The Stone Cold Facts About Ice Machines

Despite our clairvoyant groundhog's prediction, Louisiana natives know that warmer temperatures are right around the corner. Our Infamous 2 month long winters give way to a short-lived spring followed by a seemingly eternal summer. As the scorching temperatures of summer melt away the cool mornings, and the constant barrage of humidity turns our fair state into a sauna, keeping cool becomes a top priority for everyone. Whether that involves a tow rope and a pair of skis, an ice chest by the pool, or daiquiris at your favorite watering hole, one thing is mandatory for any of your warm weather endeavors, Ice! If you’re looking to keep drinks cold, food fresh, or customers well lubricated, you can’t afford to run out of ice.

Whether you’re looking to replace your restaurant's current machine that’s on its last leg, or if you just like the idea of your own ice machine in your outdoor kitchen, Hilton’s has what you’re looking for. We carry a variety of sizes and styles in reliable, top name brands such as Manitowoc and Hoshizaki at the lowest prices in the area. But what if you’re not sure what size you need, or what style cube you would like? Well, our knowledgeable staff can certainly help you, but for those of you who like to research on your own we have a bit of information you might find useful.

Understanding Production Yield

You’re getting ready to open your business and you know you need an ice machine, but how do you decide what size you need? Well, there are several factors that play into determining the size machine that’s right for you, but we will get into those shortly. First, let’s go over production yields. If a machine says it produces 250lbs of ice in a 24 hour period that should be pretty self-explanatory right? You would think so, but you have to consider testing conditions. That particular machine may produce 250lbs/day where it is tested in Wisconsin, where their ambient water temperature is 50°F. However, for us in Louisiana, our ambient water temperature is closer to 70°F so that will drop the yield. Furthermore, where the machine is stored will also affect the production yield. A poorly ventilated supply closet vs. a well ventilated open area will also affect the amount your machine produces. These factors can drop the overall production of your machine by close to 25lbs/day.

So, with that in mind, what size machine do you need? Still not sure? Well, there are some calculations available that should aid you in your efforts (don’t worry, we aren't talking about advanced trigonometry). The first step in calculating your ice needs is identifying what type of business you have. A business, such as a bar, which only serves drinks needs to factor in more ice per person in the building than say a restaurant. This table should make things a bit more clear.

With the helpful guidelines from this table you should be able to determine how many pounds of ice you need for each person in your establishment. With that knowledge, you can assess roughly how many people you will serve in a day. Keep in mind the added strain peak business hours will have on your storage capacity. Also, a helpful rule is to factor an additional 10% to 20% for unexpected events to make sure that you have enough ice stored to keep you covered.

Types of Ice

Another factor when purchasing an ice machine is the style of ice it produces. There are several different styles and sizes ranging from diced cubes, crescent shape, nugget or bullet ice, top hat cubes, all the way to flaked ice; there are even custom options available. If you’re looking to pack a display for fresh seafood, you’re most likely looking for a flaked ice machine. If you like to snack on the soft, chewable ice you see from fountain drink machines, you want a compressed ice machine. The key to finding what style you need is identifying what you’re using the ice for (and personal preference plays a factor). Among the multitude if different types of ice, they all boil down to 3 main types of production: cubed, flaked, and compressed.

Cubed Ice

Cubed ice is just what it sounds like, it ranges in shapes and sizes from 1 inch cubes to 2 inch crescents, to top hat shapes, down to 1/8^th inch diced cubelets. This is the most widely known type of ice and is used for just about every purpose you could have for ice.

Flaked Ice

Flaked ice is what you see in packed seafood displays. It’s very fine “snow” that is shaved off a large block of ice. It’s best for packing around food or drinks or making frozen drinks and snow cones. As it would melt very quickly, it is not ideal for serving in drinks.

Compressed Ice

Compressed ice is best described as flaked ice that is compressed together and pushed through a colander of sorts and then chopped into tiny, chewable cubelets. This is what you see in fountain drink machines and is a favorite of people who enjoy snacking on ice.

While the specifics of what ice machine you need may be a bit more detailed, this guide should provide the basics for determining what options would best suit your needs, and with Hilton's great deals and our flat rate shipping, the key to keeping cool this year could be at your door in days.

Take a look at these tips for cleaning your ice machine.