Description
About this item FAST ICE MAKING：Fill 1.1l of water into the water tank , maximum ice capacity can reach 34lbs in 24 hours. It won’t make you feel anxious because of waiting, let you and your family have ice cubes all day long. Chewable Nugget Ice: Chewing-block ice is made from crushed ice cut with blades, as opposed to traditional hard block ice which are chewable, brittle, ready fast and retains its flavor. The optimal melting speed preserves the original flavor of whisky and cold drinks. Quiet and User Friendly: It makes ice with low noise. The transparent lid allows you to monitor the ice making process. A considerate ice scoop holder, easy to find your ice scoop before making ice. Only need to press one button, helps you to quickly understand how to use it. When the water is insufficient or the ice basket is full, the indicator light will turn on. Self-Cleaning Function: Press “ICE/CLEAN” button for 5 seconds, the ring indicator light flashes white. It will run the cleaning procedure for 15 minutes and automatically exit. Press this button again during the cleaning procedure and it will exit immediately. Small Footprint: This mini ice maker measures just 8.50 x 11.22 x 12.60 inches. Large Capacity Based on Small Footprint, Small Enough to fit on most countertop and easy to store when not in use. It takes up less space at home or in the office, barbeques, outdoor parties, or basement bars.
Randy Girouard –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice ice
This is a nice little ice maker.Little loud when in use.Crunchy small cubed ice.Was hoping to put it on a smart plug, button you have to manually press the power button to begin making iceGoing to install a small button presser to be able start making ice before everyone gets up.
Natasha Stephens –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Makes perfect ice!
I just wish it made ice faster and the compartment was larger. Overall….good product.
KAY G –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ice
Makes ice really fast and it is the size of Sonic ice. I love it. It does have moisture when you dump the bin and it tends to freeze into a lump. I remedy this by draining the water off the ice. Then put it into a plastic bag and before it freezes hard a break it up with a hammer of sorts. Then when it is completely frozen I break it up again then put it into the bag that it comes with. By doing this it stays in little pieces. A little more work but it works for me.
2 people found this helpful
Brian –
4.0 out of 5 stars
A little noisy
Overall satisfied with purchase. Our ice maker was broken for months. So we ordered this. I want expecting it to run so often and it’s a little noisy, but it does the trick!
william sanders –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This Little ice Maker Kicks Butt !
After wanting one of these for a few years I saw this one on Black Friday deal and jumped on it. After giving it the cleaning steps it recommends in the Book I loaded it up with Water for its first Run and I can tell you that the wait for ice was Short . Seemed like within minutes it’s was kicking out pellets of ice and at a good rate . Only been in the house a few days but I’m very happy with the Purchase..
One person found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great ice
Makes good ice quickly. Only complaint is that it’s noisy.
Bill Atkission –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love the crunch!
If you love ice that “pops”, this ice maker is for you! It has definitely allowed me to increase my daily water intake. I can “eat” this all day long!
Cassandra Torres –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Makes ice quick and easy
My husband and I got tired of using ice cube trays and decided to invest in an ice maker, best decision ever! We start it when we get home from work and we have ice in 15~ minutes. So nice to relax with a cold soda or ice water after a long day. Great ice to munch on as well!
One person found this helpful
Connie –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Never put it through the cleaning process
Good product, makes excellent ice nuggets, keeps up during hot summer months, only problem is when I went through the cleaning process it became a pain to start making ice again, has not worked properly since. Have to unplug and plum in again many times to get it to start making ice again. Worked great up until the first cleaning process.
3 people found this helpful
Faith –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great ice maker!
It wasn’t the most expensive one available, but it is very nice.It is small, so for a family dinner, I start making ice a day ahead and bag it up for the freezer. It keeps making ice for the rest of the time.The nugget type is just what we wanted for our ice crunchers.
One person found this helpful
Jazz2112 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delivers quality chewable ice. Passed the wife test.
Simple, effective. For this price point I can’t see anything wrong with it. The minor drawbacks are barely an issue (sorta loud depending on where you put it, I had it on a hollow cabinet so the entire thing was amplified. It’s not very loud on the sidewalk outside.) Also the ice does tend to pile up under the chute, triggering the “ice full” shutoff prematurely. This is not a big deal because…if you live with it, you can easily swipe it clear in passing, and even if it prevents some ice from being made…it makes the stuff so quickly that you will hardly notice.I highly recommend this product to anybody who finds themselves making daily trips to specific gas stations for “the right kind of ice”… I got it for my “wife”… and it was…. life changing for both of us. If you or someone you know is an “ice eater”… this product is the gateway to a better life. Buy it.
16 people found this helpful
Sugar Magnolia –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chewy ice!!!
So I am anemic and eat ice constantly, have for years!! I first purchased a bullet ice maker but unfortunately it crapped the bed after a year of everyday use of 8/24 hrs a day of ice making ( expected tho with the amount of usage). I had been looking at the nugget ice machines for awhile now bc I love chewy ice. I finally came across this machine during Labor Day and it was on sale along with a coupon of $20off!!!! I read the reviews and compared this machine to a ton of others and they were satisfactory, I also wanted an ice machine that was made in the USA. After much research I discovered this was in fact, so I purchased it! I received it and loved it. It was small, sleek, and the texture of ice was so delicious!! Was just what I was looking for CHEWY!!!After using for about 3 wks it started making a weird noise and no longer made any ice. I had purchased the warranty for 3 years, which I’m glad I did. I immediately contacted the company and they were soooo good! They replied quickly and got a new machine sent out to be fast!! I love this machine the quality of the ice is soooo yummy and soft!! It makes a full basket of ice in about an hour and a half. It is a little wet when it first is made but I let it set in the basket and transfer to the bag and it’s fine. I have read some reviews and ppl were complaining how it didn’t keep the ice frozen in the basket..no it doesn’t but it’s not expected to. But for the price, versatility, capacity of ice itMakes, and the performance of this machine for being so small is amazing!!!! Also the customer service of the company is exceptional!!! I would definitely recommend this product!!
79 people found this helpful
Harvey T –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Chewable Nugget Ice Maker; Louder than Expected
This ice maker is a family favorite. We love the chewable ice nuggets in our drinks. It was easy to set up and is easy to use. It makes ice very quickly and consistently. The only minor items are: (1) the ice doesn’t uniformly fall into the bucket from the chute and tends to leave a trail, and (2) the unit is louder than I had expected. However, it is a great price, as compared to more expensive units, and we hope to enjoy for years.
21 people found this helpful
Mike –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Favorite Amazon Purchase of 2023
I absolutely love this ice maker. It is fast, clean and easy to use. I chew ice and was looking for a soft nugget ice machine in my budget. I found it. I have it at work and myself and my employees use it every work day. It has just enough ice in the basket. Hint we use the Costco 1 gallon water bottles to fill the machine. We keep the water next to it. Anytime someone gets ice we refill it for the next person. I am considering buying another one for home but I have a crushed ice maker on the fridge. Just this ice is smaller, consistent and never has bad taste or odor. I do not review many products but this one I had too.
2 people found this helpful
Dano –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a really nice machine
OK… This machine is really nice.First, I needed to hold my breath and let it stand alone for two plus hours as stated on the notes on the machine. During that time I read the instructions and looked over the machine.After the time was up I filled the tank ( I use Brita water that is filtered ). I plugged it in and in the first 30 minutes it started to produce Ice.Now, you have to be patient as the system needs to purge the air and come to full operation and produce Ice. In my case, the machine started producing slushy ice on first start up. As of now it produces chewable ice.Here’s the kicker. The ice seems to last a lot longer to just regular cube ice, or my refer ice machine. Now that the machine has been running for over two days the Ice is even better. You will find that you need to patrol the machine as the Ice will build up to the chute. Now, this is important as the machine needs to rest so letting the ice build up to the chute is part of the operation of the machine as this will shut it down and allow it to rest. However, I needed to police the machine to allow the basket to fill with ice before allowing it to build up to the chute and begin to regulate itself in running. After that, the ice will eventually fall out of the chute and the machine will start up and produce and shut down again.So, in my view, this Ice Machine is really nice. It’s quiet for its design. It works nice and the ice is chewable ice.Everyone in this household just loves this machine. I find it odd that this Tech isn’t installed in refrigerators as it seems to me many people want this kind of Ice.I hope this helps.
77 people found this helpful
BurtBurt –
3.0 out of 5 stars
The whole “Nugget Ice Thing” (There should be a better name.)
I’ve had this machine for about two months.I’m no ice “scientist” but I do have some knowledge on this topic. In my opinion this machine does not produce what the industry considers to be “nugget ice”. Nugget ice is made from “flakes” of ice that are compressed into, well…. nuggets. Basically, made of shaved ice like that used for snow cones. The result is usually varying length cylindrical pieces of “ice”. Since they are made from ice flakes, it is easy to understand how these are soft to chew and readily absorb liquid and take on its flavor. Machines that make this type of ice are typically very expensive. (There is a commercial nugget ice maker at my office and it costs around $5000.00.) I was recently in the hospital, only able to consume “ice chips”. In this case it was nugget ice that the y gave me.This machine however, produces what appears to be similar to crushed ice. To me, that id better than ice cubes, but it’s not what I know to be nugget ice.Speed:It starts making ice very quickly. I was surprised. I don’t know if it makes as much as advertised.Noise: You don’t want this in your bedroom. It is fairly noisy. It doesn’t produce noise constantly. Only when it is making ice. With my somewhat cheesy Radio Shack level meter, it measures about 51 dBA SPL at about 1 meter away. Not horrible, but some people may be annoyed with the noise level.Conclusion:I have an ice maker in my refrigerator, but I also have well water so I don’t like the taste of ice made with that. That was one reason I purchased this machine. If you are ok with something that resembles crushed ice and don’t mind a little noise, this machine may be just what you need.If you want a true “nugget ice” experience, you will need to look elsewhere and probably pay more.
10 people found this helpful
Frances A. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Ice
I have had nothing but trouble with my refrigerator Ice Maker for the last 4 years. Brand new and Ice maker was a problem from the beginning, (Samsung, don’t buy) I’ve never had a portable ice maker, thought I would give this one a try. This has been great. I followed the directions, cleaned it per directions and it started making ice right away. Not noisy, just a small hum. I was worried it wouldn’t make enough as we use a lot. I have continued to run it for about 6 hours the first day. It made almost 6-gallon bags full for the ice nuggets. I need a lot as we are having a Christmas Party and have a lot of people. The ice was great, small nuggets. Yes, they will freeze together after you put them in the freezer, but just dropped them on the floor and they break apart. I put some in my cold cup and they are still in there after sitting overnight. I guess the only thing I would like to change is a larger ice bucket. You do have to dump it often if you are going to run it all day, and add water but I don’t mind, at least I am getting Ice. Cheaper then replacing the ice maker in my fridge, (I’ve done that already and it still doesn’t work) I bought this one because it had good reviews and was rated with 4.5 starts. I plan on running it all day today. We have artesian well water, it sits by my sink and its convenient to fill, drain and clean. I’ll review again after the Christmas party, and we will see if it is as good as it seems to be now.
10 people found this helpful
J K Flint –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for the price!
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Great chewy ice. Works quickly, and keeps up even for a small party.Accomplishes the goal of encouraging me to drink more water. Wonderful for ice crunchers!Drawbacks: tank isn’t refrigerated, so unused ice melts back into the tank. You can move ice into your own freezer, but it clumps together and loses the soft texture. We just make sure to turn it on about 15 minutes before we want ice.It’s kinda loud while running. I wouldn’t recommend it if that would be annoying to you.I know there are quieter machines that keep the ice frozen, but this was a great compromise as a cheaper model that still does what I need. Would definitely buy again!
9 people found this helpful
GliderMax –
4.0 out of 5 stars
I really enjoy this icemaker
**Note: I rate products a bit lower than the normal reviewers do. I think that too many people give 4 and 5 stars. Most product and services are average. A 3 star rating should be the standard for 80% of reviews. How can you truly make an assessment of something when the majority of items are given. With that in mind here is my review. ***Other than the issues noted further on in this review, I am very pleased with the Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker. The ‘cons’ I note below are very, very minor and I would highly recommend this product to friends, family and you, the Amazon customer. I would say that it is above average compared to other brands of icemakers. I may have given it five-stars without these small issues.I REALLY enjoy having and using this icemaker. I had a bullet type icemaker that after 3 years was getting old and I could not get it cleaned and sanitized properly. Mold had gotten into every nook and cranny and using a diluted bleach solution and running it through the system was still not getting it clean. Remember that you should clean and sanitize your icemaker once a month.With that being said, this chewy, “Sonic”, nugget ice is WONDERFUL! This icemaker makes ice chips well and quickly. The only ‘cons’ I see is that:1) they could have designed it so that the ice falls into the basket differently. As it is now, it falls only on the right side of the basket. The ice distributes itself to the right, up to a point, and then just continues to stacks up on the right side. It piles up and the photo sensor detects that it is full and stops making ice. I open up the clear lid, using the scoop I push the ice to the left. The sensor now doesn’t see the ice pile and the machine starts making ice again.2) Speaking of the scoop, I am not a fan of how they designed the scoop holder. I just lay it on top of the unit, as I have never used the top lid to fill it up with water. I use the lower water storage area under the ice collection basket.3) Speaking of the lower water storage unit. It is difficult to fill it with water in the lower unit. There is an indentation in the basket that is designed to be able to pour water into the machine without taking out the basket. I find it too small for me to pour the water in that way. I can, but I normally just take out the basket and pour the water in the storage area. There is a line and the words “Fill to mark”.I use, and recommend, using distilled bottled water. It has a clean taste and will not create mineral deposit build-up and you won’t have to use vinegar to ‘demineralize’ the unit.
37 people found this helpful
JJ –
5.0 out of 5 stars
So easy and I’ll don’t have to buy ice!
I’d held off on getting one of these in favor of buying ice because I’d heard horror stories of leakage and noise. I finally became fed up with spending money for frozen water and decided to give this a shot after some study of what was available at a reasonable price.Things I’ve learned: Most people complaining of leaks have left the drain plug unsecured or have over filled. I put filtered water in until it brushes the collection basket. No water leakage, no problems. The noise is so minimal that I have forgotten that it was working. Just lift the basket out, let it drain if needed, then add ice to the bag provided. We find that laying it flat in the freezer makes it easier to break up after we let it get a bit more solid. Then we add it to our bin and call it good. Just realize going in that the ice is NOT being kept frozen in the maker. It also comes out a bit wet as a result so keep up with it, get it in a freezer fast and let it finish freezing. Once you do-perfect, chewable (if that’s your thing) ice.
2 people found this helpful
Cindy B –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Small cubes
The icemaker has small cubes that are easy to chew. A little more dense than Sonic ice. It is a little slow to make a bunch of ice. I wouldn’t recommend it for more than two people. I bag a few trays and the cubes usually stick together. I hope the machine lasts for a few years. At $3 a bag of Sonic ice it’s not that great of a buy. Just make room in your freezer and buy a few bags instead.
2 people found this helpful
Jodi Baxter –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
Works great, I use a lot of ice so it doesn’t get much of a break and it makes ice quick.
Salt Water Soul –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good ice if used promptly
I love the Sonic style ice this makes. It works super fast, turning out ice in minutes. Super convenient when you have guests or just need more ice than the freezer is putting out. The only issue is that if you bag the ice and throw it in the freezer it forms a large solid mass. Other than that, I am quite pleased with the product.
Mike & Tabitha –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ahhhhhhmaaaazing!
I absolutely love this ice maker. It’s a little loud, but the ice is chewable and the is perfect lil nuggets!
Shay –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The good crunchy ice
This ice machine is the real MVP of my kitchen. It spits out ice cubes so satisfyingly crunchy; I’m considering starting an ASMR channel just for it. Highly recommended for ice aficionados and anyone tired of crappy cubes or anyone tired of buying from the gas station all the time.
Tex Diggery –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nugget ice! Yippee!
Wanted a nugget ice maker for a long time. Finally said yes to this one ~ good choice. I leave it ‘on’ round the clock; idles silently when ice bin is full. Easy to add a bottle of water to quickly make more ice. I put 16 oz bottles of water in fridge so the water is cold when I add it to the ice maker. Zoom – it makes more ice pretty fast (10-15 minutes). Definitely a treat I finally gave in to – and I really like it! And it is real nugget ice – better than Sonic’s ice.
One person found this helpful
Katie Clark –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love!!
First off..I love this ice maker! It makes ice super fast and it’s extremely crunchy! It does need to be cleaned like once a week, but its worth it!
shaunanah –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It worked great for 4months only.
Update to below comment: The company reached out and provided a full refund.In the beginning I loved it and it worked great but after the first two months it slowed down and now it barely makes a cup of ice in a 2 hour period.
CD –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Need a better ice “chute”, but it works well overall
Bought this as the ice maker in my fridge died and I’ve grown weary of refilling ice cube trays, only to turn around and find my kids have swiped all the ice.This machine does the job well. It’s simple to use and spits out great ice.The only negative feedback would be the ice “chute” itself. When ice is generated, it drops down a little slide (built into the machine) and drops into the waiting hopper. This works great, however, the ice tends to freeze a little bit together once dropped…so rather than evenly distributing amongst the hopper, you tend to get, after a while, pretty much a column of ice up to the mouth of the dispenser. The machine is smart enough to detect this and will stop spitting out ice, then re-check every 5ish? minutes…if the obstruction of ice cubes has been removed, it’ll happily go back to churning out ice. As such, I’ve taken to just checking the maker whenever I come into the house and use the included scooper to move most of the ice to the far left side of the hopper so more ice has room to drop into.Not sure how, exactly, to fix that, but even with that minor inconvenience, I still love it!
43 people found this helpful
Nat Smith –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great little machine
We love it! Doesn’t make as much ice as i’d like but it’s enough’
Timbo –
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good ice maker, but not perfect!
It is a bit noisy, but not bad. It ranges from 50dB at 3’ to 60 dB in front. At the sides it is just over 70 dB near the compressor’s ventilation fan.Operation and cleaning is quite simple. On a hot day I can consume the ice as fast as it churns it out. Excess ice can be stored in the freezer, but tends to freeze into clumps. A few drops to the floor frees the pellets up again. If you like chewing ice, these pellets are easy on the teeth.
3 people found this helpful
Matthew Armstrong –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice nugget ice
After researching various nugget ice makers, and reading reviews from many buyers, I went with this purchase. What sold me was another husband buying this ice maker for his wife as a b-day gift, and I was looking to do the same for my wife who is addicted to nugget ice. It makes nugget ice with ease, quietly, and it’s easy to use.It does make a limited quantity, but the ice bag that comes with it is a plus. It’s not a freezer, so the ice will melt after some time. Store your batch in the freezer. The ice is wet, so it will clump in the freezer, so after a bit, take it out and give it a good drop onto the counter to keep the ice loose. Afterwards, you are all set.Highly recommended for some good nugget ice
34 people found this helpful
ctazgrl –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice little ice maker
This ice maker is nice for the money! It’s no louder than when my dishwasher is running. It’s not the quickest ice maker but in my opinion it does well for me since it’s just me here! I do plan to use it during the holidays but I will make the ice ahead of time and store it in the freezer. It definitely makes the “sonic” ice!
Helazar –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sonic ice machine
I love it, but it makes alot of noice.
Jess –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works perfectly for way less than other brands!
It is a bit loud when making ice but that does not bother me. The ice bin is a bit small but is perfect for one 32oz cup. It does come with an ice scoop!
LauraLaura –
4.0 out of 5 stars
So far, so good!
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I just recently got into this whole nugget ice thing and became obsessed. It’s helping tremendously for weightloss! I didn’t want to go all out and get a fancy nugget ice maker right away as I am not yet moved into my new house that wont have an ice maker built in the freezer, so I figured I’d try this after reading the reviews. I used it for the first time tonight and it’s great! It’s NOT loud, it just sounds like the microwave is on. The ice is not an exact match to the drive-thru ice but it’s super close. Maybe a little more compact and less airy but the convenience of having it at home is worth it. After it starts to melt it gets more crunchy like the real deal. If this holds up, I won’t even upgrade to a fancy one once im in the new house! So far, great purchase! I would definitely recommend as a 1-2 person ice maker. Picture is drive-in nugget ice on left, ice maker nugget on right.Update a few days later- Close to the real deal but not close enough. Easier to buy a bag of ice than to babysit this thing while it’s running to push the ice over and get it right into the freezer
35 people found this helpful
D. Anderson –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great nugget ice
Replaced an older countertop ice maker with this one. The ice is in small pellets, much like Sonic ice. With filtered water there is no taste. It makes ice rapidly and I’d buy it again. Love it
One person found this helpful
mtd076 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ice stays frozen in a juice glass with soda over a long period of time
I was surprised the ice stays frozen. At first, while the machine was making ice I thought this machine was not worth the money since the ice seemed like it would melt before I could use it. I was wrong. I would recommend this product.
One person found this helpful
Jill Tew –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for rv use
Make a lot of ice, love how easy it is to drain and clean, but it is loud.
One person found this helpful
Jared Donnely –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good ice maker; a bit loud
Makes nice ice.Very loud.
Southpaw Patriot –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Close to sonic ice
Easy to use. Makes chewable sonic type ice quickly. Best with spring water.
L.A.W. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
Quiet and really puts out enough ice to keep both hubby and me happy.
Sandy Rigsby –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this ice maker!!
This ice maker started making ice within 5 minutes of plugging it in. Love the pellet ice. I would recommend this ice maker.
AHubbard –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what I wanted
I use bottled water and absolutely LOVE this ice. It is pretty quiet and makes ice pretty quick. I let mine drain when it’s full then out it in a freezer bag and relocate to my freezer. Once it’s hard frozen I drop it like bagged ice and transfer to my my ice machines basket for quick access. It melts slow and it’s awesome for frozen coffee or kids drinks. A big hit at my house!
3 people found this helpful
Aly –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect Soft Pellet Ice
I previously had a bullet ice machine, and when it died I searched reviews for a true “sonic” ice machine. I’m happy to say this is it! The ice is tiny little soft cubes, just like you get at Sonic. The cubes are shaved off and make zero noise falling into the bin. The machine does make noise when it runs, just like a refrigerator does. The ice doesn’t stay cold in this machine (I don’t know any machine that does that) so it will continuously run, recycling the melted ice. Don’t leave it on overnight! The ice can pile up and block the sensor so after a few minutes, I push it to the other side to get a full basket. I get more ice from this machine than from my bullet ice maker. In fact, if I use all the ice in my 32 oz cup, there’s not enough liquid to last me an hour. This ice is great in the blender for cocktails. This was a great price. You will not be disappointed.
7 people found this helpful
Raedwulf –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Love it… except…. (Update a week later):
I am adding to my review a week after the original review below. The seller’s customer service has been excellent. They wrote to me, were energetic about finding solutions, we arrived at one, and not only am I satisfied… the more important thing is I give 5 stars for customer support, communicating. They have been excellent. Excellent. This really matters. And…… given the mostly very positive reviews, I suspect I just had a machine that is one of a kind. That it just hasn’t worked properly. But I feel this is unique to my situation, given the high star reviews. I must also say, the ice maker makes ice very fast. And it is simple to use. Both big plusses. But the seller’s energy in communicating has been top shelf. High marks for that…From a week ago:Love the ice and ease of use, especially my missus. Super easy to use. Except…… It runs almost all the time. I have to find a balance between overfilling which is easy to do. Overfilling meaning you cannot fill to the recommended topped off level, because if even a little nugget ice melts and you’re topped off to the recommended level, it can go into into a viscous cycle where it runs essentially constantly because the water level bumps up enough if even a little ice melts and you’re in that constant run cycle, or, you have to keep water lower than the recommended water level, and then you end up having to baby sit it far more than two other ice makers we have or had… where then only runs a little less than almost all the time but because one has had to use less water to not get into the melted ice/overflow/constant cycling zone.I don’t know if a somewhat larger reservoir would help this, or… I don’t know. Sadly, I am on the cusp of returning it because even with the lower than recommended water level, it just runs and runs, and runs.. going into a ice full pause mode for usually no more than 3-4 minutes… then it will run for 3-5 minutes, or longer. And all this is without having used any ice.Using ice, one expects to have to add used water. For sure. Even then my opinion is the reservoir could hold a bit more separate from this crazy cycling constant run thing. Also of note, our house is kept very cool. No drafty air running up against the ice maker.I think it is just the way it is but I do have in the back of my head, is this unit faulty?? It should not run this much… especially when I have had 2 other ice machines to compare it to. Am saddened…I have to find a balance between overfilling which is easy to do. Finding you cannot fill to the recommended topped off level, because if even a little nugget ice melts and you’re water level is to the recommended fill level, it can go into into a viscous cycle where it runs essentially constantly because the water level will get bumped even slightly, and then it melts ice, and you’re in that constant run cycle, or….. you have to keep water lower than the recommended water level, and then you end up having to baby sit it far more than two other ice makers we have or had. Where then only runs a little less than almost all the time. But because one has had to use less water to not get into the melted ice/overflow/constant cycling zone, a Catch-22. I don’t know if a somewhat larger reservoir would help this, or… I don’t know.
13 people found this helpful
Lisa VanBuren –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Soft ice!
Everything the reviews say and more! It does take a long while to make the ice and the machine is kinda loud but I don’t care one bit! Super happy with this ice, great purchase!!!
Alice McneelyAlice Mcneely –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fancy
I absolutely love this best purchase
Julie A Hall –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Makes the GOOD ICE!
Just got this set up yesterday. Sonic Ice! It makes small, nugget ice!I’m loving it!It’s a little drippy taking the ice out or would have given it 5 stars
One person found this helpful
Gonzalo GalvanGonzalo Galvan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty quiet and makes delicious ice
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I’ve only had it for a couple of days and I let it make ice for the first time. It was pretty quiet, it just sounds like when a fridge makes that noise randomly to make ice or cool water. The ice is not like chick-fil-a ice or sonic ice but it is soft and chewable. I was very impressed how fast it started to make ice. But it did take about 2 hours for the ice bucket to be full. It doesn’t keep ice cold so it starts to melt and continues making ice. I emptied the ice bucket into a tupper and put it in my deep freezer then turned it off. Ice was still pretty chewable the next day.
5 people found this helpful
AuntphibianAuntphibian –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Having “Sonic” ice at home!
I got this today and couldnt wait to use it. Luckily, I opened the box while running errands and saw it has to sit upright for 2 hours so refrigerant can settle. I did that while out and about.They recommend running the cleaning node 3 times at 15 min each. Nope, too anxious. I did it once after cleaning it with warm soap and water.Why people are saying its noisy, I dont know. Too me, its just white noise like a fan(or less) so doesnt bother me. Dont be discouraged by reviews that complain about the noise.I love it makes ice thats pretty closr to Sonic!! I love their ice! Ive always been an ice chewer, but as you age, your teeth get more fragile. Im not supposed to be chewing Sonic ice either. This ice is compacted and seems easier to eat. Am I going to eat it? You betch your sweet A$$ I am!!!It does take quite awhile just to get enough to fill a sonic Rte 44 cup. But, I was being Veruca Salt and I wanted it now!I have nowhere to just leave it, so it went back in the box when I got my ice for the night. Even put some in the freezer. Tomorrow, I will give it a longer test.So far, so good!!!BTW, I noticed many people showed photos of a blue unit instead of stainless steel. It has a blue protective film over 3 sides. You need to REMOVE it like the label on front says. If you don’t, it will probably malfunction, since the plastic covers ventilation holes!I’ll update after more use!In my photos: #1 is the ice I made at home. #2 is Sonic ice (with tea), #3 is both. Left home ice, right Sonic so you can see how similar they are
17 people found this helpful
Andrew Nieto –
5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVR
I freaking LOVE THIS ICE MACHINE .. it is NUGGET ICE .. I don’t know how I lived before this . BUT FOR THE PRICE I GOT ($198 I believe ) it’s Worth it compared to ones that are $600 .. I have a family of 5 and as long as you make sure to fill upThe water I’m telling you, you never run out ..Only thing I will say is when you first get it you have to add that liquid to it and leave it for like 12hours .. I would say the first 24hours it produces ice throw it away until you can’t taste the plastic . It takes a bit . Mine went away in like 16hours so IDid it over night and just dumped the ice until it didn’t have the nasty taste and now I love this thing .
One person found this helpful
Scott –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good enough.
Pellet size but not really chewy. Good enough for mixed drinks. The noise is bearable and a louder than typical indoor freezers but I only turn it on when I need the ice. It takes about 10 minutes before the first ice drops it seems. Then you’d need to wait awhile for a pint amount of ice. It does not keep the ice cold but has light insulation so those videos of very wet ice are probably when the user used it in a hot location with minimal A/C. This is my first external ice maker and I’m liking it enough to keep so far (only 2 days of use so far). I get to use nicer water to make tastier ice. My machine came relatively clean, no specks, etc. like some of the other machines I’ve seen reviews of.
3 people found this helpful
Casey/TerryCasey/Terry –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am never going back to regular ice!
This was my birthday present. I have been watching the home nugget ice machines since the opal was crowdfunding. I waited to purchase because of the bad reviews and problems with the OG nugget ice makers. I looked at pretty much all the nugget ice machine options on Amazon and decided this one was the best deal with the best reviews ( a lot of these nugget ice machines share a listing with a bullet ice machine which I think is deceptive because most of the positive reviews are mostly for the more established and less expensive bullet ice maker but I digress) i’ve had this since November 10,It is now the 21st and the machine is doing great. It makes enough ice for me and my husband to constantly be filling up our tumblers. I drink iced tea all day long and I have leftover ice every day – I was worried since it was so small it wouldn’t produce enough, but I was wrong. I will take this to parties with me, I will take this when I travel. I love this machine. I included two pictures- one of the ice, and another of the nugget ice machine compared to my seven-year-old bullet ice machine and you can see how much smaller my nugget ice machine is. It takes up less space on the counter, which is great when you don’t have much counter space. As far as the noise concern that I’ve seen on some of these reviews, I would say it compares to my dishwasher it’s not too loud it’s not too bad I believe my bullet ice machine is actually louder than this one.
23 people found this helpful
Audie –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love it!
I have been wanting a small countertop nugget ice maker for a few months but decided to wait until Black Friday to get a better deal. After some research I decided on this one. It’s a great machine that makes ice extremely quick. The wife and I are hooked on the small melt in your mouth nugget ice. I deducted one star for the noise which it doesn’t make all the time, but does so while it’s making ice. You get use to it after a while and it’s not loud but louder then I expected.
One person found this helpful
Rani –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Works great so far 2 months in.
Not *exactly* like sonic ice but pretty darn close. My mom loves it. Cleans easy, fills easy. Only problem is it almost makes like a trail of ice down to the pile of ice already made in the tray and claims the ice bin is full, I have to take the scooper and move the ice so it can get back to making it. Also wish the scooper was in a more convenient spot like on the side.
S. L. Steele –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heaven on Earth
Initially the ice is nugget and hard, then it softens to heaven. I usually spend 2.17 every three days. It’s so awesome to come home to fresh ice, that I know is sanitary plus I use Fiji or spring water. Idc if distilled is advised. I’ll buy a new one every year if I have to. 189.99 during black Friday, it really is a 99.99 size but inflation I’m sure doubled it. So far so good. Will have until January 31 to return due to holidays. Hope it acts right. Wondering how to refill the refrigerant before it’s time. Also, comes with an ice bag… you’ll need to buy more.
3 people found this helpful
Kathy M. Currington –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Using Like Crazy!
Since we opened this Christmas gift, it has been used. Funny, both my husband and I each bought one for Christmas, but only one arrived. The other one is still MIA. This pellet ice maker is going strong. It makes a little more noise than the ones we’ve used before, but we still recommend it to others.
Geneva Gasper –
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than 5 stars
If I could over rate this product I would. I was so happy when my husband told me we could get a nugget ice maker. I chew ice almost all day and we couldn’t keep up the ice trays in the freezer and it was getting expensive going to Irving. I like that there is a way to clean it so nothing gets built up in there. I am very impressed how fast it makes ice and how it can keep up with me.
One person found this helpful
Jennifer Rodkey –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Makes perfect nugget ice
This is a great little ice maker. Fits perfectly onto my counter and makes perfect nugget ice.However, it does require a bit of babysitting. The ice stacks up on one side and shuts off because it triggers the ice maker to think the ice is full. You just have to scoop it to the other side and hit the button and ice making will resume. The little basket of ice fills up fast in general. We then scoop it into ziplock bags and throw it in the freezer.I would buy it again. It’s so much better than making ice with ice cube trays in the freezer. And everyone in my family loves the crunchy little nuggets of ice.
3 people found this helpful