Andy Peterson
Nugget ice is that wonderfully soft ice that breaks apart in your mouth. It’s the ice that soaks up all the flavours of your beverage. Those who know all about nugget ice, know why owning a nugget ice maker would be out of this world.
It would be amazing to be able to enjoy that wonderful nugget ice all summer long and even in the colder months.
Nugget Ice Makers Are Expensive
There is no doubt about it, that nugget ice makers are more expensive than traditional nugget ice makers that produce bullet ice.
Unfortunately, you’ll be paying anywhere from $500-$1000 for a high-quality nugget ice maker in Canada.
I know that is a lot of money, but it’s actually far less than purchasing a commercial nugget ice maker and having them installed in your kitchen. This was the only way to enjoy nugget ice 10-15 years ago. Having a far more affordable option (even though they are more expensive than a traditional portable ice maker), is perfect for those who love nugget ice and would like to enjoy nugget ice all year round.
Why Nugget Ice is So Popular?
There are several reasons why people are willing to pay extra for a nugget ice maker.
First, nugget ice is small pieces of ice that fill your glass with ice so that your beverages are chilled almost immediately.
It really is amazing. You fill your glass with nugget ice and then pour in your beverage and it’s instantly cold as ice.
Second, nugget ice is porous which means it absorbs the flavour of your beverage. Nugget ice is soft and chewable and so after your beverage is gone, you can chew the ice and still enjoy the flavour of your beverage right to the very end.
Finally, as mentioned above, nugget ice is soft and doesn’t hurt your teeth when you’re chewing it. Nugget ice is created by compacting shaved ice together to form a nugget-shaped piece of ice. It means that it’s not hard and even can break apart in your mouth.
Overall, nugget ice is amazing and one of the best types of ice on the market today. Nugget Ice was developed in 1981 by the Scotsman Company, and popularized by Sonic Drive-Ins in the USA. In fact, a lot of people call nugget ice – sonic ice.
The Top Nugget Ice Makers in Canada
Below is our comprehensive list of the best nugget ice makers that are available in Canada. You’ll also notice links that will take you to the best available price.
Without any more delay, let’s get to it.
#1. GE Profile Opal 2.0
The Opal Nugget Ice Maker 2.0 is finally available in Canada. It’s been a long time coming, but this nugget ice maker is the KING of portable nugget ice makers – it also has a royal price.
The GE Profile OPal 2.0 is a fantastic portable ice maker with a lot of premium features.
The Opal Nugget Ice Maker storage bin holds up to 3 pounds of nugget ice, and produces 24 pounds of nugget ice every day. This ice maker begins to make nugget ice in 20 minutes, which is the slowest of the three I have chosen.
You’ll also get a side tank with this nugget ice maker which makes trips to the sink less frequent. This ice maker is portable and doesn’t need to be connected to a water line or drain. This means that it can be set up and installed anywhere in your home, as long as there is a power source.
The LED display screen illuminates when it’s being used and goes dark when it’s resting. You get a really high-quality product with Opal Nugget Ice Maker and I could tell the difference right away.
The Opal also has advanced features like built-in WIFI which allows you to create a schedule for making ice and has the ability to give voice commands through Alexa and Google.
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Type | Portable |
| Capacity | 24 Pounds Every 24 Hours |
| Design | Stainless Steel |
| Ice | Nugget Ice |
| Time to Make Ice | 20 Minutes |
| Weight | 37 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 44.5 x 34.1 x 41.9 centimeters |
Having clean ice means you spend the time keeping your ice maker clean. With the Opal Nugget Ice Maker, you can spend less time cleaning your unit because of its built-in cleaning feature.
This portable Ice Maker is one of the best on the market. It produces high-quality nugget ice as well, and you won’t go wrong making it a part of your kitchen.
The biggest CON with the Opal Nugget Ice Maker is the price tag. It’s going to cost you around $1000 to purchase this unit in Canada. I know that it’s a lot of money, but it does provide a lot of value. If you’re looking for nugget ice for your home, then the GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker is a great choice in Canada.
#2. Newair Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
I have been a fan of the NewAir for a long time. Their products have only been available in the USA for the longest time; it’s nice to see them finally becoming available across the border.
When it comes to making an ice maker, Newair knows what they are doing. They have been producing ice makers for a very long time.
The NewAir Countertop Nugget Ice Maker is also a high-quality ice maker, which produces 30 pounds of nugget ice every day.
This unit comes in a slim design and a slanted lid that allows you to slide it under your cabinets.
This NewAir Nugget Ice Maker comes with self-cleaning as well, a stainless steel design, and is super easy to operate.
| Voltage | 120 Volts, 170 watts, 3.0 amps |
| Type | Portable |
| Capacity | 30 Pounds Every 24 Hours |
| Design | Stainless Steel |
| Ice | Nugget Ice |
| Time to Make Ice | 10 Minutes |
| Weight | 40 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 17.64″D x 9.69″W x 16.93″H |
I find that the ice this unit produces is super crunchy, and chills a lukewarm beverage fast.
I really love the large viewing window and how easy the ice maker was to get set up and started. This would make a really great unit for anyone who is looking for nugget ice at home.
#3. COSTWAY Nugget Ice Machine
The final nugget ice maker that’s available in Canada is the COSTWAY Nugget Ice Maker. This unit is a generic design and you’ll notice that other brands stick their label on it. Frigidaire has done this and you can find the same product on Amazon, as well as a brand called SIMOE. These are all the same ice makers, same production companies, and features – just different brand names on the unit itself.
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Type | Portable |
| Capacity | 44 Pounds Every 24 Hours |
| Design | Stainless Steel |
| Ice | Nugget Ice |
| Time to Make Ice | 10-15 Minutes |
| Weight | 40 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 25.4 x 40.6 x 48.3 centimeters |
This nugget ice maker will be the cheapest of all three on this list. It produces 44 pounds of nugget ice every day and will store up to 3.5 pounds of nugget ice at one time.
The COSTWAY nugget ice maker is a simple design, and I found that it was super compact. For producing 44 pounds of nugget ice each day, it really was a nice compact design.
If you need ice in a hurry then this ice maker will help you out. It’s going to produce nugget ice in as little as 10-15 minutes (I found it was closer to the 15 minutes than the 10).
This ice maker does come with a self-cleaning feature, it also has a LED-lit ice bin, and a bonus stainless steel ice scoop.
Overall, it’s a solid nugget ice maker and is one of the cheapest options available in Canada.
Conclusion
Finding a portable ice maker that produces real nugget ice can be difficult.
We have given you great choices for the best nugget ice makers in Canada. These are high-quality units that produce a great amount of nugget ice every day.
You can check out the links provided for the best available price.
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