I had an original Opal (from FirstBuild) that finally gave up the ghost. I considered the new Opal models but they are still just as pricey as they were years ago and haven't changed enough to make it worthwhile. I was disappointed in the Opal's ice bin with all the little corners that required detailed cleaning and the latest model didn't appear to improve on that aspect. This Gevi model has so many components that are almost identical to the Opal though, from the interior of the water fill area and the back panel and tubing and how you fasten the tubes. But it also has a lot of nice improvements, like the ice bin being much smoother and avoiding the pain points of cleaning it. It's also quieter than the Opal and can be connected to a dedicated water line (better than Opal's extra-capacity water tank), but I haven't pursued that option yet. The way you fill the water bin is interesting and a little unusual at first (as you can leave the ice bin in place and pour water over the door when it's pulled open), but it all makes sense with how you can pull the bin out and water will drip and run back into the tank. Ice making seems about on par with the Opal, possibly a little slower, but it makes ice very well and quickly once it's started. And the design with the insulated walls and the door that closes the ice bin inside seems to keep the ice cold much longer as well. This model doesn't have an interior light, however, which makes it a little challenging to see the water level at times, which I would say is probably the only downside other than the price point (which is still significantly less than an Opal).

This machine has been great. It is a little noisy when it’s running but over all a great machine for making nugget ice.

I love this ice machine! It was a little slow at first but once it gets going it keeps going! The ice is so crunchy and delicious! I love the GEVI brand. My husband loves it too! We bought one for my mother in law and she loves her crunchy ice too!!!

We really wanted to like this ice maker. We had the 1st version that came out and it worked but not without issues. We had to clean it every 2 weeks or the ice production would simply stop. When it worked it worked great but when it didn't it was just one big problem. It squealed a lot with high pitch whine. It finally quit making ice, the glue / insulation was coming out the vents and it would smell like electronics can when they start to go bad. We bought the second version hoping the issues were addressed but returned it after one week. In a 24 hr period it wouldn't produce more than a 1/4 bucket of ice. It always had enough water and had a filtered water line attached. What we learned after owning multiple counter top ice makers from different companies is that these have short life spans and they all make some kind of noise and have problems. Read all the reviews from multiple ice makers and they all say the same thing. $350 a $400 seems like a lot of money for under 2 years usage. You have to weigh out the cost in the appliance vs the time needed to constantly clean and ask is it worth it just for the convenience of Sonic style ice cubes. The good news is customer service was easy to work with.

Loved the ice from our Opal, but it was so finicky I wanted to try something else when it died after about 14 months. Several places in the manual, it warns about not turning it on until it’s been set upright for at least two hours. In one place, it mentions that it should never be tipped upside down at the risk of damaging the compressor. There is nothing on the outer box indicating which way is up, so who knows how it may have traveled on the Amazon truck. Hopefully that warning doesn’t apply to first use. It's quieter than some other countertop ice makers I’ve tried. And it only runs while actively making ice. It stops making ice when full or when out of water and only starts again when the door is opened and closed. There are slots in the bin to recycle the melted ice. Drawbacks: Ice nuggets are a little more cylindrical and crunchier and larger than Opal nuggets. My family likes it, but they prefer the chewier Opal ice. It’s hard to know where the water fill line is. The internals are black and there is no light inside, so I wound up sticking my finger in to feel for the water level. If you happen to pour water directly on the hinge area, it will spill out onto the counter. But you only do that once. The Opal side tank is much more convenient than filling the inner reservoir (but this one has the option of a water line hookup without adding extra floats and stuff.) The way the bin slides out and sits level on the door makes it tricky to get ice out with the scoop without spilling. I suppose that’s a skill issue, but I wound up using a measuring scoop instead. The flat black top surface seems to scuff easily. Ultimately, while there’s so far nothing really wrong with it, family is not happy with this after using the Opal. Much more expensive, but I’m going to try the Brio dispenser next.

Been dreaming of a nugget maker for a long time. This one is beautiful and sleek, self cleaning and easy emptying makes it convenient. Price was a bit steep and think pricing could be a little lower. Buttons are difficult to work and need to be touched just right to turn on. Overall I love it!

love it and very good quality !! noise level is great

So far so good! Keeps ice frozen overnight but not much longer after that. I like the sleek look and options for refill - manual pour into the tank or you can hook up the water line!