The GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker is a viral superstar. The wildly popular —?and wildly expensive —?countertop ice maker is everywhere on TikTok and other social media platforms, driving interest from people who absolutely love ice and ice-cold beverages.
As a great lover of ice myself, I was curious how the countertop appliance stacked up against a standard in-door ice dispenser, as well as manual ice cube trays. I got my hands on the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker and used it for two months to see if the viral appliance is worth the hype. (Spoiler: It totally is.)
GE's countertop nugget ice maker is a revelation for people who are passionate about ice. Its large capacity, pound-per-hour ice-making ability and irresistible nugget ice make it worth its spendy price tag.
What I liked about it
It makes incredible nugget ice — and holds a lot of it
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic about what is, after all, merely frozen water, this ice is a revelation. If you love ice as much as I do, you will understand the rapturous response to on-demand nugget ice (aka pebble ice), a treat that ice lovers typically expect only during trips to certain fast-food restaurants or when purchased by the bag for use at home.
The appeal of nugget ice is that, unlike crushed ice, it is slow to melt, leaving drinks super cold but not watered down. But like crushed ice, nugget ice is soft and easy to chew. (I don’t usually chew ice, but I spent some time chewing this particular ice for testing purposes. I can report faithfully that it provides a lovely ice-chewing experience.)
Plus, the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker makes quite a lot of this very good ice! It can produce up to 38 pounds of ice a day, and the bin can hold 3 pounds of ice at a time. Some quick math shows you can expect to have a full bin of nugget ice ready to cool your drinks in just a couple hours.
It is whisper quiet
I expected the ice maker to be a fairly noisy appliance, and I was delighted to discover that I was entirely wrong about that. For the most part, the ice-making machine is whisper quiet.?There are times during its production cycle when it lets out a distinct hum, but overall, it is so quiet you can leave it on all the time and not know it’s there. And if you do find its noise disruptive, the machine can be powered down when you want total silence.
It’s a fun party trick and great for people who entertain frequently
The GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker is a showstopper, so you’ll get plenty of ooh-ing and aah-ing from impressed guests. Your friends and family will also enjoy the bounty of good ice the machine can supply. Because the ice maker replenishes quickly and consistently, it can provide enough ice for gatherings of all sizes, from small cocktail parties to large holiday meals. If you’re a person who entertains a lot, this ice maker will level up your parties and other social gatherings.
What I didn’t like about it
Its price is sky-high
Despite how much I love this machine and its beautiful, glorious ice, the price is eye-popping. With that said, having lived with this ice maker for two months now, I don’t want to imagine a life without it. If you took it away from me, I would happily plunk down the money for this appliance.
GE’s nugget ice maker costs over $600 at full price, but it’s worth noting that the machine goes on sale frequently. (In fact, it’s on sale for $515 on Amazon right now.) Budget-minded shoppers who want to get the best possible price on one of these countertop nugget ice makers should keep an eye on Underscored’s Deals and Sales, which are rounded up daily by our deal-hunting editors.
You will need to clean it regularly
While the cleaning process itself is easy and only takes about 20 minutes of low-effort hands-on work, the fact of the matter is that this machine does need to be cleaned regularly.
To clean the ice maker, start by removing the ice bin, then pour a solution of five cups water and one teaspoon chlorine bleach into the reservoir and press the machine’s cleaning button to start the cleaning cycle. When the cycle is complete, unhook the drain hoses to empty the water into a bucket or sink. Repeat the cycle at least two more times with five cups of clean water to flush the bleach solution out of the machine. While the cleaning cycles are running, wash the ice maker’s water tank, ice bin, scoop and drip pan with hot soapy water and wipe down the exterior with a damp soft cloth and a small amount of mild soap, if needed.
The machine — and the Wi-Fi-connected app, for people who use it — will indicate when it is time to clean and descale the unit, typically once a month. If you live in an area with hard water, using distilled water instead of tap water when filling the water tank can help cut down how often you need to descale.
It takes up a chunk of valuable counter space
While I wouldn’t call it a behemoth, the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker does take up its fair share of valuable countertop space. It measures 13.43 inches wide, 16.5 inches tall and 17.5 inches deep. If you have a huge kitchen, its size won’t be a problem for you, but people who are short on counter space or who simply prefer a minimalist look in their kitchen will take issue with having a hulking ice maker sitting on their counters.
Bottom line
Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it takes up valuable countertop real estate. Yes, it needs to be cleaned and descaled regularly. But the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker is a game changer for people who love ice. And after a few months of use, I would not like to imagine life without it.
If you love ice as much as I do or you entertain frequently, you will not regret splurging on this countertop ice maker. And if you’re looking to give an over-the-top gift to the great lover of ice in your life, look no further: The gift of on-demand nugget ice is one of the greatest gifts of all.
