While the hospitality-grade ice machines essentially perform the same function as its residential cousins, there are many key differences those make this category exclusive for restaurants, pubs & bars.  More often than, these differences, stretch from input capacity to the turnaround time. The commercial ice machines yield sizable quantities of ice and in a restricted time period. In that way, the hospitality machine is well-suited for environments where ice needs to be produced quickly and in abundance.

So, planning to buy a new or replace the old ice machine at your smoothie bar, bistro or cafeteria? With so diversified options of ice machines in the market, picking the right one for your business is a challenge. Don’t worry, as here in this post, we have deducted a pro ice machine buying guide for people those into the food-serving business.

A Few Questions to Self-Investigate

Q1 What Type of Ice Your Business Need?

This is one question that will make the task of buying an ice maker for your eatery half done. There are three broad types of ice cube: the nugget, crashed, and the cubed ice. The cubed and the nugget ice varieties are best suited for chilling the beverages.

The nugget ice type is made by the process which involves the extrusion and freezing of flake ice in tiny pieces, popularly served with soft drinks.

The flaked ices, on the other hand, are made by the process of crushing large pieces of ice into smaller, irregular ice pierces. So, this is a decisive factor to take into account when investing in a commercial ice-maker for your pub & bar.

Q2. What Are The Requirements of the Ice-Maker Machine? 

The environment where you need to place the ice-maker machine is another factor one can’t overlook. There are industry-grade ice maker machines available in the market with their unique set of power requirements, airflow & drainage.

The Air-Cooled ice maker machines demand higher energy consumption.  However, their initial costs are less expensive compared to the water-cooled models.

The water-cooled machines are an energy-smart range, and perfect for installation at regions where the humidity is on the higher side, simply put unfavorable conditions.

The remote air-cooled machines throw the heat outside the building, therefore, shouldn’t be installed at a congested commercial kitchen.

The amount of water needed to produce ice varies largely depending upon the make & model.

Q3. What Is the Cost of the Ice Machine?

This is one aspect when buying a commercial ice machine says its last say. Ideally, do thorough market research & compare various brands to make a smart investment.

Q4. What Is the Energy Rating of the Ice Machine?

Now and then, the ice maker brands come with new releases those are more improved energy efficiency rating than their previous versions. Under this attribute, the two key factors to take into account include the water and the electricity costs.

To Wrap Up

Last but not least, also pay a mind stopover to the features you want in your ice maker machine.