What is an Ice Maker Machine

Ice and beverage dispensers with under counter ice storage, allow safe and easy manual loading at waist height, eliminating the need for a ladder or stool. A cart to transport the ice from the back room ice maker should also be considered to improve employee efficiency and safety. Understanding the different types of ice cubes that commercial ice machines can produce will help you choose the right type for your needs. Certain types of ice cubes melt slower are easier to chew, or have specific shapes to accommodate specific applications.

Ice maker machine can be used on top of dispensers come in a wide range of production capacities - producing from 200 to 1600 lbs. of ice in a 24-hour period. Some manufacturers of beverage dispensers have their own line of cube ice makers that will work with their beverage dispensers. Other ice dispenser manufacturers offer top kits that allow another manufacturer’s ice maker to be mounted on top of the dispenser. The ice made by a top mounted ice maker drops by gravity into the storage area of the dispenser and is then dispensed when the lever or button for ice is pushed.

Top mounting an ice maker on the dispenser is an easy solution, but there are some drawbacks. It is often very difficult to clean the dispenser storage area because the ice maker covers the majority of the dispenser top and there is little access room for cleaning. A second drawback is size. The combination of dispenser and ice maker together can result in a unit with a height of 73" or more. When placed on a standard 36" counter, the unit can tower 9 feet above the floor. This means that the dispensers cannot be used in beverage islands without obstructing the view within the facility, nor will this arrangement fit under 8' soffits, often used for merchandising.

To prolong the life of your restaurant ice machine and increase your customers' satisfaction (considering ice is food), some recommend using a water filter with every ice machine, because it will reduce the build-up of mineral deposits within the ice maker machine. The benefits of using a water filter with your unit cannot be understated, but here a few:

·         Better tasting beverages

·         Higher ice production

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

·         Longer ice machine life

·         Poor quality feed water will void the warranty on most ice maker machine

Before selecting any ice maker machine to automatically fill your beverage dispenser, it is recommended that you review the section on ice types. There are substantial differences in operating costs and efficiencies between ice maker machines that make cube ice and those that make compressed nuggets. These differences have can have a significant impact on the bottom line of the operation.

Ice dispensed into the cup maintains drink carbonation, preserves drink taste and keeps the beverage refreshingly cold during the consumption period. For carbonated sodas the water and syrup in the beverage lines must also be chilled to prevent foaming and maintain drink quality. There are two ways to chill the beverage lines that use ice from the storage area of the dispenser called integral beverage cooling or use a separate mechanical cooling system. There are advantages and disadvantages to each system.