The 7 Best Commercial Ice Machines
This wiki has been updated 12 times since it was first published in January of 2019. Regardless of how much you love the ice maker in your refrigerator or how efficiently it churns out cold cubes, it won’t come close to meeting the demands of a bustling restaurant or large supermarket. With one of these commercial machines, you’ll always have access to plenty of ice. Many of these come with additional features, like timers, thickness settings and automatic cleaning functions. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Homelabs 521JS-58
2. Ice-O-Matic ICEU150HA
3. Vevor Professional
Editor's Notes
March 05, 2021:
Some of these, like the Ice-O-Matic ICEU150HA and Manitowoc NEO, are designed for high-volume use, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can both hold and produce a considerable amount of ice. These high-end options are awfully expensive, however, and not every business or basement bar owner is able to make such an investment. The Homelabs 521JS-58 comes from a relatively upstart company that focuses on powerful home appliances, and in this case, they make an excellent tradeoff in terms of speed, capacity, and price. In a similar vein, the Vevor Professional is almost as expensive as the premium name brand models, but actually works more quickly and has a larger capacity than the ones we've highlighted.
Of course, it should be noted that there are more types of ice than just a standard cube. The Scotsman UN1215A is expensive, but that's largely because it consists of a freezing tray, ice shaver, and pearl compressor, and its final product is similar to what you'd find at many fast food and amusement park fountains.
Finally, if you need something that can produce a good amount of ice, but not a ton, and you don't want to spend much, you'd be hard-pressed to top the Costway 23703.
January 16, 2019:
Noted that the Scotsman Gourmet is available with or without a pump, but the price difference between the two styles is so negligible that it would probably make sense for most users to go with the pump version. Highlighted the interior lighting component of the Costway Cube Maker, since it’s the only model I discovered with this feature, which could be very helpful if it’s installed in a dark area.
Special Honors
Hoshizaki Food Service Equipment This high-end manufacturer focuses exclusively on refrigeration, with a specialty in professional refrigeration. While their products generally cost a considerable amount, you can rest assured that your investment is worth it, as these are some of the most reliable and longest-lasting ice makers on the market. hoshizakiamerica.com
Ice-O-Matic As the company's name implies, these folks deal with ice makers, and ice makers only. They offer four lines, each one specializing in flake, cylindrical, pearl nugget, or traditional cube ice, and they offer compact, countertop models ideal for self-service drink stations, as well as huge, remote-condenser units designed for use in the back-of-house. iceomatic.com
4. Manitowoc NEO
5. Scotsman UN1215A
6. Vbenlem Snowflake
7. Costway 23703
Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.