OPAL NUGGET ICE, THE GOOD ICE – Serve up chewable, crunchable, craveable nugget ice that’s ready fast and retains its flavor, unlike traditional hard cubes; Refreshing nugget ice is made from compacted ice flakes and is perfect for cocktails, sodas and other beverages
24 POUNDS OF ICE PER DAY – Never run out of nugget ice; This ice maker produces one pound of fresh ice per hour and has a large-capacity bin that holds up to 3lbs of crunchable nugget ice
BATCH MADE ICE – Innovative design avoids clumping and leaks by recirculating melted ice to the water reservoir; You’ll always have fresh ice on hand thanks to a smart, automatic ice maker that refills when your ice is running low
PORTABLE – Easily move your ice maker as needed. No water hookup required, just plug it into any 120v grounded (standard) electrical outlet and fill the reservoir with water. As ice melts, the water returns to the reservoir, where it will simply be made back into more ice.
SIDE TANK: Produce approximately 3X more ice with a side tank that easily attaches to the ice maker.
MAINTAINING FRESH ICE: Descale your Opal once a month or more frequently if you live in an area with hard water to keep your nugget ice tasting fresh and machine working smoothly. See product manual for more details on how to care for your Opal ice maker.
Specification: 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
Brand
‎GE
Model Name
‎Ice Maker
Capacity
‎3 Pounds
Voltage
‎120 Volts
Item Dimensions LxWxH
‎15.5 x 14.25 x 17.25 inches
Product Dimensions
‎15.5 x 14.25 x 17.25 inches
Brand Name
‎GE
Model Info
‎OPAL01GENKT
Item Weight
‎47 pounds
Country of Origin
‎China
Item model number
‎OPAL01GENKT
Installation Type
‎Countertop
Part Number
‎OPAL01GENKT
Special Features
‎Batch Made Ice, Refreshing Nugget Ice, 3lb Capacity Large Bin, Side Tank
Color
‎Stainless
Material Type
‎Stainless Steel, Plastic
Included Components
‎Opal Icemaker, Ice Bin, Ice Scoop, Side Tank and Drip Tray
Batteries Required
‎No
3 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
4.7out of 5
★★★★★
★★★★★
2
★★★★★
1
★★★★★
0
★★★★★
0
★★★★★
0
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★★★★★
Anthony Campati –
Pros – the ice is amazing, the side water reservoir is needed and works great, it produces a good amount of ice daily, the machine looks nice and is well built, and the ice bucket with scoop is great
Cons – the noise the machine makes is very loud and annoying, the directions say to clean it every week or two and the process is involved and takes quite a bit of time, the machine is large and requires 3″ clearance all around it, adding the much needed water holder makes the space it takes up even more, the reservoir in the machine is too small to not have the water tank, the machine is very heavy and bulky, the price is quite high for a counter top ice maker, the ice melts in the container pretty quickly because it isn’t insulated.
Initial setup requires an initial cleaning. It takes flushing the system with bleach water and then flushing the system with clean water 3 times. It is quite the process because the drain line isn’t very long and the machine is bulky. The bad thing is that you are supposed to clean it every week or two. It is a major pain because I don’t have space near the sink so I’ve moved it every time because a bucket doesn’t work well either. The first time making ice it made a little and then melted it all multiple time. I’m not sure if something happened the first time, but I unplugged it over night. The next day I plugged it in and it worked.
The noise level is quite annoying for a product this expensive. It constantly runs a pump while making ice. It is very loud.
The ice is absolutley great though. Everyone loves the flavor and size. I use it every day and thoroughly enjoy the ice.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Jason W. –
We’ve had our ice maker for 2 years and it is still running strong. We’ve learned a few things over those 2 years that has helped us out. 1) We changed where we placed the ice maker on our countertop to an area where it gets better air flow. This is critical! Make sure both sides of the machine can get adequate air flow. 2) We only use distilled water 3) Periodically clean your ice maker. This is not a sealed water system so dust from the air will settle into the ice basin and the water trough, which will then dirty the hose lines, etc. We just use cleaning vinegar and run the machine on clean cycle. Wipe down all of the inside of the machine where the plastic basin catches the ice. Occasionally, we’ll take some pipe cleaner and run it up the hoses from the side water attachment. 4) At least twice a year, we do a deep clean where we take the top off and lay a vinegar-soaked cloth over the cutter wheel where the ice comes out. 5) You’ll also need to vacuum the side vents once a month or every other month. Think of it like your air filter system for your HVAC.
My only “complaint” is that occasionally the blue light will come on when it has plenty of water. What’s happened, which sounds pretty common, is that the pump has lost its prime or maybe there is some small trash that’s inhibited the water. We just take the filter out, place a finger over the tube, and hit the start button. You can kind of prime/syphon the pump to get it flowing again. Not too big of a deal.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Terry in SA –
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.
Anthony Campati –
Pros – the ice is amazing, the side water reservoir is needed and works great, it produces a good amount of ice daily, the machine looks nice and is well built, and the ice bucket with scoop is great
Cons – the noise the machine makes is very loud and annoying, the directions say to clean it every week or two and the process is involved and takes quite a bit of time, the machine is large and requires 3″ clearance all around it, adding the much needed water holder makes the space it takes up even more, the reservoir in the machine is too small to not have the water tank, the machine is very heavy and bulky, the price is quite high for a counter top ice maker, the ice melts in the container pretty quickly because it isn’t insulated.
Initial setup requires an initial cleaning. It takes flushing the system with bleach water and then flushing the system with clean water 3 times. It is quite the process because the drain line isn’t very long and the machine is bulky. The bad thing is that you are supposed to clean it every week or two. It is a major pain because I don’t have space near the sink so I’ve moved it every time because a bucket doesn’t work well either. The first time making ice it made a little and then melted it all multiple time. I’m not sure if something happened the first time, but I unplugged it over night. The next day I plugged it in and it worked.
The noise level is quite annoying for a product this expensive. It constantly runs a pump while making ice. It is very loud.
The ice is absolutley great though. Everyone loves the flavor and size. I use it every day and thoroughly enjoy the ice.
Jason W. –
We’ve had our ice maker for 2 years and it is still running strong. We’ve learned a few things over those 2 years that has helped us out.
1) We changed where we placed the ice maker on our countertop to an area where it gets better air flow. This is critical! Make sure both sides of the machine can get adequate air flow.
2) We only use distilled water
3) Periodically clean your ice maker. This is not a sealed water system so dust from the air will settle into the ice basin and the water trough, which will then dirty the hose lines, etc. We just use cleaning vinegar and run the machine on clean cycle. Wipe down all of the inside of the machine where the plastic basin catches the ice. Occasionally, we’ll take some pipe cleaner and run it up the hoses from the side water attachment.
4) At least twice a year, we do a deep clean where we take the top off and lay a vinegar-soaked cloth over the cutter wheel where the ice comes out.
5) You’ll also need to vacuum the side vents once a month or every other month. Think of it like your air filter system for your HVAC.
My only “complaint” is that occasionally the blue light will come on when it has plenty of water. What’s happened, which sounds pretty common, is that the pump has lost its prime or maybe there is some small trash that’s inhibited the water. We just take the filter out, place a finger over the tube, and hit the start button. You can kind of prime/syphon the pump to get it flowing again. Not too big of a deal.
Terry in SA –
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.