Manitowoc Flake Ice Machines

The Manitowoc flake lineup

Specifications and prices from each product page at the time of writing. "Rated" output is at 70°F air and 50°F water; the 90/70 figure is the realistic number for a warm kitchen.

Which one is for the U.S.?

Choose the UFP models. The "AZ" suffix marks the UFK0200AZ and UFK0350AZ as 230V / 50Hz machines, built for markets with 50Hz power (much of Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America). A 50Hz machine connected to standard U.S. 60Hz power is not a supported installation. If you're equipping a U.S. site, the UFP0200A and UFP0350A are the correct choices; the UFK models are for export projects or sites with 50Hz supply.

Note that the catalog titles list the UFK0350AZ with a 50 lb bin and the UFP0350A with a 60 lb bin. Confirm the bin size on the spec sheet if it matters to your application.

What flake ice is for

Flake ice is thin, soft, irregular pieces of ice with a high surface area. It cools quickly, molds around whatever it touches and doesn't bruise food. Typical uses:

For drinks served in a glass, flake melts too quickly; choose cube or nugget. See cube vs nugget vs flake ice and flake ice makers.

UFP0200A vs UFP0350A

Both are taller than a standard 34-36 inch counter, so plan them as freestanding units under a high counter, at the end of a line or in a prep area, rather than under a standard countertop. Check the installation manual for the required clearances around the cabinet.

Sizing flake ice

Flake ice is usually sized by volume of display, not by drinks. A common planning figure from Manitowoc and other manufacturers is about 30 lb of flake ice per cubic foot of display or bed.

Worked example: a seafood case. A 6-foot service case with an ice bed 30 inches deep and 3 inches thick holds about 6 x 2.5 x 0.25 = 3.75 cubic feet, or about 113 lb of flake ice. If the bed is rebuilt every morning and topped up by about a third through the day, the case uses about 150 lb a day. The UFP0200A (198 lb hot-day) covers that with some headroom; two cases need the UFP0350A.

Worked example: a salad bar. A 5-foot salad bar with a cold well 24 inches deep, filled 4 inches deep, holds about 5 x 2 x 0.33 = 3.3 cubic feet, or about 100 lb. Refreshed twice a day, that's about 200 lb. The UFP0350A (328 lb hot-day) is the safer choice, especially in a warm dining room.

Worked example: a clinic. Twenty ice packs a day at about 2 lb each is 40 lb, plus ice for drinks or patient water jugs. The UFP0200A is more than enough; its 50 lb bin covers a morning rush.

Bins are small relative to production on both models (50-60 lb against 200-330 lb a day), so these machines suit steady use through the day. For a large morning fill, such as a big display or a fish market, consider a modular flake head on a bin. See industrial flake ice machines.

Installation

• Water: cold potable water through a water filter with scale inhibitor. Flake machines freeze water on an evaporator and an auger scrapes it off continuously, so scale affects them more than cube machines.
• Drain: flake machines drain meltwater from the bin continuously. Provide a gravity drain with an air gap per local code.
• Electrical: UFP models are 115V / 60Hz. Use a dedicated circuit sized per the spec sheet.
• Air: these are air-cooled. Keep ventilation openings clear and avoid hot spots next to fryers or ovens; output falls as air temperature rises.
• Location: a level floor, accessible for cleaning and service.

Running costs

At an electricity price of $0.15 per kWh, an undercounter flake machine's energy cost depends mainly on how many pounds it makes. Flake machines use little water compared with cube machines, because almost all incoming water becomes ice rather than being flushed. Check the energy and water figures on each spec sheet and compare them at the output you actually need.

Maintenance

1. Clean and sanitize at least every six months, more often in dusty or high-yeast environments such as bakeries and breweries. Follow Manitowoc's cleaning procedure.
2. Change the water filter on schedule.
3. Clean the condenser so the machine keeps its hot-day output.
4. Check the drain so meltwater doesn't back up into the bin.
5. Use a scoop stored outside the ice. Never use a glass to scoop.

Read our maintenance checklist.

Manitowoc vs other flake machines

See Scotsman flake ice machines, undercounter flake ice machines and Manitowoc ice machines.

Flake ice and food safety

When flake ice is used to keep food cold, it becomes a coolant, not an ingredient. The FDA Food Code states that ice used as a coolant for food or food containers shall not be used afterward as food (§3-303.11). In practice:

• Use a separate scoop for display ice and never take drink ice from a seafood case or salad bar.
• Drain melted ice from displays so product doesn't sit in water.
• Replace display ice daily, and more often if it becomes soiled.
• Keep raw seafood and meat on ice that is separate from ready-to-eat items, or use pans and liners between them.

Undercounter flake or a modular flake head?

If your use comes in one big morning fill, storage matters more than production, and a modular head on a large bin is usually the better buy. See industrial flake ice machines and our flake ice for seafood and food display guide.

Healthcare uses

Hospitals and clinics use flake ice for ice packs, cold compresses and therapy, because it molds to the body. Manitowoc's undercounter flake machines suit a therapy room, athletic training room or clinic. For patient drinking ice, many hospitals prefer nugget ice, which is easier to chew and slower to melt in a cup. Read nugget vs flake ice for healthcare.

Flake ice in bars and blended drinks

Flake ice is not just for food. Bars and juice shops use it for:

• Frozen and blended drinks: it breaks down quickly, giving a smooth texture.
• Crushed-ice cocktails: juleps, swizzles and tiki drinks, where soft, packable ice is the point.
• Bottle displays: beer and wine buried in flake ice in a display tub.

For a bar that also needs cube ice, a small flake machine can sit alongside the main cuber. See commercial crushed ice machines.

Before you order: a quick checklist

• UFP model (115V / 60Hz) for U.S. sites, not UFK "AZ"
• Daily flake ice need estimated at about 30 lb per cubic foot of display
• Hot-day output (198 or 328 lb) compared with your use
• Bin (50-60 lb) compared with your busiest fill
• Height (37-1/2 to about 39-1/2 in.) and clearances checked
• Gravity drain with air gap, filtered water and dedicated circuit

Common mistakes

1. Ordering a UFK "AZ" model for a U.S. site. They are 230V / 50Hz.
2. Using flake ice in drinks. It melts too fast in a glass.
3. Expecting a big reserve. The bins hold 50-60 lb; plan for steady production.
4. No filter. Scale is the main cause of flake machine service calls.
5. Planning it under a 36-inch counter. Both models are about 37.5-39.5 inches tall.

Related collections

• Flake ice makers and undercounter flake ice machines
• Laboratory ice machines and healthcare ice machines
• Commercial crushed ice machines
• Manitowoc ice machines