GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra Nugget Ice Maker with Side Tank (XPIO13SWSS)

The Opal 2.0 Ultra is for the person who drinks nugget ice every day and wants a machine that keeps up without constant attention. It is the best overall pick on our nugget ice maker list because it combines the Opal line's well-regarded ice with the maintenance improvements GE added in 2024: a scale-inhibiting filter in the box, a reusable air filter and alerts that tell sanitizing and descaling apart.

Skip it if your counter is shallow or narrow, or if you mostly want ice for occasional parties. A 3-pound bin empties fast, and a cheaper machine or a few bags from the store will serve an occasional host better.

The ice itself. Reviewed uses the Opal 2.0 as the benchmark for nugget texture, describing pellets that are crunchy without being hard and that turn to water on the tongue, and compares other machines against it. The Ultra uses the same batch-based system, which GE says filters and recirculates water to keep making fresh ice, and Reviewed notes that meltwater from the bin drains back to the reservoir rather than pooling.

Output and timing. GE rates it at 38 pounds a day and 1.6 pounds an hour. Popular Mechanics, which kept one running for about six months, found first ice in roughly ten minutes from a cold start, about half the time it saw from the original Opal 2.0, and a supply that kept pace with a steady stream of cold drinks. Once the bin is full, the machine holds the ice at a temperature that stops it fusing into a block.

Maintenance help. Every nugget maker needs regular sanitizing and descaling, and scale on the auger is the usual cause of slowdowns and noise. The Ultra's included scale-inhibiting filter, rated for three months, is meant to slow that buildup and also removes chlorine and off-tastes, per GE's announcement. The app tracks filter status and sends separate sanitize and descale reminders; Popular Mechanics found those alerts clear and the app easy to set up.

Water supply. The 0.75-gallon side tank attaches to the machine and feeds the internal reservoir, so you refill far less often than with a reservoir-only machine. Reviewed notes the Opal side tank lets the machine make about three times as much ice as the reservoir alone.

Noise on paper. GE's own spec table lists the Ultra at 44 dBA against 39 dBA for the plain Opal 2.0, and GE does not explain the difference. Popular Mechanics described it as about as loud as a noisy refrigerator while it was making ice, and very quiet once the bin was full. In an open-plan room, use the app's schedule to pause production overnight.

The cleaning routine. The filter reduces descaling, it does not remove it. GE's cleaning guide recommends sanitizing weekly and descaling anywhere from every two to four months with soft water to every two to three weeks with very hard water, and a vinegar descale involves an 18-hour soak and several rinse cycles. Popular Mechanics settled into a weekly clean and a monthly descale.

Size and output ceiling. The side-tank model measures 13.43 inches wide, 17.5 deep and 16.5 tall, weighs 37.65 pounds, and GE asks for 4 inches of clearance at the sides and back. Its 38-pound rating is lower than the Frigidaire's or the GoveeLife's, and the bin holds 3 pounds.

Running cost. Popular Mechanics notes that running it around the clock adds noticeably to an electric bill. The warranty is one year on parts.

The GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro is rated for 60 pounds a day, has a 3.5-pound bin, a larger 4.9-liter side tank, a 40 dB rating and a three-year warranty. It is heavier and louder in style, with RGB lighting, and it is a newer product with a shorter track record. Choose it for volume; choose the Opal for texture and a proven design. For the full side-by-side on output, cleaning, noise and size, see our GE Opal 2.0 Ultra vs GoveeLife Pro comparison.

The Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255 sits a price class lower, with a higher 44-pound rating and the same 3-pound bin, but no app, no side tank and firmer pellets that Reviewed found slower to melt. The GE Profile Opal Mini is the smaller sibling: 8.6 inches wide, top-fill, 2-pound bin, and a better fit under low cabinets.

The Opal 2.0 Ultra is the nugget ice maker to get if you can give it the counter space and a cleaning routine. It makes the texture people buy these machines for, the side tank and filter cut the chores that sink cheaper machines, and GE's Opal line has years of owner and reviewer history behind it. If you do not need the filter, the plain Opal 2.0 is a near twin when discounted.

What is the difference between the GE Opal 2.0 and the Opal 2.0 Ultra?

The Ultra adds a scale-inhibiting filter in the box, a reusable air filter and separate sanitize and descale alerts, and it ships with the 0.75-gallon side tank. Popular Mechanics saw first ice in about half the time of the original Opal 2.0. On paper it is louder: GE lists 44 dBA against 39 dBA for the plain Opal 2.0.

Is the GE Opal 2.0 Ultra worth it over the regular Opal 2.0?

If you want fewer chores, yes: the filter and clearer maintenance alerts target the scale buildup that slows nugget ice makers. If you do not need the filter and noise matters, the plain Opal 2.0 is a near twin when discounted.