Best Ice Makers (2026)

Nugget (or 'pebble') ice is soft, chewable, layered ice — the kind from the drive-through everyone's nostalgic about. It absorbs the drink around it and doesn't crack teeth. Is a dedicated machine rational? No. Do the owners regret it? Almost never. It's the single most-loved impractical appliance I see in kitchens.

No — and this surprises everyone. The bin is insulated but not refrigerated, so unused ice slowly melts and the machine remakes it from the same water. That's by design and costs pennies. If you need a bin that holds frozen ice for hours (parties, wet bars), that's what undercounter units with real refrigeration are for.

More than a fridge ice maker, honestly. Countertop nugget machines recirculate water, so mineral scale and the occasional slime film build up where you can't see. Run the cleaning cycle with the recommended solution every few weeks — more with hard water — and change the filter if the unit takes one. A funky-tasting nugget is always a cleaning-schedule problem.

Countertop: cheaper, portable, plugs in anywhere, but the bin melts down and daily capacity is modest. Undercounter: built-in look, refrigerated storage, serious daily output — and a price that starts where countertop units end, plus most want a drain line. It's the difference between an appliance you bought and one you installed.