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Head-to-head · Best Portable Ice Makers

GE Profile Opal 2.0 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

GE Profile Opal 2.0 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.5 vs 4.1). 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.

GE Profile Opal 2.0
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Portable Ice Makers
GE Profile Opal 2.0
3 sourcesall derived$515.56as of Jul 31

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
  • — 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
$515.56 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable
Ranked #3 in Best Portable Ice Makers
Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable
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 AmazonFull 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

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.

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

SpecGE Profile Opal 2.0Magic Chef MCIM22SV 27-Pound Portable
Ice TypeNugget (chewable)Bullet (2 sizes)
OutputUp to 38 lbs/dayUp to 27 lbs/day
First Batch10-15 minutes7 minutes
Bin Capacity3 lbs—
ConnectivityWi-Fi (SmartHQ app)—
Water SupplySide tank + onboard reservoir—
NoiseQuiet (~44 dB)—
Warranty1 year1 year
Dimensions17.5"D x 13.43"W x 16.5"H14.1"D x 9.5"W x 12.9"H
Wattage360 watts50 watt-hours
Cycle Time—~7 minutes
Weight—~20 lbs
Controls—LED touch
Features—See-through lid, exterior drain
Footprint—Compact countertop
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