Industrial Ice Machines

What makes an ice machine "industrial"?

The industry has no official cut-off. Buyers and manufacturers generally use "industrial" or "high-capacity" for machines rated at 1,000 lb/day and above. At that size, three things change compared with a restaurant machine:

• Head and bin are always separate. The head makes ice and the bin stores it. A 1,000 lb/day head is usually paired with a bin that holds 400-900 lb, and the bin control stops production when it is full.
• Power is heavier. Heads above about 1,000 lb/day typically need a dedicated 208-230V circuit and are hardwired. The Hoshizaki KM-1100MAJ , for example, needs 208-230V single-phase on a 20A circuit. The largest units, such as the ITV IQ 2700 A , ship only in three-phase.
• Heat goes somewhere. A large air-cooled head rejects a lot of heat into the room. That is why remote-condenser and water-cooled versions are common at this size.

Industrial ice machines by capacity

Widths of 22 and 30 inches fit standard bins and lineups. 48-inch heads produce the most ice per foot of floor space, but need a 48-inch or wider bin.

Plan around the 90°F rating, not the headline number

Product titles list output at 70°F air and 50°F water, the best case. The AHRI standard rates ice machines at 90°F air and 70°F water, closer to a busy kitchen in summer. At those conditions, the Hoshizaki KM-1100MAJ drops from 1,087 to about 935 lb/day (14% less). The Manitowoc IDT1200A drops from 1,196 to 950 lb/day (21% less). Size your machine so the 90°F figure covers your peak day. Our guide to ice machine production ratings explains the difference.

Air-cooled, water-cooled or remote condenser?

Browse all remote condenser ice machines or water-cooled ice machines if you have already decided.

Choose the ice type first

• Cube (full, half, crescent, medium): the default for beverages, bagged ice and general foodservice. Hotels, stadiums and large restaurants usually run cube.
• Nugget: soft, chewable ice for hospitals, convenience stores and beverage dispensers. See nugget ice machine heads .
• Flake: moldable ice for seafood display, produce and food processing. See industrial flake ice machines .
• Chip / granular: ITV's IQ series makes hard, granular ice for display and cooling in large volumes, up to 2,900 lb/day.

One large machine or two smaller ones?

At this scale, many operators split production across two heads instead of buying one very large one.

For hospitals, stadiums and anywhere an outage stops service, two heads are usually worth the extra cost.

Worked example: a 300-room hotel

Using Manitowoc's rules of thumb (5 lb per room, 1.5 lb per restaurant seat, 1 lb per banquet guest):

• Guest floors: 300 rooms x 5 lb = 1,500 lb/day, spread across floor ice stations
• Restaurant: 150 seats x 1.5 lb = 225 lb/day
• Ballroom: 400 guests x 1 lb = 400 lb per event

Total central kitchen and banquet demand is about 625 lb/day on a normal day and more on event days. One 1,000 lb class head, such as the Hoshizaki KM-1100MAJ (about 935 lb/day at 90°F air / 70°F water), on a large bin covers it with headroom. Guest floors are usually better served by smaller machines or dispensers on each floor. See hotel ice machines .

Who buys industrial ice machines?

Large hotels and resorts, hospitals, stadiums and arenas, supermarkets with seafood counters, packaged-ice and food-processing operations, and central kitchens. If your peak day is under 1,000 lb, a 600 lb or 1000 lb class head on a matching bin is usually more economical.

Don't forget the bin and the water filter

A head is only half the system. Pick a bin from our ice storage bins or stainless steel ice bins that holds at least one service period of ice. Size it with our bin sizing guide . At these volumes, a water filter  rated for the head's flow protects the evaporator and keeps the warranty valid.