Commercial Ice Machines & Ice Makers

The right commercial ice machine is sized to the busiest hour of the busiest day, not to an average. Manufacturers rate production in pounds per 24 hours under laboratory conditions of cool air and cool water, and a hot kitchen or a warm water line cuts that output, so operators size up from the rating rather than down. Storage matters as much as production: a machine that makes plenty of ice but stores too little runs out during the rush, which is why bin capacity and peak demand belong in the same calculation.

Machine style follows where the ice is used. Undercounter ice machines fit bars, service stations and small kitchens where a self-contained unit with its own bin saves floor space. Modular ice machine heads mount on top of a bin or dispenser and deliver back-of-house volume for high-throughput operations, and pairing a head with the right bin from our ice bins and dispensers selection sets the whole station's capacity. Ice and water dispensers serve self-serve stations, hotels and healthcare floors where guests draw their own ice without touching a scoop.

Cooling type decides the install. Air cooled units are the simplest to place and the most common choice, provided the room has clearance for airflow and can absorb the heat they reject. Water cooled units hold steady output in hot kitchens where an air cooled machine would struggle, at the cost of higher water use. Remote condenser systems move the compressor heat and noise outdoors, keeping the kitchen cooler and quieter, and suit larger operations with roof or wall access for the line set.

Ice type is a menu decision. Full and half cubes cool drinks slowly and hold up in service, nugget and cubelet ice is chewable and blends easily for smoothies and specialty drinks, and flake ice packs around seafood and produce displays. Our ice makers by ice type category groups machines by the ice they produce so a bar, a restaurant and a market can each find the shape their service calls for.

Filtration and support round out the station. Sediment, chlorine and scale reach the evaporator plate on every cycle, so a dedicated cartridge from our commercial water filters and systems protects the machine and the taste of the ice from the first day of service. Ice machine stands lift heads and bins to working height, and replacement parts, scoops and cleaners belong on the shelf between service visits. We feature top-quality brands such as Follett, Hoshizaki, Ice-O-Matic, Manitowoc and Scotsman, and strive to provide the most competitive prices available.