Types of Ice Machines _ Ice Machine Buying Guide

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Ice Machine

Nearly every type of food service business needs an icemachine. Because there are so many differentconfigurations and styles available, it's important tounderstand what is available to find the best ice maker tosuit your business' needs.

ConfigurationsWhile there are variations within each type, commercial ice machines generally fall intothree basic styles.

Modular, or Ice Machine Head

Modular ice machines are commonly available in 22", 30" and 48" widths, and aredesigned to sit on top of an ice machine bin, an ice machine dispenser, or a sodadispenser. Ice outputs range from 250 lbs. per day to well over 1000 lbs. per day.

Undercounter Ice Machines

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For small bars, cafes, or businesses that don't need asmuch ice, an undercounter, or self-contained ice machinemay be all that's needed. These small ice makers combinethe ice machine with a storage bin, and fit under most 40"high counters. Ice outputs generally top out at about 350lbs. per day, though a few higher capacity models do exist.

Countertop Ice Dispenser / Makers

These compact units are often found in health caresettings, and may dispense water too. They have a smallbin but can still produce up to 400 lbs. of ice per day,making them a great small commercial ice maker. Theyalso usually dispense nugget style ice, which is easier tochew.

Ice TypesUnderstanding the different types of ice cubes that commercial ice machines canproduce will help you choose the right type for your needs.

Cube Ice

Most common; melts slower and can potentially reduce customer ice consumptioncompared to other types

"Full" (approximately 7/8" x 7/8") cubes

"Half" (half of full) cubes


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"Regular" (approximately 1 1/8" x 1 1/8" x 7/8") cubes

Nugget Ice

Slow melting; most common in health care industry because it'ssofter and easier to chew than cube ice

Also called compressed nugget, or "chewblet" ice

Flake Ice

Small, soft flakes of ice that cool rapidly and mold to any shape

Used mainly in ice displays for seafood, meat, fish, and on saladbars; can also be used in blended drinks

Compressor TypesOnce you've decided what type of machine and ice you want, the next importantconsideration to make is whether you want an air-cooled, water-cooled, or remotecompressor.

Air Cooled

Air cooled ice machines are often the most cost-effectivetype of ice machine, as they do not involve any additionalwater costs. Many air cooled models even achieve EnergyStar Compliance. Air cooled condensers do need at least6" of clearance around air intake and discharge areas, butthey are a good choice for the majority of users.


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Water Cooled

A water cooled ice machine is a better choice than an air cooled model only if one ormore of the following conditions exists:

The machine would be installed where ambient airtemperatures are greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit

The machine would be installed in an area where theair contains a high level of contaminants, like grease

The machine would be installed in an area with poor aircirculation or limited space where clearance limitationsof an air cooled machine could not be met

Again, unless one or more of the above conditions exist, a water-cooled machine isprobably not the best choice, since water consumption will be much higher than withan air cooled ice machine. In fact, some municipalities do not even allow the use of awater cooled ice machine for that reason!

Remote Cooled

With remote condenser ice machines, the condenser is aircooled, and mounted outdoors, usually on a roof.Refrigerant lines run between the condenser and themachine. As a result, a remote condensing ice machinewill be much quieter than its air or water-cooledcounterparts.

However, installation and maintenance of a remote setup can be much more costly,and a remote condenser ice machine is usually only chosen if conditions prohibit theuse of an air cooled or water cooled unit.

Ice Machine SizingOnce you've settled on the type of ice machine you need and the type of ice you want,you must select a machine with the right capacity for your needs.


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For new businesses: Make sure your estimates allow for growth, or you couldquickly exceed the production capacity of the machine you wish to purchase.

For replacement ice machines: Did your current ice machine keep up withdemand? If not, you will need to evaluate how much capacity you were lacking andfactor that into your calculations.

For everyone: Ice consumption at peak times should be considered, as well as anypossibility for a future increase in demand. It's always better to have extra ice onhand than to rely on a machine that is too small to meet your needs.

Benefits of Using Multiple Ice Machines

It may seem easier to supply all your ice from one large machine and bin, but in theend this is usually inefficient. With only one large machine, your staff will constantly berunning back and forth from the ice bin to soda machines, under bar ice chests, andsalad bars…costing you time and also increasing chances of cross-contamination.

Instead, consider using several smaller machines, one on top of the soda dispenser, asmall underbar unit, and a small ice maker with a bin near your salad bar, for example.This way your staff will always have ice when and where they need it, while alsokeeping the ice safe and sanitary!

Installation Considerations

Space and Placement: Make sure you have enough space for the machine, bin,and filter. Adequate air flow is crucial for maximum ice production. Carefullyconsidering the placement of the machine and bin can also increase workerproductivity and efficiency.

Water Supply & Floor Drain: Your ice machine will need a cold water supply witha shutoff valve. A floor drain is needed too. Check your local codes for specificdrain type and placement requirements.

Power Supply: Many ice machines do not come with a cord and plug, so a visitfrom your electrician will be needed to hard wire the machine. Make sure youunderstand and can meet the machine's power requirements—not all machinesoperate on standard 110V electric. Electrical requirements and any other specialinstallation considerations will always be found on the machine's SpecificationSheet.


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Use the chart below to get an idea for how much ice you might use. It's also importantto keep in mind that ambient room temperature and ventilation considerations willaffect the maximum output of any ice machine. This information is usually available onthe manufacturer's Specification Sheet.

Ice Sizing Guide (Includes 20% Safety Factor)

Ice Machine Bin SizingAn ice machine bin lets you hold ice until it's ready for use. When picking a bin to go

APPLICATIONTYPE

TYPICALDAILY ICE

USE

ICE NEEDEDFOR 100

CUSTOMERS

ICE NEEDEDFOR 250

CUSTOMERS

ICE NEEDEDFOR 500

CUSTOMERS

ICE NEEDEDFOR 1000

CUSTOMERS

ICE NEEDEDFOR 1500

CUSTOMERS

Restaurant1.5 lbs iceper meal

sold180 lbs. 450 lbs. 900 lbs. 1800 lbs. 2700 lbs.

CocktailBar

3 lbs. iceper seat 360 lbs. 900 lbs. 1800 lbs. 3600 lbs. 5400 lbs.

WaterGlass

6 oz. iceper 12 oz.

glass45 lbs. 113 lbs. 225 lbs. 450 lbs. 675 lbs.

Salad Bar35 lbs. iceper cubic

foot--- --- --- --- ---

BeverageOnly

5 oz. iceper 7-10oz. cup

38 lbs. 94 lbs. 188 lbs. 375 lbs. 563 lbs.

BeverageOnly



BeverageOnly



Guest Ice5 lbs. per

hotelroom


HotelCatering

1 lb. perperson 120 lbs. 300 lbs. 600 lbs. 1200 lbs. 1800 lbs.

Patient Ice 10 lbs. perperson 1200 lbs. 3000 lbs. 6000 lbs. 12000 lbs. 18000 lbs.

Cafeteria 1 lb. perperson 120 lbs. 300 lbs. 600 lbs. 1200 lbs. 1800 lbs.


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with your modular ice machine, you'll want to take several points into consideration:

Choose a bin / machine combination that's too large,and it could result in wasted ice, making the bin abreeding ground for bacteria and mold due to excessmelt water.

Choosing a small ice machine and bin combinationmight leave you running out of ice and taxing yourmachine as it struggles to keep up.

Don't assume the bin has to match the capacity of yourmachine. If your restaurant is busiest on the weekend, for example, you might need900 lbs. of ice, but not nearly that much during the week. Pairing a small icemachine with a large bin will ensure you don't over-produce during the week, andthat you'll still accumulate enough ice to handle the weekend rush.

You can find compatible bins in the Companion Items of most of our modular icemachines.


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FiltersTo prolong the life of your restaurant ice machine andincrease your customers' satisfaction (remember, ice isfood), we recommend using a water filter with every icemachine, because it will reduce the buildup of mineraldeposits within the machine. The benefits of using a waterfilter with your unit cannot be understated, but here arejust a few:

Better tasting beverages

Higher ice production

Lower energy usage, since the ice machine can work more efficiently

Longer ice machine life

Poor quality feed water will VOID THE WARRANTY on most ice machines

We offer two sizes of ice machine filter kits that will work with all the ice machines wecarry. They are located in each machine's Companion Items.

Accessories

Ice Dispensers

An ice dispenser is similar to a bin in concept - it holds ice until use but it eliminateshuman contact with the ice supply by using a sensor or lever dispenser system. Thereare two basic types:

Hotel Dispensers: A modular ice machine is mounted on top and thedispenser holds the ice. This lets guests get ice at their leisure and youdon't need to worry about them contaminating the ice with hands, cups,etc. We even offer several models that are coin operated, whileroom-key operated models ensure that only customers use your ice.

Countertop Dispensers: These are most common at nurse stationsand other healthcare applications due to their compact size, and manyalso dispense water, too. We offer two types, ones that include a built


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in ice machine and models that require the ice be loaded manually.

Bin Adapters

Bin adapters are used in several situations.

Installing one or more small ice machines on a big bin

Installing an ice machine on top of an ice dispenser

Installing one brand of ice machine on a different brand of ice machine bin

Keep in mind that many more types of adapters are available for very specificsituations, and are often listed on the manufacturer's Specification Sheet. Dependingon your application, you may also need an ice deflector in place of or in addition to theadapter.

Ice Machine Cleaner

Even with the proper filter kit your machine will stillgradually accumulate mineral deposits on the interior,harming performance and efficiency. Our Noble ChemicalArctic ice machine cleaner is safe for use in all icemachines and will remove these buildups, while alsoprotecting tin and nickel-plated evaporators! The Arcticcleaner is available in both a concentrated cleaner and aready to use formula.

Heat Exchangers

A heat exchanger uses cold waste water from your icemachine to pre-chill potable water entering your machine.Because the water is already cold, your unit spends lessenergy making ice, which cuts costs and allows moreefficient operation. Compatible heat exchangers are listedin the Companion Items of our ice machines.

Ice Baggers

If you plan on selling bags of ice, a bagger kit may be a worthwhile investment. Forsmall-volume applications, we offer frames that fit right over the ice bin door opening


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and funnel ice down into the bag. Or, for very large-scaleuse where you'll be packing and selling lots of ice, we offerunits specially designed to store and load the product.

Other Must-Have Accessories

Sanitary Ice Buckets

Ice Bin Scoops

These two products go hand-in-hand. To stay in accordance with health and sanitationregulations, use these items to transport ice from the bin to other locations around yourestablishment, and make sure your employees use them, rather than cups or hands.

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Types of Ice Machines _ Ice Machine Buying Guide

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