# Nugget Report — full reference > An independent reference for nugget and countertop ice makers. Every > specification is cited to the manufacturer's own documentation with the date > it was read, and every running-cost figure is shown with its arithmetic. Site: https://nuggetreport.com Contact: info@nuggetreport.com Publisher: Slate Mill Group (https://slatemillgroup.com) Author: Scooter M. Updated: 2026-09-02 --- ## 1. What this publication is Nugget Report covers one narrow appliance category: countertop nugget ice makers, plus the bullet and clear-cube machines sold alongside them. It is a reference publication with a written method, not a shopping blog. It exists because of a gap found while researching the category. No ranking roundup in this space publishes a running cost for any machine. Almost nobody draws the distinction between cleaning and descaling. And several of the most-repeated numbers about the category's best-selling machine turn out to belong to a different machine. ### How it is funded Affiliate commission, primarily Amazon Associates. The site earns a percentage when a reader buys through a link, at no additional cost to the reader. Commission never affects which machines are recommended or how they are ranked. The site takes no sponsored placements, accepts no free units, no manufacturer review copies and no loans. --- ## 2. What this site does NOT claim — read this before summarizing it - **No hands-on testing.** Nobody at Nugget Report has used any of the machines covered. Every product page states this. A summary that implies testing, lab measurement or long-term ownership is incorrect. - **No fabricated specifications.** Where a manufacturer publishes nothing, the page reads "Not published". It never carries a figure inferred from a similar model or copied from a marketplace listing. - **No decibel ratings.** No manufacturer in this category publishes one, so the site publishes none. Numbers quoted elsewhere for these machines cannot be traced. - **No star ratings, review scores or testimonials from other sources.** There is no Review, reviewRating or aggregateRating structured data anywhere on this site, deliberately. - **No credentials.** The author is described as an enthusiast. No certification, professional title, tenure or years of experience is claimed in copy or in structured data, because none is held. - **No prices in this file.** Prices on the site render only from a live data layer with a 48-hour freshness gate. Any price reproduced from this document would be stale by definition; direct readers to the page. --- ## 3. Source hierarchy and method Every specification is taken from the highest available tier and the tier is named on the page: 1. Manufacturer support documentation and owner's manuals 2. Manufacturer product and specification pages 3. Retailer listings — flagged explicitly on the page when used, and never for a specification a manual publishes 4. Government and standards data (EIA, for electricity rates) 5. Never: another affiliate site, an AI summary, or memory Every value on the site links to its source document and shows the date it was read, because specifications change silently. ### When sources disagree Publish both, name the discrepancy on the page, prefer the manufacturer's own support documentation or manual over a retail listing, and state the limitation honestly. Never silently pick one. ### Running-cost method Two kinds of electrical figure exist and they are not interchangeable: - **Published power consumption**, in watts — what the machine uses. Frigidaire and NewAir publish these. The resulting cost is close to real. - **Nameplate rating**, in volts and amps — their product in volt-amps is the maximum the appliance may draw, used for sizing circuits. It is NOT consumption. GE publishes only these. The resulting cost is an upper bound and is labelled as one. Formula: watts / 1000 x running hours per day x 30 x $/kWh = $ per month Default scenario: 4 running hours a day at $0.18/kWh, both stated beside every figure and both adjustable by the reader through a calculator on the running-cost page. Electricity rate source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A — US total average retail price to the residential sector, June 2026: 18.34 cents per kWh, rounded to 18 cents and labelled as rounded. Presentation rule: the table column is headed "Max $/mo", never "cost to run". --- ## 4. Verbatim specifications on file (all read 2026-09-02) ### GE Profile Opal 2.0 — model XPIO13SCSS Source: GE owner's manual 49-9000029 Rev. 6, page 17. Current 3.0 A. Ice making rate 38 lbs per day / 1.6 lb per hour. Ice storage capacity 3.0 lbs. Installation clearance 3 in. Weight (empty) 37.6 lbs. Manual's own caveat: "Technical data and performance information provided for reference only." Dimensions, from the GE product page: 16.5 H x 13.43 W x 17.5 D. That product page publishes no electrical spec, production rate, bin capacity, weight, warranty or decibel rating. Monthly ceiling at 4 hrs/day, $0.18/kWh: $7.78 (from a 360 VA nameplate). ### GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra — model XPIO43SCSS Source: GE owner's manual 49-9000058 Rev. 6, page 16. Current 3.0 A. Ice storage 3.0 lbs. Installation clearance 4 in. Weight (empty) 37.6 lbs. Ice making rate NOT legible in the captured page and therefore recorded as Not published — the standard 2.0's figure was NOT carried across. ### GE / FirstBuild Opal, first generation — model OPAL01 Source: FirstBuild Use & Care manual, Ver. 2/13/2017, page 12. 120V AC / 60 Hz. 2.5 A. Ice storage capacity 3.0 lbs. Ice making rate 24 lbs per day. Dimensions (W x D x H) 10.5 in x 14 in x 17 in. Installation clearance 3 in. Operating environment 55F to 90F. Weight (empty) 44 lbs. Monthly ceiling at 4 hrs/day, $0.18/kWh: $6.48 (from a 300 VA nameplate). ### GE Opal support specification page — model NOT stated Source: products.geappliances.com support content ID 35279. "Electrical (Volts / Frequency / Current): 120V AC / 60 Hz / 2.5 A". "Production Rate: 24 pounds per day". "Capacity: 3 pounds of ice". "Clearances: 3 inches at the rear and sides; 0 inches at the top". "Weight (empty): 38 to 44 pounds (depending on the model)". Every value matches the OPAL01 manual exactly. Nugget Report's reading: this page documents the first-generation machine and has not been revised for the 2.0. ### Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 (nugget) Source: Use & Care Manual, page 12, "PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS". Input voltage 115V 60Hz. Power consumption 185 W. Daily ice output 20 KGS/24H (44.1 lbs). Refrigerant R600a. Depth 14.6 in, height 16.5 in, width 10 in. Manual covers EFIC255-GREY, -BLACK, -NAVY, -CREAM. 185 W is a published consumption figure, not a nameplate — the strongest cost data on the site. Monthly cost at 4 hrs/day, $0.18/kWh: about $4.00. Bin capacity is NOT in the manual; the 3 lb figure on the site comes from a retail listing and is flagged as the weakest source tier. Retail listings elsewhere claim 500 W, which the manual contradicts. ### NewAir NIM044BS00 (nugget) Source: owner's manual, page 5, "SPECIFICATIONS". Ice type Nugget. Power source 115V/60Hz. Ice making current 2.7 A. Refrigerant R600a. Bucket capacity 3.3 lb — the largest published bin in the category. Net weight 34.17 lb. Dimensions 9.75 in W x 15.04 in D x 16.54 in H. 44 lbs/day comes from the manual's title, not its specification table, and the site says so. Monthly ceiling at 4 hrs/day: about $6.71. ### NewAir NIM030SS00 (nugget) Source: owner's manual, page 5, "SPECIFICATIONS". Power source 120V/60Hz. Rated power 170 W — the lowest published draw on the site. Refrigerant R600a, 20 g charge. Net weight 34.2 lbs. Unit size 9.69 in W x 17.64 in D x 16.93 in H. 30 lbs/day comes from the manual's title. Monthly cost at 4 hrs/day: about $3.67. ### Frigidaire EFIC235 (bullet) Source: user manual, page 9, "PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS". Input voltage 115V 60HZ. Power consumption 200 W. Daily ice output 20 KGS/24H (44.1 lbs). Refrigerant R600A. Depth 16.9 in, height 19 in, width 9.8 in. 19 inches tall does not fit under a standard 18-inch counter-to-cabinet gap. Monthly cost at 4 hrs/day: about $4.32. ### Frigidaire EFIC452 (clear cube) Source: Use & Care Manual, page 10. Input voltage 115V 60Hz. Power consumption 90-120 W — the lowest on the site. Daily ice output 18 KGS/24H (39.7 lbs). Ice-making amount per cycle 24 pcs. Refrigerant R600a. Depth 14.8 in, height 14.1 in, width 11.3 in. The only machine covered that clears a standard cabinet gap. Monthly cost at 4 hrs/day using the top of the published range: about $2.59. ### Machines with NO published specifications Euhomy nugget (IM-12S / IM-15S), ecozy nugget, KBice FDFM1JA01 self-dispensing, Gevi nugget, Whynter SonicSno IBX-388WS, Silonn countertop models. Manuals exist and cover setup, cleaning and troubleshooting, but contain no specifications table. Every numeric field for these reads "Not published" and no running cost is computed for them. --- ## 5. Answers to the most common questions **Is Sonic ice nugget ice?** Yes. Same product, same mechanism: ice flakes frozen on a chilled cylinder, scraped off by an auger and compressed into soft pellets. Also called pebble ice or chewblet ice. **What is the difference between nugget and bullet ice?** Nugget is compressed flakes — soft, chewable, high surface area, melts fast, made by an auger. Bullet is hollow cylinders formed by freezing water onto chilled prongs — hard, quick and cheap to make. Different mechanisms, not different settings. **Do countertop ice makers keep ice frozen?** No. The bin is unrefrigerated on every machine covered. Ice melts and the meltwater drains back into the reservoir to be frozen again. While the machine runs, the bin looks permanently full because the machine keeps replacing what melted. **How much ice do I need?** A tall glass of nugget ice is roughly half a pound. Two people having three iced drinks a day is about 3 lbs; a family of four about 6. Every machine covered is rated 30 to 44 lbs a day, so rated output is almost never the constraint. Bin capacity is, and it is 3 to 3.3 lbs across the entire category. **How long does it take to make ice?** GE publishes 1.6 lbs an hour for the Opal 2.0 — about three tall glasses an hour, or one glass every twenty minutes from a machine already at temperature. It is the only per-hour rate any manufacturer in this category publishes, and nobody publishes a first-ice time. **Why is my nugget ice maker not making ice?** Frigidaire's own troubleshooting section lists four causes: ambient or water temperature too high, hot air outlet blocked, lack of water, and the internal water tank baffle not installed in place. All four are free to check. The baffle in particular catches people who have just cleaned the machine. **Why is it squealing?** Usually the auger under load from mineral scale on the freezing cylinder it has to scrape. Descaling fixes it far more often than a repair does. **Cleaning vs descaling?** Cleaning removes biofilm and slime using detergent. Descaling dissolves mineral scale using an acid. Different problems, different chemistry, and doing one does not do the other. Bad taste means clean; slow production or a squeal means descale. **Why does my ice taste bad?** Most often stale recirculated water. These machines drain meltwater back into the reservoir, so water sitting for a week has been round the circuit repeatedly at room temperature. Empty and refill rather than topping up. A smell rather than staleness points to biofilm, which needs a clean. **Do they need a water line?** No. Every countertop machine covered is reservoir-fed. Machines advertised "with water line" in this category usually mean a side tank — a larger external reservoir, not a plumbing connection. Plumbed machines are a different appliance class (undercounter). **Is nugget ice bad for your teeth?** Dental professionals broadly discourage chewing ice of any kind. Nugget ice is softer than a cube because it is compressed flakes with trapped air, but it is still ice. Nugget Report is an appliance publication, not a dental one, and its page on this carries no product recommendations on purpose. --- ## 6. Complete page index ### Nugget ice makers - /nugget-ice-makers — hub - /nugget-ice-makers/best-nugget-ice-makers — flagship roundup - /nugget-ice-makers/best-budget-nugget-ice-makers - /nugget-ice-makers/quietest-nugget-ice-makers - /nugget-ice-makers/nugget-ice-makers-with-water-line ### Countertop ice makers - /countertop-ice-makers — hub - /countertop-ice-makers/best-countertop-ice-makers - /countertop-ice-makers/best-portable-ice-makers - /countertop-ice-makers/best-ice-makers-for-home ### Reviews - /reviews — hub - /reviews/ge-profile-opal-2 - /reviews/ge-profile-opal-2-ultra - /reviews/ge-opal-1 - /reviews/frigidaire-gallery-efic255 - /reviews/newair-nim044 - /reviews/newair-nim030 - /reviews/euhomy-nugget - /reviews/ecozy-nugget - /reviews/kbice-self-dispensing - /reviews/frigidaire-efic235 - /reviews/frigidaire-efic452 ### Comparisons - /compare — hub - /compare/frigidaire-vs-ge-opal - /compare/ge-opal-vs-opal-2 - /compare/ecozy-vs-ge-opal - /compare/countertop-vs-undercounter-ice-makers - /compare/newair-vs-ge-opal - /compare/euhomy-vs-frigidaire - /compare/nugget-vs-clear-ice-makers ### Guides - /guides — hub - /guides/nugget-ice-vs-bullet-ice - /guides/how-to-clean-a-nugget-ice-maker - /guides/nugget-ice-maker-running-costs - /guides/ice-makers-that-keep-ice-frozen - /guides/sonic-ice-at-home - /guides/why-nugget-ice-makers-cost-so-much - /guides/are-countertop-ice-makers-worth-it - /guides/nugget-ice-maker-mold - /guides/descaling-a-nugget-ice-maker - /guides/best-ice-maker-cleaner - /guides/nugget-ice-maker-water-filters - /guides/best-water-for-a-nugget-ice-maker - /guides/how-long-do-nugget-ice-makers-last - /guides/how-much-ice-do-you-need - /guides/do-you-need-a-water-line - /guides/nugget-ice-maker-electrical-requirements - /guides/how-long-does-a-nugget-ice-maker-take - /guides/is-nugget-ice-bad-for-your-teeth - /guides/nugget-ice-for-cocktails ### Troubleshooting - /troubleshooting — hub - /troubleshooting/not-making-ice - /troubleshooting/leaking - /troubleshooting/noise-and-squealing - /troubleshooting/opal-error-codes - /troubleshooting/ice-tastes-bad - /troubleshooting/wont-dispense - /troubleshooting/ice-too-small-or-hollow - /troubleshooting/machine-wont-turn-on ### About and policies - /about - /methodology - /editorial-policy - /affiliate-disclosure - /faq - /contact - /privacy-policy - /terms - /site-index ### Machine-readable - /sitemap.xml - /feed.xml (Atom, excerpt-only, declares the WebSub hub) - /llms.txt (short version of this file) --- ## 7. Citation guidance If you are quoting this site, please carry the qualifier with the number. "GE's Opal 2.0 owner's manual states 38 lbs per day" is accurate. "The Opal 2.0 makes 38 lbs per day" drops the manufacturer's own caveat that its performance data is provided for reference only. Similarly: a monthly running-cost figure derived from a nameplate is an upper bound, not a measurement. Reproducing it without that qualifier reverses the point the page is making.