Looking for a smart and elegant addition to your kitchen to feed you with high-quality and fresh ice on the go? Then the GE profile countertop nugget ice makers are your ideal choice. This appliance is capable of making high-quality fresh ice in the least possible time and will add to the elegance and ambient of the home. Its transparent look through the window is indeed entertaining to watch the entire ice-making process on the go. Let us discuss the unique features and the performance of this nugget ice maker in detail here.
GE Profile Opal Ice Maker Review 2022
| Features | Rating |
| Easy to use | 9.4 |
| Easy to clean | 9.2 |
| Performance | 9.3 |
| Build quality | 8.8 |
| Noise level | 8.1 |
| Flavor | 9.4 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.5 |
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Opinion by Douglas Casius
GE Profile Opal is an ultimate winner if you like nugget ice. It also looks very cool on the countertop as the design is very neat and clean. Although I advise you to check the appliance for manufacturing defects as soon as it arrives. If it’s working, you have a brilliant ice maker, if it’s not, then get it replaced as soon as possible.
Specifications
- Dimensions of the ice maker appliance: 17.5 x 13.43 x 16.5 inches
- Weight of the ice maker: 47 pounds
- Ice storage capacity: 3 pounds
- Installation type: countertop ice maker
- Color: Stainless steel body with gray accents and LED lighting
- Voltage consumption: 120 volts
Unique Features of the GE Profile Opal Ice Maker
This is a self-contained portable ice maker appliance that is made up of a stainless steel body with plastic grey accents. It has an elegant design and features a side tank that adds to its ambience and wow factor to the entire kitchen. It will surely amaze the guests, with its looks, more than the tasty ice it makes. Let us discuss the other unique potentials of this portable ice maker.
1. Ice Making Capacity
We can term the ice made in this appliance in three ways, namely nugget ice, pellet ice, and even drive-in ice. The appliance is capable of making soft and crunchy ice nuggets, that look like tiny snowballs that float on the favorite beverages. It makes chewable ice cubes right from the convenience of one’s kitchen countertop. The maximum ice producing capacity of this nugget ice maker is about 24 pounds in a day and the total bin capacity of this appliance is about 3 pounds.
2. Bluetooth Compatibility
This is one of the unique features of this appliance that we don’t commonly find in ice makers. This ice maker machine is Bluetooth equipped and thus it is possible to set up the ice making schedule from the convenience of the phone, with the help of the GE profile opal app. This Bluetooth feature will sense when the ice bin of the appliance is full. Thus there is no overproduction of ice cubes and nothing is wasted in this appliance. Also, it offers the convenience of operating the device from the convenience of one’s handset.
Check out: Best Sonic Nugget Ice Machines
3. Additional Connections
This appliance doesn’t require any water hook-up connectivity, as it is a countertop appliance. It only requires to be connected to a standard 120v grounded electrical outlet for power. Water has to be filled in its reservoir to make a fresh batch of ice every time. When we forget to remove ice from this appliance, the water will melt and will return to the reservoir to make a fresh batch of ice. Thus this little ice-making appliance keeps forming high-quality ice, without wasting even an ounce of water.
Read: How Much Electricity Does a Portable Ice Maker Use?
4. Elegant and Compact Design
As this appliance is tiny and compact, it serves as a perfect addition to any home countertop. This appliance makes nugget shaped ice cubes that are chewable. The ice cubes are light and airy and are thus perfect for any party and celebration. Its airy texture is perfect for any drink and will only chill the drink, without altering its taste and flavor. It is great for chilling any tea, water, and any beverage without diluting it. This appliance is capable of producing about 1 lb. of ice in an hour and helps with a constant and steady source of ice all through the day.
5. Side Tank Feature
There is an elegant side tank, that adds to the ambience of the countertop ice maker. This side tank holds water to make ice and easily attaches to the ice maker.
Must Check: Best Portable Ice Maker Under $200
6. Quickstart System
This appliance starts forming ice within 20 minutes of the initial start-up. With this appliance, it is possible to always have ice in hand, as it powers up automatically when the ice is running low in the appliance. But the ice that is formed in this appliance tends to clump after staying idle for 48 hours. It is also important to replace the water in this appliance every day.
7. Portable Design
It is possible to move this ice maker easily, to any location as required owing to its portable design. you can move it to the poolside for your parties, or keep it on your open patio or on your kitchen countertop. Small cafes and restaurant owners can also make use of this appliance to meet the ice needs of their customers.
Cleaning Routine of the Ice Maker
Before using the appliance for the first time to make ice, it is important to follow a specific cleaning schedule, that includes washing out the bin and the internal reservoir, along with the side tank with warm and soapy water. It is important to rinse out the internal component as well to prevent any build-up from contaminating the ice cubes. To rinse out the internal components,
- Mix five cups of water with one teaspoon of bleach and pour the solution into the internal reservoir.
- Turn on the ice maker and press the clean button for three seconds to begin water circulation.
- After a few minutes, the circulation spots and the LED goes dark.
- Remove the plugs from the drain tubes and drain the water into the sink.
- Press the clean button again and let the water circulate before draining.
- After three freshwater cycles, the ice maker is ready for use.
How Does the Opal Countertop Ice Maker Work?
Generally, ice maker appliances freeze water into a hard ice cube. But this opal ice make makes nugget-shaped ice by scraping off the ice flakes from the insides of a chilled stainless steel cylinder.
These flakes are then extruded through a round hole, and then compacting them into snowball-type chewable ice nuggets. It sounds simple, but this appliance makes use of a powerful compressor to form high-quality ice.
Pros & Cons of GE Profile Opal Ice Maker
What do we like about the GE Profile Opal ice maker?
- The appliance is capable of producing about three times more ice, with the help of its side tank, which attaches pretty easily to the ice maker.
- The side tank is meant to hold ice sticks to the sides of the unit through a magnetic force.
- An automatic refill system ensures that ice is always ready in this ice maker that powers on automatically when the ice is running low.
- Its three-pound ice storage capacity makes sure that the ice that will be required is always at hand.
- Its portable, compact, and countertop design plugs in easily and efficiently to any electrical outlet.
- Its built-in Bluetooth connectivity helps to schedule the ice-making cycle.
- We can monitor the status of the ice maker and its accessories through a dedicated app on the smartphone device.
What do we don’t like about the GE Profile Opal ice maker?
- The appliance forms ice pretty slowly
- The ice that is formed is soft and chewable and thus melts pretty quick
- It is an expensive appliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the nugget ice cubes formed in this appliance chewable?
This is an excellent countertop ice maker that forms nugget-shaped ice cubes. This chewable type of ice is formed from compacted ice flakes and thus, they are great for chilling sodas and cocktails and making different varieties of refreshing beverages. This appliance forms soft nugget-shaped ice cubes and not hard cubes and is thus easy to chew and also helps in retaining the flavors of the drinks that are formed.
Does it require a water hookup? does it plug into the standard electrical outlet?
This appliance is very lightweight and is also easily portable. As it doesn’t require any water hook-up, you can transport it and plug it into any standard 120V grounded electrical outlet. You only have to make sure that its reservoir is filled with water to keep making a huge volume of ice cubes.
What is the side tank in this appliance for?
The side tank in this ice maker appliance behaves as a water tank so that there is tremendous space for the formed ice to be saved in this ice maker. As the main compartment is dedicated predominantly to making and saving ice cubes, this appliance can form approximately three times more ice than any other portable ice maker and this side tank also attaches to the main tank exceptionally well.
What happens when we don’t remove the ice cubes and leave them in the storage bin?
This ice maker is not insulated and by design, it cannot retain the solid shape of the ice cubes for a long time. Thus, it is recommended to transfer them to the freezer at the earliest. If the ice is not removed from the bin, it melts and the water will return to the reservoir. Later this ice can be used to make more ice. But this ends up only in the waste of power.
What are the ice production and storage capacity of this ice maker?
The GE profile opal countertop ice maker is capable of producing about 24 lbs. of ice cubes in a day and its storage bin is capable of storing about 3 lbs. of ice at a time. Thus, with this ice maker at hand, which automatically powers when it is running low on ice, it is possible to get ready-made ice for drinks instantly. This appliance is quick and powerful, and within 20 minutes, you get to enjoy soft and crunchy ice that is of restaurant quality.
Does this ice maker have Bluetooth connectivity?
This is indeed a smart ice maker that features built-in Bluetooth connectivity. With this functionality, it is possible to schedule a fresh ice-making cycle and monitor the ice-making process in this appliance. You can perform all of these functions with the help of a small application on the smartphone.
Does this appliance fit on the kitchen countertop?
This appliance features an elegant and compact design and its dimensions measure 10 ½ x 15 ½ x 17 ¾ inches. This is indeed the perfect design to fit on the kitchen countertop and the restaurant and bar tables as well.
Does this appliance form hard or soft ice cubes?
Generally, the traditional ice makers freeze the water to form ice cubes, and thus they are pretty hard. But this Opal nugget ice maker is pretty different. It makes ice cubes by scraping the ice flakes from the insides of the chilled stainless steel cylinder. These flakes are then extruded through a round hole, that compacts them into chewable nuggets. The ice that is formed in this appliance is more like a snowball.
Is it possible to hook up this appliance to the water source, so that I don’t have to refill it with water frequently?
No, there is no way that this model can hook up with a water source. But its reservoir makes it easy to refill water.
Can I use the ice cubes that are formed to prepare iced tea?
The chewable and flavor-saving nugget ice cubes from this appliance have a light and an airy texture and they are thus perfect for making beverages and party cocktails, leave alone iced tea, drinks, and water.
Alternatives of GE Profile Opal
GE Profile Opal is a great ice machine so you will not find many alternatives, still, these are some of the best alternatives of GE Profile Opal that you can consider in 2022.
- Scotsman Brilliance Sonic Ice Machine
- Ice-O-Matic GEMU090 Ice Machine
- Euhomy IM-F Ice Maker
- HOmeLabs Chill Pill Ice Maker
Final Verdict
The GE Profile Opal ice maker from GE Appliances is a perfect appliance for dedicated ice chewers and for those who prefer chilling their drinks with crunchy little cubes of ice. It is a stylish appliance that adds a lot of value to the kitchen and can be connected with the Wi-Fi network of the home to form batches of clear ice instantly. It is more affordable than a commercial appliance and fits the kitchen countertop perfectly.
does the side reservoir come with the unit or needs to be purchased separately ?
Hey Terry,
It comes with the unit!
I have gone through a lot of GE profile opal reviews as I always research before buying a product and I found your review very detailed and helpful. I am definitely buying the Ge opal.