Ice machines are important requirements for nearly every commercial establishment. Offices and office lounges are where employees spend a better part of their week, and easy access to chilly refreshments is a great way to unwind after a day’s work. Ice machines offer a continuous supply to keep your employees hydrated and energized. In this article, we discuss the best choices you can make for your employees before purchasing a commercial ice maker for your office.
Commercial Ice Makers
Ice makers are unique commercial refrigeration units that produce large quantities of the amorphous, chilly solid. Utilizing various mechanisms, and available in a range of sizes and models, commercial ice makers for offices are an important addition to the breakroom or the cafeteria. The size of your workforce, the number of breaks your employees take, and the expected number of visitors each week should be factored into your choice of commercial ice maker. There also exist unique combination machines that dispense both ice and water through a single unit. Ice and water dispensers work on similar mechanisms as commercial ice machines.
Why Your Office Needs an Ice Maker
While most of your office space is used for productivity, areas like conference halls, cafeterias, and lounges can make great use of an ice machine. Ice makers for offices and office lounges can help your workers, visitors, and clients stay refreshed and hydrated. Sometimes a mere two cubes or nuggets can make all the difference in your drink. You can also purchase a combined ice and water dispenser that doubles up to hydrate your workforce at nearly the same price.
Choosing The Best Commercial Ice Maker For Office Lounges
Before you pick the ice maker for your office, be sure to make the following considerations:
Type of Ice Maker
While ice makers are available in several types, some of the most popular variants are as follows:
Air-Cooled: These ice makers are some of the most energy-efficient in the market. They utilize air to cool the coils of the condenser and are effective even in extremely hot climates.
Water-Cooled: While not as energy-efficient as their air-cooled counterpart, water-cooled ice makers are still viable and effective options in case you live in a temperate area. As the name suggests, these ice makers use water to cool the condenser rods.
Remote: These ice machines have separate dispensing and condenser units. The condenser unit is often placed in a different room to avoid noise pollution.
Size
The size of the ice maker depends on a variety of factors:
The size of your workforce.
The number of break rooms, conference halls, lounges, and cafeterias at your workplace.
The frequency of breaks your workforce is entitled.
The number of expected visitors and clients per week.
Office ice maker volumes are decided directly by the above factors. It is important to consider these factors prior to making a choice. Commercial ice makers for offices are available in two main sizes:
Countertop: These are small commercial ice makers that are ideally suited to small break rooms and cafeterias. These machines directly dispense ice to a cup without the requirement of a dispensing bin.
Modular: Larger ice makers that can produce ice upwards of 500 lbs a day are called modular ice machines. The productivity of these machines can also be scaled up in the future as some of them are stackable, which also helps you save up on office space. Due to the large volume of ice produced by these machines, ice is dispensed into a dispensing bin which is often a separate unit.
Water & Ice Dispensers: These are specialized water and ice machines that dispense both with lever or button features for easy dispensation. Water and ice dispensers for offices can help you save money by combining two functionalities into one machine. They follow similar principles of cooling as ice makers and conventional refrigerators. They’re available in both countertop and modular size variants.
Maintenance & Output
Factors like temperature, hardness of water, cleanliness, and general maintenance of the office ice machine not only affect the output but also have an impact on the lifespan of the machine.
Some units might function better and last longer if a connected water filtration unit is linked to the machine. Weekly cleaning and maintenance of the machine are necessary to dispense hygienic and food-grade ice for your workforce.
The Best Ice Machines For Offices
Here are some of the best ice machines for your office ranked according to their popularity among our buyers: 
Scotsman HID525AB-1 Nugget Ice Machine with Bin & Water Dispenser
Scotsman ice machines have been some of the most popular and efficient appliances in the market. The HID525AB-1 is a sleek combination ice machine that makes ice and also dispenses water. This model is aesthetically pleasing due to its minimalistic approach to gross design and its stainless steel finish. It even comes with a 25 lb ice dispensing bin for storage. This ice maker comes with a per-day yield of 500 lbs, and includes a stainless steel base and stand supporting the entire unit. The unit produces high-quality nugget ice of dimensions 3/4" x 5/16" x 3/8". Due to the removable nature of the grill and greaseless attachments, maintenance is easier. Push-button dispensation makes for hassle-free usage. Chef Buyer offers this unit at $5498.
Hoshizaki DCM-500BAH Nugget Ice Maker & Water Dispenser
The Hoshizaki brand offers some of the most premium ice machine ranges available in the market. DCM-500BAH produces over 600 lbs of ice in a day and holds a dispensing bin with a capacity of over 40 lbs. It produces food-grade and high-quality nugget and cubelet ice that can be used for both beverages and chewing. The entire unit is finished with pristine stainless steel, making it easier to clean and pleasant to behold. DCM-500BAH comes equipped with an H-GUARD Plus antimicrobial unit integrated with the mainframe, making for safe and quality-compliant ice and water dispensation. The unit also features a CleanCycle 24 mechanism that flushes the tubes every hour to prevent the buildup of sediments. The unit comes with 3-year parts and labor warranty, along with a 5-year compressor warranty. Chef Buyer offers this appliance at $5980.
Manitowoc CNF0202A Countertop Nugget Ice Maker & Water Dispenser
Another household name in the ice machine industry, Manitowoc’s CNF0202A model is capable of producing over 300 lbs. of ice per day. The appliance makes nugget ice that can be chewed on or added to beverages. Though a countertop model, nothing stops it from competing even with the larger models occupying much greater space. It comes with a storage capacity of 20 lbs., and also dispenses water. With an ingenious push button configuration, the machine can dispense either ice and water or just ice or water. The aesthetics of the appliance are modern and the steel finish is embellished with an LED lighting. Its body boasts a scratch-proof coating and is available at Chef Buyer for the price of $4642.
Scotsman HID540AW-1 Meridian Wall Mount Ice Maker & Water Dispenser
Scotsman makes ice making, dispensation, and space-saving easier with the wall mountable HID540AW-1 Meridian. The unit is capable of producing over 500 lbs. of nugget ice per day and also comes with a dispenser that can hold up to 40 lbs. of ice. It dispenses ice directly into the cup or container, by passing any chances of contamination while collecting the ice with a scoop. AgION antimicrobial unit added to the dispensing makes the ice produced safe to consume. It comes with a sink at the bottom that avoids any spills while collecting the ice. With some of the smallest surface areas occupied, this model is also one of the most efficient ones considering its size. Chef Buyer offers this unit for a price of $6127.
Chef Buyer prides itself on customer satisfaction and assures authentic and verified purchases. We can cater to all of your office ice machine requirements with a large range of appliances and customized solutions for your workplace. All our units are available in our online catalogs for your browsing. Chef Buyer also regularly uploads buying guides and blogs to make your shopping experience more informed and convenient. All queries can be addressed to us directly either via email or telephone, and we’ll do our best to help you purchase the best commercial ice machine for your office.
