Are countertop nugget ice makers worth it compared to cheaper bullet ice makers?

Reviewers across specialist subreddits like r/IceChewersAnonymous and r/Tiki agree that nugget machines produce the soft, chewable 'Sonic-style' ice that bullet machines cannot. The trade-off is price (typically $150–$450 vs. $70–$120 for bullet), slower first-batch times (6–15 minutes), and more frequent descaling. If you specifically want chewable pellet ice, reviewers say bullet machines are not a substitute.