Opal 2.0 Ultra vs Opal Mini vs Newair NIM044BSN2: nugget machines, side tanks and production conditions
Three nugget ice makers that differ in water supply, bin size and how much of their daily figure is backed by stated test conditions.
The decision in brief
How the options differ
These exact US packages all produce nugget ice. The XPIO13SWSS package ships with a side tank, the Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG does not, and the Newair NIM044BSN2 uses its own removable 1.8 L tank. A larger daily number is not a like-for-like advantage unless the conditions behind it are stated.
By CompareFoundry · Published · Editorial review · Manufacturer documentation, not hands-on testing.
The buying guide
Package and specification details
Read the daily figure with its conditions
The Opal 2.0 Ultra's 38 lb figure is tied by the seller table to 70 F ambient and 60 F water, with 32 lb at 90 F and 70 F per DOE. Newair's 44 lb and the Opal Mini's 34 or 36 lb figures carry no published conditions, and the Mini's figure itself differs between GE text, GE graphics and the seller table.
XPIO13SWSS includes a side tank the seller lists at 0.75 gallon, feeding an internal reservoir whose volume GE does not publish. The Opal Mini package has no side tank; GE sells one as an accessory. The Newair fills a removable 1.8 L top tank and needs no accessory.
Compare bins, cleaning and connectivity as documented functions
Bins are 3.0 lb for the Ultra, 2.7 lb for the Newair and either 2.6 lb or 2 lb for the Mini depending on the source. All three document a button-started cleaning or descale cycle that still needs user-added water or descaler. Only the two GE units document WiFi with the SmartHQ app.
No. It is included with XPIO13SWSS, sold separately for the Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG, and the GE manuals list it as included only with certain models. Check the exact model suffix.
GE's product pages showed clearance wording, while GE support lists XPIO13SWSS manufactured from May 2024 and P4NM20BZLG from July 2026 to present. Confirm availability with the seller before ordering.
These manufacturer specifications do not establish measured performance, noise, long-term reliability or running cost. We have not independently tested these products. Check current prices, stock and operating-space instructions with the seller and manufacturer.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)XPIO13SWSS; stainless steel; Opal 2.0 Ultra with side tank and scale-inhibiting filter; US 120 V
XPIO23SWSS is the same Ultra sold without the side tank, and XPIOX3 models carry a 1 gallon XL tank. Keep XPIO13SWSS selected.
GE's page showed clearance wording while Town Appliance listed the item available to order and Abt showed it sold out. Stock and price are not recorded.
The manufacturer's stated maximum ice output per 24 hours.
A rating, not a measured result. Read it with the production conditions field; a figure without conditions cannot be compared fairly with one that states them.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)38 lbUp to 38 lb per 24 hours. The seller table ties this figure to 70 F ambient and 60 F water and lists 32 lb per day at 90 F ambient and 70 F water per DOE.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal nugget ice maker family pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Town Appliance: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS US listingChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.Abt: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS specification and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)Sources disagree
The sources give different answers, so we have not chosen one as fact. Read the attached notes and confirm the current specification before relying on it.
The GE family page text says up to 36 lb while its icon shows 38 lb; the Abt listing says 36 lb in its features and 34 lb in its specification table. No single figure is resolved.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal nugget ice maker family pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Abt: Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray listing and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)44 lbManufacturer rating. The manual states that capacity varies with ambient and water temperature without listing the rating conditions.Sources · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Newair: NIM044BSN2 trilingual owner's manual v1.0Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Production test conditions
The ambient and water temperatures stated for the daily production figure.
Unknown means no conditions were published. Output falls as room and water temperatures rise, so an unconditioned claim is not a warm-kitchen result.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)38 lb/day and 1.6 lb/h at 70 F ambient with 60 F water; 32 lb/day and 1.33 lb/h at 90 F ambient with 70 F water per DOE.Conditions appear in the Abt specification table. The GE product and family pages publish the figure without conditions.Source · 2026-10-21Abt: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS specification and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)Not verified
We have not verified this value. It is not a confirmed no or zero. Check the original source or ask the manufacturer if it affects your choice.
We have not verified this value. It is not a confirmed no or zero. Check the original source or ask the manufacturer if it affects your choice.
No rating conditions are published. The manual says capacity decreases at high ambient and water temperatures and its troubleshooting table refers to operation below 90 F.Sources · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Newair: NIM044BSN2 trilingual owner's manual v1.0Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Ice storage bin capacity
The published amount of ice the bin or basket holds before the machine pauses.
Bins are not freezers; stored ice melts back into the reservoir. Capacity is separate from daily production and from reservoir volume.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)Sources disagree
The sources give different answers, so we have not chosen one as fact. Read the attached notes and confirm the current specification before relying on it.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)2.7 lbDetachable ice basket.Source · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.
Time to first ice
The published time from start-up to the first ice; when a range is published, the longer figure is recorded.
A cycle time is not a first-ice time. Conditions are usually unstated, and manuals warn that the first nuggets or cubes can be soft or slushy.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)10 minStated as about 10 minutes after start-up or 10 minutes or less. No ambient or water temperature condition is published for this figure.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal nugget ice maker family pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Town Appliance: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS US listingChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.Abt: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS specification and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)5 minStated as about 5 minutes or 5 minutes or less. No conditions are published.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal nugget ice maker family pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Abt: Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray listing and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)15 minThe page states first ice in 10-15 minutes; the longer end of the range is recorded. No conditions are published.Source · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.
Water reservoir capacity
The published volume of the machine's own reservoir or removable tank, with any side-tank volume noted.
Reservoir volume limits how long the machine runs unattended. A side tank adds volume only when it is part of the exact package.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)Internal reservoir volume not published; the XPIO13 side tank is listed by the seller at 0.75 gallon.The manual treats the side tank as an accessory that feeds the internal reservoir and gives no reservoir volume.Sources · 2026-10-21Town Appliance: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS US listingChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 series owner's manual 49-9000075 Rev. 2Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)Not verified
We have not verified this value. It is not a confirmed no or zero. Check the original source or ask the manufacturer if it affects your choice.
How water is added: manual reservoir fill, a side tank feeding the reservoir, or a plumbed line.
None of the catalogued units connects to a water line. Check the fill opening, maximum line and drain plug before planning placement.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)Manual fill of the internal reservoir; a side tank connects by tube to the side-tank base and feeds the reservoir. No water-line connection.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 series owner's manual 49-9000075 Rev. 2Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)Manual fill of the internal reservoir; the manual notes a top water funnel on select models. The side tank is a separate accessory for models sold without one.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal Mini series owner's manual 49-9000083 Rev. 1Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.Abt: Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray listing and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)Manual fill of the removable top tank to a 1.8 L maximum; drain plug underneath. No water-line connection.Sources · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Newair: NIM044BSN2 trilingual owner's manual v1.0Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Side tank in this package
Whether the selected US package supplies a separate side water tank.
Package-level. A side tank sold as an accessory, or shown in a photograph, is not included. Model families often sell with-tank and without-tank versions.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)NoNo side tank is listed; water is added to the unit's own removable tank.Sources · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Newair: NIM044BSN2 trilingual owner's manual v1.0Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Documented cleaning cycle
Whether the manufacturer documents a button-started cleaning, rinse or descale cycle.
A cleaning cycle is a maintenance function that still needs user-added water or descaler and draining. It is not a sanitation or hygiene guarantee.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)YesClean-button cycles are documented: a 55-minute descale with the supplied citric descaler, a sanitize cycle on Ultra models and a 3-minute rinse. These are maintenance functions, not a hygiene guarantee.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 series owner's manual 49-9000075 Rev. 2Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.Abt: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS specification and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)YesClean-button rinse and 55-minute descale cycle with descaling powder; Abt calls it an automatic cleaning cycle. A maintenance function, not a hygiene guarantee.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal Mini series owner's manual 49-9000083 Rev. 1Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.Abt: Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray listing and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)YesThe CLEAN button starts a 20-minute cleaning process; the manual instructs repeating it with fresh water as rinse cycles. A maintenance function, not a hygiene guarantee.Sources · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Newair: NIM044BSN2 trilingual owner's manual v1.0Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
App or WiFi connectivity
Whether the manufacturer documents WiFi or app control.
Unknown means the retrieved pages list no connectivity. Connectivity adds alerts and scheduling; it does not change ice output.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)YesBuilt-in WiFi with the SmartHQ app.Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.GE Appliances: Opal nugget ice maker family pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.
We have not verified this value. It is not a confirmed no or zero. Check the original source or ask the manufacturer if it affects your choice.
No WiFi or app function is listed in the specification table.Source · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.
Rated power
The published running power consumption in watts.
Some makers publish only voltage and amperage; those are kept in the note rather than converted. Running watts are not an energy-use measurement.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)Not verified
We have not verified this value. It is not a confirmed no or zero. Check the original source or ask the manufacturer if it affects your choice.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)14.56 in H x 8.6 in W x 15.6 in DThe manual lists 8.59 x 15.59 x 14.56 in (W x D x H).Sources · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.GE Appliances: Opal Mini series owner's manual 49-9000083 Rev. 1Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
The published weight of the unit without water or ice.
Water, ice and a filled side tank add weight. Shipping weight is a different figure and is not recorded here.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)37.6 lbEmpty weight from the manual specification table; sellers list 37.65 lb.Source · 2026-10-21GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 series owner's manual 49-9000075 Rev. 2Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Scoops, filters, tanks and other items listed as supplied with the exact US package.
Package-level. Compatible filters and tanks sold separately are not included. Confirm the box list for the exact model suffix and color before ordering.
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)Side tank, scale-inhibiting filter, stainless steel scoop and magnetic scoop holder per the Abt box list; ice bin, drip tray and mesh screen per the manual parts list.Sources · 2026-10-21Abt: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS specification and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.Town Appliance: Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS US listingChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.GE Appliances: Opal 2.0 series owner's manual 49-9000075 Rev. 2Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)Scale-inhibiting filter, plastic scoop and magnetic scoop holder per the Abt box list; ice bin, drip tray, mesh screen and filter cover per the manual parts list.Sources · 2026-10-21Abt: Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray listing and box listChecked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.GE Appliances: Opal Mini series owner's manual 49-9000083 Rev. 1Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)Ice scoop and detachable ice basket per the product page; the manual parts diagram also shows the removable water tank, drip tray and drain plug.Sources · 2026-10-21Newair: NIM044BSN2 44 lb nugget ice maker product pageChecked 2026-10-21. We reviewed the official page text on the check date. Checkout options were not verified.Newair: NIM044BSN2 trilingual owner's manual v1.0Checked 2026-10-21. Read the original source and its check date before relying on this value.
Questions to check before buying
Opal 2.0 Ultra XPIO13SWSS stainless with side tank (US)
The GE product page displayed clearance and no-longer-manufactured wording while the GE support page lists manufacture from May 2024 to present; one seller showed the package available to order and another sold out. Confirm current availability of XPIO13SWSS before relying on it.
Daily output, first-ice time and bin figures are manufacturer claims under stated or unstated conditions. No independent output, noise or ice-texture test is recorded.
Opal Mini P4NM20BZLG Stone Gray (US)
The GE product page displayed clearance and no-longer-manufactured wording while the GE support page lists manufacture from July 2026 to present. Confirm current availability of P4NM20BZLG.
The daily production figure differs between GE text, GE graphics and the seller table and is left unresolved. No independent output, noise or ice-texture test is recorded.
NIM044BSN2 black stainless (US)
Newair is both the brand and the identified seller; no separate factory identity is established. Availability and price on the Newair store are not recorded.
The 44 lb figure has no published conditions and cannot be compared like-for-like with figures that state them. No independent output or ice-texture test is recorded.
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