If you’re familiar with nugget ice, then you know why it’s the best ice around.
It’s soft, chewable ice that absorbs the flavor of your beverage. Nugget ice is by far my favorite type of ice you can make from a portable ice maker.
I reviewed a nugget ice maker from Newair that caught my attention a couple of years ago. That portable nugget ice maker was an awesome unit that produced 40 pounds of nugget ice in one day. Today I’ll review the ungraded model, the AI-420SS – a nugget ice maker that produces 45 pounds of nugget ice every 24 hours.
Newair provided me with a sample to test out, and in this article, I’ll share with you all my results.
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The Design of the AI-420SS
The AI-420SS is a sharp-looking portable ice maker. It functions like all portable ice makers: you add water into the water reservoir, start the ice maker, and then watch the magic happen. There are no water or drain hookups of any kind. You can put this portable anywhere in your home, RV, or camper as long as you have a power supply.
- Chewable nugget ice at home
- Fastest nugget ice maker on the market
- Melt-resistant interior
- Self-cleaning capabilities
- Weighs 34.17 lbs.
- Voltage: 110~120V (US market)
- Amps: 2.3 amps,200 watts
The unit itself is made from stainless steel with a plastic lid. The venting is on the side and back of the unit, and you’ll also find the drain lines in the back.
The look of this ice maker is very comparable to its predecessor. It measures just under 17 inches high from the floor, over 10 inches wide, and around 17 inches deep (I added a few inches for the water lines on the back).
I’ve said the same thing about the previous model; it’s a nice-looking portable ice maker. The stainless steel, black plastic lid with a small viewing window and cut-out venting on the side gives this portable ice maker a classy look.
This unit didn’t feel cheap, probably because it wasn’t. You could tell by its performance and design that it was a solid machine. I’m impressed.
The Function of the AI-420SS
The way that I would describe the function of this portable ice maker is – easy.
It’s super easy to operate. On the front of the unit, there is only one button and two indicator lights. The button has an LED light that encircles it, which tells you what the portable ice maker is doing.
Standby mode shows a red light.
To turn on the ice maker, tap the button. The ring will turn blue, and you know that the unit is producing ice. If you want to turn the unit off, just hold the button for 3 seconds.
NewAir Nugget Ice Maker AI-420SS
To enable the self-cleaning mode, just hold the button down for 3 seconds (while in standby mode) until you see a blue and purple light flashing. You see the water begin to circulate through the unit.
The AI-420SS arrived at my door and was neatly and securely packaged. It was super easy to get started and start making nugget ice.
I removed all the shipping tape, ice basket, and scoop and added water to the reservoir until it reached the fill line. I plugged in the ice maker and then hit the button one single time. The unit began to run, and in no time at all, I was enjoying nugget ice.
This portable ice maker was super easy to set up and operate. I have owned portable ice makers that took forever to figure out how to use. This portable ice maker isn’t like that, it didn’t take me long at all to get everything set up and nugget ice in my cup.
What I Loved About the AI-420SS
There are several things that I love about using this portable ice maker.
First, I loved its speed. This nugget ice maker has to be the fastest I’ve ever tested.
You can add the water, turn on the unit, and within 5 minutes, you have nugget ice. I timed it to see how long it would make enough ice to fill my glass, and this is what I found. It took only 17 minutes to give me enough nugget ice from the moment I turned it on. I mean, c’mon. That’s super fast, and that’s not just how long it took to make ice, but how long it took to make a glass of nugget ice.
Most portable ice makers take at least 15 minutes to just begin the process of making ice. This had ice in my glass in only 17 minutes.
I also tested to see how long it would take to produce a full basket of nugget ice, and it only took 2 hours and 11 minutes.
I love the design and the build of the unit. It feels like it’s constructed with high-quality parts, unlike a cheap ice maker you’d find anywhere.
I liked how you could operate the unit with one single button and that you have the option for self-cleaning. Overall, it’s a solid nugget ice maker you won’t regret purchasing.
Oh yeah, you also have NewAir’s amazing customer service to help you if you do end up having an issue. I know that things happen, and equipment fails. So, having a company behind you that has your back is important. I have never had an issue that Newair couldn’t make right, and that’s a fact!
This portable ice maker will cost you about $500 to purchase. It’s more than bullet-ice portable ice makers, but an average price for portable nugget ice makers. With the quality and performance that you get with the AI-420SS, you’re getting a fantastic deal. I’ll also give you a coupon code below that will help you save even more money.
What I Didn’t Like About the AI-420SS
There are no perfect products, which is true with Newair’s AI-420SS Nugget Ice Maker.
I didn’t like that the ice maker didn’t automatically begin the ice process once the unit stopped because of a lack of water or the ice bucket was full. Normally, a portable ice maker will pause when there isn’t any water, but as the ice melts and replenishes the water reservoir, it will automatically begin the ice process again. Most of the time, you can run a portable ice maker all night and still have ice in the morning – that’s not true with the AL-420SS.
So often, I came to the ice maker for nugget ice, and it would be empty. I didn’t notice that it had stopped, so I didn’t hit the button twice to begin the cycle again. It can be frustrating! But you learn to live with it. I am sure Newair has reasons for not adding this feature, but it sure would be useful.
Conclusion
The Newair AI-420SS is a great portable nugget ice maker and one of the fastest on the market today. It’s solid, simple to operate, and produces soft, chewable nugget ice in the comfort of your own home.
I have been using this unit for over a month now and have had no problems. In fact, I still have the original model that’s working great – so I know these portable ice makers are dependable units.
I added a link below to where you can purchase this unit and a discount code to get a deal (we all like to save money). You can check it all out below.
NewAir Nugget Ice Maker AI-420SS
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