The 5 Best Sonic Ice Makers and Nugget Ice Makers (2023)

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Sonic ice makers create chewable, nugget, and pellet ice through an intricate process. Whether you want an ice-chilled latte coffee or cocktails at the comfort of your home, the Sonic ice makers have got you covered.

Why do they gain the upper hand over traditional ice cubes? They are softer, porous, and are quality-oriented gourmet ice. These ice cubes provide a special sensation and a blissful experience when you chew them. Sadly, to avail of all these interesting features, you have to bear a hefty price-tag.

Let’s talk about some of them and see which one is made for you.

The 5 Best Sonic Ice Makers and Nugget Ice Makers (2021)

1. GE Profile Opal | Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
Editor's Choice - One-button indicator, low-electricity consumption, and a compact size for portability.
2. FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ Countertop Crunchy Chewable Nugget Ice Maker, 44lbs per Day
Affordable Option - Fast ice gets ready to chew in 20 minutes, and a compact unit.
3. KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
Self-cleaning function, space-saving, and 52db for quiet performance.
4. Scotsman UN0815A-1 15-Inch Air-Cooled Nugget Undercounter Ice Maker Machine with 36 lb....
Pro Option - Produces 36kg of ice per day, maintenance-free bearings, ergonomic sliding door, and adjustable legs.
5. Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
Ice ready in 20 minutes, controlled via FirstBuild app, and a sleek design.

1. GE Profile Opal

This GE Opal machine is made from the stainless-steel. When it is placed on your kitchen countertop, it can be a focal point in your home, with its great design.

Thanks to the user-friendly features that let you operate with minimum fuss. It comes with a single button indicator that is placed at the side.

When it comes to weight, it weighs around 47 pounds. GE Opal is a compact machine that you can easily store on your kitchen countertop.

The rectangular design of the icer makes it convenient to carry on the go.

Interestingly, this ice maker provides 24lbs per day with an ice bin holding 3lbs of nugget ice. Each cycle approximately consumes 20 minutes, which you can turn on through the app or via Bluetooth.

The GE Profile ice maker takes up relatively low-electricity, making it an ideal gear for camping.

Surprisingly, being a technology-based machine, it doesn’t require any batteries. Just connect it to your nearest power outlet, and let it produce drive-in style cube ice.

Here’s a small caveat about this product. It requires regular maintenance to prevent it from any loss or fault in the machine. Also, the machine can be a bit noisy when operating.

2. FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ

Next, we have an ice maker from Frigidaire, another strong contender on the list. This is our best affordable option that you can buy without bursting your wallet.

The elegant design of this countertop machine makes it a superb addition to your kitchen—a simple and catchy design that can maximize the aesthetics of your kitchen.

Camping and traveling couldn’t be more exciting when you have the small compact ice maker machine. The Frigidaire ensures that your drink is chilled for a while.

The best part about this ice machine is that it delivers fast results. You can expect the pellet ice within 15 minutes.

As far as the production is concerned, it generates 44 lbs of sonic ice every 24 hours and the ice bin stores 3lbs of ice.

The consistent and automatic water running process through the reservoir makes it capable of producing limited nugget ice.

3. KBice Self Dispensing

Hands down to the best self-dispensing ice maker in the market from a reputable brand. It is deemed as the right choice for home use rather than commercial purposes.

The self-cleaning function makes maintenance a breeze with the efficient system.

The dimensions tell us that this machine can perfectly fit on your countertop. Moreover, it also possesses a space-saving design for more convenience.

KBice self-dispensing machine gives you a restaurant-like experience with its crunchy ice. The efficient mechanism prepares these tasty ice cubes in less than 30 minutes. With that said, this machine produces 24lbs per day.

The quiet operation is another nice feature of this machine. It operates with producing 52db noise levels, which is barely noticeable.

If you want to enhance the machine’s performance, then it is advisable to use filtered water, bottle water, or distilled water. If you live in an area with hard water then using tap water for this would not be advisable.

Concerned about how to operate? It’s easy. Plugin the cord into an outlet, and let the ice maker do wonders.

4. Scotsman UN0815A

Being an ultimate space-saver design, this machine can accommodate in the packed areas of your kitchen with its width of 15-inches.

To access the manual guides, it features a QR code that contains everything you need. It is equipped with an ergonomic sliding door that allows you to access the ice bin.

To make the installation process a breeze, it includes adjustable legs, Nema 5-15 plug, ice scoop, and a power cord that enables you to set up quickly.

It comes with maintenance-free bearings that significantly reduces the maintenance issues. Additionally, the other components are also entirely weather-resistant such as front panels and aluminum side panels, making it extremely durable.

When we talk about its production, this machine can produce a whopping 36kg of ice per day and stores 16kg, which is quite a lot.

However, the price might be the point of concern for many users, but this is a high-end product.

5. Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker

This compact ice machine from Opal caters to the countertop quite easily. Once it is fitted, the elegance is noted from a distance with its modern design.

Enjoy restaurant-like nugget ice with 24lbs per day. The ice bin holds 3 lbs of ice. The crunchy and pellet ice gets ready in 20 minutes, and that’s some prompt results.

One of the most exciting features is Bluetooth control, which lets you monitor or schedule the settings from the comfort of your smartphone through the FirstBuild app.

Similarly, this nugget ice maker doesn’t require any water hookup, and by plugging in the 120-V outlet, you can get your job done.

What is a nugget ice machine?

A nugget ice machine produces a chunk of soft, pellet, and crunchy ice cubes through the automatic mechanism of a machine. These ice cubes are perfect for home chewing enthusiasts.

Why is nugget ice so good?

Being light, airy, and chewable. These ice cubes don’t fail to give a satisfying experience. You will love to know that you can enjoy the coldness of any liquor as soon as you put these nugget ice in your mug. The best part about these is that they are not teeth shattering.

What’s the difference between Nugget Ice and Crushed Ice?

Crushed ice is derived from the large piece of ice that is crushed further into jagged pieces. On the contrary, nugget ice is the layers of flaked ice that are air pocketed. Through the air pockets, these pellet ice emerge as soft and chewable ice.

Summary

That’s it! We hope this guide gives you a clear-cut about the different best sonic and ice nugget machines in the market.

With so many features involved, it might be a daunting task to choose the best one for our needs. We will conclude that sonic and nugget ice makers are definitely worth the hype, and the reason is their feature-packed capabilities.