Air Cooled vs. Water Cooled Ice Machines

Manitowoc SD-0422A

When you begin shopping for ice machines, you will find that you have two main options to consider: air cooled and water cooled. How do you know which of these options will be best when you need an ice machine for your business? This is something that you will need to know a bit more about in order to make the right decision. The best thing to do will be to consider the benefits of each type so that you can determine which benefits matter the most to you. Here is what you need to consider about air cooled and water cooled ice machines.

Air Cooled

Air cooled ice machines, like the RN1408A-261 from Manitowoc,  are, by far, the easiest to install. You will be able to install your own ice machine without professional help. Additionally, the air cooled models will be more cost effective. Since they do not use as much water to create and cool the ice, the machines are more energy efficient.

Air cooled ice machines often are used in commercial kitchens because they can provide high capacity output at a relatively low cost. This could be the right option for you.

Water Cooled

Your second option will be the water cooled ice machine, like the KM-650MWH from Hoshizaki. This type of machine will have a definite advantage. Since it uses water to keep the ice cool, you will not have to worry about keeping it in a cool environment. Water cooled ice machines do not use as much electricity so it can be quite energy efficient. Additionally, the machines run very quietly, making them a good option when used in a public environment.

Water cooled ice machines are a good option any time that the machine must be in a warmer place. They are often used in outdoor areas.

Which is best for your business: air cooled or water cooled? Consider where you will be placing your commercial ice machine and what factors are most important to you. Cook's Direct has a wide variety of restaurant equipment and kitchen supplies including a full line of ice machines, hotel/motel ice dispensers,  ice bins and ice dispensers along with water filters for ice machines.

For more helpful information about purchasing an ice machine, check our our Ice Machine Buyering Guide.

Vendor Spotlight: Ice-O-Matic

Cook's Direct offers access to a wide variety of ice machines for almost any situation. Each brand, vendor, and model of machine has its own qualities that could make it a perfect option for an individual situation. Choosing the right brand can often be a matter of preference as well as need. One vendor that definitely deserves attention and consideration would be Ice-O-Matic. This vendor focuses on providing the purest and cleanest ice in a straightforward manner without a great deal of bells and whistles. With Ice-O-Matic, it is all about the ice.

Ice-O-Matic is a company that has been in business for more than 60 years. Based out of Denver, Colorado, the Ice-O-Matic focuses on a variety of ice machine options to suit any type of need. Their ice machines, like the Half Cube Style Ice Machine  ICE Series ICE0250HT,  and ice dispensers, like the Pearl Ice Maker,  provide ice choices and size choices, but there are certain qualities that come with each model. These traits include the following:

·       AgION antimicrobial compound, which is completely food safe and designed to make  the ice safe and sanitized.

·       Built in water filtration for the cleanest water possible used for the ice making process.

·       Designs that are made to be space saving and practical.

·       Designed to be long lasting so that they do not have to be replaced often.

Ice-O-Matic has been in business for a long enough time to know what a business needs. This is why they offer a variety of ice machines, ice bins and ice dispensers with plenty of options for any type of business. Whether you need to consider undercounter ice machine models like the ICE Series Cube Ice Maker  ICEU220HA, full size models or other choices like Ice-O-Matic water filters and storage, you will find that Ice-O-Matic has plenty of choices. Each model is designed to provide clean, sanitized ice and each model is designed to be simple and straightforward to use. This is why Cook's Direct is proud to offer the line of Ice-O-Matic machines to you.

Vendor Spotlight: Follett Ice Machines

When you need to shop for restaurant equipment and choose ice machines or ice dispensers, then you will need access to a number of different options. Cooks Direct ensures that you have those options so that you can pick an  ice machine, ice bin or ice and water dispenser that will work best for you. One option that you could choose from would be the Follett brand. This vendor has been in existence since 1948, meaning that the company has more than 60 years of experience creating the type of ice makers and dispensers that work well for companies in the food service industry.



Follett Symphony Ice and Water Dispenser



The Follett company is based out of Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and has grown enough to need a second facility which is located in Poland. Follett offers a variety of ice makers that provide a choice between flake ice machines and or Chewblet or Nugget Style small piece ice machines. Additionally, the company provides a choice between ice makers, ice bins like the SG1010S-48 with the exclusive Smartgate which helps you control ice flow, ice dispensers and other food service options. The dispensers that Follett offers can include an ice only dispensers, an ice and water dispensers,  like the bestselling Follett Symphony countertop Ice and Water Dispenser, or various configurations of the two.

Follett offers ice makers, ice bins and ice dispensers that are designed specifically for usage. These machines aren't  necessarily filled with gadgetry or high tech tools. Instead, they are designed to work well, provide clean and sanitized ice and offer energy and space efficient options so that your machines do not use an inordinate amount of energy and do not take up an inordinate amount of space.

Cooks Direct offers a whole line of Follett Ice machines, including ice dispensers and ice makers or a combination of the two. By choosing Follett, you will be able to choose from a variety of different machines to suit your own business need. No matter your preference or concern for your business, whether it is space, speed, or ability, you will find choices that you could pick in the Follett brand.

Vendor Spotlight: Hoshizaki

Cook's Direct offers a whole line of ice machines from various companies. This way, each customer will have more options from which to choose and so that there will be a proper ice machine for each situation. One vendor that you will find here is the Hoshizaki brand. This brand includes a 65 year history of providing a variety of food service style ice machines.

Hoshizaki America is based out of Peachtree City, Georgia and provides a variety of machines that are Energy Star certified. The machines are available included a number of options, such as ice type. Hoshizaki offers crescent style ice machines including a low profile ice  machine,  cube style ice machines and flake style ice makers including a slim line machine so that you will be able to choose an option that will work for you. Additionally, the company provides different types of machines, including stand alone and under the counter ice machine models. The machines are available for such choices as low profile or slim series or high capacity models so that you have choices. The variety will provide options to suit any business need without having to sacrifice one option for the other.  

When it comes to positives, the Hoshizaki Ice Machine company focuses on providing machines that include the following:

• Energy Star certification and has an Energy Star Award for Excellence
• The patented CycleSaver design that better regulates water use and machine cycling
• Digital control board to help provide preventative care and maintenance
• The use of the antimicrobial agent, H-Guard plus for health and safety
• Design that offers easy sanitation also for health and safety

Hoshizaki has been providing food service products for more than 50 years. That means the company has the ability to determine what customers need and provide for those needs through a variety of cubed or flake style ice machines. Cooks Direct is proud to offer the line of machines so that you could choose them for your own business.

This week's focus is on Ice Machine's and their makers!



Nugget Style Ice - the chewable ice


With summer coming, ice production becomes increasingly important for the foodservice industry.  The rising temperatures drive up demand for all things cold and that means more ice! With that in mind, I will be using this week to focus on the different restaurant equipment manufacturers in the ice machine world.  You will be able to learn in greater detail about Hoshizaki, Follett and Ice-O-Matic. 

We have written about ice machines in the past here but the topic is a vast one and there are many different manufacturers and many different types of ice machines, including ice dispensers, hotel/motel ice dispensers, undercounter ice machines and ice bins.  Past blog topics have included a spotlight on Scotsman Prodigy Ice Machines.  Scotsman is one of our more popular brands of ice machines along with Manitowoc.  There's even an article in our Cook's Direct Resource Center detailing the Scotsman Ice Machine vs Manitowoc Ice Machine.

Another way that ice machines and their manufacturers get classified are by the type of ice that the machines make.  Did you know that there are three types of ice?  We actually break the machines out into five different types, but that's because we're digging even deeper into ice type by your customer's preference.  There are Cube Style Ice Machines along with Half Cube Style Ice Machines and Crescent Style Ice Machines which produce ice cubes that are used for drinks.  Nugget Style Ice Machines are also perfect for beverages too and often preferred because they are considered 'chewable'.  Finally there are Flake Style Ice Machines, which produce ice flakes that are perfect for food and beverage presentation, like packing foods in ice on a display.  Flake Style Ice is also good for food transport because it can be packed tighly to maintain a food safe temperature for a longer duration. 

So stayed tuned this week for an introduction to more manufacturers of ice machines.  We've also got a planned update on the benefits of using an ice machine water filter, like the Insurice from EverPure, that should be enlightening.  It's also important to consider all the possible ice machine accessories like the easy to use Dormont Ice Maker Install Kit, available to you, like ice machine water filters, to get the best possible production and efficiency out of your ice machine investment.  And finally, don't forget to Get the Scoop on Ice Scoops right here!