Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker 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.

The short answer

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.3 vs 3.8). The gap is mostly about Home bartenders and entertainers who want clear, square cocktail-style cubes and will trade speed and self-cleaning for ice presentation. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker

4.3

$159as of Jun 7

The Frigidaire EFIC452-SS is the clear-ice specialist — a countertop maker that produces transparent, square cocktail-style cubes rather than cloudy bullets. IceArtisan rates it 3/5 with a B+ grade, praising the clear cubes while noting they emerge fused in sheets. With up to 40 lbs/day and a 2.3 qt tank, it is the pick for home bartenders who want presentation-grade ice, accepting slower cycles and manual cleaning.

Strengths

— Makes genuinely clear, square cocktail-grade ice cubes
— Up to 40 lbs/day with a generous 2.3 qt water tank
— Two cube sizes, first batch in about 15 minutes

Watch-outs

— Cubes come out fused in sheets that must be broken apart
— No self-cleaning — requires manual cleaning and descaling
— Slower 15-18 minute cycles than bullet makers

$159 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget

3.8

$269as of Jun 7

The Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 is the budget route to nugget ice — it makes chewable Sonic-style pellets at a fraction of the GE Opal's price, with a high 44 lbs/day output. But reviewers are candid about the trade-offs: 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. It is for buyers who 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

$269 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Frigidaire EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker

The only clear-cube maker among the picks, making presentation-grade square ice that differs from the bullet ice of the Frigidaire EFIC189 and Magic Chef MCIM22SV and the nugget ice of the GE Profile Opal 2.0 and Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255. It is pricier and slower than the bullet makers but cheaper than the premium Opal.

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 EFIC452-SS Clear Ice Maker	Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget
Ice Type	Clear square cubes (2 sizes)	Nugget (chewable)
Output	Up to 40 lbs/day	Up to 44 lbs/day
Cycle Time	15-18 minutes	—
Water Tank	2.3 qt	—
Bin Capacity	2.4 lbs	3 lbs
Self-Cleaning	No (manual)	Yes (auto)
Noise	Quiet	Loud (growling)
Warranty	1 year	1 year
First Batch	—	~15 minutes
Owner Rating	—	3.1 stars (Amazon)

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