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Ice Makers Guide | Product Options Specifications
How It's Made
Understanding how ice machines work will be extremely helpful in running, diagnosing and maintaining your ice machine. Ice-O-Matic provides an excellent video from the TV show “How It’s Made”, which explains exactly how their ice machines are made, and how they work. Click here to view the video.
Unit Size
Commercial ice machines are measured by the amount of space they take, how many pounds of ice they produce a day, and how much the bin can store. Ice-O-Matic also provides an excellent calculator to help you figure out what size of a machine you’ll need based on the type of ice you choose and your facility's productivity. Click here to check out the calculator.
The first thing you need to do is measure the amount of space you have for an ice machine and find a model that fits. Most ice machines are measured by how wide they are. Standard depth is about 24 inches (front to back of the machine) and standard height is about 30 inches (bottom to top).
You’ll have to choose a standard width depending on which manufacturer you decide to go with.
Ice-O-Matic standard sizes are:
Modular: 22, 30, 48 inches
Under-the-counter: 24, 30 inches
Bin Size
It’s important to take into consideration the size of the bin. The bin is the storage section of the ice machine. It holds the ice after it is produced. There are three types of bin sizes:
1.) Standard: 22, 30, 48 inches
2.) Hotel Dispenser: 22, 30 inches
3.) Counter-top: 30 inches
Standard bins sit underneath the machine itself to be scooped, usually found in kitchens. Counter-top dispensers are the kind of dispensers you see at convenience stores. They can be placed under the ice machine to be filled automatically or set aside to be filled manually. Hotel dispensers are much like countertop dispensers but larger standing units. You may generally see these bins in hotels, placed to fill ice buckets for guests.
Small bins tend to hold about 150 pounds of ice, while larger bins can hold about 1,500 pounds. They can be interchanged with different machines and brands. Keep in mind, you can put a smaller ice machine on a larger bin, but you can’t put a larger ice machine on a smaller bin. This can lead to overflowing.
Ice Machines
There are also two ice machine unit types.
1.) Modular
Modular ice machine units are large stand alone units. They generally have interchangeable ice bins as well.
2.) Under-the-counter
Under-the-counter ice machines are compact versions of the modular ice machines. They’re made to fit into smaller places for facilities with limited space, such as bars. These have built-in ice bins.
There are also two types of commercial machines
1.) Stand-alone machines
Stand-alone machines are large machines, as stated above. They work around the clock and dispense the ice it makes into a bin.
2.) Dispenser type
These dispense ice whenever a lever or button is pushed or pulled.
There are three different ways in which ice machines are cooled:
1.) Air cooled
Air cooled machines push hot air out of the machine into the outside environment. They’re more energy efficient and cost efficient than water cooled machines. One issue they have is that they expel the hot air into the air around them, possibly making a compact area uncomfortable.
2.) Remote cooled
Remote cooled machines work the same was as air cooled machines. The difference is that the condenser is separated from the machine, usually put into the roof of a building. They tend to cost a bit more, but the benefit is that they keep the machine from expelling the heat into its own surroundings. This keeps the machine from making the area around it hotter, thus not harming its own efficiency.
3.) Water cooled
Water cooled machines keep cool by running water through its system constantly. They need constant water circulation and expel the water into a drain. These machines tend to be loud and use large amounts of water.
Types of Ice
Another thing to take into consideration is the type of ice you want dispensed out of your machine.
Cube
Cubed ice is generally used for bar drinks on the rocks and fine dining. Their benefit is that they melt slowly, allowing customers to drink slowly without the ice melting too quickly.
½ Cube
½ cubed ice is used mostly for bagging and casual drinks at restaurants (such as lemonade, soda, water, etc.). It’s also softer than full cubed ice and not as watery as flaked or pearl ice, making it a prime candidate for blending.
Flaked
Flaked ice is beneficial for those seeking repeat customers. Its easy to chew and hold the flavor of the drinks very well. It’s also very good for frozen foods, as it fills in the spaces, blocking air flow, thus melting at a much slower pace.
Pearl
Pearl iced is a compressed version of flaked ice. It holds sugar well and, like flaked, is easy and pleasing to chew.
Energy Efficiency
Most air and remote cooled machines meet the energy star requirements. Keep in mind that all water cooled machines do not meet the energy efficiency requirements for many states. Be sure to check your states guidelines before purchasing a water cooled machine.
Keeping Your Machine Clean
Do a Bi-Weekly Clean
Clean your Ice-Machine twice a week. Make sure to take out all the ice and place it in a clean bin. Clean the machine with a mild detergent, then sanitize all the linings on the machine as well. Your manual comes with a guide for doing this. Also, as you are cleaning your machine, check the water filter to make sure there's no blockage. Doing these steps twice a week will keep your ice machine's production consistent and clean.
Brown Slime
Ice machines can create a brown slime which comes from all kinds of yeast. Commercial sanitizers or bleach and water can be used to clean this. Remember that the more yeast in the ice machine's area, the more cleaning will be required to avoid brown slime.
Keep Your Ice Machine in a Cool Place
Keeping your ice machine in a cool area allows for greater efficiency from your ice machine.
Change Your Water Filter Every 6-Months.
Changing your water filters every 6 months keeps your machine fresh and efficient.
Cleaning Condenser Coils
Dirty condenser coils will lead to an increase in temperature and slow down your ice machine's production. Follow the steps above to avoid dirty coils.
