Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC189 vs Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Frigidaire EFIC189 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.2 vs 3.7). The gap is mostly about Value buyers who want a steady, fast supply of ice for drinks and coolers without paying for nugget or clear-ice machines. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC189

4.2

2 sourcesall derived$85.82as of Aug 1

The Frigidaire EFIC189 is the value champion of portable ice makers: a compact bullet-ice machine that RateMyIceMaker praises for consistent ice and fast 5-6 minute cycles. A 4.4-star average across 14,000-plus owner ratings backs that up, making it the go-to for anyone who just wants a steady supply of ice quickly and cheaply. It is loud and makes only hard bullet ice. On value, nothing touches it.

Strengths

— Excellent value — fast bullet ice for around $82.78
— Consistent bullet size, shape, and weight with two size options
— Quick ~9-minute cycles; first ice in well under 15 minutes

Watch-outs

— Makes hard, cloudy bullet ice — not nugget or clear cubes
— Loud at about 67 dB during operation
— Awkwardly placed rear control panel and fiddly drain plug

$85.82 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget

3.7

3 sourcesall derived$288.97as of Aug 1

The Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 is the budget route to nugget ice, making chewable Sonic-style pellets at a fraction of the GE Opal's price with a high 44 lbs/day output. Reviewers are candid about what that costs you: it is loud, its pellets are harder than the Opal's, and it carries a low 3.1-star Amazon average with real durability complaints. Buy it if you want nugget ice cheaply and will accept the reliability and noise risks.

Strengths

— Makes chewable Sonic-style nugget ice for far less than the GE Opal
— High 44 lbs/day output with restaurant-style nuggets in ~15 minutes
— Clean, neutral-tasting ice from good filtration

Watch-outs

— Loud, with irregular growling operation noise
— Low 3.1-star Amazon average and notable durability complaints
— Nuggets are harder than the GE Opal's softer pellets

$288.97 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Frigidaire EFIC189

The value bullet-ice pick, sharing the hard-bullet-ice format with the Magic Chef MCIM22SV but with a stronger track record and higher owner ratings. It is far cheaper than the nugget GE Profile Opal 2.0 and the clear-cube Frigidaire EFIC452-SS, and a more reliable value than the budget nugget Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255.

Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget

The budget nugget-ice maker, offering the same chewable format as the premium GE Profile Opal 2.0 but with harder pellets, more noise, and weaker reliability. Its higher daily output beats the Opal on volume, but it lacks the Opal's quiet operation and smart features. It makes a different ice type from the bullet Frigidaire EFIC189 and Magic Chef MCIM22SV and the clear-cube Frigidaire EFIC452-SS.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Frigidaire EFIC189	Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget
Ice Type	Bullet (2 sizes)	Nugget (chewable)
Output	Up to 26 lbs/day	Up to 44 lbs/day
Cycle Time	~9 minutes	10-15 minutes
First Batch	Under 15 minutes	~15 minutes
Noise	~67 dB	Loud (growling)
Owner Rating	4.4 stars (14,000+)	3.1 stars (Amazon)
Footprint	Compact countertop	Compact countertop
Warranty	1 year	1 year
Dimensions	15"D x 11"W x 14.5"H	16.75"D x 11.75"W x 20.25"H
Wattage	200 watts	500 watts
Bin Capacity	—	3 lbs
Self-Cleaning	—	Yes (auto)
Water Supply	—	Side tank + onboard reservoir
Controls	—	LED touch
Features	—	See-through lid, exterior drain

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