NewAir opens the countertop nugget ice maker market with the NewAir NIM044 (my unit is model NIM044BS00), but again, the ice maker is too expensive to compete with others. My today NewAir NIM044 review will help you find out whether you should buy this countertop ice maker or not.
In Ice Artisan, I only review the ice makers that I had used or repaired. So I can guarantee that:
- I give you honest review (both pros and cons) of an ice maker. No hidden deal behind the website.
- I share my technician’s point of view, so I focus not only on the performance, but also the build of an ice maker.
- I compile an ice maker ranking list (coming soon) so you can compare all ice makers easily.
Jump to:
PROS
- Has self-cleaning feature
- Removes timer function
CONS
- Too expensive
NewAir started from humble beginnings in a California garage over two decades ago, when founder Luke Peters pivoted from selling portable air conditioners to becoming a player in compact appliances. The company, which Peters built from scratch and eventually sold to private equity firm Guardian Capital Partners in 2022, remains headquartered in Orange County, California, now under CEO Bobby Bloom’s leadership.
Euhomy ice makers
NewAir NIM044 Review: Price
- Available to buy now
- Costs $329 in the U.S market
The NewAir NIM044 is the beastly ice maker that is NewAir’s answer to the GE Profile Opal 2.0 and Frigidaire Gallery EFIC255. It’s a massive production machine, yet not entirely unwieldy, brimming with ice-making capacity that would make the most discerning ice enthusiasts drool.
So far, NewAir has been a distant cry from where GE and Frigidaire find themselves in terms of brand recognition and market ownership. And between the latter two, GE is really dominating the space.
With the NewAir NIM044, it seems like NewAir took a lot of cues from its competitors and built what many might call a production-focused clone. It’s compact, made of lots of plastic and steel, shaped similarly to traditional ice makers and is jam-packed with more ice production than a single household can handle.
However, at $329, the NewAir NIM044 is even more expensive than the Chinese budget nugget ice makers: the Euhomy IM-12 and Euhomy IM-16. It costs a lot more than the NewAir AI-420 in the same brand, and it doesn’t deliver anything better. Together with the overpriced NewAir NIM026SSN0 (don’t mistake with the NewAir NIM026 bullet ice maker that I’ve reviewed), it seems NewAir is losing in the countertop ice maker competition.
Related post: Best ice maker 2025.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Durability
NewAir NIM044 Review: Design
- Front control board
- Window lid, with LED
Despite being a 44-pound daily producer, the NewAir NIM044 is very manageable on the counter. It still takes space to accommodate its production capacity, but it’s not so huge that it becomes cumbersome.
To undiscerning eyes, it can be quite hard to tell the difference – at least on the face of it – between the NIM044 and other generic ice makers. One can argue that there is only so much you can do with the modern-day ice maker form factor, but then again GE and Euhomy have very distinct designs.
The edges of the device are clean, free of excessive branding. The front of the machine has a simple touch control panel, viewing window up top, and the NewAir logo.
The NewAir NIM044’s interior is the business end of the machine. NewAir decided to use a standard removable basket design just like everyone else. The basket design is conventional but functional. It is a good-looking countertop ice maker, and my user experience with it is overall above average.
Related post: Best countertop ice maker.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Build
- NewAir has mixed durability
Aside from the conventional design and the basic construction, the build quality is acceptable for the price point. But otherwise, there isn’t a whole lot more going on here.
The exterior combines stainless steel panels with significant plastic components. The removable ice basket uses BPA-free plastic that feels adequate but not premium.
Overall, the build quality of the NewAir NIM044 is acceptable, with the exception of concerns raised in customer reviews. And although I’m not particularly fond of an all-plastic construction, it’s not so bad here in this case given the price point.
Related post: Best undercounter ice maker.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Performance
NewAir NIM044 Review: Capacity
- Produces up to 44 lbs of ice daily
- Internal storage: 2 lbs
Countertop nugget ice makers with 44 pounds of daily production become staple in 2025, with the Euhomy IM-16 at cheaper price point can do that. So to say, the NewAir NIM044 delivers the same capacity as its competitors.
The machine produces approximately 1.8 pounds per hour, filling its 2-pound basket hourly. First ice appears in just 15 minutes, which is particularly decent for the job.
Related post: Best commercial ice maker.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Ice Quality
- Nugget ice
- Moderate softness, moderate melt rate
Typically, I don’t recommend people getting a countertop nugget ice maker to get the original Sonic ice from Scotsman. The nugget ice from NewAir is a not as hard as what you can get from Frigidaire, but not as soft as Euhomy.
For me personally, the NewAir NIM044’s nugget ice is much better than both Frigidaire and Euhomy. Testing reveals consistent pellet formation with good uniformity. The compression process creates properly formed nuggets approximately 0.5 inches in diameter.
Related post: Best clear ice maker.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Energy and Water Consumption
- Normal water and energy consumption
I wrote an article of “How much electricity does an ice maker use?” to give you a free calculator to find out whether you are spending more on your ice maker or not. Drawing 200 watts during operation, the NewAir NIM044 uses the same power as the Frigidaire EFIC255 – which is the biggest competitor of the NewAir ice maker.
Water usage follows standard nugget ice patterns at 15 gallons per 100 pounds. This reasonable consumption won’t shock your water bill. I wrote “Does an ice maker use a lot of water?” to explain why you shouldn’t care about water consumption in an ice maker.
Related post: Best nugget ice maker.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Noise Level
- Decent operation
At 64 dB, the NewAir NIM044 is louder than premium competitors. The compressor creates a distinct humming that’s hard to ignore in quiet kitchens.
Customer reviews consistently cite noise as a major complaint. Some compare it to older refrigerators or window AC units, which seems accurate based on my testing.
For reference, 64 dB sits higher than a normal conversation (60 dB). You’ll definitely notice when it’s running.
Related post: Best ice maker for RV.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Features
- Has self-cleaning feature
- Add water alert, ice full notification
The feature set plays it safe with basic functionality. Touch controls handle power, cleaning, and status indicators for water and ice levels.
The self-cleaning function runs a 15-minute cycle, though some users report it causing operational issues. Manual cleaning might be the safer option.
The NewAir NIM044 removes the timer function, notably from the NewAir AI-215. It’s not a loss for me, because I don’t see myself using timer function on any appliance in my home.
Related post: Best budget ice maker.
Verdict
The NewAir NIM044 is a decent countertop nugget ice maker, but it’s held back by its pricing. It costs noticeably more than most of its competitors, yet it doesn’t perform well enough to rival the GE Profile Opal 2.0 in terms of ice texture, speed, or overall reliability.
NewAir NIM044 Review: Trusted Review in 2025
NewAir NIM044 review at IceArtisan.com! We tested its nugget ice quality, production speed, and self-cleaning design to see if it’s the best chewable ice maker for home use.
Product Brand: NewAir
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 329
Product In-Stock: InStock
2.6
