The Best Nugget Ice Makers of 2024, According to Our Tests

Our Favorite Nugget Ice Maker

We named the Frigidaire Countertop Nugget Ice Maker V2 the best nugget ice maker overall due to its sleek design, compact footprint, and ice yield for its size. And while the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Countertop Nugget Ice Maker is worth the splurge, we'd recommend the AGLucky Countertop Nugget Ice Maker if you're looking for great performance at a fair price.

How We Tested Nugget Ice Makers

We tested five of the most popular nugget ice makers on the market, comparing them side-by-side on several metrics.

• Design: As we unboxed and set up the ice makers, we rated general design aspects, including overall aesthetics, water reservoir capacity, weight, size, and portability. noise, hopper insulation, and portability.
• Ease of use: Following the included directions, we assembled each nugget ice machine, filled it with water, and started a freeze cycle. We noted any features that made it more or less likely to spill when adding water or removing ice. We also evaluated the controls and any additional features, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, voice controls, and self-clean cycles.
• Performance: As the machines ran a test batch of ice, we timed how long it took each hopper to fill and measured the noise levels with a decibel meter. After the ice hopper was full, we also observed how much water was left in the reservoir. We observed the shape, size, clarity, texture, and flavor of the ice nuggets, and compared them to authentic Sonic ice we purchased from a local restaurant.
• Melting test: One advantage of properly formed nugget ice is that it melts more slowly than solid cubes. To test melting times, we filled a margarita glass with ice and waited 20 minutes, then drained off the water and measured how much ice remained.

After completing our other tests, we revealed the price of each nugget ice maker to consider overall value. At the time of testing, the nugget ice makers we tested ranged from $170 to $629, with an average cost of $400.

Factors to Consider

Installation Type

All five of the nugget ice makers we tested just plug into a standard electric outlet. They’re meant to sit on the countertop, with a water reservoir you have to fill manually. There are also more permanent ice makers you can install that connect to your water pipes and don't need filling, but these are quite a bit more expensive and involved than a countertop ice machine.

Ice Yield and Capacity

Most ice makers measure their production capacity by how much ice they can make in 24 hours — our test machines ranged from 24 to 44 pounds per day. You need between 1 and 2 pounds of ice per person for parties, so a countertop model should be able to provide plenty for any gathering with a little bit of notice.

However, another characteristic to consider is the size of the ice bin. A nugget ice maker might be able to put out more than 40 pounds of ice in a day, but it can't hold all 40 pounds at once. If you need lots of ice, you'll need to empty the bin into a bag to store in the freezer, then refill the machine and start it up again. Most nugget ice makers designed for the home kitchen hold between 1 and 3 pounds of ice per batch.

Ease of Cleaning

These nugget ice machines are all self-cleaning and operate either with the touch of a button or an LCD screen. With that said, we did find some models to have an easier-to-remove water reservoir that made cleaning and sanitizing much quicker. Flip quickly through the user manual after setup, and you should be on your way to nugget ice in no time. 

Footprint

If you're investing in a nugget ice maker, you'll want to be sure you have enough space on your countertop if you plan to keep it out on display. Keep in mind that you'll want to ensure you have a few inches of clearance around the machine for ventilation: If a fan outlet is pushed up against a corner, the compressor motor might overheat. Check your user manual for the exact details of where and how to set it up.

Other Nugget Ice Makers We Tested

Strong Contender

Frigidaire Gallery Countertop Nugget Ice Maker ($300 at Amazon)

An earlier model of the Frigidaire V2, the Frigidaire Gallery Nugget Ice Maker scored highly in all of our tests in terms of ice quality, ice yield, and performance. We liked the generous size of the 1-gallon water reservoir, and we found that this machine produced a significant amount of ice per cycle. However, it's quite tall and boxy, and we noted that it's difficult to move. We docked points for portability, plus the fact that this model does not auto-recycle leftover water from melted ice.

Newair Nugget Countertop Ice Maker ($288 at Amazon)

One of the sleekest models we tested, we immediately loved the design of the Newair Nugget Countertop Ice Maker and noted that we'd proudly leave it out on display in our kitchens. However, this was one of the loudest nugget ice makers we tested, and the sound of the ice cubes dropping was particularly loud and distracting. We also found the insulation of the hopper to be lacking, which led to ice at the bottom of the hopper melting quicker than we'd like.

Our Expertise

• This article was written by Summer Rylander, a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, and The Kitchn.
• Arnesia Young, Food & Wine's Associate Editor, helped test these models in our testing lab. Her contributed insights helped inform the selections that made it to the page.