Nugget ice, which resembles little nuggets or small capsules of ice, is smaller than the average ice cube, sits comfortably in your mouth, and melts a little faster than traditional ice cubes. The more porous nugget ice seems to absorb flavors from beverages, too. For years, it was largely available only at some fast-food chains (hello, Chick-fil-A and Sonic) and far too few fast-casual restaurants.
Enter the countertop icemaker. These home appliances, which don’t hook into your plumbing, offer convenience to ice crunchers who want to get their fix more often. Nugget icemakers are also useful for people recovering from surgery who can’t or don’t want to drink larger quantities of water. “After a recent surgery, my hospital recommended I use nugget ice at home,” says Consumer Reports visual designer Sharon Seidl. “Having a countertop nugget icemaker was my easiest source of hydration, so it really saved me.”
