Your first concern may be, why do I need an ice maker? Well, why does anybody need an ice maker?
The majority of us believe that ice is ice, no matter the shape or size. Sure, possibly it’s simply frozen water to keep drinks cold, but some individuals take their ice seriously.
Think about the mom with a teething toddler who survives on soft sonic ice. How about the professional bartender who understands the rate at which ice melts and how it affects flavor.
Whether for drinking or chewing, having a good supply of ice as needed at all times is a high-end worth splurging on. We’re here to assist if any of this rings true and owning an ice maker appeals to you. We have actually put together a list of the best sonic ice machines & nugget ice makers out there today.
Table of Contents
Top 5 Sonic Ice Machines & Nugget Ice Makers Comparison table
Sonic Ice Machines & Nugget Ice Makers Reviewed
Let’s take an appearance at what makes an ice maker not only an exceptional addition to your home but nearly essential …
Opal
The sonic ice nuggets are some of the best ice to munch on. Let’s see which are the top seven ice makers on the market.
Overview
The opal counter top nugget ice maker is on the expensive end but. You get what you pay for.
Features
- This countertop sized ice maker fits right on your kitchen counter in any home. It’s only 15 by 10 by 17 inches.
- However, just make sure that you leave a couple of inches of clearance around the sides in the back, so it doesn’t overheat.
- This ice machine starts dropping ice within just 20 minutes. And it has the soft crunchy nuggets that you enjoy.
- It also has an app that connects to your phone via Bluetooth, so you can set it on a schedule if you are gone at work all day. You can have wonderful ice waiting for you at the same time each night.
- There’s also a one-year limited warranty, which is nice when you’re spending this much money.
- This ice maker is easy to get started as it plugs into any hundred and twenty-volt standard electrical outlets and you don’t need to hook a water line up to simply fill its water reservoir.
- When you hear people talk about the good ice, this is the ice that they’re talking about.
- And while this may seem expensive for a household appliance, many of these nugget ice makers sell for two to three thousand dollars.
- The only downside about this ice maker is that it doesn’t have refrigeration, so when the ice drops you need to put it in your freezer if you want it to stay frozen.
- As long as you take care of this machine and replace the water filter regularly it should last you for many many years to come.
Manitowoc
The Manitowoc ice maker is definitely more expensive. However, this is a self-contained ice maker.
Overview
This Manitowoc ice maker has one of the best nugget ratios offering 90% ice content living on 10% water.
Features
- This maximizes the cooling of your drink.
- It has a two-year parts and labor warranty and an additional three-year to cover the compressor.
- This machine is a beast. It can produce over 200 pounds of ice daily.
- This may be a little bit much for a home, but would be great for a small business.
- It boasts a perfect 5 -star review, however, it only has 7 ratings.
- Can make upto 200 pounds of ice on a regular basis.
- Perfect for parties and gatherings.
- One thing to consider is that you will also need a drain for this ice maker.
Scotsman
This icemaker is the perfect solution for those who wants ready ice at all times and is a perfect solution for summer.
Overview
Climbing up the ladder and price, this Scotsman outdoor ice machine is another quality product.
Features
- It comes with a stainless steel finish and a gravity drain to make sure that the water drains properly.
- And just like the others, this ice machine produces the same ice as you would get at Sonic, the good ice with the small little crunchy nuggets.
- It can produce 80 pounds of ice today and can store up to 26 pounds.
- You can install this ice maker under your counter or at counter height, or as the title says, you can leave it outside as well.
- It comes with a reversible door.
- Makes tons of ice and even has the feature of storing it.
- Often tends to make constant noise while it works
Ice-O-Matic
Let’s have a look at the Ice-o-matic ice maker. This machine not only makes tons of ice at once but also has a stylish look to it.
Overview
In the middle of the pack, we had the Ice-O-Matic self-contained ice machine. For around 2500 bucks it has a slightly lower rating but 70 reviews.
Features
- This stainless steel finish gives it a sleek look. It can hold 22 pounds of ice at a time.
- It also does not require a drain pump as gravity will drain the water out.
- A one year warranty is also included with this purchase.
- This could be great for a small office or a cafe.
- Suitable for outdoor use.
- Needs acces for draining. If you have to install this where you don’t have easy access to a drain, you can also add on a drain pump, which will help solve that problem.
Newair
If you are looking for an icemaker on a budget then this one is just the one for you. The Newair ice maker is a great choice if you are on a budget.
Overview
Even though this is a little bit smaller than the others, it cranks out 50 pounds of ice each day and only takes 15 minutes to start dropping.
Features
- It can once it’s on and running it can start dropping ice every seven minutes, so your guests won’t have to wait.
- The LED display makes it easy to control turning the ice on and off when you want it. Newair is also accompanied that’s been around for almost 20 years. So you know, they’re doing something, right?
- This also has a self-cleaning function. So make sure you take advantage of that to keep it lasting for years to come.
- You can also choose the size of the ice that you want on this machine with three different options.
- With over 800 reviews and a 4.1 star rating, this is surely a good way to go.
- There’s also a convenient indicator light letting you know when the basket is full.
- If you find yourself hosting lots of parties, this could be a great addition to your household.
- Often tends to slow down the production of ice. But taking proper care and cleaing and changing the water regularly helps fix the problem.
What To Look For
Ice Types
We know you were looking for that good sonic nugget ice, so we were sure to include all of our recommendations to make that type of ice.
Size
Some of these are smaller than others where they might fit on your countertop or need to be installed under your countertop. This is really a personal preference and depends on what you have available in your house.
Portability
Most of these are able to plugin to a standard electrical outlet and don’t require a water line so they are very portable. Some of the larger ones may require a drain though. So if you are planning to move it around you should probably choose the smaller ones.
Setup
There really isn’t a ton of setup involved with these. It just depends on where you’re going to put it if you’re going to put it under a countertop. Then there will be a little more set up involved.
Ease Of Use
These are all pretty fairly easy to use. Some just may require more cleaning than others.
Price
The price range on these is pretty wide, ranging from a couple of hundred bucks to almost five thousand. You usually get what you pay for.
However, if you were just looking for a household purchase, one of these cheaper options should work just fine.
If you’re gonna have more ice production needs, such as an office or a small cafe, you may want to opt for the more expensive one.
Conclusion
Well, we hope you enjoyed our Sonic ice machine maker review. As you can see, there are several high-quality options for you to choose from.
As always do your own homework before you make a decision and just remember what works well for some people might not work well for others and one’s man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Do you use any of these ice makers? Let us know in the comments below.
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