A sonic ice maker is an essential appliance for the home. After all, you can never have enough ice, and we all hate ice trays. In this post, we look at the best sonic ice makers on the market and what features to consider before buying one.
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3 Best Sonic Ice Makers
- KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
- GE Profile Opal Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
- Northair Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
What Is A Sonic Ice Maker?
A sonic ice maker is a compact home appliance that produces soft and chewable ice. Much like a beverage cooler or a kegerator, sonic ice makers are ideal for entertaining at home.
Sonic ice has many names: pearl ice, nugget ice, cubelet ice, and pellet ice. Therefore, a sonic ice maker is simply a chewable ice maker.
You cannot use the ordinary home ice maker to create sonic ice. You require a special ice maker to make this type of ice that many people like to crunch on. Sonic ice is widespread and an excellent choice for many drinks, especially in the summer.
Therefore, you should take time to find a chewy ice maker that will produce ice that is genuinely soft and chewable.
Best Sonic Icemakers To Buy In 2023
Is A Sonic Ice Maker Worth It?
The ordinary ice produced in many households has one major challenge, it is as hard as a rock. A sonic ice maker for the home can address this challenge and still provide ice with the same cooling effects as ordinary ice.
Therefore, a Sonic ice maker is worth it. It will produce ice that you will enjoy chewing without fearing that you will break your teeth.
Best Sonic Ice Maker Reviews
There are so many models and brands of Sonic ice makers. As a result, selecting the best can be a daunting task, especially for someone new to chewy ice makers.
We have narrowed down the list and made it easier for you to choose the best nugget ice maker for your home.
KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Ice Maker
The KBice Self Dispensing Countertop Ice Maker features an in-built self-cleaning function that keeps the appliance clean and running smoothly.
The self-dispensing feature makes this ice maker easy to use and mess-free. Just fill the reservoir with purified, distilled, or bottled water.
However, you can also use tap water if the hardness is below 100 PPM. Once you fill the reservoir, the ice will be ready within 25 minutes.
The KBice nugget ice maker can produce up to 30 pounds of ice in 24 hours. Furthermore, internal ice storage with a capacity of two pounds allows you to enjoy sonic ice anytime, hands-free. Its stainless steel design is highly durable and easy to maintain.
GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker
The GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker combines innovative design and technology to give you the best countertop ice maker. This smart chewable ice maker has inbuilt Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to create a new ice schedule and monitor the ice maker’s status. All this is possible through an app on your smartphone.
The innovative design avoids leaks and clumping by circulating melted ice back to the reservoir. The ice maker will automatically refill when ice is running low, ensuring that you have a constant supply of ice.
This countertop nugget ice maker is also portable. It does not require a water hookup; all you need to do is plug it into the standard electrical outlet.
A solid stainless steel casing keeps the GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker in good working order. The GE Opal’s built-in water filter eliminates unwanted tastes and odors for up to 3 months.
Northair Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
The Northair Countertop Nugget Ice Maker is a modern chewy ice maker featuring electronic controls on a digital and LCD for easy use. In addition, the icemaker has a digitally designed push button that offers one-time ice production.
Northair’s indicator light shows up when there is insufficient water in the reservoir. The ice maker will also alert you when the ice storage is full.
An Auto Self-Cleaning feature helps keep the ice maker clean by just pressing the clean button. Any unused melted ice goes back to the reservoir. The ice maker can produce 44 pounds a day, and the ice storage can hold up to 3.3 pounds.
RaySonics Nugget Ice Maker
RaySonics has an auto water refill feature that makes your ice-making process hustle-free. Just connect the ice maker to a water supply to fill up the reservoir when it gets empty. Stainless steel construction protects the RaySonics from bumps and scratches.
A self-cleaning function automatically cleans the machine. Press and hold the clean button for three seconds to start the five minutes cleaning cycle. However, you will need to clean the ice storage compartment manually using a diluted detergent solution.
The RaySonics Nugget Ice Maker can produce 26 pounds of ice per day. And its storage bin holds 3.3 pounds. It is also fast, and your ice will be ready in just 18 minutes.
VIVOHOME Portable Countertop Ice Maker
VIVOHOME Portable Countertop Ice Maker is compact and lightweight, making it the best portable nugget ice maker. It is perfect for boats, RVs, kitchens, offices, bars, restaurants, parties, and gatherings.
The ice maker is also fast. Just plug in, add water, and enjoy nugget ice in approximately 6 to 10 minutes. The ice maker can make 26 pounds of ice in 24 hours.
This ice maker is also easy to use. Just switch on the appliance and select your preferred ice size, large or small (S/L).
An automatic overflow protection feature ensures you never have to deal with a mess. The top lid is transparent, allowing you to monitor the ice level.
FRIGIDAIRE Countertop Crunchy Chewable Nugget Ice Maker
The Frigidaire Countertop Crunchy Chewable Nugget Ice Maker is an elegant, stainless steel, compact ice maker. In addition, it is portable and does not require a water hookup. You can plug the icemaker into any standard electrical outlet.
This ice maker is also quick and powerful. You can enjoy your soft crunch ice within 15 minutes. In addition, it has a high capacity, and it can produce 44 pounds of ice in a day, and the storage holds three pounds.
Unused ice automatically melts back into the reservoir, turning it back into more ice.
AGLUCKY Compact Automatic Ice Maker
The AGLUCKY Compact Automatic Ice Maker is a compact, portable countertop ice maker with broad applications. It is perfect for the kitchen, office, bar, and tea shop. It is also easy to operate, and you can choose small or large ice cubes, depending on your preference.
This pellet ice maker is efficient and quick, allowing you to have ice in about six to eight minutes. It can produce 26.5 pounds of ice in 24 hours. The ice maker has a quiet cooling system.
Multi-functional indicators will alert you when the ice maker needs more water, and the ice bin is full. It also produces bullet-shaped ice that is easy on the hand and mouth.
What Is A Sonic Ice Maker?
Sonic ice or nugget ice is, without a doubt, one of the most common ice types. It is best suited for drinks and can also be used in some recipes.
Sonic ice makers are useful anywhere cold drinks are sold, be it at a café, restaurant, or bar. These small-sized ice pieces are softer than the regular flake or cube ice, making them a perfect fit for smoothies, sodas, and cocktails.
A pellet ice machine for the home can also come in handy if you want to always have fresh chewable and crunchy ice available to you any time of the day, especially during the summer.
The ice from this machine melts slowly, and floats on top of your drink, giving a refreshing and cold sip of your favorite drink.
There are various types of nugget ice makers for a home in the market, it will be best if you know more about them before choosing one. This guide will give you information about commercial and home-use nugget ice makers.
Different Types Of Ice To Make At Home
You might have been seeing or hearing about crushed ice makers, crunchy ice makers, nugget ice makers, pebble ice makers, and pellet ice makers and are confused about which one to go for, we have some good news for you; they are all the same ice and made by the same machine.
Different manufacturers have different names for it, but irrespective of the different names they give it, they are all talking about the same frozen water.
To further clarify some of your confusion, there are other popular names for this frozen delight: such as Nugget ice, pebble ice, pellet ice, the “Good Ice”, Sonic ice, Chick-fil-A-ice, Hospital ice, pearl ice, soft ice, and chewable ice.
Some of these names come from the place this type of nice is often served. For instance, Chick-fil-A and sonic ice are served in fast-food chains and it got its reputation from that, likewise, most hospitals and clinics gave nugget ice to their patients who had difficulty swallowing fluids during treatment.
Types Of Nugget Ice Machines
There are various categories of sonic ice makers, and they have been briefly explained in this article.
Countertop
This type is one of the most popular pebble ice makers for home. The models are small and look compact, making them a perfect fit for home use, camps, and outdoor events.
Some countertop models come with in-built storage bins, while some also need to be hooked up to a water supply, while some have water tanks that can be filled with water when needed. Most countertop ice makers are best nugget ice maker for home.
Undercounter
Undercounter sonic ice makers are great for businesses or kitchens with limited space. As the name gives away an undercounter ice maker is installed under the countertop.
They come with storage bins, and in-built water and drainage lines, so as to ease the plumbing work. These machines are mostly panel-ready so they can be customized to fit the kitchen cabinets.
Freestanding
Freestanding sonic ice makers are the largest type of nugget ice maker. Mostly used in commercial places like bars, hotels, and restaurants.
They are built with large storage bins and can produce hundreds of pounds of ice daily. More expensive but powerful, they are built to last longer.
Sonic Ice Maker Versus Nugget Ice Maker
A sonic ice maker produces clear and solid cubes of ice. The ice cubes are not opaque or cloudy. Sonic ice makers use ultrasonic sound waves, which crush water into fine particles and freeze them into transparent cubes.
Nugget ice makers produce a fluffy and soft kind of ice that is perfect for beverages. The ice cubes are small and crunchy with a soft center, thus melting slowly in your drink.
What Features To Look For In A Sonic Ice Maker
Size Of Sonic Ice Maker
Before purchasing an ice maker, it’s important to determine your available space. Whether it’s a countertop ice maker or a built-in version, available space is everything. Thankfully ice makers come in a variety of sizes allowing those with small kitchens or homes the ability to open an ice maker.
Ice Maker Water Filtration System
Having a good water filter is very important. A water filter helps eliminate unwanted tastes and odors, vastly improving the taste of nugget ice.
Different brands and models have varying water filtration systems. Hard water can damage some types of ice makers. Ensure you identify your water condition so that you can choose an ice maker that the water will not damage.
Maintenance Of Sonic Ice Maker
Like any kitchen appliance, it’s important to make sure you are properly maintaining your ice maker. An easy way to do this is to ensure that you choose an ice maker that is easy to clean and maintain. Thankfully, most ice makers have a self-cleaning feature.
Ice Production And Ice Output
Different ice makers can produce different amounts of ice per day. The production will often range from 20 to 45 pounds per day. If you love having guests around, then go for an ice maker that can produce more ice.
A sonic ice maker will produce ice to chew on or keep your beverage cool during the summer season. You should therefore choose your ice maker carefully.
FAQs – Sonic Ice Makers
Yes. Nugget ice is the same as “Sonic” ice. The fast-food chain invented the smaller, softer ice cube. Nugget ice has become the alternative way to describe this style of ice.
The fastest and easiest way to make nugget ice cubes is with an at-home Sonic Ice Maker. These machines are designed to produce the same soft, chewy ice made famous by Sonic.
Also known as nugget ice or sonic ice, pellet ice is softer and more “chewy” compared to regular cube ice.
Yes. And the quickest and easiest way to make sonic ice at home is with a sonic ice maker. There are several models of sonic ice makers available. Since they have been introduced to the general public, the cost of a sonic ice maker has become more affordable.