4 Best Nugget Ice Makers of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

Oct 14, 2024

Upgrade all your beverages with this cold and crunchy nugget ice.

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Whether you’re making a smoothie, iced coffee or a summertime cocktail to cool down, nugget ice is the perfect addition. Not only is this type of ice a popular go-to for its smaller, nugget-shaped texture, but it's crunchy and chewable all at the same time. If your fridge doesn’t produce nugget ice and you’re wondering where to get your hands on some, our pros suggest investing in a nugget ice maker that you can keep on your countertop. Best of all, most ice machines are easy to install thanks to an attached water tank (no plumbers required!) so all you’ll need is an electrical outlet to get started.

The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test everything from ice cube trays to blenders, bartending kits and more. When narrowing down the best nugget ice makers on the market, our product analysts conducted side-by-side tests of five models, evaluating how much ice they produced, how intuitive the control panel was to navigate, how quickly ice from each machine melted and more. We also considered firsthand feedback from 10 consumer testers who used the nugget ice makers in their homes, reporting on their performance and ease of use.

This compact, matte-finish model from Frigidaire Gallery aced our tests. Not only does it produce lots of nugget ice, but it received top marks for ease of use as well. We appreciate that you can pull the water tank out for quick filling and that a sturdy plastic drip tray slides into place below the main unit to prevent accidental dribbles on your countertop. It even features an intuitive touch control panel and a self-cleaning mode.

In our tests, it took three hours to fill the entire bin with 3.4 pounds of ice, and after 5 hours and 20 minutes and two full ice bins, the tank needed to be refilled. This model produced jagged pieces of ice that were a similar size and easy to crunch.

Just note that they were not the same uniform nugget shape that other, more expensive models produce, but we didn't notice the difference once the ice was added to a beverage. In fact, in our melting tests we found that this nugget ice maker's ice melted at a slower rate than the higher-priced models that we tested.

While we haven't tested this nugget ice maker from Euhomy yet, we were impressed with its more than 900 five-star reviews on Amazon, with many people applauding the brand for its great customer service. And at just under $280, it's more affordable than other nugget ice makers on the market.

This model comes with a water line hookup, but if you don't have the capability, you can fill the water tank with up to 12 cups of water. According to the manufacturer, it takes up to 18 minutes for this model to produce its first batch of nugget ice, and it can produce up to 30 pounds of ice in a day. A feature that we like about it is that you simply lift the top lid to scoop the ice; there's no need to pull out the ice bin like other models tested. (This seems noteworthy because we found that pulling out the ice bin can drip some water onto your countertop.)

Like all of the other models in this list, this unit features a self-clean mode, which is important for keeping the ice maker's interior sanitary. Take note that some reviewers from Amazon commented that this pick is loud and that the user manual is a little confusing.

The GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank is great for parties and for anyone who hates having to refill the water tank daily: It has the largest capacity for both ice bin (3.75 pounds) and water tank (23 cups), and the side tank functions as a reservoir to replenish the main tank under the unit.

The Opal 1.0 (we also like the 2.0 version with or without the side tank) comes in a stainless steel finish and features a glowing round button on the front that signals what's going on with the appliance, whether it's self-cleaning or producing new ice. We recommend reviewing the user manual to understand what each glow pattern means for the button.

This pick claims it makes ice in 20 minutes, but we found that was only a few ice cubes; the entire ice bin takes about four hours to fill. That ice, which was the most uniformly shaped nugget ice we yielded in our tests, was larger than that from the other ice makers. It was harder to crunch than the rest but still easier than a full-sized ice cube.

When it came to melting, this ice took the longest compared with any other model. This ice maker comes with a sturdy drip tray and a plastic ice scoop that we felt was functional but a little small and thin.

An upgrade to GE’s Opal 2.0, this sleek nugget ice maker is just as easy to use. Like the Opal 2.0, our experts appreciate its touch control panel, which displays whether the ice maker needs to be refilled with water or is making ice. It can also be paired with GE's SmartHQ app to monitor the device status and schedule fresh ice.

According to the brand, it features a built-in filter and an advanced cleaning system for easy maintenance. Plus, a side water tank comes attached with a 0.75 gallon capacity (12 cups), and an ice bin that can hold up to 3 pounds of ice at a time. It produces the same nugget-shaped ice as previous generations and features a similar chewy texture.

Other perks include a built-in light to better see inside the ice bin, as well as a magnetically attached scooper that can be moved around. Though we wish the side tank had a larger capacity, we appreciate that the machine claims to make up to 38 pounds of ice per day.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: I Tested the New GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker

In our recent side-by-side test at the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we tested five nugget ice makers. We also asked a group of 10 consumer testers to evaluate how the nugget ice makers performed in their homes.

To replicate how a home consumer would use a nugget ice maker in our Lab, we filled each model with the maximum amount of water that its water tank could hold and let it run all day. We monitored the time it took for the ice bucket to become full, how much ice was yielded and the overall quality of the ice, in taste and appearance.

We performed two performance tests to determine how quickly each model's ice melted: We made margaritas and evaluated the amount of ice remaining after 30 minutes, and let a single ice cube melt to determine which ice maker's ice cubes lasted the longest.

To assess ease of use, we evaluated each model for how simple it was to use the instruction manual and control panel, and we noted the difficulty level of refilling the water tank and removing ice from the small appliance. We also noted the durability and performance of the ice scoop, drip tray and ice bin handle. The ice maker's light and sound were also rated.

✔️ Water tank: While some nugget ice makers can be hooked up to a home water line (like our pick from EUHOMY, GE Opal 1.0 and GE 2.0 Ultra), most nugget ice makers come with a built-in water tank. Many models have the tank located below the ice bin, which can be harder to fill since you cannot take the tank out to refill and you need a narrow water pitcher to get all of the water into the tank.

Some, however, like our best overall pick, have a water tank that can be fully removed and taken to your sink for filling. If you want to fill your water tank less often, pick a model with the option to add a side tank for additional water storage (such as the GE Opal 1.0 and 2.0 Ultra). ✔️ Ice daily production: Most of the ice makers that we tested had a daily production yield of around 20 pounds of ice. The average household will find that they have a sufficient amount of ice and that the daily ice limit won't impact them too much. ✔️ Ice removal: It is far less common for nugget ice makers to have ice dispensers like those you might find on a refrigerator. Most include a scoop you'll use to manually remove the ice from the bin. Look for a sturdy scoop.✔️ Features: The design and special features of nugget ice makers vary. Some have interior lights that allow you to watch your ice dispense into the ice bin. Most models have drip trays, some of which are sturdy and lock into place, while others are flimsy and cannot collect much water at a time. A few models have smart capabilities that allow you to schedule your ice production remotely.

Pebble ice and nugget ice are actually the same type of ice. It is a small, chewable ice shape that goes by multiple names, including Sonic ice and hospital ice.

To understand why a nugget ice maker costs so much, you have to understand how most nugget ice makers work. Here is the process:

The unique engineering and the fact that this type of ice maker can start producing ice cubes in as little as 20 minutes leads to a higher price tag.

According to our experts, ice makers require deep cleaning roughly every 3 to 6 months to help prevent any buildup, but consult your manual on what your specific machine suggests. You can wipe down your ice maker every week, and when you're ready to clean you can typically start by descaling it with white distilled vinegar or a descaling solution, followed by sanitizing it. You can descale as often as monthly or sooner if you notice buildup and sanitize as often as weekly.

While it can be laborious to clean an ice maker, you should clean it as soon as you notice it's not working properly, like if you have an external water tank that isn't pulling the water correctly to the ice maker. When possible, we suggest finding an ice maker model with a self-clean function, which will allow you to run fresh water throughout the entire system as often as you would like.

As a reviews analyst in the the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, Eva Bleyer has tested a wide variety of kitchen appliances, tools and gear, including microwaves, blenders and more. She conducted the most recent side-by-side Lab and consumer testing of nugget ice makers; she also parsed through almost 100 data points to determine which nugget ice makers were the best picks for this story.

Eva earned a B.S. in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health from New York University and is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute. She especially loves nugget ice in her iced lattes and cold brew coffee.

This story was most recently updated by GH Institute senior reviews writer and analyst, Olivia Lipski, who covers everything from tech to travel, lifestyle, appliances and more. She frequently collaborates with the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab and updated the picks above based on the Lab’s most recent testing data.

Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.

Olivia (she/her) is a senior reviews writer and analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, overseeing product testing and covering tech, travel, home, fitness, parenting, health and more. Since joining GH in 2021, she has continued to leverage her extensive product reviews experience by staying on top of the industry’s latest innovations and helping readers make better buying decisions. Olivia is a graduate of the George Washington University, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, political science and French, and she holds a master’s degree in communications from Sciences Po Paris.

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