What is nugget ice: Guide to chewable ice

What is nugget ice?

Nugget ice, also known as pellet or pebble ice, is a chewable, soft and porous type of ice that cools drinks quickly, absorbs the flavor of the beverage it chills and is comparatively easy to crunch.

Nugget ice vs. crushed ice vs. regular ice

Compared with crushed or traditional cube ice, nugget ice has a soft, airy and chewable texture. Crushed ice is typically jagged, thin and watery, but is still chewable. Cube ice is hard, solid and dense.

How is nugget ice made?

Nugget ice gets its unique texture and shape from the freezing process. It’s made by compressing thin layers of flaked ice into small cylinders filled with tiny air pockets, making it porous.

Best uses for nugget ice

The unique texture and porous nature of nugget ice make it an ideal choice for a variety of uses, from cooling drinks to shocking blanched vegetables. Nugget ice is also ideal if you enjoy chewing ice or want ice cubes that absorb the flavor of your beverages. You might consider nugget ice if you’re enjoying:

Nugget ice for drinks and cocktails

Nugget ice absorbs the flavor of whatever drink it’s in, making it the perfect pair to beverages like soft drinks, iced coffee and cocktails. 

• Sodas and sparkling water: Keeps drinks frosty without diluting the sweet flavors too quickly, helping to maintain that perfect fizz.

• Iced coffee and tea: Chills brewed coffee or tea almost instantly, trapping the rich roasted or herbal flavors in every bite of ice.

• Water: Encourages the whole family to stay hydrated with a fun, craveable crunch that turns plain water into a treat.

• Cocktails and mocktails: Essential for tiki drinks, mint juleps, and refreshing mocktails, providing that authentic restaurant-quality experience right at home.

Nugget ice for blended drinks

Because of its airy structure and small size, nugget ice breaks down easily in the blender when you’re making smoothies, frappes or blended cocktails. 

• Smoothies: Nugget ice can blend smoothly and easily, helping achieve a creamy, chunk-free texture for your morning green juice or berry smoothie.

• Summer slushies: Whip up quick fruit slushies for the kids during hot summer afternoons.

• Milkshakes and frappes: Blend nugget ice with ice cream or coffee for a perfectly thick, frosty dessert drink.

• Frozen cocktails: Help ensure your blended margaritas and piña coladas are smooth and easily sip-able through a straw.

Blanching vegetables

Blanching vegetables in an ice bath helps lock in those bright colors, crisp textures, and essential nutrients for dinner. An ice bath made with nugget ice can chill your water rapidly, while you’re busy cooking so it’s ready when you are for those beautiful veggies. A quick plunge into a nugget ice bath can also help make slipping the skins off tomatoes or peaches a breeze, saving you valuable time during meal prep.

Nugget ice for chewing

The soft, airy texture of nugget ice tends to make it easier to chew than other denser types of ice like bullet ice or cube ice. If you like to chew on the ice at the bottom of your glass, nugget ice may be an option for you.

Nugget ice for chilling food

When hosting family get-togethers, filling a large bowl or tray with nugget ice creates an excellent chilling bed for cold dishes. The small nuggets pack tightly together, creating a consistent, cold surface that can keep food chilly for hours.

How to get nugget ice at home

There are a few ways to make nugget ice at home, like using an undercounter or countertop ice maker, a refrigerator with a built-in nugget ice maker or freezing carbonated water for a DIY solution that replicates a texture similar to nugget ice.

If you’re looking for a new refrigerator and want an ice maker that creates chewy nugget ice, Whirlpool brand is introducing the industry’s first refrigerator with an in-door nugget ice maker. You don’t need a whole separate home nugget ice machine to get the good ice. This fridge makes the ice you love, just like from the drive-thru.

FAQs about nugget ice

Still curious about nugget ice? Read on below to explore frequently asked questions about nugget ice to help you decide whether it’s right for you.

Is nugget ice the same as crushed ice?

Though both types of ice are relatively easy to crunch, there are several differences between crushed ice and nugget ice. Crushed ice is made by chipping pieces of ice off larger cubes, creating thin and jagged pieces that tend to melt quickly. Nugget ice is flaked, compressed and frozen into a uniform cylindrical shape with an airy texture, and typically melts more slowly than crushed ice.

Why is nugget ice so popular?

Nugget ice is commonly found in soft drinks from fast food chains where it first began catching on. Over the years, it has grown in popularity as more people discover its soft, airy texture that makes it satisfying to chew. It also absorbs beverage flavors and chills drinks quickly, bringing a fun, restaurant-quality experience right to your family's kitchen.

Can you make nugget ice without a machine?

You can’t make an exact replica of nugget ice without a designated nugget ice maker, but you can make something similar by freezing carbonated water in an ice tray. The carbonation bubbles will leave air pockets in the ice as it forms, helping to create a similar texture to machine-made nugget ice.

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