REVIEW – Nugget ice, also known as chewable ice, pellet ice, Sonic ice, or hospital ice, is a soft, porous type of ice made from compacted flakes. Unlike traditional cubes, nugget ice is prized for its unique texture—easy to chew, slow to melt, and highly absorbent of flavor. This is my review for the Ecozy 451B Countertop Nugget Ice Maker.
︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $399.99
Where to buy: Amazon (Save 15% with code: GVSKKE3N expires 8/17/25 11:59 PM PDT)
What is it?
The Ecozy 451B Nugget Ice Maker is a countertop Smart Nugget ice maker. The ice maker features an industry-first IceLumix full-color Smart Control panel with vibrant icons, real-time TDS (total dissolved solids), temperature display, and intuitive controls. The ice maker is capable of producing up to 44 lbs of ice daily.
What’s included
- Ice maker
- Ice scoop
- Ice basket
- Water tank
- 4- plastic ice bags
Tech specs
- Brand: ecozy
- Model: IM-NS451B
- Product dimensions: 9.33″D x 14.01″W x 15.51”H
- Capacity: 44lbs
- Wattage: 192 watts
Design and features
The Ecozy 451B Nugget Ice Maker has a small, modern design. It’s the perfect size for any countertop. This is perfect for me because the counter space in my kitchen is extremely limited. The unit features a flip door on the front with a see-through window, allowing for easy viewing of ice production. The front glass also features a double layer of insulation, which keeps ice colder for 20% longer.
The most unique feature on the ice maker is the IceLumix full-color Smart Control panel. The panel features vibrant icons that not only look good, but also make controlling the ice maker extremely fast and easy.
There are buttons for WiFi, self-cleaning, timer, interior light, and start/stop. The control panel also displays the time, air temperature, water temperature, and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).
The front door flips down, making it easy to access and remove the ice. Both the water tank and ice basket are removable. The removable components allow deep manual cleaning when needed. The water tank also has a removable lid, making it extremely easy to clean. Furthermore, a small flip lid on top of the water tank allows for easy filling of the tank while it’s still inside the ice maker.
The inside of the 451B is illuminated by a small blue LED that can be toggled on or off from the Smart display or the Ecozy app. I love the soft blue hue of the light, and it’s perfect when you need to check on how much ice is in the basket.
The 451B features TDS (total dissolved solids) water quality monitoring, a rare feature among consumer ice makers. The built-in TDS sensor notifies users when water quality exceeds 200ppm. Ecozy recommends using bottled or purified water in the 451B. This ensures clearer, cleaner ice, less mineral buildup, better taste, and fewer odors. I ran a side-by-side test using tap water and water from my countertop purifier. The purified water had a TDS of approximately 003, while the tap water had a TDS of around 055.
Ecozy App
The Ecozy 451B can be controlled remotely via the EcozyHome app. It allows you to conveniently start or stop ice production while away from home or schedule overnight production. Below are a few screenshots from the app.
Overall, I like the app. It features a clean and easy-to-use interface, and it’s not cluttered with numerous, hard-to-find settings. There were, however, a couple of issues. I was unable to turn off the 24-hour time setting. I toggled it off in the app, but the display time didn’t change. The other thing is notifications, or in this case, a lack of notifications. You should receive alerts when the ice bin is full or the water tank level is low. However, I never received any notification on my phone from the app. Neither one of these issues is a deal breaker, but they were worth mentioning. Hopefully, both can be resolved with an app or firmware update in the future.
Voice Control
If the Smart Touch display and app weren’t enough, you can also control the Ecozy Nugget Ice maker using your voice via Alexa or Google Home.
Setup
Before using the ice maker, I washed the ice basket and water tank with a bit of soap and water. I also gave the inside of the unit a nice wipe down. Ecozy recommends running the one-touch self-clean cycle before first use. The self-clean cycle is quite effortless; fill the water tank with water and tap the Clean icon on the display. The cleaning cycle takes about 20 minutes to complete. After it’s finished, you need to drain the excess water from the unit by removing the drain plug located at the bottom left corner. It is recommended that you run the self-cleaning mode once a week. Ecozy also recommends creating a solution by adding one teaspoon of household bleach with five cups of water for a deeper clean.
Performance
Making ice with the Ecozy Nugget Ice Maker couldn’t be easier. Just add water (preferably purified) to the water tank, make sure you push the tank completely into place, then press the start icon. That’s it! You can also start and stop ice production using the EcozyHome app, via Alexa or Google Home. The ice maker starts producing ice in around ten minutes. My first full basket of ice took just over two hours to complete. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet the ice maker is while making ice. All you can hear is a low electric hum, along with the occasional clicking of ice dropping into the basket.
The nugget ice produced by the Ecozy 451B is fantastic. It’s small and very crunchy, similar to the ice you’d find at your favorite fast-food joint. And maybe it’s my imagination, but nugget ice seems to make every beverage better.
Final thoughts
Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with the Ecozy 451B Nugget Ice Maker. It’s a perfect size for any countertop, easy to clean and maintain, and it produces great nugget ice quickly and quietly. So, if you’re looking for a portable nugget ice maker, the Ecozy 451B should find its way to your countertop.
What I like about the Ecozy Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
- Sleek modern design and perfect size for any countertop
- Easy to use and clean
- Vibrant smart display
- Quick and quiet operation
- Makes great crunchy nugget ice
What needs to be improved
Price: $399.99
Where to buy: Amazon (Save 15% with code: GVSKKE3N expires 8/17/25 11:59 PM PDT)
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Ecozy. Ecozy did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
