Compact Tabletop Or Commercial Under Counter, Ice To Meet Demand
By Anna Stenning
Making ice to meet demand might not seem a difficult task to accomplish, but if you work within fast food outlets, leisure industry venues, nightclubs, restaurants or bars even hospitals you will almost certainly be aware of the level of demand for ice, and why an ice making equipment is a piece of machinery that none of these venues can do without.
It is easy to appreciate that filling ice cube trays will not meet demand, and is now a positively primitive way of trying to make batches of ice within a given time period especially on a commercial level where there needs to be not only ice to meet immediate demand, but also a storage of ice to ensure you don”t run out.
Ice making equipment, primarily machines have now been developed to meet all kinds of demands for ice, from small users such as local pubs and domestic use to packed nightclubs heaving customers demanding icy cool beverages.
Ice making equipment are graded by output capability and storage capacity. They also come in compact tabletop versions of under counter units which require plumbing in.
The compact tabletop versions are generally considered the most ideal for low to medium users of ice, these can be obtained relatively cheaply depending on the performance level required. If you require an ice machine for domestic purposes, entertaining friends or catering for special occasions, then one of these machines will surely fit the bill.
One of the cheapest domestic ice making machines which is manual fill will set you back in the region of 120 GBP, its output will cover roughly around 12 ice cubes every 12 minutes which accumulates to 12/15kg of ice in any 24 hour period. These machines are compact and portable simply needing a mains socket to run. They are perfect for recreational rooms, caravans, boats or even in the office environment and are totally portable, and have a handy 600g storage capacity for additional ice.
At the other extreme end of the scale is the commercial ice making equipment which will easily produce a staggering 240kg of ice in a 24 hour period. These ice machines have a handy 45kg to 50kg storage capacity more than ample for serving chilled beverages for a night. These machines will require a mains water feed, drainage and a 13amp plug. (All accessories for these machines will be supplied with the machine) plumbing features are very similar to that of the domestic washing machine and therefore can be easily installed, however purchasing a top of the range, high output ice maker will cost in the region of 2,200 GBP.
Most manufacturers recommend the use of a water filter or scale reducer with any commercial ice machine or domestic ice making equipment, this prevents scale build up and reduces any potential breakdown problems related to the buildup of scale in hard water areas, water filters will usually be available to purchase as an option with ice makers.
Many manufacturers do now offer leasing options, leasing a machine especially when starting out in business is probably the best way of making sure you meet customer demand whilst being able to budget for monthly outgoings. Another advantage of leasing is the upgrade of equipment at the end of the leasing period.
There are ice making machines which will dispense up to 4 grades of ice, this makes catering for drinks requiring flaked or crushed ice such as smoothies easier to cater for. However in the main ice makers will dispense 2 types of cube which is the standard for most catering establishments.
When deciding you have the need for an ice maker it is essential to have a basic knowledge of how much ice you will require in a 24 hour period, this will enable you to judge the size required or provide a rough outline to a manufacturer who will be able to advise you of the best machine to meet your needs.
About The Author
Anna Stenning researches the requirements for choosing which size ice making equipment will meet the needs of your customers with ice to spare.