Pick the ice first, then the machine: choose the cube type your drinks and displays need, size daily production to your busiest day with a bin that covers the peak, and choose air, water or remote cooling by where the heat can go, with filtration matched to your water.
Key takeaways
- Full cubes melt slowly for cocktails and bagged ice, half cubes fill cups for soft drinks, nugget ice is soft and chewable, and flake ice suits displays.
- Production is rated per 24 hours at standard test conditions; hotter rooms and warmer water cut real output.
- The bin, not the machine, covers the rush, so size storage to peak demand and production to the busiest day.
- Air-cooled units heat the room, water-cooled units use extra water, and remote-cooled units move heat and noise outside at the cost of a more involved installation.
- Plan water filtration, an open, indirect connection to a floor drain and a cleaning schedule before the machine arrives.
Choose the ice before the machine
Commercial ice machines are built around one ice shape, and most cannot switch. So the first decision is what the ice is for: cocktails, soft drinks, blended drinks, seafood display, healthcare or bagged sales. Manufacturers use different names and sizes for similar shapes, so compare the cube dimensions on the spec sheet.
- Full cube, also called dice or regular cube: dense and slow to melt, good for mixed drinks, spirits on the rocks and bagging.
- Half cube, or half dice: smaller, so it packs tighter in a cup and displaces more drink; common for soft drinks, fountain service and blending.
- Nugget, also called pellet or chewable ice: soft, compressed ice that takes on the flavour of the drink and is easy to chew; popular for soft drinks, smoothies and healthcare.
- Flake: soft, mouldable pieces that pack around food; used for seafood and produce displays, salad bars and some healthcare uses.
- Specialty shapes, such as gourmet or top-hat cubes and large-format cubes, are made for bars that want a particular look in the glass.
Modular, undercounter or dispenser
Ice machines are built in three main formats, and the right one depends on how much ice you need and who takes it out.
A modular head has to match its bin. Heads and bins from the same manufacturer usually pair directly, while some combinations need an adapter or top kit, so check compatibility on the spec sheet before ordering them separately. The same applies to stacking two heads on one bin.
- Modular: an ice-making head that sits on a separate storage bin or on a beverage dispenser. This is the format for higher production, and it lets you size production and storage separately.
- Self-contained undercounter: the ice maker and bin in one cabinet that fits under a counter. Lower production and storage, suited to small bars, cafes and offices.
- Countertop dispensers: make and dispense ice, sometimes water too, without anyone reaching into a bin; common in healthcare and self-serve settings.
Air-cooled, water-cooled or remote-cooled
Every ice machine has to reject the heat it pulls out of the water. Where that heat goes is the cooling choice.
Also check the minimum and maximum room and water temperatures the manufacturer allows. An air-cooled machine in an unheated storage room in winter, or in a sealed closet in summer, can fall outside them.
- Air-cooled: a fan pushes room air across the condenser and puts the heat back into the room. The most common and simplest to install, but it needs clearance around the air path, adds heat and noise to the space and loses output in a hot room.
- Water-cooled: water carries the heat away. Useful in hot, dusty or poorly ventilated spaces, but it uses water beyond what becomes ice, and some municipalities restrict water-cooled equipment that sends cooling water straight to drain, so check local rules first.
- Remote-cooled: the condenser sits outside or on the roof, connected by refrigerant lines. Heat and most of the noise leave the building, which suits open kitchens and bars, but installation involves a refrigeration contractor and a line run the manufacturer approves.
Sizing by daily production and bin storage
Ice machines are rated by how much ice they produce in 24 hours at standard test temperatures for the room and the incoming water. Real kitchens are often warmer than the test, and manufacturers publish charts showing how output drops as air and water temperatures rise. Size from the chart at your conditions, not from the headline figure.
Production and storage are separate numbers. A machine makes ice steadily through the day and night, while most businesses use it in peaks: lunch and dinner service, a patio on a hot evening, a banquet. The bin has to hold enough to cover the peak, and the machine has to refill the bin before the next one.
An undersized machine runs almost constantly, wears faster and still leaves the bar short on a busy night, so when the numbers are close, size up.
- Estimate use on your busiest day, not your average one, counting drinks served, blended drinks, ice for displays and any bagged ice.
- Add headroom for summer, growth and the days the machine is down for cleaning.
- Check that the bin holds a full peak period's worth of ice, and that the space above it fits the head plus any clearance the manual asks for.
Water, drains and filtration
Water quality shows up in the ice and in the machine. Hard water leaves scale on the evaporator and in the water system, which slows harvest, reduces output and shortens the machine's life; sediment and chlorine affect clarity and taste.
Most manufacturers recommend a water filtration system sized for the machine, and some warranties exclude damage from scale or require a filter, so read the warranty terms for the model you choose. Change cartridges on the schedule the filter maker gives, or sooner if output or ice quality drops.
Plan the plumbing before delivery day:
- A cold potable water supply with a shut-off valve close to the machine.
- A floor drain nearby, with the drain line sloped the whole way; plumbing codes generally require an indirect connection, with open air between the end of the drain line and the floor drain, so confirm the details with your plumber or local inspector.
- Separate drain lines for the head and the bin where the manufacturer calls for them.
- An electrical circuit that matches the spec sheet, which for larger heads is often a dedicated circuit.
Cleaning, sanitizing and the inspector
Most health units treat ice as food. That means the bin, the scoop and the machine need the same care as any food-contact surface.
Many machines have cleaning reminders or automatic sanitizing features. They help, but they do not replace a scheduled clean by someone trained on that model.
- Clean and sanitize the machine on the manufacturer's schedule; many call for it at least twice a year, and more often with hard water, heavy use or yeast in the air from baking or brewing.
- Use the cleaning and sanitizing products the manufacturer specifies, since the wrong chemical can damage parts of the machine.
- Keep a dedicated scoop in a holder outside the ice, and never scoop with a glass, which can chip into the bin.
- Keep the bin door closed and never chill bottles, food or anything else in the ice.
- Clean the air filter and condenser on air-cooled models regularly; a clogged condenser cuts production and strains the compressor.
Before you order
Measure the spot, including the height of a head stacked on a bin, and the delivery path. Confirm voltage, cooling type and drain arrangement, because special-order and freight equipment is not returnable once it has been delivered in good condition.
Larger ice machines and bins ship by freight carrier, and a liftgate, a delivery appointment or inside delivery has to be arranged with Norpex before paying. Inspect the unit before signing and note any damage on the delivery receipt. A head, bin and filter can be priced together on one quote with freight included, and quotes come back within one business day.
Common questions
What is the difference between full cube and half cube ice?
- Full cubes are larger and denser, so they melt slowly and suit cocktails and bagged ice. Half cubes are smaller, pack tighter in a cup and suit soft drinks, fountain service and blending.
How big an ice machine do I need?
- Estimate the ice you use on your busiest day, including drinks, blending, displays and bagged ice, then add headroom. Read production from the manufacturer's chart at your room and water temperatures, and choose a bin that holds a full peak period.
Does a commercial ice machine need a water filter?
- Most manufacturers recommend one, because scale and sediment reduce output and shorten the machine's life. Some warranties exclude scale damage or require filtration, so check the terms for the model you choose.
How often should an ice machine be cleaned and sanitized?
- Follow the manufacturer's schedule. Many call for cleaning and sanitizing at least twice a year, and more often with hard water, heavy use or yeast in the air from a bakery or brewery.
Is an air-cooled or water-cooled ice machine better?
- Air-cooled machines are the simplest and most common, but they heat the room and lose output when it is hot. Water-cooled machines handle hot spaces better but use more water, and some municipalities restrict them.