“The best nugget ice at home, if you can stomach the price and upkeep”
7.2
Inside Scoop Score
Mixed · 7.2 / 10
THE VERDICT
The Opal 2.0 Ultra genuinely delivers the soft, chewable pellet ice people obsess over, starts making ice within 10 minutes, and handles heavy daily use without mechanical drama. But at $450-500 on Amazon, it's a premium appliance with a budget plastic scoop, a recommended two-week cleaning cycle most owners ignore until it gets ugly, and a noise profile that catches buyers off guard. The upgrade from 1.0 to 2.0 appears to have resolved the worst reliability complaints, but the price-to-finish quality ratio still raises eyebrows.
Anchored by Jeremy Judkins's review
Good Housekeeping lab tests confirmed the Opal 2.0 Ultra begins producing ice within 10 minutes, which is fast for a countertop nugget machine.
A six-month owner using it constantly for iced coffee and soda throughout the day reported never running out of ice and zero mechanical failures.
The 2.0 revision appears to have addressed the noise and reliability issues that plagued the original model, with multiple reviewers noting a dramatically smoother ownership experience.
Verified owner data
Most owners are happy — only 23% of 299 Amazon ratings are 1–2★. These are the specific gripes worth weighing before you buy:
GE recommends cleaning every two weeks, which involves emptying everything, running a bleach-and-water solution, and flushing it multiple times through a drain tube — a 20-plus-minute ordeal most owners admit they skip for months, and the buildup shows.
— from top reviewer (Jeremy Judkins, 6-month owner)
lightbulb Use the included filter and set a phone reminder to clean monthly at minimum; a filter swap reduces mineral buildup between deep cleans.
One of the internal LED bulbs casts a yellowish hue on the ice, which looks like dirty or contaminated water in photos — something the reviewer only noticed when posting on social media and getting alarmed reactions.
— from top reviewer (Jeremy Judkins)
Because the bin is not refrigerated, ice melts and refreezes into clumps if not consumed regularly — the machine works best when used continuously throughout the day, which surprises buyers who expected fridge-style storage.
— from top reviewer (Jeremy Judkins)
lightbulb Use the app scheduling feature to time production around when you actually need ice, reducing idle melt cycles.
Nugget ice devotees — the Sonic-ice people, the hospital-ice people — who drink iced beverages constantly at home and want a reliable, daily-use machine that keeps up without running dry.
Anyone expecting a set-it-and-forget-it appliance, people with limited counter space, or casual buyers who think they might like nugget ice but have never actually craved it.
Jeremy Judkins • 121437
"Amazon now has the better GE Optal 2.0 version. You can buy it here: https://amzn.to/3NzoWuj I've had this nugget ice maker for ..."
"Subscribe for more from Best Buy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5pK3w6QEq1bUMmU2Hs43Pw?sub_confirmation=1 ..."
Just A Dad Approved • 118903
"In this video, I show how to set up each ice maker before first use and how to clean them using the built-in self-cleaning function."
Bens Appliances and Junk • 180374
"Link to purchase: https://amzn.to/4bp0r1X eCozy Icemaker: https://amzn.to/4bp0r1X GE Opal Nugget Icemaker (Wayfair): ..."
Patrick Michael • 15947
"AFTER 30 DAYS, I SAY DEFINITELY YES!!! #nuggetice #icemaker #goodice."
Scott's Garage • 303329
"Buy the GE Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Sks3Kl Buy from Walmart: ..."
GE Profile • 1608
"This is not just ice, this is the good ice. Have refreshing nugget ice whenever you want. #Profile #TheGoodIce."
Amazing Unboxing And Reviews • 2523
"GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank – Quick Review (2025) Looking for that soft, crunchy “good ice” at home?"
@shopjoelle
#ad idk why I bought 3 other ice makers before buying this one. should have just bought this one in the first place! truly worth it!! loving the GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank & Filters. The nugget ice is so crunchy! #genuggeticemachine #geopalicemaker #nuggetice #icemaker #icemachine
favorite 218
@xlivestreamx
#ad GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget ICE maker #ice #machine #soft #ge #kitchen
favorite 1
@bensappliancesandjunk
Which is the Best Ice Maker in 2026? Nugget Ice Makers Honest Review! #icemaker #homeappliances #appliances #kitchenappliances #fyp
favorite 126
@k_leeper5
GE nugget ice maker #icemaker #foryou #fy #fypシ゚viral #fypppppppppppppp #hey
favorite 172
@geprofile
Trying to decide between the Opal 2.0 and the Opal 2.0 Ultra? We got you covered. Allie takes us through the differences between these two nugget ice makers. Spoiler alert: they’re both great 😉🧊😎 #nuggeticemachine #smallappliances #nuggeticemaker #thegoodice #nuggetice
favorite 540
@noahhaneman
#ad can’t believe this is real life! unbox and set up my new ge profile opal nugget ice maker! 🧊✨ #icemaker #nuggetice #geopalicemaker
favorite 2.4K
@madilynjoydavis
I am already obsessed with it! I’ve been debating on this purchase for YEARS and have been buying a bag of sonic ice once a week so it was time👏🏻🤣🎀✨🧊 #sonicice #opalicemaker #nuggetice #geprofile #unboxing #Lifestyle #icemaker #setup #unboxingvideo
favorite 13.7K
@allisonbast
#ad Once you go nugget ice, you never go back 🧊✨ The GE Profile Opal 2.0 makes every drink feel elevated 🤌🏼 — I use it every single day and truly can’t imagine regular ice again. Grab it for Black Friday — it’s up to $180 off! It’s a legit holiday deal ‼️ @GE Profile #sponsored #nuggetice #legitnuggetice #nuggeticemachine
favorite 211
Ice from the Opal 2.0 tastes crisp and clean. We attribute the freshness to the water filter and the sanitizing UV light built into the unit.
In our Lab tests, the Opal 2.0 Ultra and the Opal 2.0 both started producing ice within 10 minutes. As promised, they both made about one pound ...
The ice is light and fluffy and easy to chew. It perfect & exactly what we wanted. The machine is a bit loud, but having it in the pantry helps.
This advanced nugget ice maker creates plenty of chewable, crunchable, craveable pellet ice that is ready fast, cools drinks quickly and is perfect for fun ice ...
"I've never been in a situation where I run out of ice, and I go through a lot — two big Yetis of iced coffee plus soda all day."
Jeremy Judkins, 6-month owner (YouTube)
"Ice from the Opal 2.0 tastes crisp and clean. We attribute the freshness to the water filter and the sanitizing UV light built into the unit."
Reviewed.com editorial review
"The ice is light and fluffy and easy to chew. The machine is a bit loud, but having it in the pantry helps."
Stacy's Savings editorial review
GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker with .75 Gallon Side Tank and Scale Inhibiting Filter, Scoop Included, 38 lbs in 24 Hours, Pellet Ice Machine with WiFi & Smart Connected, Stainless Steel
$449.00
Amazon
If you already know you're a nugget ice person, the 2.0 Ultra finally delivers on the promise — just go in knowing it needs real maintenance and costs real money.
Buy on Amazon open_in_newScoped 16 days ago across 33 sources on 5 platforms.