FAQs

Common Questions About Ice Machines

What size ice maker do I need?

Choosing the perfect size ice maker is really very important. You must choose a bin that has enough capacity that can hold somewhat more than the amount of ice you typically use in 24 hours. Normally a 10-20% capacity buffer is quite enough to make sure that the bin is big enough.

What type of ice do ice machines make?

Ice machines can make different kinds of ice for you to choose from:

  • “Shaved” or “Flake” ice
  • “Nugget” also known as: “Pearl”, “Cubelets”, “Soft Ice”, or “Sonic Ice”
  • Half Cube ice
  • Full Cube ice
  • “Gourmet” or “Top Hat” ice

Do ice machines cool the ice they produce?

The simple answer would be no they do not cool the ice that they produce. Refrigeration technology is basically used only to initially produce the ice. It ice is then dropped into a non-refrigerated storage container which is called an ice storage bin for future use. Whereas larger modular ice makers are sometimes installed on top of walk-in cool rooms, in which the ice maker drops ice into a storage area that is in the cool room

What is the lifespan of an ice maker?

On average a standard commercial ice machine has a life span of 4-5 years, with proper and regular cleaning as well as maintenance would give your machine as much as 10 plus years of ice production. Nevertheless, you can always explore many other ways to extend your machine’s life span here. It all depends on the quality of the ice maker that is purchased and the type of uses it has experienced, a commercial ice maker should last between 10 to 15 years if taken care of properly.

What is a modular ice machine?

A modular ice machine is also known as an ice machine cube head, modular ice makers can efficiently provide a lot of flexibility, because of the reason that they can be mixed and matched with differently sized ice bins as well as dispensers, which also includes soda dispensers. Modular ice machines can produce anywhere from 250 lbs. of ice to over 1,400 lbs. of ice.

How do ice bins work?

An industrial ice maker can drop and store ice in an ice storage bin. Ice machines usually come with a shut-off switch which helps in measuring that how much ice is in the bin in order to prevent overflows and freeze-ups. In case ice levels reach high enough to trigger the switch, the ice machine shuts off automatically.

How much does an under-counter ice maker cost?

The average price of an under-counter nugget ice maker would make about $4000.

Do ice makers need a drain?

Commercial ice equipment uses a lot of water, so as a result, any leftover water from the ice-making process will have to be drained out of your kitchen or restaurant. It all depends on their configuration, a usual ice maker can have anywhere between one to four drains. The easiest way to drain the excess water would be with a floor drain, but if that is not an option for your location, you can also drain a pump. Some commercial ice machines can be ordered that have built-in drain pumps.

How does undercounter ice machine work?

The icemaker usually has a water pump, which helps in drowning water from a collection sump and then pouring it over the chilled ice trays that are available in there. Because the water flows over the tray, it would gradually freeze, which would make up ice cubes in the well of the tray. When you freeze water layer by layer this way, it forms clear ice.

Do commercial ice machines need water filters?

A commercial ice machine would want a larger filter with requires more complicated installation, but a simple ice maker in your refrigerator would only require an inline filter that can feed your refrigerator.