We all add ice to our drinks to keep them cold. While a lot of refrigerators have ice makers built in, most give you large ice cubes or inconsistent crushed ice. Plus, they have limited capacity, so if you need ice for a large party, you are going to need a dedicated nugget ice maker. The good folks at VIBOFROST sent us a versatile slushy maker to test a while ago. We found out a few weeks ago that they had a sleek nugget ice maker too. They were kind enough to send us one to test. Let’s see what was included:
The VIBOFROST Nugget Ice Maker we received came very well packed. It is built like a tank and has a detachable 1.32-gallon water tank for making 3500+ tiny ice nuggets. The machine is compact enough to fit in our small kitchen. It doesn’t have too many unnecessary bells and whistles. It has a transparent lid, so you can watch your ice being made. It has a metal construction and a magnetic ice scoop mount. A stainless steel ice scoop and ice bin were included inside the machine.
We were quite impressed with how easy this machine is to use. You will want to wash the machine and keep it upright for a couple of hours before getting started. You just have to fill the tank to the max level, put the ice bin back in, and turn on the machine. Ice nuggets started coming out in 12 minutes the first time we tried it. The second time, we used filtered water from the fridge and got our first ice in about 10 minutes. The size seems to be perfect. These ice nuggets aren’t as large as regular cubes, so they won’t dilute your drink too quickly. The nuggets are also chewable.
Once you start the machine, you will start hearing a noise similar to that of a refrigerator. We tested the water temperature, and it was about 61.5°F. However, ice started coming out very fast. This is a smart ice maker, so you don’t have to watch the process from start to finish. It has a sensor to detect once the basket is full and stop. The control panel also lets you know when you need to add more water.
We tested this machine with and without the 1.32-gallon water tank. Without it, you can make over 2000 ice nuggets a day. In this mode, you just have to add water to the main tank. If you choose to use the detachable tank, you can use one of the pipes in the back. It is marked, so you can’t go wrong. You can use the main pipe to drain the machine when you are done making ice.
In order to get the best results, you will want to use filtered water. Once the machine starts going, a bit of warm air comes out from the side, which is completely normal. The noise level is low and didn’t disturb our pets, which are pretty sensitive. You will need only 6 inches of free space around each side to use this machine. The tank can be even closer to it as long as you’re not blocking the air outlet.
The VIBOFROST Nugget Ice Maker also has a deep cleaning mode. You just have to push the button for 2 seconds to start. You are going to need citric acid descaling powder. It is possible to use white vinegar mixed with hot/boiled water, which helps loosen buildup more effectively. If you decide to use vinegar, you will want to thoroughly clean the machine.
We used the main pipe in the back to drain the machine. We just put the drain hose in the sink and turned the machine on. Most of the water came out in a couple of minutes. We used a wet cloth to clean the tank and machine. The control panel has just two buttons (Start & Clean) plus Low Water and Ice Full indicators.
Overall, we found this ice maker to be very easy to use. We went from unboxing to making ice in about 25 minutes. We just had to clean the machine with water, pour filtered water inside, and turn on the machine. Our refrigerator has a fancy ice maker, but VIBOFROST’s Nugget Ice Maker makes much better-tasting ice. The nuggets are neither too big nor too small, and they’re very chewable. They also don’t dilute your drinks too much while keeping them cold. Best of all, we were able to easily fit this machine in our small kitchen. The VIBOFROST Ice Maker is well worth a shot if you need plenty of ice and don’t want to wait all day to make it.
