What’s the deal?
The GE Profile Opal 2.0 nugget ice maker is on sale for $499 in the Black Stainless colorway — that’s $50 off the usual price.
Why this deal is ZDNET-recommended
- The GE Profile Opal 2.0 nugget ice maker<!–> is a smart kitchen appliance that sells for $599.
- If you want those satisfyingly munchable ice pellets often served at fast food restaurants, this machine will do the trick. It’s also operable via a mobile app.
- It’s pricey, especially given what it is, but I’ve found the machine well worth the investment.
Whether you call it the good ice, Sonic ice, nugget ice, or pellet ice, there’s no denying that the small, munchable ice pellets found in some fast food restaurants are positively addicting.
Also: Upgrade your kitchen with these 11 smart gadgets
I count myself among the ice-chewing addicted. And while satisfying that craving used to mean a late-night restaurant run, I’ve found that ice is now available from the comfort of my kitchen with the GE Opal 2.0–>. And in the month I’ve had this machine, I’ve used it nearly every single day. So far, it’s surpassed my expectations.
Like its predecessor, the Opal is a countertop ice maker that promises to deliver munchable nugget ice right into your own home in a sleek, stylish package. But the 2.0 version adds a plethora of smart features to make getting it as easy as possible.
The unit comes in at 16.5″ high (meaning it fits under most cabinets), 16″ deep, and 13.5″ wide (additional waterside tank included). It takes up a hefty footprint on your countertop, but that’s true of most devices in this category.
Also: This is the most versatile smart lock I’ve seen so far – and Apple users will love it
Setting up the machine was a little cumbersome, but wasn’t too terrible for a one-time process. It involved creating an account and password, verifying each, connecting to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and entering codes from a label on the back of the machine.
While it’s running, the Opal 2.0 makes roughly a pound of ice an hour. There’s no cooler in the catch bin, so you’re making ice as needed, and any ice that melts in the bin is recirculated into the water reservoir below.
<!–>
But where the Opal 2.0 shines above its competition is its smart connectivity.