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NewAir NIM044BS00 vs GE Profile Opal 2.0
The one comparison where a challenger beats the Opal on the number that actually limits a countertop ice maker at home.
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Quick picks
| # | Machine | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  GE Profile XPIO43SCSS Neither machine compared here is sold new right now. This is the full-size GE that is. | The one still in stock |
#ad We earn a commission on purchases made through this link. How this is funded. Prices last checked October 19, 2026.
Side by side
| Spec | NewAir NIM044BS00 | GE Profile XPIO13SCSS |
|---|---|---|
| Model | NIM044BS00 | XPIO13SCSS |
| Ice type | Nugget | Nugget |
| Rated output | 44 lbs/day [src] | 38 lbs/day [src] |
| Rated output per hour | Not published | 1.6 lbs/hour [src] |
| Bin capacity | 3.3 lbs [src] | 3 lbs [src] |
| Published power | Not published | Not published |
| Nameplate current | 2.7 A [src] | 3 A [src] |
| Voltage | 115 V [src] | 120 V [src] |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 9.75" W x 15.04" D x 16.54" H [src] | 16.5" H x 13.43" W x 17.5" D [src] |
| Weight, empty | 34.17 lbs [src] | 37.6 lbs [src] |
| Clearance required | Not published | 3" [src] |
| Operating range | Not published | Not published |
| Refrigerant | R600a [src] | Not published |
| Noise | Not published | Not published |
| Warranty | Not published | Not published |
| Max $/mo | $6.71(nameplate) | $7.78(nameplate) |
The bin, which is the point
Three pounds is the category standard and nobody moves it, so NewAir publishing 3.3 lb is genuinely unusual. At about half a pound per tall glass, that is roughly seven glasses against six.
One glass sounds trivial. In practice, the bin is what you actually run out of: every machine here is rated to produce far more ice per day than a household drinks, and none of them can hand you more than a binful at once. If your complaint about your current machine is waiting, this is the specification that addresses it.
A better-labeled current figure
NewAir does not print a generic rating. It prints Ice making current: 2.7A — a figure that describes the machine while it is running its ice cycle. GE prints Current: 3.0 A without qualification.
Neither is a consumption measurement, so both monthly figures are ceilings. But NewAir's wording tells you more about what the number describes, and at 115 V its 310 VA against GE's 360 VA is about a dollar a month less at the ceiling.
Where GE wins
- The hourly rate. 1.6 lb per hour is published by GE and by nobody else. It is the figure that answers "how long until I have a glass".
- The clearance requirement. GE publishes 3 inches. NewAir's specification table does not give one, so you are guessing at installation.
- Evidence quality on the headline number. GE's 38 lbs a day is in the spec table. NewAir's 44 lbs is in the manual's title. Both are manufacturer claims; only one is a specification.
- The ecosystem. Filters, cleaning solution, error codes, a documented normal-sounds page, and years of accumulated owner troubleshooting. That is a real asset in year three.
Running cost
| Machine | Rating | Nameplate | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| NewAir NIM044BS00 | 2.7 A at 115 V | 310.5 VA | $6.71 |
| GE Profile Opal 2.0 | 3.0 A at 120 V | 360 VA | $7.78 |
About a dollar a month apart, which is not the deciding factor. If running cost is genuinely your priority, neither of these is the answer: the Frigidaire EFIC255 publishes 185 W and lands near $4.00.
The picks in full
1. The one still in stock
GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker
Mechanically the 2.0 with a bigger tank and a wider clearance requirement, and GE does not publish a production rate for it in the manual we could read.
- Rated output
- Not published
- Bin capacity
- 3 lbs
- Electrical
- 3 A at 120 V (360 VA nameplate)
- Ceiling at 4 hrs/day, $0.18/kWh
- $7.78/month (from the nameplate ceiling)
#ad We earn a commission on purchases made through this link. How this is funded. Prices last checked October 19, 2026.
Same 3.0 A rating and same 37.6 lb empty weight as the standard 2.0, so the electricity math is identical.
It wants 4 inches of clearance rather than 3. If you are fitting this under a cabinet run, that inch is the difference between working and not.
We could not read an ice-making rate on the Ultra's specification page and are not going to substitute the 2.0's 38 lbs a day for it. That field says Not published, and it means it.
Skip this if
You need a published ice rate before you buy. The Ultra's owner's manual specification table did not print a legible ice-making rate in the copy we read, and we will not carry over the standard 2.0's number.
Questions people actually ask
Does the NewAir NIM044BS00 have a bigger bin than the GE Opal 2.0?
Yes. NewAir publishes a 3.3 lb bucket capacity against GE's 3.0 lbs. That is roughly one extra tall glass of ice, and bin capacity is the number that actually limits a countertop machine at home, so the difference is more useful than it looks.
Which uses less power, the NewAir or the GE Opal 2.0?
The NewAir, on the published ratings: 2.7 A at 115 V is about 310 VA, against GE's 3.0 A at 120 V which is 360 VA. Both are current ratings rather than consumption figures, so both of the resulting monthly costs are ceilings: about $6.71 for the NewAir and $7.78 for the GE at four running hours a day and 18 cents per kWh.
Which is lighter?
The NewAir, at 34.17 lbs empty against the Opal 2.0's 37.6 lbs. If the machine gets moved on and off the counter, that 3.4 lbs is noticeable.
Which makes more ice?
NewAir titles its manual as a 44 lb machine, against GE's published 38 lbs a day. But NewAir's figure appears only in the manual title, not in its specification table, while GE's is printed in the spec table along with an hourly rate. Same number, different quality of evidence, and our spec table says so.
Sources
- NewAir NIM044BS00 Owner's Manual, p.5 (specifications) (read 2026-09-02)
- GE Profile Opal 2.0 Owner's Manual 49-9000029 Rev. 6, p.17 (read 2026-09-02)
- EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, June 2026 (read 2026-09-02)
Read next
- NewAir NIM044BS00
3.3 lb bin, 2.7 A ice-making current, 34.17 lbs. The biggest bin printed in a manual here.
- GE Profile Opal 2.0 (XPIO13SCSS)
3.0 A, 38 lbs a day, 1.6 lbs an hour. The best-documented machine in the category.
- The Best Nugget Ice Makers
Six machines ranked on published specs, each with a sourced monthly running-cost ceiling.
- How Much Ice Do You Actually Need?
Why rated output is the wrong number to shop on, and what bin capacity really limits.
- Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 vs GE Profile Opal 2.0
185 W published versus a 360 VA nameplate. 44 lbs a day versus 38. A real contest.
- NewAir NIM030SS00
170 W published, the cheapest nugget machine on the site to run.