Commercial Ice Machine Key Terms

Melt your confusion about the differences among commercial ice machines

At its simplest, the ice-making process requires only water and cold air. But if you need to produce a large amount of ice in a short period of time,  you will need a quality commercial ice machine. However, before you begin to look for commercial ice machines, you should have a good understanding of terms—such as cubers, flakers and nuggets—that are used to describe different types of machines. You should also be familiar with industry language such as bins, block ice makers and ice dispensers.

 

Cuber

A cuber is a commercial ice maker that produces cube-style ice. Cubers are typically large machines that have a self-contained condenser and an ice storage capacity in the range of 30-50 pounds.
Try: Check out Atlanta Fixture & Sales Company for pictures of cubers and more information about them.

Flaker

A flaker is a commercial ice machine that produces ice in a flake style. Flakers are typically large machines with an ice storage capacity that is as high as 100 pounds or more.
Try: Galasource Ventures has excellent additional information about flakers.

Nugget

A nugget is a commercial ice machine that produces small, nugget-style ice cubes. Nuggets usually have a self-contained condenser and come with a stainless steel exterior.
Try: For examples of nugget-producing ice machines and their specs, check out Ice-O-Matic.

Bins

Bins are ice-storage units that can hold hundreds of pounds of ice. They are great for establishments that serve a high number of beverages in a short amount of time. An ice maker is mounted on top of the bin, so that the freshly-made ice empties directly into it.
Try: Instawares provides dozens of examples of bins, with detailed descriptions.

Block ice makers

Block ice makers are used to make large pieces of block ice. Models are either automatic, or they have to be manually filled with water. Block ice makers can be used to make extremely large pieces of ice that can be used in ice sculpting. However, they do not make ice very quickly.
Try: For more information about block ice makers, check out Automatic Ice. The company also provides the specs for several types of machines.

Ice dispensers

Ice dispensers dispense ice through a chute, typically when a button or lever is pushed. Ice dispensers are ideal for busy or public locations because they keep the stored ice clean. The ice never comes in contact with employees or customers until it is dispensed from the machine.
Try: Central Products has pictures and more information about several types of ice dispensers.

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