickly compressed, to form evenly-sized nuggets that stay solid at a low temperature and melt when they come into contact with oral warmth.
Our Top Picks for Nugget Ice Makers 2021
5. Manitowoc Nugget Style Ice Maker
The Manitowoc Nugget Style Ice Maker with free Installation is an innovative ice-making system that provides a plentiful supply of flaked, nugget, and clear cubes at the touch of a button.
Designed for residential customers who usually don’t need more than about 315 pounds per day/24 hours (sold separately),
It generates up to 222 pounds per day at 90° F/70° F or 65°F liquid rather than freezing water below 30 ºF.
And it can easily be operated by a one-handed lever design. In addition, it has a 10-pound bin storage capacity.
It also has nice features like the touchless setting so your kids won’t be able to push a button by accident and get tons of ice all over your cabinets, countertops, floor, etc.
4. Northair Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
This product has all the features I wanted for my home! It churns out soft square nuggets that fit perfectly into pop bottles when I have company over.
It’s compact and lightweight so it doesn’t take up too much space on my countertop. Plus, the price is reasonable for a nugget ice maker.
The Northair countertop nugget ice maker can produce up to 3 pounds of ice in just a few minutes, perfect for the on-the-run lifestyle.
You don’t need any water because it plugs into an electrical outlet so you can take this device with you anywhere. The compact and lightweight design is great for people who live in apartments or condos without room for an appliance permanently on their counter.
The counter-top design plugs directly into an electrical outlet, so there’s no need to lug around other heavy appliances when you want something refreshing on a camping trip or barbecue.
And after your party guests have gone through those 16 cups apiece, they’ll be proud rather than ashamed at how much fun they’ve had!
It might seem like I didn’t think this product was worth it because I’m not gushing about how amazing this thing is…but that’s just me being realistic !!!
3. KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Nugget Sonic Ice Maker
The KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Nugget Ice Maker is perfect for those who need to produce a lot of ice quickly.
The machine has been designed with efficiency in mind, making it compact.
It has a 30lbs per day production capacity and produces nuggets that are nearly perfect cubes. This machine doesn’t require any hookup- just plug it in and you can have your own fresh and crisp ice anywhere at any time!
This model will fit any counter and within 30 minutes of filling the reservoir, you’ll have a fresh batch of crunchy ice that can be enjoyed by all.
With its small size and portability, there’s no reason to not enjoy this great-looking home appliance.
It’s very easy to use: Just fill the reservoir with water from whatever source you prefer (it comes with a bucket) press down on the lever in the back until the unit clicks off then let go.
The design incorporates an attractive stainless steel finish which sets it apart from other models currently on the market that look more like appliances.
2. FRIGIDAIRE Crunchy Chewable Nugget Ice Maker
If you’re looking for a countertop nugget ice maker that’s not too big, but can still make enough ice to keep your friends and family happy, this Frigidaire is the one for you.
It plugs into any standard outlet in your home and produces up to 44 pounds of ice each day. The Frigidaire also has adjustable temperature control so it can be used year-round.
It doesn’t need a water hookup either! Just fill the reservoir with water and plug it into any standard outlet.
The Frigidaire makes chewable nuggets of ice that are soft on one side and crunchy on the other for a great texture in your drinks.
It’s fast as well, making up to 15 minutes until you have your first bit of ice!
The machine can make enough ice for lots of people so you’ll never run out at a party again.
If you’re looking for an affordable countertop icemaker then this is worth checking out!
1. GE Profile Opal | Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
GE Profile Opal is the nugget ice maker that lets you have fresh, clean ice at the push of a button. GE’s floating cube freezer design adds one more advantage to its already list of features and benefits.
The sleek design of this counter-style nugget icemaker ensures it won’t take up precious counter space on your kitchen or patio, just like other appliances!
The simple pushbutton controls are easy enough for kids and seniors to use without the hassle (or help) from you!
There’s 2.5 quarts (3 pounds) of capacity ensuring there will never be an empty ice tray again.
But what sold me was how easy it was to schedule fresh ice through the app on your smartphone!
Plus, it has Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy to create custom schedules or remotely monitor your device status from anywhere in the world!
Since refill signals are received wirelessly through an app on your smartphone -without ever opening the freezer door – GE eliminates shopping trips for bagged trays, plus these auto-refills can also be set right before big events.
The app allows you to set schedules and change temperatures with a few clicks.
Plus, I don’t have to worry about constantly having empty ice trays because the Gpal nugget sends alerts whenever the ice supply is running low.
It’s cold, convenient, and doesn’t make any unnecessary noises:
I love the GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget, Ice Maker. It is a perfect size for my small family, and it makes ice quickly enough that I never have to worry about running out.
The design is also perfect, with its portable and compact countertop design that plugs into any electrical outlet.
Thankfully, The GE Profile Opal countertop nugget ice maker will cover you this summer because if there is one thing every Texan knows, it’s that iced parties are the way to go.
The side tank has triple efficiency and you never have to run out of ice again!
Final words!
The last thing you want to do this summer is run out of ice at your next barbeque/summertime party! So go ahead and get your hands on one of these new nugget icemakers from our list today. You won’t be sorry, we guarantee it.
We hope that you’ve found some inspiration in this article for finding the perfect countertop icemaker whether it’s an affordable option or a not-so-budget-friendly machine, make sure to find what best suits your needs before making any final decisions.
