This ice is also known as “the good ice.” Opal nugget ice maker creates the chewy, crunchy, flavor-preserving nugget ice you crave. The Opal is a home nugget ice producer that is both inexpensive and portable. The Opal Side Tank is not included in the package. Looking for the best nugget ice maker? We have a list of recommendation you can check.
The Good Ice: Anytime, Anywhere
The Opal was carefully designed with the enthusiast in mind by the co-create community at FirstBuild: people who stop by their favorite restaurant on the weekend to pick up a bag of that special soft ice or have googled “nugget ice maker for home” only to discover that home nugget ice makers start at $2000 – $3000. Opal is clever enough to know when to start and stop generating ice, ensuring that you never run out. Ice will slowly melt within the air-insulated bucket, just like in any cooler, before turning on when it’s time to refill.
FirstBuild Opal Nugget Ice Maker
What We Like: Quickly creates chewable nugget ice. Clean and simple to use Sleek design that syncs with your phone What We Don’t Care For Expensive and heavy The button is mediocre. It’s not a clone of Sonic ice. If you adore nugget ice, the FirstBuild Opal Nugget Ice Maker allows you to have an endless supply at home. This system, however, is not for everyone due to its expensive price and limited functionality.
Setup: Simple Enough
When the Opal Nugget Ice Maker arrived, I was so pleased that I made the mistake of carrying it inside while wearing high heels. This is not a good idea because the package is much heavier than it appears. The machine weighs 44 pounds, with the box likely adding a few extra. Learn from my error and pick it up in sensible footwear.
Fortunately, lugging the box was the most difficult aspect of the setup. The ice maker comes completely assembled, so all you have to do is unpack it and place it on your counter. While it fits well beneath my cabinets, the machine is a rather large equipment that takes up quite a deal of counter space, and I can see it being a nuisance in tiny kitchens.
You must perform a cleaning cycle before using the Opal Nugget Ice Maker. The machine has a small switch on the back that allows you to put it in “clean” mode, and the whole thing took me about 10 minutes. I needed to do nothing more than fill the machine with water and turn it on. It flushes the interior compartments by cycling water through them. I drained the water from the machine once it was finished. After that, it was ice, ice, baby!
Design: Surprisingly Sleek and Simple
Stainless steel kitchen appliances are my weakness, and I have much more than I like to confess, so it’s no surprise that the Opal Nugget Ice Maker appealed to me. With a see-through plastic pull-out ice bucket and a single light-up control button, the machine has a minimalistic stainless steel design. It also comes with an ice scoop and an optional black plastic drip tray.
The ice maker, as previously said, slipped smoothly under my cabinets with approximately an inch of clearance. According to the manufacturer, it requires 3 inches of clearance on the sides and back for proper airflow. It’s also a good idea to put it near a sink. To understand why, see the section on cleaning.
The overall design of this equipment is simple and functional. The plastic bin slides out smoothly and comes to a halt in a tilted open position, making scooping ice a breeze. The On/Off button is the only difficult control. My only gripe is that the button isn’t really “button-like.” I prefer it when a button “clicks” to indicate that it has been pressed, but this one does not. I always end up pounding it, and it doesn’t work half the time on the first try.
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