GE Profile Opal | Countertop Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank | Portable Ice Machine Makes up to 24 lbs. of Ice Per Day | Stainless Steel Finish

10 reviews for GE Profile Opal | Countertop Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank | Portable Ice Machine Makes up to 24 lbs. of Ice Per Day | Stainless Steel Finish

1. 

   5 out of 5

   Jean Rossman – January 23, 2020

   The media could not be loaded.  So I have waited a while to post this review, giving time to see how the machine holds up. I got this unit in June late. It started out working perfectly. Left it on all day, and turned it off at night. There would always be enough ice left over that I would still have probably 30oz of ice left to start my day with. Then in early July, I left it on all night one night, and the next day it sounded like it was struggling. Then the screech of death started (see video). Oh man. I was devastated. I splurged and got this machine for my disabled mom, and certainly didn’t have the money for another one, or even to deal with shipping costs to send it back for a replacement. So I let it squeal for about a day, and then it stopped making ice. I tried running an extended cleaning cycle to no avail. Then I decided to take a stab in the dark with it… I ran a cleaning cycle through with a solution of about 20/80 white vinegar and water. The screach got a little quieter. I did the cleaning cycle again. Got a little quieter again. Then started making ice with it. It kept sounding like it was struggling, so I ran another cleaning cycle with 60/40 white vinegar and water solution. Followed some tips I found online about putting a paper towel soaked in vinegar up inside the extruder area. Let it sit for a few hours then started the cleaning cycle again. Ran a bunch of rinse cycles though and BAM! No more sounds of a struggling machine. Since then it has stopped making ice twice. Both times were my fault, as they were well over a month of me not doing a cleaning cycle like suggested (I DO only used filtered water in it, so it might need more cleaning cycles if you use tap water). Each time it stopped making ice, I run a cleaning cycle with a little vinegar and water, and it just starts working fine again when I leave cleaning mode. It’s now November, and it works perfectly. No more squealing, only issues if I don’t do cleaning cycles on time. And even then, it starts working again just fine once I clean it.I hope this review helps someone make their choice. And hopefully helps a few people out of they do get the squeal of death. This machine has been a wonderful addition to my home. Anyone on the fence about getting it, get off the fence and just do it already!

2. 

   5 out of 5

   Clint Brown – May 17, 2020

   I was reluctant to buy this as a Christmas gift for my wife because of all of the negative reviews regarding horrible noises. Sure enough after running for several hours straight on the first day of use we heard the described noises begin and get increasingly louder. My first reaction was anger at not following the advice of others to avoid this contraption, but after giving some thought to how a machine like this must work I realized the issue was caused by the chilling surfaces getting iced over and as more ice is forced over the grid it acts like a violin string vibrating causing extremely loud high pitched squealing sounds.To avoid this I simply used the Bluetooth app to program a twice a day schedule that allows the machine make plenty of ice for the day. The hopper keeps a full bin of ice fresh for several hours so an early morning and a late afternoon schedule of run time gives us all the ice we need. When company is coming I manually turn on the machine for extra ice and let the program turn it off at its regular time. Since doing this I have had ample ice and haven’t heard the noises again.I am surprised that GE hasn’t programmed in an automatic defrost mode into the control software of something like this, but the app allows a user to make the machine a nice addition to your kitchen or bar.

3. 

   5 out of 5

   Amazon Customer – June 18, 2020

   This product produces amazing bunny poop shaped nuggets that melt in your mouth-AMAZING. I am mu, munching on them right now. 10/10 recommend

4. 

   5 out of 5

   PicassoPCPicassoPC – June 26, 2020

   Item arrived in a strapped box with a crushed corner. Once I unpacked the item I noticed a huge dent in the top left back of the machine :( It was obviously dropped on the corner in shipping and despite a fair amount of padding materials it still was damaged. I immediately went online to return/exchange the item and was alarmed when the system wouldn’t let me – I received “this item does not qualify for returns”. I could already feel my blood boiling… I then chose the “Call Me” option in customer service, explained the issue and they immediately took care of – no hassle at all, quickly and without question. This is why I keep shopping at Amazon – they make everything right!Now, as far as the ice maker goes – it has worked flawlessly for the past week. Not one single problem. It makes perfect nugget ice and quickly too! I am glad that I chose this version (GE Profile) instead of the 1ST BUILD one as the all stainless look is much nicer and this version includes the additional water reservoir. It also includes a 1 year warranty by GE when you register the product.The Bluetooth app is a take-it or leave-it benefit and there are no instructions on how to connect (download the FirstBuild app regardless of the GE name) . I could not get it to work with the latest version of Android and received a warning notice when installing the app that the version may not be compatible (the app is over 2 years old). I was able to connect and schedule ice making using my iPad and the iOS version of the app without any issues. Basically all you can do in the app is schedule when you want it to make ice, if you want the “nite light” and some basic diagnostics. It’s not really a big deal if you don’t use the app, but scheduling the ice making is a nice benefit.Overall if you like nugget ice this ice maker is a winner and looks very cool on my countertop – and will impress any ice connoisseur!

5. 

   5 out of 5

   G. KriskoG. Krisko – June 27, 2020

   The media could not be loaded.  Love it! I actually had a commercial sized unit that had a hard waterline and plumbed drain. When that broken down I couldn’t afford to repair ($3000) to fix.On comes Opal Ice, far less to buy and while you have to fill the 1gallon tank it recirculates the melted ice to make more. We love it! It has a Bluetooth connection that allows you to run a program (sleep at night or longer hours on the weekend. Super easy to set up we received this in early May and and it is quiet and makes enough ice for a family of six. We have yet to run out of ice.The ice is soft and chewy, and the machine is much quieter than the commercial machine and 1/3 the size. I have not experienced any of the “complaints” that other mention in their reviews. The unit looks great and only suggestion would be to have a dispenser hopper or the ability to hook into a waterline. also maybe the ability to increase ice production for parties or a higher output unit maybe 3lbs/hr or 5lbs/hr. With a larger 10lb hopper.Currently I have to fill the tank once every 2-4 days.The unit is portable enough if you needed to move it or use on a boat or vacation rental.

6. 

   5 out of 5

   Toolman101476 – July 12, 2020

   First off the noise….. I just don’t really hear it. Every now and then you’ll catch it making a whinnying noise but you have to stop what your doing and listen for it but it’s not all the time. None issue for our family. The ice it produces is a bit softer than the ice at restaurants… and honesty I like it even better. Friends and family all like to take a cup home.So we are a family of 7 and it keeps up with us. I tried to store it in the freezer but it just does work. It just gets really hard and stuck together.If your an ice eater… you’ll love it. It’s not hard on your teeth.I paid something in the $550 range for it so it’s pricey and definitely a luxury item. But we love it and I don’t regret buying it.

7. 

   5 out of 5

   KCoPCDoc – August 24, 2020

   I run a portable ice maker on my bar almost constantly. In fact, I’ve worn 4 out over the last 6 years (all liked and all from Amazon). Although cheap with a cost of $100 – $150 each, they just did not last and the ice was OK. Enter the GE Opal ice maker with side tank and the “good ice” it makes.I had to research what good ice was and the staying power it had before committing to a $430 prime purchase. The ice is actually pellets about 1/2” long and 1/4” in diameter. It is soft enough to chew and hard enough not to water down pop or vodka.The other deciding factor for me was the built in cleaning function. So long as I use it weekly as recommended, I’ve not seen mold take hold the way it did in the other style ice makers.As a bit of a geek, I used the Bluetooth app and set up a run schedule to make life even easier for us.Even with the price, I have to give this 5 out of 5. Only time will tell how long it will last running 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

8. 

   5 out of 5

   AngelaS – September 6, 2020

   Updated to 5 stars. GE would not fix or replace the first ice maker. They referred me to a third party “who owns the warranty” and that third party did nothing. @Amazon came through! They replaced the machine for free, and it is working well. It does get hot, even with a lot of space around the vents, but it still makes ice and keeps the bin full.I set this up today and followed the setup Quick Start Guide to the letter. It made about a pound of ice, then the water started running through the machine and the bin, the outside got SUPER hot, and no ice. I’m on the phone with GE right now, and will revise this review if they fix it, but for now I am extremely disappointed in a machine that cost $600 with shipping and made about 20 pieces of nugget ice.

9. 

   5 out of 5

   Kristen DenneyKristen Denney – February 18, 2021

   So far so good!! I buy sonic and Zaxby’s ice by the bag … at least 2 a week.Read all of the instructions before you start.When I started making ice it ran water for a minute or so and I was a little concerned. Not to worry ice started falling shortly after. The kids could not wait, like a good mom I let them have the first scoop.We started making ice about 5:30pm yesterday and by 11:00am today out ice bin in the freezer is full. Not to mention how much we have eaten.Straight out of the bin it is the perfect soft ice. Out of the freezer it is hard, (same as the bagged ice after you freeze it) my recommendation is to fill your cup and leave it for about 10-15 mins and it will soften up some.

10. 

    5 out of 5

    Terry in SA – February 18, 2021

    My family is in love with this GE Profile Opal | Countertop Nugget Ice Maker.We have a franchise fast food place called Sonic, which has always been famous for its soft, chewable, ice. They literally sell bags of their ice and we bought ice there for years. I was horrified when my nearby Sonic closed. So when my daughter called me to tell me that she had purchased this GE Opal and that it makes “Sonic ice”, I knew I had to have one. Mt daughter was so tickled, she sent me an Amazon gift card as an early birthday gift to cover part of the price so I ordered.It comes in a very protective shipping box with custom molded foam inside. Mine fortunately arrived in perfect condition but others have not been so lucky so I strongly suggest opening and inspecting it immediately so you can return if necessary.Also note that if you live in a city with hard water, as I do, you need to order a filter to install before first use. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07518FM17/ It snaps into the bottom of the water well in the ice maker. You have to really push to get it in place but there is a definite snap when it’s in place. You need to run the cleaning cycle before first use but it’s easy to do. It is outlined well in the user’s guide. Also, you need to wash out the side, water tank before first use. Then you are ready to make ice.This ice maker is pretty big but it fit fine under my upper cabinets. The side tank attaches magnetically on either side of the ice maker so it’s pretty flexible. It’s quite attractive with crystal clear plastic and a brushed, stainless steel skin. It’s also pretty heavy at 47lbs so you may need help to pick it up and put it in place.You need to understand how these work. The unit is not refrigerated. It does not keep the ice frozen. Instead, it makes the ice, which falls into a clear, plastic, ice drawer. When the drawer gets full, you transfer the ice to a bag or bin and place it in your freezer. That is, if you aren’t using it the minute it gets made. ;-) If you leave ice in the bin, it will slowly melt and the water goes back into the water well beneath the ice drawer and will be reused to make more ice.It is also not plumbed and there is no option for a direct plumbed line. Instead, you fill the water tank and the side water tank manually so it has water to make ice. The side water tank holds enough water to make about 3 drawers full of ice. The machine can make up to 24 lbs of ice per day and the drawer holds about 3 lbs of ice. It’s plenty for my big family and I do make and bag ice so I don’t have to run the ice maker all the time. (These are the bags I buy and use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INV51ZM/)It is very easy to use once you set it up. The user guide provides good, clear instructions for this. It’s mostly making sure you have the correct water line attached to the side water tank. Once it’s set up and clean, you set the switch in the back to ice and start making ice. There is an illuminated, round, touch sensitive, button on front. The lights surrounding the button tell you the status of the ice maker. It tells you when to empty the ice drawer, when to add water, and when it’s making ice. There is also Bluetooth connectivity and an app for your phone which allows you to see the status of the ice maker and control it remotely. However, the permissions were too invasive, IMO, so I did not install the app.Others have mentioned that their machine is too noisy but I don’t find that at all. It’s louder when the fan comes on initially but for the most part, it’s just a quiet hum and the sound of ice falling into the drawer periodically.Best of all, it makes that perfect ice we all love. It makes soft, chewable, small, nuggets. We are completely delighted with the quality of the ice. It also makes ice pretty fast. It’s summer in Texas and we use a lot of ice and this machine keeps us in all the ice we can use. Do note that when you place the ice in the freezer for future use, it’s not quite as soft as when it comes straight out of the ice maker and you do have to bang the bag of ice on the counter to break it up after it’s been in the freezer. But it’s still awesome.Maintenance is weekly descaling with vinegar or a product GE makes for that purpose. I am using vinegar and it works fine. You also need to clean it with bleach to prevent mold on a regular basis but neither is a huge chore and again, the process is covered well in the user manual.I am very pleased with this ice maker. It looks great on the counter. It makes perfect ice. The drawer is easy to pull out and empty or just pull out and scoop what you need. It’s expensive, though. If you aren’t a household that uses a lot of ice or enjoys chewing this special, soft, ice, I’m not sure it would be worth it. You can buy much less expensive, counter top, ice makers.