Sonic Maker Fan Game
Marva Richardt
During all three of my pregnancies, I would drive to Sonic and purchase their perfectly-sized, crunchy ice because I had to have it! Whether you prefer to call them pebble ice, nugget ice, or even the infamous "sonic ice," there's something so satisfying about those crunchy little ice pellets. In our quest to satisfy the insatiable craving for nugget ice, we embarked on a rigorous testing journey to uncover the best nugget ice maker. We got our hands on four top-rated makers from Amazon and set up shop in our team office kitchen. Over the course of weeks, we meticulously evaluated their performance, ice quality, user-friendliness, and overall satisfaction. Keep scrolling for the results!
You may remember from our viral beverage station that we incorporated a built-in nugget ice maker, which has been a complete luxury. I personally scoop ice from it about five times a day, but it gets full-range use from our family of five. It's perfect. It's hooked up to plumbing, so we never have to refill the water or anything. We love a self-sufficient kitchen appliance! It's also built-in and quite the investment, so for this test we wanted to focus on strictly countertop ice makers. Without spoiling the results, I'll say that there's an ice maker out there for every personal preference and budget, and I would actually recommend all four of these for different reasons. Okay, let's go!
We have had this GE Opal countertop appliance for about a year and a half, actually. We bought it for the team office back in the day so our team could have icy cold beverages at their fingertips. This is "The Ice Maker" that everyone is getting these days. It's supposedly the best it gets.
First impressions? This ice maker is the smallest one of all! It takes up less real estate on your countertop but also holds less ice! The product image makes it look like stainless steel, but it's actually a gray plastic material. So aesthetically, it's not ideal. But what about the ice?
The shape of this ice was unexpected! They almost look like styrofoam packing peanuts with hollow insides. The product listing describes them as "bullet-shaped," which is probably accurate! And you can select either 1-in ice or .8-in ice, although we didn't notice much of a difference in size.
Surprisingly, we didn't mind the different shape! It still satisfied the crunchy ice craving, and the texture was great. I think if you're a small household and don't have a refrigerator ice dispenser, this is going to make you so happy.
I would say that this ice maker is the budget version of the Opal ice maker. It's smaller in size and has a really nice stainless steel finish. I also love that it has a flip-top lid for scooping out your ice. According to the product description, this one wins for making the most amount of ice at 3.3 lbs!
As for the actual ice, it's the perfect size to chew on, but it was a bit more rough around the edges than the others. And somehow, the ice is harder to chew, whereas the others made more soft-crunch ice. Make sense?
In my opinion, this appliance is the prettiest of the bunch. The black/stainless steel combo is lovely and has a really modern, simple shape. It's also the largest, which is less than ideal if you're short on counter space. That being said, the dispense on this machine is incredibly satisfying and easy to use.
This isn't considered a downside, but opposite to the other ice makers, you can't visually see how much ice has been made. And you can't see the water level either. Actually, filling it with water is at first odd, but also fun. You poke the funnel into the hole on the frontside and pour the water in. And since you can't see the fill line from the outside, the machine beeps at you when it's full.
Regarding budget, this particular ice maker stands out as the most expensive, and it also happens to be the one we've had and tested for the longest time. I don't really love that there's a side tank involved, and it is optional, but I would say it's pretty necessary unless you're fine with refilling the water cavity frequently.
Over time, it has required some troubleshooting, and here and there, it makes some random weird sounds, but it does an incredible job of satisfying the pebble ice craving. It also seems to make ice the quickest, and with the side tank, you won't have to refill very often.
2. Opal - While this ice maker performs perfectly well, it's almost double the price of the KBice machine, and I'm not sure it's double the value. That being said, it holds significantly more ice, and more water, which means less refilling.
1. Joy - We all had great things to say about this quirky little "bullet-shaped" ice maker. It's less than $100, and although it's not ideal for a big family, it would be perfect for college students or newlyweds.
2. Kndko - I would recommend this appliance if you want a great nugget ice maker at a fair price. Although it didn't win as the most satisfying ice, it's still pretty dang good. It's also a bit shocking that it's smaller in size but also holds the most ice.
I had a small built in ice maker under my sink on our boat. At first it was a novelty. But the ice cubes were those bullet ones and melted quickly in your drink. We ended up taking it out, selling it, and freeing up all that space by simply putting two ice cube trays in the freezer. I would not buy another. Our freezer at home has an ice cube dispenser and the ice is bigger and harder so it lasts longer in a drink, especially if the pop is not cold to begin with.
I recently bought a Frigidaire Compact Countertop ice maker. It looks like the Joy machine but it is stainless steel. There is also an Iceman portable machine - it has a handle to make it easier to carry around. They are in the 99-109 price range.
I like the size of the ice bullets, but they do melt fast in the drink. I also have some silicone ice trays that make large cubes, which take a while to melt. Check out Amazon to see the variety of sizes and shapes. A lot of the trays have lids to make them stackable. There was a rose shaped option as well as balls, hexies, and other shapes.
The one thing I had hoped to have reviewed in this is the meltability of the ice. Some of these ice makers the ice seems sooooo thin and melts so fast. Any comment on these four? Did the ice melt super quick like maybe they don't freeze it all the way through?
This ice maker has a super fast ice-making cycle, so you can expect 40 lbs of daily ice production. Equipped with a mini shovel for scooping, our ice maker also features an ice full indicator and overflow protection, so you never have to worry about making a mess.
Our Ice Maker makes it simple to enjoy ice-cold refreshments because it is portable, convenient, and compact in size.
This ice maker is perfect for small spaces. It can be stored on your countertop or in your RV, boat, or office. With an outlet and drain plug at the bottom, it is easy to empty the unused water.
Use
Clean your ice maker thoroughly before you use it for the first time
Allow one hour for the refrigerant fluid to settle before plugging ice maker in
Water temperature will affect the performance of ice making. The lower the temperature is, the more ice.
Good quality water ensures a proper performance and relatively longer operational life. Purified water and distilled water is recommended.
Care
To maintain maximum efficiency and prevent bacterial growth, we suggest you clean your unit regularly, especially the water pipe and water filters.
Introducing the Whynter IBX-388WS SonicSn Countertop Nugget Ice Maker, a revolutionary countertop nugget ice maker designed for ultimate convenience. Experience the joy of chewable nugget ice like never before. Unlike traditional hard cubes, our compacted ice flakes produce irresistibly crunchy and chewy yet softer nugget ice. This unique texture not only optimizes melting speed but also absorbs the flavors of your favorite cocktails and beverages, enhancing every sip.
With a remarkable capacity to produce up to 40 pounds of ice per day, this home ice maker ensures you never run out of refreshing ice. Thanks to its fast cooling technology, this automatic ice maker churns out 1.6 pounds of fresh ice per hour, making it perfect for any gathering or daily use.
The table top ice maker also features an automatic self-cleaning cycle, ensuring your ice is always fresh and clean with minimal effort. Additionally, the removable ice drawer allows for easy cleaning and maintenance, keeping your ice maker hygienic and efficient.
I have a Creality Sonic Pad that I use with my Ender 5 plus, it purports to be useable with almost any 3D printer, anyone tried it with the Snapmaker 2? I can control upto 4 printers with the Sonic Pad and it would be nice to add the Snapmaker too.
Theron is an educator, business owner, writer, and consultant working within Springfield, MO and the Ozarks community. He enjoys making and building with his 11 year old son and likes to read and write about science, technology, education, sci fi, martial arts, and philosophy.
In the British Sci-fi series Doctor Who, the time traveling Doctor often uses his sonic screwdriver to rescue his companions and save the day. Now you can build your own version that lights up and emits actual sonic vibrations from a high revolution motor cut out of a dollar store sonic toothbrush.
This is a relatively easy weekend project, but does require some drilling, wiring of electronics, and soldering. This project is based around a sonic toothbrush that I found at a discount store for a few bucks. I cracked it open and removed the guts to build my sonic screwdriver around. To get everything else I required, I just needed to head to the hardware store for a pipe and brass pipe fittings to house the battery, switch, and a small electric motor.
After the LED, the switch, the batteries and the wire are connected drill a hole in the pipe for the switch and use epoxy to hold it in place. Use 4 button cell batteries (you could use an AAA battery depending on the diameter and length of your handle).
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