I run a portable ice maker on my bar almost constantly. In fact, I’ve worn 4 out over the last 6 years (all liked and all from Amazon). Although cheap with a cost of $100 – $150 each, they just did not last and the ice was OK. Enter the GE Opal ice maker with side tank and the “good ice” it makes.

I had to research what good ice was and the staying power it had before committing to a $430 prime purchase. The ice is actually pellets about 1/2” long and 1/4” in diameter. It is soft enough to chew and hard enough not to water down pop or vodka.

The other deciding factor for me was the built in cleaning function. So long as I use it weekly as recommended, I’ve not seen mold take hold the way it did in the other style ice makers.

As a bit of a geek, I used the Bluetooth app and set up a run schedule to make life even easier for us.

Even with the price, I have to give this 5 out of 5. Only time will tell how long it will last running 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.