FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ 44lbs/24H Nugget Ice Maker Review


Up until now GE Profile Opal (previously sold as FirstBuild Opal) was the only nugget ice maker that was somewhat affordable and didn’t cost over thousand dollars, however its first competitor has arrived. Just last month FRIGIDAIRE released EFIC235-AMZ – a nugget ice maker that can produce up to 44 lbs of nugget ice in 24 hours. So how does FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ compare to GE Profile Opal and which one should you buy?


Frigidaire EFIC235-AMZ vs GE Profile Opal

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ is capable of making up to 44 lbs of nugget ice in 24 hours (~1.8 lbs per hour) whereas GE Profile Opal makes only 24 lbs (1 lbs per hour). Where GE Profile Opal wins is nugget ice quality – not only they are bigger they also feel softer and overall nicer. The difference isn’t huge but if you need the best nugget ice without spending thousands of dollars GE Profile Opal seems like the best option. EFIC235-AMZ is also a bit loud when operating.

Neither makes nugget ice quite as nice as you get at Sonic’s but they aren’t far off.

Another thing you should pay attention to is consumer reports/feedback and according to them it seems that FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ is less reliable compared to GE Profile Opal. Consumer reports isn’t always accurate representation of the actual situation but is something you should keep in mind and consider. With that being said majority of consumer feedback about FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ is positive and if it indeed has some weak points they might get fixed in near future (perhaps by the time you are reading this) as EFIC235-AMZ was just released.

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ does have some advantages over GE Profile Opal though. It’s more feature-rich and generally retails at lower price.

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ makes a batch of nugget ice every 10-15 minutes. For optimal performance air temperature should be 50°F to 104°F (10°C to 40°C). It’s also not exactly quiet – some might even find it to quite loud.


Control panel

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ control panel features 4 buttons and 4 indicator lights:

  • “Ice” button: Press it to start or stop nugget ice production.
  • “Clean” button: Press it to enter cleaning mode.
  • “UV” button: Press it to turn UV light on or off.
  • “Light” button: Press it to turn interior light on or off.
  • “Add water” indicator: lights up when water reservoir is empty. You should add water to resume nugget ice production.
  • “Power” indicator: lights up when ice maker is turned on.
  • “UV” indicator: lights up when you have turned on UV light that kills bacteria.
  • “Ice full” indicator: lights up when ice basket is full. To resume nugget ice production please take some (or all) of them out of the ice basket.


Features

FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ has UV-light sterilization feature that kills bacteria and viruses inside the nugget ice maker which is very cool feature you are unlikely to have seen on any other ice maker.

Ice basket hold up to 3 lbs of nugget ice. It’s not refrigerated so nugget ice will slowly melt if left inside. Melted water from ice doesn’t go back into water reservoir like it’s usually the case with ice makers – you will have to use drain plug to get rid of it.

Capacity of water reservoir is 0.97 gallons (3.7 liters).


Conclusions

Both FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ and GE Profile Opal are great nugget ice makers for the money. Whereas FRIGIDAIRE has more features and larger nugget ice output, GE Profile Opal seems to win when it comes to quality of nugget ice and long-term reliability. Another thing that’s of large importance is pricing – FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ generally retails at lower price compared to GE Profile Opal making it a more affordable option.

With all things taken into consideration GE Profile Opal does seem like a better choice but FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ has its advantages too and can be a viable alternative for reasons stated above. At the end of the day it’s up to you to decide which suits you better.




FRIGIDAIRE EFIC235-AMZ Specs:

  • Type: Freestanding / Portable / Countertop
  • Voltage: 115V / 60HZ
  • Power consumption: 200 W
  • Ice output: up to 44 lbs per 24 hours
  • Type of ice: Nugget / Pellet / Pebble / Chewable / Sonic
  • Ice basket capacity: up to 3 lbs
  • Water reservoir capacity: 0.97 gallons (3.7 liters)
  • Approximate dimensions (W x D x H): 9.8″ x 16.1″ x 19″ / 24.9 cm x 40.9 cm x 48.26 cm
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