Purchasing A Commercial Ice Machine: What To Check For

Whether you are running a restaurant of a catering outfit, you must think about how your clients will cool off from Singapore’s warm weather. A commercial ice-making machine can come in handy for your daily operations, but you need to consider your needs before acquiring one. 

Unbeknownst to many, the quality of your ice machine can significantly influence your customer’s experience, particularly when preparing cold beverages. It determines the presentation, cleanliness, and consistency of the drink, so make sure to exercise these precautions when purchasing an ice making machine. 

Check the technical features

The technical features of an ice making machine are of utmost importance. You need to be sure that the machine is designed to produce the type of ice you require, and take into consideration its energy consumption, speed, and the type of buckets it has:

1. Type of ice 

There are three main types of ice: ice cubes, nugget ice, and flake ice. Each has a different usage, you can decide which to get based on your menu.

It goes without saying that ice cubes are the hardest and are used to cool bottled beverages and cold foods displays. Flake ice and nugget ice on the other hand, are softer and preferred for smoothies and desserts. 

2. The compressor

The compressor of an ice making machine will determine how rapidly it can form ice and its energy consumption levels. Singapore’s kitchen equipment suppliers mainly stock two types of ice makers - ones with air-cooled compressors, and ones with water-cooled compressors. 

Air-cooled ice makers are generally less costly to run and work well where there are low volumes to produce. Water-cooled ice makers can form ice more rapidly, operate well in high-temperature zones (above 30 degrees celsius) and are quieter than air-cooled ones. Of course, they will add on to your utilities bill quite significantly.

3. Capacity size

Always check if the ice maker can produce sufficient ice for your operations. It should be just enough to meet your capacity expectations, because too large an ice maker would translate to higher utility bills, wastage, and inefficiencies. On the other hand, if it’s too small, you will have to keep running it just to keep up with the demand and it will most likely break down in no time. 

Plus, don’t forget to check the machine’s ice bucket. You don’t want one that’s too big either - that’ll encourage ice to melt faster. 

Check if it matches your plumbing

Since ice makers need a constant supply of clean water and reliable drainage, check if the prospective machine is well-matched with your plumbing before you purchase it. You can always have a sit in with your plumbing contractor to assist in considering if the ice maker fits your building codes.

Also, ensure there are no leaks both in the inlet or outlet or you may fail a health inspection.

Review other customers’ experiences

An important check to perform before purchasing any hotel supplies or kitchen equipment is to review other clients’ experiences. 

Read their reviews online and pay particular attention to comments about the warranties provided and reliability of the ice maker. 

Getting an ice maker is a lifelong investment and you have to make sure that you perform these checks carefully. Your best bet is to reach out to one of Singapore’s kitchen equipment suppliers and to talk about what you want against what’s available. By doing so, you’ll end up with a high-quality ice maker that will serve your business needs for a considerable period of time.