I tested the GoveeLife Smart Ice Nugget Maker, a $500 countertop ice maker with app controls, fast ice production, a large side water tank, and customizable lighting. It is big, heavy, and expensive, but after comparing it to my trusty old Frigidaire ice maker, I found a lot to like.
Where to Purchase
I picked up my Govee Life ice maker on Amazon for $500. The Frigidaire ice maker I’ve been using is also on Amazon, usually just under $100.
GoveeLife Smart Ice Nugget Maker Review
The GoveeLife Smart Ice Nugget Maker is a premium countertop ice maker that I purchased for $500 on Amazon. At that price, the obvious question is whether all of the extra features are actually worth it, especially when I have been using a much cheaper Frigidaire countertop ice maker for the past three years.
Right out of the box, the first thing I noticed was the size. This is not a small appliance. The box weighs over 40 pounds, and the unit itself is large enough that it almost looks like a large PC tower sitting on the counter. It is also heavy, so this is not something I would want to move around very often.
The GoveeLife ice maker has a pretty impressive feature list. It claims to make up to 60 pounds of ice per day, includes a dual-tank system, offers app control, has a floating touchscreen, includes two self-cleaning modes, and has an LED strip that can illuminate the ice bin in different colors and effects. It also comes with a three-year warranty, which is nice to see on a product this expensive.
Setup was fairly easy. The water tank sits on the side of the unit, and the scoop magnetically attaches to the side of that tank, which is a small but useful touch. The ice bucket is large, the filter inside is washable, and you can also add water directly into the unit in addition to filling the side tank.
The front panel includes buttons for power, start, stop, clean, descale, and lighting. I also connected it to the app, which mirrors much of what you see on the front display. I like that the app adds features without being required for basic use. You can still operate the machine directly from the unit, which is important because I do not like the idea of an appliance becoming useless if an app stops working someday.
Once I filled the tank with drinking water and started the machine, it began making ice quickly. The first visible ice appeared after about 6 minutes. The early pieces were a little more crushed-looking, but it soon began producing small nugget-style pieces. Unlike my Frigidaire, which makes ice in batches, the GoveeLife produces ice in more of a steady stream.
After one hour, the app said it had made around 2.4 to 2.6 pounds of ice. When I weighed it myself, the scale showed a little over 2 pounds, which is still a lot of ice for one hour. The difference between my scale and the unit’s claimed production could be due to some melting which will occur with the ice after it has been dispensed. This ice maker does not keep the ice frozen, so it will eventually melt if not used. The ice had a nice chewable nugget texture, and the bin held a generous amount.
The lighting feature is mostly unnecessary, but I have to admit it looks great. Once the bin is full, the colored lights illuminate the ice in a way that makes the machine look more like a party appliance than a typical countertop ice maker. There are static colors, preset scenes, and customizable lighting options. If you are having people over, this thing could easily become a conversation piece.
For a real-world comparison, I put the GoveeLife up against my three-year-old Frigidaire ice maker, which I have used probably close to a thousand times, and I even named it as one of my best products of the year back in 2023. In the first test, I compared how much ice each machine made in the time it took the Frigidaire to complete one batch. After 10 minutes and 20 seconds, the Frigidaire made 1.5 ounces of ice, while the GoveeLife made 3.5 ounces.
I then ran both machines for one hour. The Frigidaire produced 11.3 ounces of ice, which is respectable. The GoveeLife produced 1 pound 11 ounces, so it won that test pretty easily. My old Frigidaire has served me well, but the GoveeLife clearly makes ice faster and in larger quantities.
I also tested the smart features away from home. While I was out at Lake Mead, I opened the app and started the ice maker remotely. According to the app, it began making ice, and by the time I got home, the bin was full. That is one of the features I can see myself actually using. If I forget to start the ice maker before leaving the house, I can turn it on from my phone and have ice waiting for me when I get back.
In daily use, this makes sense for me because I drink a lot of iced tea and go through quite a bit of ice. My refrigerator ice maker does not keep up very well, and while my Frigidaire has done a good job, the GoveeLife feels like a major upgrade in speed and capacity.
Pros
The biggest pro is the speed and volume. It makes a lot of ice quickly, and it outperformed my older countertop ice maker in both short and longer tests. It is also fairly quiet. There is a soft hum while it is running, and even when it dispenses ice, it is not very loud.
I also found it easy to set up, both on the machine itself and in the app. The app features are useful, especially the ability to receive notifications when the ice is full and the ability to start the machine remotely. The lighting is not essential, but it adds a nice visual touch. The three-year warranty is also a strong point for a product in this price range.
Cons
The three big cons are obvious: it is expensive, large, and heavy. This is not a compact countertop appliance, and it may not fit well in every kitchen. In my own counter setup, the drip tray would not even fit in one of the spots where I wanted to place it.
The app is useful, but app-based features always come with a little risk. If the app ever stops working or loses support, some of the smart functionality could become less useful. Fortunately, the machine itself can still be operated from the front panel.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am a fan of the GoveeLife Smart Ice Nugget Maker. It is expensive, and it is definitely not for everyone, but it makes a lot of ice quickly, it looks great, and the app features were more useful than I expected.
If you host a lot of events, have a large family, or simply go through a lot of ice like I do, this could be a good fit. On the other hand, if you are on a tighter budget, have limited counter space, or do not care about the smart features and lighting, there are much cheaper ice makers that may make more sense.
For me, the speed, capacity, remote start feature, and overall performance make it a product I can see myself using regularly. I will be curious to see how it holds up over time, and I plan to revisit it in a future update.
Video Review
Below you can watch my full review.