Small businesses that do not need no more than 250 to 300 pounds of ice in a day and have limited space should look into an undercounter unit. These self-contained models combine the machine and bin all in one compact piece of equipment. Operations that need up to 1,000 pounds of ice in a 24 hour period will need a standard modular machine. For these machines, the ice maker is a separate unit from the bin. Both modular and undercounter units are ideally placed in a temperature controlled room because they produce hot air that is expelled into the building interior. If the air temperature is not kept cool in the summer months, the hot air the machines give off will negatively affect both your customers’ comfort and the machine’s performance.
Businesses that need over 1,000 pounds of ice in a day should consider a machine with a remote condenser. For these units, the condenser is outside, and refrigeration lines connect the condenser to the cube ice machine inside. Machines with remote condensers also help decrease summer air conditioning costs because any heat produced by the machine is expelled outside.