subject: Ice Makers and Ice Machines - Top Tips for Choosing the Right One for your Business [print this page] Ice Makers and Ice Machines - Top Tips for Choosing the Right One for your Business
If you are in the food preparation service or perhaps the bar trade the ice maker is definitely an important piece of equipment. It takes away the need for staff collecting bags of ice from the freezer or the cellar - effectively an ice maker increases the efficiency of your staff. Nowadays ice makers come in a selection of different sizes from the huge free-standing units that produce masses of ice for large commercial ventures to the smaller table top designs which are perfect for cafes, small pubs and bars. It is crucial that you work out how much space you have to allocate for an ice machine - even larger venues could find that it is preferable to have a number of smaller machines than one large standalone unit which is tucked away from your main serving areas.
Ice makers are extremely advanced nowadays - water is pumped from the tank and frozen into one sheet and then this sheet is crushed or shaped depending on the kind of ice maker you have. Once this procedure is finished the ice goes into the main storage unit where both you and your staff should be able to access the ice. You won't ever need to bother about running out of ice again due to the fact that many machines now have a sensor built in that will not allow the ice to drop below a particular level - guaranteeing you've got a constant flow of ice for your consumers on those hot summer days.
An important factor to consider if you have decided to buy an ice maker for your organization is its location. The very first thing to consider is where to place it:
Is there ample space available - this will probably determine, whether it'll be one on top of the counter or under the counter
Style - if the machine is on show does it fit into to the decor of your service area
And above all:
Does it have a supply of cold water and drainage?
This is essential, otherwise the machine will struggle to function properly-and won't be of any benefit to you. It is crucial to understand that you will need a gap of about one inch between the drain line and the floor drain - this can significantly reduce the risk of backflow into your machine.
Other things to consider are:
To prevent any health and safety issues arisng from wet, slippery floors a stand alone machine should be in a recessed floor
Seek expert advice when it comes to plumbing in the machine
The final consideration you will need to make is the type of ice to go for! Here are some of the choices available:
Half cube - used often by bars as they fit into all types of glass
Nugget ice - you often find this sort in places serving mainly soft and fizzy drinks
Round ice - often used byup market' style bars
Crushed ice - this is mainly found in venues that focus on cocktails
If your business fits all the above criteria then it will be worthwhile to make that investment. Essentially it will increase staff productivity and also ensure happy customers - two of the benchmarks of a profitable business.
