Some smart home gadgets are must-haves—a smart thermostat can save you money, a smart door lock can stop you from getting locked out—but unlike those, the sleek GE Profile Opal Ultra 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker ($579, $629 with a side tank) isn’t a must-have, although it does make tasty ice, so maybe you do.
Nugget ice is an issue that many people, including my family, will fight to the death about.
Sure, $630 is a lot of money for any countertop gadget, but one that just freezes water, and spending that much on a smart, connected gadget that does nothing but schedule things and ask Alexa to make more ice seems even more unreasonable. But nugget ice is something many people, including my family, would die for. We all make a fuss about it if it just makes drinks taste better. If it encourages kids to stay hydrated, that’s a big win for me.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with nugget ice (also known as chewable ice, sonic ice, pellet ice, or as my family calls it, “good ice”), it’s small, flaky ice frozen in layers. It’s truly addictive and goes great in everything from a tall glass of water to iced tea or lemonade. If you’re making tiki cocktails, it’s a must.
Nugget ice can turn a room temperature drink into a cold one in seconds, doesn’t melt as quickly as crushed ice, and is super fun to chew – my daughter loves to fill her glass with ice and eat it.
Unfortunately, there are no fridges that can make true nugget ice. Samsung makes a fridge that makes little ice cubes called “Ice Bites,” but it’s apparently not the same thing. That means your only options are a countertop or a drive-in.
$629
The Ultra is an update to the already pretty good GE Profile Opal 2.0, which claims to make cleaning less of a pain by adding new features like a filter that deals with mineral buildup.
In the week since we had Opal on our kitchen counter, it has become a favorite kitchen item for our family. We love scooping a few tasty Opal grains into a tall glass of lemonade or pouring one into a Tervis cup before braving the summer heat.
Opal is easy to set up and use, and can make up to 38 pounds of ice per day very quickly. No plumbing is required, just a power source, although an optional water tank is required if you want to make ice continuously. On average, you only need to refill it every other day to make enough ice for all four people.
Opal is my family’s favorite kitchen appliance
So far, the Opal Ultra’s biggest drawback is that it’s noisy. The tubes make a high-pitched whining noise as water passes through the filter, and the ice maker makes a quiet clicking noise. But that’s where those smart features come in handy: You can schedule ice-making times in the Smart HQ app so they don’t interfere with movie time, or tell Alexa or Google to turn it off.
The Opal was first launched in 2015, and the Ultra is the fourth version of GE Profile’s popular nugget ice machine, with several behind-the-scenes improvements to make the unit easier to clean, including a new anti-scale water filter, a reusable air filter, and alerts (on-device and in-app) that let you know when it’s time to sanitize or descale.
All these enhancements should, in theory, mean longer time between cleaning/de-scaling and keep your ice tasting better for longer (the good news for current Opal owners is that the new water filter is compatible with existing models).
Upgrades for the Ultra include a magnetic scoop holder and stainless steel scoop.
The cleaning/descaling process is long, requires a special solution (or vinegar, if you prefer), and up to a day of downtime while it works, and you have to continue the process if you want to keep making fresh ice. In the short time I tested the unit, I didn’t get any descaling warnings, but I did get a sanitizing warning, which occurs after 25 hours of ice making.
The sanitizing process took roughly 30 minutes, but the device does require a lot of maintenance, along with descaling, which should be done every two weeks to four months, depending on the hardness of your water. (If you use distilled water with Opal, descaling probably won’t be necessary, but sanitizing and cleaning are.)
The Ultra comes in new colors and includes a magnetic scoop holder and stainless steel scoop
Other updates to the Ultra from the current Opal 2.0 model include new colors (white or black in addition to stainless steel) and an upgraded touch display for powering it on/off, connecting to Wi-Fi, and checking status. Plus, it comes with a magnetic scoop holder and stainless steel scoop, making it easy to store the scoop on the side of the unit and helping to maintain cleanliness.
If you can get the Opal 2.0 on sale, that’s probably the way to go. Overall, the Ultra upgrade seems like just a small cosmetic and quality of life improvement. You’ll still need to clean the machine manually, but maybe not as often. Plus, starting in August, you can buy a new water filter and a new scoop with holder separately to go with the Opal 2.0, but that could wipe out most of the savings.
The Opal 2.0 Ultra is very expensive, requires a lot of maintenance, and takes up a fair amount of kitchen counter space. But it’s great at making fresh, chewy, crunchable ice that makes any drink taste better. It’s also one of the few smart gadgets I’ve brought into my home that the whole family loves. That’s all I need.
If you too crave delicious ice and buy this product knowing that you will have to struggle to get it, you will surely be pleased with this gadget.
Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy/The Verge
