Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget vs Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable

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

Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable comes out ahead by a clear margin (3.7 vs 4.1). The gap is mostly about Budget and on-the-go buyers who want a lightweight, fast bullet-ice maker for an RV, boat, dorm, or backup ice supply. — read the strengths below before deciding.

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 →

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Portable Ice Makers

Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable

4.1

3 sources2 derived$188as of Aug 1

The Magic Chef MCIM22SV is a budget bullet-ice maker that keeps a quick, steady supply of cube ice coming for around $130. Figure about 9 cubes every 7 minutes, up to 27 lbs/day, with two size options and simple LED controls. At roughly 20 lbs it is genuinely portable for RVs and boats. It makes only hard bullet ice and carries the durability caveats typical of the budget tier, but it is a capable, affordable workhorse.

Strengths

— Affordable bullet-ice maker for around $130
— Fast cycles — about 9 cubes every 7 minutes, up to 27 lbs/day
— Two ice cube sizes via simple LED controls

Watch-outs

— Hard, hollow bullet ice that melts quickly
— Ice can come out wet and clump together
— Short warranty and only average long-term durability

$188 · 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 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.

Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable

The budget bullet-ice alternative to the Frigidaire EFIC189 — same hard-bullet format and similar fast cycles, but with a thinner track record. It is far cheaper than the clear-cube Frigidaire EFIC452-SS and the nugget GE Profile Opal 2.0, and unlike the budget nugget Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 it sticks to the simpler, more reliable bullet-ice format.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 Nugget	Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable
Ice Type	Nugget (chewable)	Bullet (2 sizes)
Output	Up to 44 lbs/day	Up to 27 lbs/day
First Batch	~15 minutes	7 minutes
Bin Capacity	3 lbs	—
Self-Cleaning	Yes (auto)	—
Noise	Loud (growling)	—
Owner Rating	3.1 stars (Amazon)	—
Warranty	1 year	1 year
Water Supply	Side tank + onboard reservoir	—
Cycle Time	10-15 minutes	~7 minutes
Footprint	Compact countertop	Compact countertop
Controls	LED touch	LED touch
Features	See-through lid, exterior drain	See-through lid, exterior drain
Dimensions	16.75"D x 11.75"W x 20.25"H	14.1"D x 9.5"W x 12.9"H
Wattage	500 watts	50 watt-hours
Weight	—	~20 lbs

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