Quick Answer: Costway sells three distinct tiers of nugget ice maker: a $189.99 portable countertop unit rated up to 33 lbs/24h, a self-dispensing countertop model (10286US-SL-CYSE) rated up to 56 lbs/24h that lists at $429.99 but frequently sells for $164-200 during flash sales, and a COST02267 under-counter build rated 66-80 lbs/24h at a fixed $999.99 through Best Buy. Independent testing from The Gadgeteer rated the chewable ice quality as genuinely good for the price, with operating noise and occasionally slow dispensing as the main trade-offs against pricier brands like the GE Profile Opal.
Costway isn’t a dedicated ice-maker brand — it’s a general home-goods manufacturer that happens to sell a wide, price-tiered nugget ice lineup direct through its own site, Amazon, and Best Buy. That spread makes it worth a closer look for buyers who want to compare apples to apples against Euhomy, Insignia, and Frigidaire before deciding where to spend.
The Costway nugget ice lineup at a glance
| Model | Ice type | Output | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable Countertop | Nugget (chewable) | Up to 33 lbs/24h | ~$189.99 |
| Self-Dispensing Countertop (10286US-SL-CYSE) | Nugget (chewable) | Up to 56 lbs/24h | ~$164-429.99 |
| Under-Counter (COST02267) | Nugget (chewable) | Up to 66-80 lbs/24h | ~$999.99 |
| Commercial Under-Counter | Nugget (chewable) | Up to 90 lbs/24h | ~$900-1,200 |
Costway Self-Dispensing Nugget Ice Maker (10286US-SL-CYSE)
- Up to 56 lbs of soft, chewable nugget ice a day with a one-button self-dispensing system — no scoop needed.
- First batch ready in about 15 minutes; 3.3-lb storage basket with roughly 1-minute dispense time at full capacity.
- Stainless steel finish, self-cleaning cycle, sized for a standard kitchen or bar counter.
- Pricing swings hard on flash sales — check current price before buying at the $429.99 list.
Stocking the bar for the week? Try Amazon Fresh to get mixers and snacks delivered alongside whatever ice maker you land on.
The portable entry model
At $189.99, Costway’s smallest countertop unit undercuts most branded nugget makers on price, but the spec sheet reflects it: rated up to 33 lbs of chewable ice a day, first batch ready in under 7 minutes, and a compact 11.3 x 8.7 x 12.7-inch footprint with a modest 1.8-lb basket. It’s the right pick for a single-person kitchen, dorm, or small bar cart rather than a household that goes through ice fast — the basket needs refilling more often than the 56-lb self-dispensing model.
The self-dispensing 56-lb model
This is the machine most buyers land on. The one-button self-dispensing mechanism removes the scoop-and-dig step entirely, first ice is ready in about 15 minutes, and rated output at 56 lbs/24h puts it ahead of most sub-$300 nugget makers, including Euhomy’s and Insignia’s budget lines. The catch is pricing volatility: list is $429.99, but Costway runs it through frequent flash sales that have pushed it as low as $164 — worth watching before paying full price. The Gadgeteer’s hands-on testing found the ice quality genuinely good and comparable to costlier machines, with noise and occasional dispensing lag as the honest trade-offs.
The under-counter COST02267
Sold separately through Best Buy at a fixed $999.99, the COST02267 is a different category of product — a built-in under-counter unit rated 66-80 lbs/24h with self-cleaning, a 24-hour timer, and LCD control. This isn’t a countertop appliance you unbox and plug in; it needs a water line and drain like the built-ins covered in our best undercounter ice maker roundup, and it competes on that turf rather than against $200 portable units.
Costway vs. the competition
- vs. Euhomy (budget nugget): Euhomy’s flagship sits in a similar $170-250 range to Costway’s self-dispensing model but without the self-dispensing mechanism — Costway’s edge is convenience, Euhomy’s is a longer independent-review track record. See our Euhomy review.
- vs. Insignia (budget nugget): Insignia’s 44-lb NS-IMN44BS4 lists at $299.99 with Best Buy’s return policy attached; Costway’s 56-lb self-dispensing model beats it on rated output and (at sale pricing) on price, but lacks a big-box retailer backing it. See our Insignia review.
- vs. GE Profile Opal 2.0 (premium nugget): The Opal costs roughly 2-3x Costway’s self-dispensing model and adds Wi-Fi control and a quieter compressor — our GE Opal 2.0 review covers whether that premium is worth it.
For the full field, see our best nugget ice maker ranking and ice maker brands comparison.
The Costway lineup by the numbers
| Metric | Figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Self-dispensing model output | 56 lbs/24h | Per Costway's published spec, ahead of most branded competitors under $300 and close to double the portable model's 33 lbs/day. |
| Self-dispensing sale-price low | ~$164 | Frequent flash-sale pricing puts this model under the Euhomy and Insignia budget tiers when timed right — a 62% discount off the $429.99 list. |
| Under-counter output | 66-80 lbs/24h | The COST02267 rivals dedicated built-in brands on rated capacity at roughly half the price of premium under-counter units. |
Who should buy a Costway ice maker?
Buy the portable $189.99 model if you want the cheapest real nugget ice maker and don’t go through much ice daily. Buy the self-dispensing 56-lb model — ideally on a flash sale — if you want the best output-per-dollar in the countertop category and don’t mind Costway’s occasional noise and dispensing-lag quirks. Buy the COST02267 if you’re outfitting a wet bar or kitchen island and want a built-in unit without built-in-brand pricing. Skip Costway entirely if a quiet compressor or app control matters more to you than price — that’s where the GE Opal still wins.
The bottom line
Costway’s nugget ice lineup is wider and more price-competitive than most shoppers expect from a general home-goods brand, especially the self-dispensing 56-lb model when it’s caught on sale. It won’t out-quiet or out-app the GE Opal, and Costway’s own flash-sale pricing model means the “real” price takes a bit of checking — but for chewable ice on a budget, it’s a legitimate option alongside Euhomy and Insignia.