Things to consider when purchasing a commercial ice machine.
Are you starting a new restaurant, convenience store, cafeteria, bar, or any other business that requires ice?
Is your current commercial ice machine becoming a money pit due to excessive service calls and replacement parts?
Are you looking to replace that old commercial ice machine with a newer more energy efficient model?
Here are some thing to consider when buying a new commercial ice machine; what will I be using the ice for, what type of ice do I need/want, & how much ice do I need?
The first first thing to consider when purchasing a commercial ice machine is, what will you be using the ice for. Will you be using it for beverages, salad bars, seafood displays, food preparation, or bagging for retail sale? If you are using the ice for serving beverages you will most likely want an ice cube, Cube ice is the square dice (or half dice) size cube that you get in most restaurants and gas stations. Cube ice is the most popular of the three main types of ice and far more common. Nugget ice and flake (snow) ice are also very popular when serving beverages... although I would not recommend nugget or flake ice for use in a bar. For a bar the bigger the ice the better, it melts slower therefore it does not water down the cocktail. If you will be using the ice for a salad bar, produce display, or seafood display you will be better suited using the flake style ice since it molds easily to the product and does not have sharp or pointy edges that will damage the produce or meat. If you plan to bag your own ice for retail sale you would most certainly use a cube ice, although Sonic Drive In does sell their very popular nugget style ice to their customers by the bag.
Now that you have answered the first two questions lets talk about how much ice you will need for your application. On average your dining room customers will consume about 1-1/2 pounds of each ice. Does that mean if you have 100 customers daily you should only have 150-lbs of ice on hand? NO it does not, you should always plan ahead and get a machine that exceeds your requirements even if only by a little bit... better to have to much than not enough! If you will be using the ice for multiple purposes (drinks, food prep, filling your fishing cooler, etc) you need to take all the factors into consideration before purchasing a commercial ice machine. Are you having problems figuring out how much ice you will need, any equipment dealer worth talking to should be able to help you size the commercial ice machine that's just right for your needs.
The next big question will be “air-cooled or water-cooled?”... In my opinion air-cooled units are far more popular than water-cooled. Air-cooled machines use a fan to circulate air around the refrigeration components thereby removing the excess heat created by the compressor and such. Air-cooled ice machines can be found in two different manifestations, self-contained or remote. In the self-contained units all the refrigeration components (compressor, condenser, evaporator) are located inside the head of the commercial ice machine, while a remote unit removes the refrigeration (compressor & condenser) from the commercial ice machine cabinet and allows it to be placed on the exterior of the building. Water-cooled units circulate water around the refrigeration components to remove the excess heat, these units require considerably more water than air-cooled units since the “cooling” water is not recirculated but rather dumped down the drain. Both types of commercial ice machines have their place and if you are unsure about whether you need an air-cooled or water-cooled ice machine your equipment dealer should be able to help you make the right decision.
“To filter or not to filter?”... that is the next question! Often customers will ask me if I think a water filter for their commercial ice machine is a wise purchase. “Of course it is!” A water filter will not only provide you with crystal clear better tasting ice it will also extend the life of the commercial ice machine. While they are not a necessity water filters are definitely a good decision when purchasing a new commercial ice machine. The water filter will remove unwanted sediment and minerals found in your water supply that can cause harm to your commercial ice machine over time.
Hopefully the points I have touched on above will help you when purchasing a commercial ice machine, but if you have questions feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help you answer them. J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment carries all the major commercial ice machine brands like Scotsman, Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, & Ice-O-Matic with the lowest prices & free freight!!! Online or in the showroom J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment is your one stop shop for all your discount restaurant supplies. Thanks for reading and remember...
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