Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker Review. Worth It In 2024?

Last updated on December 9th, 2024 at 04:53 am

Order the Antarctic Star Nugget HERE at the Lowest Price Available:

At the time of this writing, the Antarctic Star Ice Maker is priced at $210 retail, but we were able to find it on Amazon below for as low as $160. A savings of $50.

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Hey there! So, we’ve been using the Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker for the past 4 months, and we’re ready to spill the beans on whether it’s worth your hard-earned cash in 2024. This ice maker is a real crowd-pleaser – it’s flying off the shelves, and people who’ve bought it seem to love it. But we wanted to see for ourself, so we’ve put it through its paces.

A lot of hours was spent testing it, checking out all its features and how well it works. And let me tell you, we know a thing or two about countertop ice makers. We’ve been using and testing some of them for the past 3 years, so we’ve got a pretty good idea of what makes a good one. By the way, we’ve been trying out some other top-rated ice makers too – keep an eye out for those reviews coming soon!

Stick with me, and I’ll give you the lowdown on this machine. By the end of this, you’ll know if it’s the right fit for you, or if you’re better off with something else.

Now, let’s dive in and see what this nugget ice maker is all about.

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Should You Buy The Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker?

Buy If

1. You love soft, chewy, nugget ice like the one you get at your favorite restaurant.
2. You like camping and storing stuff in the cooler or preserve fish when you go fishing.
3. You often use ice to treat sports injuries.
4. You have a small kitchen or limited room.
5. You don’t have a water line or direct plumbing available.

Do Not Buy If

1. You only have access to tap water and aren’t willing to regularly clean the machine.
2. You prefer crystal-clear square ice cubes or the hollow bullet ice.
3. You have a large household, frequently entertain guests, or your ice needs are high.

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Unboxing: First Impressions and Operation

When we unboxed this machine, we were immediately struck by how good it looks. It’s got this simple, modern vibe, but the black stainless steel finish really elevates it – pictures just don’t do it justice. It’s the kind of appliance that would look fantastic on any countertop. And bonus points for being compact – perfect if you’re tight on space.

One thing we always appreciate about countertop ice makers is how easy they are to use. This one’s got just one button and two indicator lights. The button does double duty: a quick press turns it on and starts making ice, while holding it down for a few seconds activates the self-cleaning mode. The lights are straightforward too – one tells you when the ice bin is full, the other when it’s time to add more water. Calling this machine “user-friendly” is an understatement!

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Ice Cube Style and Production Speed

The ice this machine makes is the soft, chewy kind you get at fast-food joints – it’s what they call nugget ice, or sometimes pellet, pebble, or even sonic ice. We’re big fans, and so are a lot of other people, because it’s fun to chew and it really soaks up the flavor of your drinks. It’s the perfect match for smoothies, blended cocktails, and anything else you want to mix up.

Now, the speed on this thing is amazing. In less than 7 minutes, you’re getting ice. But unlike clear or bullet ice makers, where you can adjust the ice size and get a batch every few minutes, this machine makes a single size of nugget ice and keeps dispensing it continuously. You’ll have the ice bin half-full in about 40 minutes, and it’ll be totally full in about an hour and 15 minutes.

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Antarctic Star Nugget Storage and Production Capacity

Let’s get real about how much ice this machine can make and store. Given its compact size, these aren’t its strongest points. The water reservoir holds 1.1 liters, and the ice bin can store up to 2 pounds of ice, which, as I mentioned before, takes a bit over an hour to fill up. This isn’t going to cut it for big families or folks who go through a ton of ice, but it’s plenty for one or two people, maybe even three if you’re not ice-guzzling maniacs.

Now, here’s the kicker: this little machine can crank out a whopping 34 pounds of ice in a single day. Considering how fast it makes ice, and how well it performed during our hours of testing, we believe it can definitely reach that number. But let’s be honest, to get that much ice, you’d have to be constantly emptying the ice bin and refilling the water tank all day long. We can’t imagine anyone having the time or patience for that!

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Performance and Noise Level

I can’t quite recall why, but we’ve definitely spent more time testing this machine than any other we’ve tried so far. We wanted to be sure that everything about it worked perfectly, from the very beginning to the very end. This meant checking the entire ice making process – production speed, ice ejection, basket filling, water recycling. It was also checked that all the extra features worked like they should, like the auto shut-off, the indicator lights, and the self-cleaning function.

It was used for weeks and hours on end, making sure it worked just as well on the last day of testing as it did on the first day. And to be completely honest, this thing was just amazing! It worked perfectly the whole time; even way better than we expected. It totally passed all the tests with flying colors!

Now, let’s talk noise. This is always a bit of a debate with ice makers – what’s annoying to some people is totally fine for others. In this case, we wouldn’t say it’s the quietest machine we’ve tested, but it’s not the loudest either. You’ll definitely hear it running, and it might even get on your nerves if you’re near it for a long time. But personally, it never bothered us enough to be unbearable, even when we were doing tasks that needed some peace and quiet.

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Smart Features and Ice Preservation

Just like most modern ice makers, this one has an auto shut-off feature that kicks in to stop ice production when the ice bin is full. And as you use the ice or it melts a bit, the machine senses that and starts making more automatically. That’s another great thing about countertop ice makers – they recycle the melted ice water, so nothing goes to waste.

There’s something else this machine has in common with most others: it can’t keep ice frozen forever. If you make a bunch and just leave it sitting there, it’s eventually going to melt. But here’s the good news: this machine is really well insulated, so the ice actually stays frozen for a pretty decent amount of time. We actually did a little experiment and left a full container of ice in the machine. After 2 hours, only about a third of it had melted, and even after 4 hours, there was still half a container left! So, while the ice in this machine doesn’t stay frozen as long as it would in a clear ice maker, it also doesn’t melt as quickly as the ice in those bullet-shaped models.

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Convenient Drainage and Portability

A really important feature is the water drain port located underneath the machine. It’s covered with a plug, and we’ve found that with some other machines, these plugs can be a real pain to remove. But with this one, it was surprisingly easy, thanks to the way the plug is designed for easy grip and removal. This drain function isn’t just handy for maintenance and cleaning, it’s also crucial for preventing any leftover water from causing moisture and mold inside the machine.

Speaking of portability, this machine is compact but it’s got some weight to it – about 21 pounds. It’s not as heavy as a clear ice maker, but it’s definitely not as light as a bullet ice maker either. What makes it portable is that it doesn’t need to be hooked up to a water line, you just fill the reservoir manually. Plus, it comes with a carrying handle that you can attach, which makes it a lot easier to move around and take with you wherever you want, like home, the office, camping trips, boats, you name it.

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Score Breakdown

Our Overall Rating: 8.5

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Our Final Thoughts On The Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker

The first thing that grabbed us about the Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker is how stunning and compact it is. It’s a real head-turner that would look amazing in any kitchen. And no matter how much counter space you have, it’s sure to fit right in.

As for ease of use? Let’s just say it’s a breeze. Forget about complicated setups, confusing manuals, or high-tech buttons. This machine is as simple as it gets.

And when it comes to efficiency, this thing is a champ. Sure, it doesn’t have the biggest storage capacity, but we promise you, it can still churn out a whole lot of that delicious nugget ice in a day. As long as you’re okay with refilling the water and emptying the ice bin every so often, you’ll be set.

It’s also a bit on the heavy side, but since it doesn’t need a water hookup, it’s still super portable. Plus, it comes with a carrying handle, so you can easily take it wherever you want.

When you weigh everything up, this machine definitely has way more going for it than against it. Even with so many other great options out there, this one holds its own. And the sales numbers and glowing reviews from happy customers back that up.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a machine that makes your favorite kind of ice, looks great, works like a charm, and is a proven crowd-pleaser, we highly recommend the Antarctic Star Nugget Ice Maker. You won’t regret it!

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