Commercial vs Industrial Ice Machines: What’s the Difference?

Commercial vs Industrial Ice Machines: What’s the Difference?

Wednesday 19 April 2023

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If you’re pondering the question posed by the title of our latest blog, then you’re probably in the running to get an ice machine for your business. It’s important to make sure that you get the correct one – and not just opt for one that you think is probably right. So how can you differentiate between commercial and industrial ice makers, and make sure you invest in a machine that will exactly suit your purpose and serve your needs?

Commercial Ice Machines

This type of ice machine is suited to businesses operating in food and drink-related industries - perfect for bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs, shops which serve chilled food. Commercial ice machines are available at various scales suitable for different sorts of establishment, and can deliver different types of ice – cube, flake and so on. These larger sized ice machines can produce the ice a bar needs to use in cocktails and the ice a fishmonger needs to display wares, as well as the more common cubes to be used anywhere serving drinks, of course.

There are different types and sizes of commercial ice machine available, including modular machines which are slightly larger and therefore suitable for bigger businesses needing to use more ice per day. Undercounter ice machines are generally designed for smaller or more compact areas – perhaps under the bar of a pub or restaurant.

You can check out commercial ice machines by visiting Ice4, where you will find many machines available for sale and for lease.

Industrial Ice Machines

As the name suggests, industrial ice machines are suited to industrial applications – that is, businesses which require quantities of ice on a much larger or more frequent scale, perhaps during a production process. Industrial flake ice machines are highly suitable for use in food production, particularly the fish, meat and bakery industries. 

Bakeries

There is a key benefit in using flake ice to the success of production in baking, as it cools and allows control of the dough temperature and can slow down yeast growth.

Meat

In storage terms for the meat industry, flake ice is perfect as it can mould itself to the shape of the meat and therefore have increased surface area which means the temperature is kept down for longer. Flake ice machines can also produce quality ice which be used in various production processes including sausages.

Fish

Chip ice produced in industrial ice machines is used in the fish industry, right through from the catch on the boat to the processing, cleaning and shipping of the product, and then in the presentation in the supermarket or on the market.

To meet your specific needs, it’s best to consider the differences between commercial and industrial ice machines. While it’s true that both produce ice, will the one you pick be exactly right for you? Talk to us here at Ice Systems, where we have flake ice machines for sale or rental - whatever your needs, we make sure you get the perfect machine for your business.