**Have You Ever Envisioned Having a Nugget Ice Machine at Home? Here’s What You Should Know!**
If you know, you know nugget ice. It’s the fantastic ice. The cute, chewable ice that is nearly a snack by itself. I ADORE nugget ice with fervor, and last year my dream was realized when Mike presented me with a nugget ice machine for Christmas.
A nugget ice machine has been on my mind for ages. I conveniently overlooked home nugget ice makers, and I must say, my Christmas present was both an unexpected delight and a complete success! Christmas day was filled with nugget ice, and ever since, we have joyfully utilized our nugget ice maker every day.
### What is Nugget Ice?
If you’re not familiar, you might be asking, what exactly is nugget ice? Yes, it’s merely ice, but truly, it’s exceptional ice! Nugget ice contains air pockets, creating layers and layers. Think of nugget ice as the pastry of the ice universe. The layers form pockets of air, rendering nugget ice light and fluffy, not at all hard or dense. Nugget ice is both fluffy and chewy.
### Why is Nugget Ice Unique?
Nugget ice is not just regular ice. It’s shaped, unsurprisingly, like a tiny nugget. Because it’s produced in a machine that incorporates air pockets, the nuggets are softer and more chewable. The air pockets allow liquid to seep in, infusing the ice with flavors from whatever drink you’re enjoying, turning it into delightful chewable nuggies. It cools beverages quickly while melting slowly. The special aspect is the texture: crunchy on the outside and chewy within.
### How is Nugget Ice Created?
Nugget ice is produced through a unique method of flash freezing water while pushing it through small openings. Most nugget ice makers operate like this:
1. The water moves through an extruder with tiny holes.
2. As the water is forced through under pressure, small droplets form.
3. The droplets flash freeze into nuggets, with air pockets naturally occurring during the freezing.
4. Boom, you have nugget ice!
### Homemade Nugget Ice
It once seemed that nugget ice at home was just a fantasy, but now, numerous countertop nugget ice machines are available. The only means to create nugget ice at home is with a nugget ice machine.
### Top Nugget Ice Machines
We are absolutely fond of our Easyera nugget ice maker. It produces ice swiftly, in about 20 minutes, it’s extremely easy to clean, and it’s quite compact. Admittedly, it’s a bit noisy, but the nature of nugget ice means that the extrusion and freezing process will invariably be somewhat loud. We’ve never encountered any problems with our nugget ice machine. It has a self-cleaning feature and generates more than enough ice for both of us. I appreciate that it’s smaller than many other nugget ice machines available because it permanently sits on our countertop.
The GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra nugget ice maker has been gaining attention recently, but it’s MASSIVE and reportedly not easy to clean. Additionally, at $629, it’s double what we spent on our nugget ice maker. We haven’t sampled the ice from the Opal, so I can’t comment on its quality, but for the countertop size and cost, I definitely believe the Easyera is the better option. Plus, call me old-fashioned, but I’m not really sure why I would need a nugget ice maker with integrated wifi and voice control.
I spent some time browsing Amazon because let’s face it, there’s nothing I enjoy more than online shopping, and if I had to choose another nugget ice machine, I think I would select the Vevor. It’s said to be super quiet, perfect for those who are sensitive to humming or machine sounds, and it keeps the nugget ice frozen for a significant duration. It does appear a bit large, but I appreciate the stainless steel exterior and it has multiple positive verified purchase reviews.
### Where Can You Find Nugget Ice?
Probably the most famous spot for nugget ice is Sonic Drive-In. People flock to Sonic primarily for their ice: both in drinks and to purchase bags of nugget ice. Numerous other places offer nugget ice as well, provided they have nugget ice machines. I’ve visited gas stations with nugget ice as well as independent soda shops. HTeaO in Texas has nugget ice (try a blend of sweet coconut and sweet almond green, it’s divine!).
### Nugget Ice vs Crushed Ice
There’s no contest; it’s nugget ice every single time. Crushed ice is regular ice that has been crushed into small, uneven pieces. It shares the same consistency and hardness.