First, incredible nugget ice begins with clean water. The removable front panel was handy, and the removable ice storage bin was also a plus that made cleaning the unit a lot easier. This countertop ice maker produces 40 pounds of ice each day, and will produce the ice in only 5 minutes. It weighs 44 pounds and measures 17.2 by 10.5 by 15.5 inches. Spending more money for a second-grade product is no good. Having some tiny pellets in the mix is no bad thing. We will get back to you as soon as possible and add your question to the others. I'll cut to the chase—it works. Some of them even sells bags of it. Great to know that crushed ice, Sonic style, can be this awesome. It’s designed to circulate the air efficiently so that the machine runs consistently without any downtime. This is by far the best soft ice hack. Does it produce soft, chewable nugget ice? Left: large cubes of soft ice; right: large cubes of hard ice. I found that the water came out of the dispenser a little intense. The high price of commercial units is one of the reasons we love the Opal Nugget Ice Maker. I find that this ice maker, which also has a water dispenser, is great for an office or break room because it’s so compact. Times have changed! I found that people kept going back for more. This sonic or nugget ice falls apart in your mouth, and it tastes incredible. This type of ice is incredibly light and airy. The most satisfying of ices. If you’re always going to Sonic or any other fast food restaurant to get nugget ice, then purchasing one of these ice makers will save you money. Also, portable ice makers are limited in their type of ice. If you like to entertain outside, then the Scotsman SCN60OPA-1SS has you covered. This unit doesn’t just dispense ice, it’s also a water dispenser. This is probably a better nugget ice maker for business. If you have a business or healthcare client, and you’re looking for an ice maker, then I would suggest that you purchase a nugget ice maker. I'm not blessed with an ice maker in my fridge, so this will be great. Left, pre-muddling; right, after (medium-sized is what you're going for, about a half-inch square). The picture above is the Opal Nugget Ice Maker in my kitchen, and the glass is filled with chilled cream soda thanks to the power of the Opal. The Scotsman UN324A is a large commercial ice maker that produces a massive 340 pounds of ice every 24 hours. We didn’t just throw a rating on this website but made a calculated decision based on customer satisfaction. As mentioned above, it’s soft, porous ice that soaks up the flavor of the ice. It would make an excellent unit for an office, breakroom, nursing home or retirement residence, and of course, any business. This ice maker is a beast of a unit. Nugget ice, also referred to as pellet ice or Sonic ice (for Sonic Drive-In) is highly prized. 2020 Ice Maker Geeks. To make your own soft crushed ice at home, buy a big two-liter of club soda and freeze it in your ice cube trays. The user manual will give you specific instructions on how you can clean the ice maker properly. Type your ice maker’s model number into the search box on YouTube and add clean to the search query. I’m glad that with newer technology, nugget ice makers have come down in price and have become more affordable for every household. This is an incredible victory. All you have to do is set up the unit, plug it in, and add some water and you’re ready to make ice. But, alas, they are around $8000 ? Code: YAY20*exclusions apply. I always concluded that Sonic's method of making that amazing ice involved magic. The Opal also has a side tank that allows you more water for making ice. It’s a portable unit that produces 24 lbs of nugget ice every 24 hours. What do I mean by portable? I had to make a trip to Sonic just this morning for 2 bags of ice at 2.39. Don’t be fooled with others claiming their portable ice maker makes nugget ice. It’s so soft that it takes no effect at all to bite. Thank you for sharing. Commercial ice makers can produce as much as 400 pounds of nugget ice every 24 hours. Choosing to use a portable ice maker comes down to its portability and simplicity to set up and use. As far as I know, there is only one portable ice maker on the market today that makes authentic nugget ice. It’s also been called “chewable ice,” “hospital Ice,” “nuggets,” “pellet ice,” and “pebble ice.”. You can learn more about the different types of ice makers available by clicking here. People love Sonic Drive-In’s crushed ice so much they’ll buy it by the bagful. That would be the ultimate solution. Give me a break! Since that time, the coldest corners of the Internet have been dedicated to forums in which ice lovers discuss things like drink recipes that leave the most chewable ice and share ice chewing stories. This ice maker is both stylish and practical. It’s compact enough that it can sit safely under your counter so that it’s out of the way. The final nugget or sonic ice maker for you to consider is a countertop unit. LOL I thought this article was about sonication - which could have some excellent soft ice applications. Water begins to freeze around cylinders cooled with a refrigeration system. Oh paaalease! I have tested other ice makers, and I find that this may be a little louder than the rest. This ice maker comes on a base, so there are different heights that you can order. Some ice makers will have a built-in filter in their ice maker. For around $500, you’re going to get an elegant, powerful nugget ice maker for your home, cottage, home bar, or business. Keeping regular maintenance on your ice maker by thoroughly cleaning your unit at least once a month is an essential step in keeping it running correctly, and producing cold, refreshing, clean ice. This would make a great nugget ice maker for a patio kitchen or outdoor pool room. If you are a business and are looking for a helpful chart to help you figure out how much ice you need, click here. It’s also great for any healthcare establishment. Glad to know I can achieve that magic easily enough myself! The best way to get sonic ice at home is to purchase one of the ice makers listed in this guide. Soft ice: Medium-sized pellets aerated with many tiny holes, making them at once cube-like but also easily crushed between chompers. :). I have a Culligan water filter installed in my house and that is the water that makes the ice that comes out of the ice maker in my refrigerator. If you want to enjoy excellent nugget ice, you don’t have to head over to the Sonic Drive-thru. The FOLLETT Nugget Ice Maker & Water Dispenser has a stainless steel design with some black plastic trim. Most of these best Sonic Ice Machines & Nugget Ice Makers come with some sort of alarm or indicator telling you what it needs. I love nugget ice! Nugget ice is made in various ways but it is essentially ice that is scraped into a small pellet which keeps it much less dense than a regular ice cube. I looked up the reason why and it appears that carbonated water is more acidic. This unit also has a self-cleaning function, which makes keeping the unit clean is a breeze. It weighs 40 pounds, which is a little much for a portable ice maker. This unit isn’t the lightest portable ice maker on the market, but it is portable. I mean this, probably the best nugget ice that I have ever had. It’s vital to read the manual to see how often this needs to be replaced. The ice produced from portable ice makers is not nugget ice. Does the acidity of carbonated water translate to acidic flavor in the soft ice you make with it? Contents1 A Comparison of Best Sonic Ice Machines & Nugget Ice Makers2 Quick Analysis for Best Sonic Ice Maker (By Professionals)3 Reviews of the Best Sonic Ice Makers3.1 1. Since this is ice making and not rocket science, all of these machines are easy to navigate. Dawson said it makes ice faster than a … I always wonder why some of the bags I get are cloudy awesomeness and other bags are clearer and harder. The cheapest ice maker that produces nugget ice sells for around $500. Best Sonic Ice Machines & Nugget Ice Makers (2020). The Scotsman HID312A-1 is a countertop ice maker that produces 260 lbs of ice every 24 hours. Around the ice and water dispensers, it’s coated with an antimicrobial agent that helps prevent potential growth of molds and bacteria on these surfaces. This portable nugget ice maker is an excellent choice for your home or business. Overall, it’s a great unit that’s going to do a great job producing nugget ice. That is what I do - less than 3.00. FYI The new touchscreen (make your own flavor) coke machines also dish out soft ice. I mentioned this in the previous question. Nugget ice is the best ice available for your teeth. We have rated each of the ice makers above according to the following criteria. Nugget ice has an entirely different system than conventional ice producing methods. Any mechanical device can fail. If so that's not a problem but I would account for that extra acidity when making things with it. The device makes nugget ice by scraping ice buildup off of an aluminum cylinder and packing it into a mold, yielding a result that's 50 percent air.