THIS ICE IS NICE

The Nugget Ice Trend Isn’t Going Anywhere—and This Fancy Ice Maker Is a Game-Changer

What is it about tiny, chewable ice that feels so luxurious?

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I’ve been seeing influencers with their fancy ice makers on my For You page for what feels like forever. I was honestly skeptical about them. Sure, nugget ice feels fancy, and it’s fun to have it when you’re at a restaurant—but is a nugget ice machine really worth the investment, especially when my freezer makes ice for free? I wasn’t sure until I tried one myself, and now I’m a full-on believer. Nugget ice at home feels fun and luxurious, and I now have major opinions on ice, which I didn’t have just mere months ago. Let’s break it all down.

I have a Whynter pebbled ice machine, which goes for $349 on Amazon—a fraction of the cost that some of the more popular machines go for. It’s available in two colorways, and my silver and white machine looks great on my countertops. Set-up couldn’t be simpler, just plug it in, fill it up and turn it on. This machine is quiet—there’s no loud, continuous noise that other ice machines make and it makes ice quickly and efficiently. The ice is soft, chewable, and, yes, totally adorable.

Amazon

$349

Whynter Nugget Ice Maker

I used to not care too much about the ice in my drinks, but I now realize it’s because my regular cubed ice was nothing special. And it’s not just a matter of aesthetics—nugget ice is practical, too. Nugget ice keeps my drinks cold without being too cold; it’s fun to chew on (my dog also loves it!), and scooping ice into a cup is completely satisfying. I’m now drinking water, iced coffee and Diet Coke with pebbled ice and I’m totally obsessed. This little machine has my heart.

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There are a few cons, though, as most ice machines are prone to have. Cleaning is a pain and a bit confusing. The manual clearly states to run a cleaning cycle upon using it for the first time, and when I tried to do so, it wouldn’t work. This is apparently a mistake in the manual, and Whytner customer service shared that there’s no need to run a cleaning cycle on a brand-new machine before using it. It also started to make a very loud squeaking noise after about a month of continuous use, but after turning it off overnight, it worked just fine with no squeaking in the morning. It hasn’t happened since, and I’ve had the machine for four months now, so I’m crossing my fingers that it will stay that way. Finally, the ice capacity is perfect for my husband and me, but it may be small for larger families. It does make ice pretty quickly, though; you may just need to continue to fill it with water throughout the day.

All in all, while this machine isn’t perfect, I love it so much. My little drinks at home feel like a little luxury with nugget ice, and I miss it when I go out of town. If you’d like to try a nugget ice machine yourself without spending a fortune, the Whytner machine would be a great investment. Iced coffee, anyone?

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