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Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC189 vs GE Profile Opal 2.0

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

GE Profile Opal 2.0 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.5 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about Nugget-ice devotees who want soft chewable ice and app scheduling, and who will keep up with cleaning a premium countertop appliance. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Frigidaire EFIC189
Ranked #2 in Best Portable Ice Makers
Frigidaire EFIC189
2 sourcesall derived$89.99as of Sep 25

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 makes only hard bullet ice, and reports on its noise level vary. 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 5-6 minute cycles per RateMyIceMaker; first ice in well under 15 minutes
Watch-outs
  • — Makes hard, cloudy bullet ice — not nugget or clear cubes
  • — Noise is disputed: some sources cite up to 67 dB, but IceArtisan measured about 45 dB
  • — Awkwardly placed rear control panel and fiddly drain plug
$89.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
GE Profile Opal 2.0
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Portable Ice Makers
GE Profile Opal 2.0
3 sourcesall derived$599as of Sep 25

The GE Profile Opal 2.0 is the nugget-ice pick: soft, chewable, Sonic-style ice rather than the hard bullets or clear cubes the rest of this group makes. CNN Underscored ran it for two months and called it whisper quiet, and Reviewed rates the ice clean-tasting and the SmartHQ scheduling genuinely useful. It is the most expensive maker here and it needs regular descaling.

Strengths
  • — Soft, chewable nugget ice that no other maker in this group produces
  • — Around 44 dB, quiet enough to leave running in a kitchen; Taste of Home calls it nearly silent
  • — First nuggets in 10-15 minutes and up to 38 lbs a day
Watch-outs
  • — Expensive at $450-600, several times the cost of a bullet maker
  • — Sustained output trails bullet makers despite the fast first batch
  • — Needs regular cleaning and descaling to stay reliable
$599 · Buy at famoustate.comFull 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.

GE Profile Opal 2.0

The only premium nugget maker among the top picks, and a different product from the hard bullet ice of the Frigidaire EFIC189 and Magic Chef MCIM22SV or the clear cubes of the Frigidaire EFIC452-SS. The budget Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 also makes nugget ice, but with noise and durability complaints the Opal avoids.

Specs side-by-side

SpecFrigidaire EFIC189GE Profile Opal 2.0
Ice TypeBullet (2 sizes)Nugget (chewable)
OutputUp to 26 lbs/dayUp to 38 lbs/day
Cycle Time5-7 minutes—
First BatchUnder 15 minutes10-15 minutes
NoiseAbout 45 dB measured by IceArtisan (some sources cite up to 67 dB)Quiet (~44 dB)
Owner Rating4.4 stars (14,000+)—
FootprintCompact countertop—
Warranty1 year1 year
Dimensions15"D x 11"W x 14.5"H17.5"D x 13.43"W x 16.5"H
Wattage200 watts360 watts
Bin Capacity—3 lbs
Connectivity—Wi-Fi (SmartHQ app)
Water Supply—Side tank + onboard reservoir
← See the full ranking of best portable ice makers