Knowing how to choose the best commercial ice maker for a business should be near the top of the list when buying essential equipment to service customers. There are many factors which need to be considered by the business owner in purchasing a commercial ice machine that will best meet their needs.
Getting the Best Commercial Ice Maker
When deciding on buying the best commercial ice maker today, businesses have more choices than ever before not only by price but also by function. Make sure to check out various ice makers reviews to know your options. Commercial ice machines such as those made by Opal are part of the wi-fi enabled ice machine revolution.
Even the base Opal ice machine model which requires no installation or direct water source can provide small businesses with the ice they require. There is a nugget, countertop , cube, flake, and chipped ice machine along with the revolutionary wi-fi, Bluetooth opal ice maker.
Variety of Options Available to You
Along with the wide range of functions, the best commercial ice maker today making nugget ice, chips, cubes, or clear ice offers more sizes than ever. Under the counter, freestanding, self-contained or with built-in commercial ice makers are among the most popular choices for businesses.
The workhorse ice machines are available for a variety of uses, and speciality businesses weigh anywhere from 60 lbs. to 1000 lbs. and beyond. With most offering stainless steel construction, these machines are built for long useful lives.
When buying an ice machine business owners must consider the future not just the present needs in terms of volume of ice needed. The durable stainless steel ice machines built today can be a long-lasting asset working day in and day out for many years. Check out ice makers reviews to see which type or brand will work best for you.
This appliance is a complex machine with moving parts, filters, an essential compressor, electrical needs, and water lines and reservoirs, which are all considerations when purchasing an ice machine.
Business Checklist when Purchasing the Best Commercial Ice Maker:
What is Your Budget?
As with any major or essential new purchase, the BUDGET is the first consideration. When shopping for a new commercial ice machine for a business, it is essential to know what is affordable and realistic for the business. A restaurant that serves only bottled drinks that are kept refrigerated using ice sparingly for tap water that is served table side probably only needs a basic ice machine.
A Café, Restaurant or Bar that has a reputation for a propriety or varied selection of glass served drinks which requires cubes, nugget ice, or clear ice will have to consider a higher-end commercial ice machine which provides the latest innovations. This goes to the next consideration.
What kind of Ice is needed?
Basic commercial ice machines can provide traditional ice cubes in varying amounts. There are basic affordable ice machines that can produce 50lbs a day of traditional ice cubes while others can produce 250lbs a day. When shopping even for the basic commercial ice maker, volume is important.
The most basic of ice machines priced around the $1000 mark can make ice all day long. The question for the ice machine buyer is, how much is needed? Beyond the basic ice cubes, cube ice and nuggets, the best commercial ice maker today can perform an amazing array of functions with wi-fi enabled and Bluetooth capabilities allowing remote control of scheduled ice production.
Automatic shutoffs filling built-in ice machine bin are a feature of even the most affordable ice dispensing machines. As requirements for speciality uses continue to evolve, the appliance that make them are keeping pace.
Is a speciality or variety of ice required?
Restaurants, Bars, Cocktail Lounges and Cafes have discovered that ice can add value to their drink offerings. One of the biggest evolutions is the demand for clear ice. This type of ice maker machine have taken on the challenge and can produce the clear ice that is required for drinks by businesses in all categories.
The newest wave in clear ice dispensers has penetrated every market level. From affordable clear ice producing machines to wi-fi enabled professional machines such as the Opal Ice Machine for the home kitchen counter, ice-making machines have conquered clear ice making.
Once a luxury that only the most successful and largest businesses could invest in, these dispensers are currently available at price points similar to all machines. They run the price gamut from under 1k to over 5K and beyond.
Like with all dispensers, this makes it a necessity to know the functions you need. And then you can go online, do some research, read ice makers reviews to know which type works best for your business.
Is Automatic Ice and Built-in Water Dispensing a necessity?
One of the first accessories introduced over a half-century ago was the ability to set automatic production. This was a necessary labor-saving accessory for hotels with ice machines throughout the property. A person no longer had to go from one machine to another to turn them on and off, it became a set it and forget it option.
This was also a boon for busy restaurants and bars with many workers who dipped in and took ice out of the bin but never push the button to make more ice. Today it is almost a no-brainer when looking to purchase the best commercial ice maker.
Now it is only a question of what kind of automatic machine is needed, one with a built-in ice maker that keeps an ice bin filled, produces a certain amount per hour or is on a timer.
Along with the automatic ice making capabilities that have been perfected over the decades, the manufacturers have also added an automatic cold water dispensing feature, which saves water, time, and labor for businesses. A factor in deciding on the features needed for the best commercial ice maker is where will it be installed.
Where will the Ice Machine be Installed?
Fresh water lines, drainage and access to electrical current are all considerations when buying the best commercial ice machine. Gone are the one, two and three size fits all ice dispensing machines. Today ice-making manufacturers like the line of Opal Ice Maker have tackled the problems of size and installation.
In the past businesses had to add the cost of electrical and plumbing upgrades such as a floor drain to the cost of buying a machine, not anymore. With a wide variety of choices including built-in refillable reservoirs, and no drain systems that reuse melted ice to make new ice, there are more installation choices than ever.
Countertop, undercounter, freestanding, as well as upright, are all among the available ice dispensers for businesses. Along with a wide selection of models, functions, and enhancements, the best commercial ice maker, such as the wi-fi enabled equipment by Opal, is not tethered to a certain installation location by expensive electrical and plumbing remodeling.
Is the New Ice Maker Restricted by Electrical and Plumbing Upgrades?
Electrical, Water and drainage supply are still important considerations for grander ice machine models built for the largest users of ice such as corporate kitchens, hospitals, theme parks as well as other larger facilities. The difference today for most businesses that are shopping for the best ice machine is the long list of ice dispensing machines.
Beyond the shape, kind, and amount of ice that a machine can produce, electrical, water and drainage sources are now more expansive. Gone are the days that an ice machine had to be hard wired, today’s ice making machines offer plug and play capabilities that can utilize existing power outlets.
As well as avoiding the expenses of new electrical service, business owners can avoid expensive plumbing upgrades by choosing an ice machine with a reservoir and one that automatically reuses melted ice. The price range and options of the selection of ice dispensers for every size business and purpose is no longer a three sizes fits all proposition, it is now what’s best, economical, and easiest for the business.
How Much Ice is Needed?
The most important factor for any business, after the budget is HOW MUCH ICE IS NEEDED. Business owners, managers and decision-makers should be as concise when deciding how to produce ice. A practical way to decide on the size needed and its production capabilities is to determine the amount of ice needed at the busiest time during the busiest day. When there is enough ice for the busiest day at the busiest hour, the business will always have enough ice to meet its needs.
Leasing, Buying or Financing a New Ice Machine
As part of the budget decision, business owners can now stretch their budgets by considering leasing or financing when looking to add a new ice machine.
With ice machines adding new options along with high end capabilities leasing may be a viable option. An ice maker lease will allow business owners to plan on a set monthly payment and allow them to upgrade to an ice maker with the latest options at the end of the lease.
An Ice Machine Lease also means that any repairs, an important consideration on more costly models, will be covered by the leasing company.
Other important Elements of Making Ice
Remember that the surrounding ambient temperature will affect the strain that is put on the compressor and all the working parts of the ice machine. For optimum efficiency, an ice machine should not be located outside or in a room or area with extreme heat.
Remember as the compressor of the ice machine kicks into gear it will add heat to an enclosed room. This will create a vicious cycle where the compressor will run more to make ice in turn making more heat in the enclosed room.
The compressor is an expensive element in the ice machine, most are covered by 5-year manufacturer warranties. When you purchase ANY higher priced ice machine be sure to include the warranty in your decision making.
Maintaining Your Ice Machine
Like any machine, the ice maker needs maintenance. Some have changeable filters, some come equipped with washable reusable filters. Keep all ice machine filters clean, this will prevent harmful, and unhealthy bacterial, fungal, and viral growths.
Remember that the ice made in the machine is being ingested. Keep all parts of the machine clean on a regular basis. Reservoirs, water lines, drains and storage bins need to be cleaned regularly.
Stagnant, still, dirty water in lines, drains and storage units are breeding grounds for unhealthy bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Businesses should schedule regular ice machine cleanings.