3 Easy Steps to Choose a Commercial Ice Machine & Other Top Tips Infographic

A. The amount of time till first ice production is dependent on a number of factors including the size of the ice machine, the type of unit and the brand. A rough approximation could be anywhere from 20+ minutes. This gives the equipment enough time to pull down to temperature and for the continuous flow of water to build up the layers of ice.

A. Some professional ice makers do allow for the size of ice to be adjusted. Some models of ice machine from Hoshizaki have interchangeable plates that can be fitted to create different size or shape ice, all from the same piece of equipment. Other manufacturers such as Blizzard and Ice-O-Matic, don't change the actual size of the cube, but the thickness. The specific process to change the size of ice will depend on the manufacturer and the machine. Typically, thickness will be adjusted by altering the length of the freeze cycle - the longer the cycle, the larger or thicker the cube and vice versa. This means that you can produce a greater volume of thinner ice in the same amount of time as it takes to produce less ice or a smaller quantity of thicker square ice.

A. Bar ice machines have an automatic shut off feature in the storage bin so that when ice fills the bin and reaches a certain level, ice output and production will stop. As ice levels drop, throughout service in pubs and bars, the machine will resume making ice. This function ensures that ice bins never overflow.

A. Some bar ice makers create individual cubes and so separation isn't an issue, however others produce a pre-defined sheet or slab of ice. As sheets of ice are harvested and fall into the ice bin, they will generally break apart into separate cubes. This sometimes doesn't happen and ice remains frozen together in a block. This can be issue when thicker cubes are made using a longer freezing cycle and also if the ice bin is relatively full, meaning that ice don't have as far to drop. You can break up any clumps of ice by simply giving it a few carefully placed blows with your ice scoop.

A. This depends on the drink and the type of business serving. A standard soft drink will use between 0.12 and 0.2kg per drink. This could be a half pint of soft drink in a pub with 4-5 ice cubes or a large drink in a fast food restaurant where the cup is filled with ice.

A. The size of the display deck and the desired depth of the bed of ice will determine how much flaked ice is required however as a general rule 1.5 - 2kg of flaked ice is recommended per 1kg of fish. Ice can be loaded directly onto display decks or alternatively can be placed in multiple plastic trays which are then placed on the deck. This makes replenishing of ice as it melts and cleaning at the end of the day easier.

A. Most foods should be displayed at 5°C or lower. Meats, fresh fish and seafood should ideally be between -2°C and +2°C. This is prevent the growth of bacteria resulting in the food being unsafe to eat. Read more about the food danger zone and safe storage and display temperatures.

A. The type of ice and how the ice is made will dictate how long it stays solid for. Different sizes and shapes of ice will have different melting rates. The length of time that ice remains solid will also rely on what it is used for (display, drinks or medical uses) and the ambient temperatures of the surrounding environment.

A. Yes. Ice is made up of water that can contain bacteria and germs, which will be dormant when ice is frozen however can contaminate food and drink as it melts. Ice machine cleaning and santitisation must be carried out regularly and correctly, not only to limit bacteria but also prevent any mould from a dirty ice machine from contaminating ice.