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Bullet, nugget or clear cube: three different machines
Updated
The ice type is set by the machine, and you cannot switch later. Bullet machines are the small, fast, simple ones. Nugget machines make soft, chewable ice and have more moving parts. Clear cube machines make slow, hard, good-looking cubes for cocktails. Pick the ice you want in the glass first, then compare baskets and hourly rates inside that type.
The three types on this site
| Type | Picks | Listing, per 24 h | First ice (maker claim) | Basket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet | Frigidaire EFIC117-SS | 26 lb | 9 bullets every 7 minutes | 1.5 lb |
| Bullet | Euhomy IM001 with handle | 26 lb | 9 bullets in 6 minutes | 1.3 lb |
| Bullet | Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK | 26 lb | First ice in 6 to 8 minutes | 1.25 lb |
| Nugget | Euhomy IM013 nugget | 35 lb | First nuggets in 7 minutes | 1.3 lb |
| Nugget | GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra | 38 lb | First ice in 10 minutes or less | 3 lb |
| Clear square | Frigidaire EFIC452-SS clear | 40 lb | 24 cubes in under 15 minutes | 2.4 lb |
Bullet ice
Bullet ice is a thimble shape with a hollow middle. The Frigidaire and Euhomy listings claim 9 pieces every 6 to 7 minutes, the Igloo claims first ice in 6 to 8 minutes, and all three say 26 lb per day. The Frigidaire offers two sizes. The hollow shape chills a drink fast and melts fast. Owner summaries for all three mention cube size: some owners find the cubes small. The Igloo summary also mentions cubes freezing together. These are the lightest machines, 13 to 16 pounds.
Nugget ice
Nugget ice, also sold as pebble or pellet ice, is soft and chewable. The listings here describe it as ice you can snack on. Nugget machines push ice through the machine with an auger, which is a part bullet machines do not have. A CPSC recall shows what that part can do when it fails: about 8,800 Gevi countertop nugget ice makers were recalled after 263 reports of metal auger blades breaking and landing in the ice basket. No injuries were reported, and that model is not one of our picks. It is a reason to buy nugget machines from makers with real support.
Expect a warm-up. GE says it is normal for the Opal's first nuggets to be slushy, and that after about 30 minutes it makes standard nuggets. Nugget machines are also heavier: the Euhomy nugget maker is 21.7 pounds and the Opal 2.0 Ultra is 49.2 pounds.
Clear cubes
Clear ice machines run water over a cold plate so the ice builds in layers. Makers claim the result melts slower and fizzes less in a drink. We have not checked that claim. The trade is time: the Frigidaire EFIC452-SS claims 24 cubes in under 15 minutes, about twice as long as a bullet batch. It also has the highest daily number here, 40 lb, because each batch is big. One thing to know from owner summaries of similar clear ice machines: some owners report ice coming out in a sheet that has to be broken apart.
Which to buy
- Everyday drinks, low fuss: bullet. Start with the Frigidaire EFIC117-SS.
- You chew ice or love drive-in style ice: nugget. The Opal if you have the counter, the Euhomy IM013 if you do not.
- Cocktails and whiskey: clear. The Frigidaire EFIC452-SS.
Check your own numbers with the pounds per hour calculator, or compare all six picks on the roundup page.