This is one of the best on the market. I bought this because my son loved the ice it made. Too long of a story to include here, just know that his last hours on this earth included chewing on the perfect ice pellets made by this machine. I found that insulating the ice bucket caused the ice to last a bit longer. Although this machine recycles the melted ice water into new pellets, adding a small layer of rubber/foam insulation helps in keeping the ice box colder, and helps prevents the ice from melting too fast. I used 1 inch, 1/16 inch single sided adhesive rubber in a double layer on both sides and bottom of the ice box. This is the second machine I have bought. The first one lasted 20 months, using distilled water, about a gallon a day, and never ran it thru a cleaning cycle. I do not recommend that practice. I bought the extended warranty for this new one, and have a new filter shipped from Amazon every month, which aligns with the programmed cleaning cycle. It’s very easy to use, and the side water tank is so handy, as it holds about a gallon of water. Our tap water is very hard, which is why we chose distilled water to use is our machine. You’ll find that slime and algae will build up, plugging the filter, and interfering with the ice making auger in the ice cup. Keep it clean by flushing and sanitizing with bleach, and changing the filter after each cleaning. I’ll post an update on how long this one lasts. As far as I can tell, this one is the best counter top I’ve maker on the market today. Its size is perfect for our countertop, and you have to walk in the kitchen to hear it making its perfect ice. The noise level is not a problem with this one. I highly recommend this ice maker, with the side tank for your iced drink needs. You’re gonna love it.

Fantastic ice quality, replaceable filters allow for clean water. BUT! Numerous mechanical problems await prolonged ownership, so descale, unplug and allow it to defrost very often if you want to get more than the year and a half I got out of this $500 brick. I used distilled water in my ice maker and was told by Opal support that my device failed in part because I didn't routinely descale it. If you have any mechanical problems, get it replaced before 12 months of ownership otherwise Opal support will just tell you to buy another unit for $500. They do not vend replacement OEM parts, so either planned obsolescence or inferior internal design choices have hamstrung what would have been an otherwise amazing household amenity. There are online communities centered around the ownership and upkeep of these machines due to their proclivity to malfunction. If you purchase this, know you may be searching for aftermarket replacement parts in the not-so-distant future. I would look up troubleshooting guides to this ice maker before purchase to make sure you're up to the task of owning one of these doomed investments.

At first, I was skeptical about getting this for my wife as a birthday gift because of the price - I wondered if it was really worth it. Now that we've had it for almost a year, I can tell you it is DEFINITELY worth it! This ice maker is so amazing! It actually promotes hydration - you WANT to drink more water because you just love the ice! I was impressed at how fast the ice starts being made after turning it on. It does make a slight humming noise but it's at such a low decibel level so it's barely noticeable. You do have to take good care of it though. Read the cleaning instructions and take the time to clean it on a regular basis. But do NOT try to open the top of the unit. It's very difficult to pry open and it's not worth the trouble. Just use the two cleaning methods that are mentioned in the manual... and you'll have great tasting ice in no time. Our friends and family love when we have this ice ready when they come over! It's like getting Chick-Fil-A ice for free!

One of the best purchases ever! We only use distilled water and we have put at least 70 gallons of it thru this wonderful machine. It has worked flawlessly for a year. There are 6 girls in the house from age 8 to 58 and each one of them use this ice daily to refill their water bottles (we live near Tucson Arizona). The baby loves out to! They all love the ice and we have never run out. We must refill the side tank every other day or so and it's totally worth it. The "cleaning" light has been flashing for a few months- I don't know what that means but I don't really care as long as it keeps churning out fantastic ice. And it always looks great- very classy. When the teenage girls have sleepovers, they push the machine to it's limits but it never lets them down. Don't waste your money on a cheaper option (including buying this one as a return- they are nasty)- I have tried 2 other cheaper counter top options that don't even compare to this one. I was even tempted to buy the big, built in unit but, after buying this, I see it totally wasn't necessary. Couldn't be happier with this purchase!

The ice is perfect. Very low maintenance. Makes ice fast.

Only had machine 4 weeks. Works as advertised. Very happy with the quality of the machine so far. A little pricey but my ice machine broke on my 5 year old refrigerator and to get a replacement was nearly 3/4 the price of this machine. The GE Opal2 makes far better ice and much quicker. Put things in to perspective as far as I am concerned.

So far works well; quiet and quick. Ice is munchable and unit keeps the ice well.

works great, best ice machine ever. it broke after 4 months, and was able to get no support whatsoever. GE canada will NOT support you, the warranty is with GE US, who will not support you if you live in canada. Amazon will not support you beyond 1 month. Buyer-beware, when it breaks, and it will. You are screwed. It's also not possible to buy it from a brick and mortar in canada, so if you like ice, prepare to spend 1600$/year on ice machines.

working good . make ice fast in about 15mins