GE Profile Opal 2.0 Extremely Nugget Ice Maker evaluation: The good new good kitchen gadget

Some good dwelling devices could possibly be thought of important. A wise thermostat can prevent cash, and a sensible door lock can forestall you from getting locked out. However, in contrast to these devices, it’s laborious to argue you want the good GE Profile Opal Ultra 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker ($579, or $629 with the facet tank). Nonetheless, you might need this gadget — as a result of it makes The Good Ice.

Sure, $630 is some huge cash for any countertop gadget, not to mention one which simply freezes water. Spending this a lot on a linked gadget whose smarts are largely restricted to scheduling and asking Alexa to make extra ice seems like a fair greater stretch. However nugget ice is a hill many will die on — my household included. It simply makes drinks style higher, they cry. Something that encourages my kids to hydrate is a giant win in my e book.

In case you’re unfamiliar with nugget ice (aka chewable ice, Sonic ice, pellet ice, or, as my household calls it, “the nice ice”), it’s small items of ice created from layers of flaked ice frozen collectively. It’s actually fairly addictive and goes properly in every part from a tall glass of water to iced tea and lemonade. It’s virtually required for those who’re making Tiki cocktails.

Nugget ice can flip a room-temperature drink into a chilly drink in seconds and doesn’t soften as shortly as crushed ice. It’s additionally actually enjoyable to chew on. My daughter likes to get a glass stuffed with ice and chow down.

Sadly, there isn’t a fridge that may make true nugget ice. Samsung makes one that produces “ice bites,” that are small ice cubes, however these are apparently not the same thing. So, it’s go countertop or go to the drive-in.

Within the week I’ve had the Opal on my kitchen counter, it has turn out to be my household’s favourite kitchen gadget. They love scooping its nuggety goodness right into a tall glass of lemonade or filling up their Tervis cup earlier than tackling the summer time warmth.

The Opal is tremendous simple to arrange, easy to make use of, and makes ice very quick — as much as 38 kilos a day. It does not require plumbing, simply energy, however you will have the elective water tank if you would like a continuing movement of ice. We solely need to refill that each different day on common and have greater than sufficient ice for all 4 of us.

The largest draw back up to now is the Opal Extremely is noisy. The tubing makes a high-pitched whining noise because the water filters via, and the ice manufacturing clunks gently. However right here’s the place these smarts do come in useful — you possibly can schedule when it is making ice within the Sensible HQ app to keep away from interfering with film time — or simply inform Alexa or Google to show it off.

The Opal was first launched in 2015, and the Extremely is the fourth model of GE Profile’s popular nugget ice machine. It comes with some behind-the-scenes enhancements to make cleansing the unit simpler. These embrace a brand new scale-inhibiting water filter, a reusable air filter, and alerts that let you know when it is time to sanitize or descale (on the machine and within the app).

All of those enhancements add as much as — in idea — extra time between cleansing / descaling and will hold the ice tasting higher for longer. (The excellent news for present Opal house owners is that the brand new water filter is appropriate with present fashions).

The cleaning / descaling process is prolonged. It requires a special solution (or vinegar, for those who choose) and as much as a day of downtime because the stuff does its work. And it is advisable sustain with it if you would like it to maintain producing recent ice. In my brief time testing the unit, I’ve not had a descale alert seem, however the sanitize one did, which occurs after 25 hours of ice-making.

The sanitizing course of was largely painless and took about half-hour. Nonetheless, mixed with descaling — which you’ll must do as soon as every 2 weeks to 4 months based mostly in your water hardness — this gadget requires a variety of upkeep. (GE Profile notes that for those who use distilled water within the Opal, you in all probability gained’t must descale it, however you’ll nonetheless must sanitize and clear.)

Different updates with the Extremely from the present Opal 2.0 mannequin embrace new colours (white or black along with stainless-steel) and an upgraded contact show for powering on/off, connecting to Wi-Fi, and checking standing. Plus, there’s now a magnetic scoop holder and stainless-steel scoop — which makes it simpler to retailer the inside track on the facet of the unit and will assist with cleanliness.

If you will get the Opal 2.0 on sale that’s in all probability the best way to go. General, the Extremely’s upgrades really feel like aesthetic and quality-of-life tweaks. You continue to need to manually clear the machine, even when doubtlessly not as usually. Plus, you should purchase the brand new water filter and the brand new scoop with holder individually beginning in August and use them with the Opal 2.0, though which will cancel out most of your financial savings.

The Opal 2.0 Extremely could be very costly, requires a variety of work to keep up, and takes up a sizeable chunk of my kitchen counter. But it surely does a wonderful job of manufacturing recent, chewable, crunchable ice that makes any drink style higher. It’s additionally one of many few good devices I’ve introduced into my dwelling that everybody in my household loves — which says lots.

Should you, too, crave good ice and go into this understanding the struggles you’ll must endure to maintain getting it, then you definitely’ll be very happy with this gadget.

Photographs by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge