Choosing a Manitowoc Ice Machine

Manitowoc makes some of the most popular, best-functioning ice machines in the commercial market, but their selection is also full of different models, ice types, features, and functions. Choosing the best Manitowoc ice machine can be overwhelming due to the variety of choices available, but the best way to narrow them down is to decide which ice type you need. Manitowoc makes ice machines for all types of drinks, and if you can narrow it down to cube, half-cube, gourmet, flake, or nugget ice, your choice is almost made for you.

What Makes Good Ice?

The different types of ice vary primarily in shape, size, and density, but the way these factors interact with cooling off a drink can get complicated. All ice will cool off a glass of water, soda, or whatever else you might wish to serve, but certain types will do so faster or for a longer period of time. Each type of Manitowoc ice comes with an "ice-to-water" ratio, which measures what percentage of the cube is frozen and what remains water. Many Manitowoc ice types are 100 percent ice, meaning the ice is hard and not ideal for chewing. Nugget and flake ice tend to be softer, so they have a lower percentage of total ice per piece.

Surface area determines how quickly ice will cool down a drink as increased surface area gives heat more room to escape the drink and enter the ice. That means smaller pieces of ice, such as nugget ice, will cool a drink faster; it also means the ice will melt faster. This is why nugget ice is typically used in larger quantities than cube ice. Small amounts of nugget ice will melt too quickly and water down the drink. Larger pieces of ice, such as gourmet cubes, take a long time to melt, making them ideal for quality cocktails and liquors that you want to ensure aren't watered down.

Ice-to-water ratio determines how hard or chewable ice is, as well as how efficiently it'll cool drinks.
Surface area determines how quickly the ice will cool a drink and how soon the ice will melt.

Which Manitowoc Ice Machine Do I Need?

The different types of Manitowoc ice machine are made to fulfill various commercial ice-making needs, and choosing the right one can make a big difference for your business. Nugget ice is great in a soft drink but wouldn't work nearly as well in an expensive cocktail. Half-cube ice is the most common choice, but if your business doesn't intend to use ice primarily to cool water and soft drinks, you might be wasting your money. We'll go over the types of Manitowoc ice here to help you choose the best Manitowoc ice machine for your commercial needs.

Sidenote: Manitowoc calls its cube ice variants "dice" and "half-dice," but for clarity, we use the standard "cube" and "half-cube" descriptors.

Manitowoc Half-cube Ice Makers

Half-cube ice makers are the middle point of Manitowoc's line: the base model, jack-of-all-trades, pretty-good-in-all-situations type of ice. Half cubes are great for keeping water, soft drinks, iced tea, and most other beverages cold, and if you have no idea what type of ice you need for your beverage, half cubes are a good starting place. Half-cube ice provides a good balance between speed of cooling and longevity of the ice. For everyday service with soft drinks and water, half cube will be the size and shape your customers are accustomed to.

Manitowoc half-cube ice is 100 percent ice with a large surface area, meaning it cools drinks down fast and won't melt as quickly as nugget ice.
Middle of the road; good for almost any purpose.
Consider this Indigo NXT for large-volume half-cube ice production.
Consider this option for smaller volumes.
Consider this NEO unit if you need an undercounter ice maker.

Manitowoc Full-cube Ice Makers

Cube ice is like half-cube ice if you doubled it. These large cubes of ice aren't as common as half cube. They last longer and don't water down your drinks as much as half cubes do, but they also don't cool drinks as efficiently because there's less surface area. Cube ice is great for specialty drinks as your guests will have longer to enjoy your concoction before the ice melts and waters down the flavor. On the other hand, if you're trying to get unrefrigerated water or soda down to a pleasant temperature, half-cube ice will do so quicker. Cube ice is also great for bagging or cooling down large volumes, such as in a portable cooler or cold holding bar.

Manitowoc cube ice is 100 percent ice with a smaller surface area than half cube. It doesn't cool down the drink as quickly as half cube, but it won't melt as fast, either.
Best choice for cooling in bulk, bagged ice, coolers, etc.
Consider this Indigo NXT for large-volume full-cube ice production.
Consider this option for smaller volumes.
Consider this NEO unit if you need an undercounter cube ice maker.

Manitowoc Gourmet Ice Makers

Gourmet ice, also known as top hat ice, is used for gourmet drinks – usually high-end liquor and non-blended cocktails. Gourmet ice is the largest of Manitowoc's ice choices and is suited specifically for these niche purposes. If you aren't serving expensive drinks, gourmet ice cubes will probably not be appreciated, but with any drink that your customer is going to savor, long-lasting gourmet ice can step your presentation up a notch. Gourmet ice is the slowest to melt, meaning it has the least impact on the overall flavor of your drink, but if you want to cool something down quickly, gourmet ice will also be the slowest of the major types to do so.

Manitowoc gourmet ice is 100 percent ice with the least surface area of any option. It lasts a long time and won't water down the drink, but it's not ideal for water and soft drinks.
Best choice for high-end drinks, Scotch, and other liquors.
Consider the SM50A undercounter gourmet ice maker for bar use. Great for making your specialty drinks feel special.

Manitowoc Nugget Ice Makers

Nugget ice is the most chewable type of ice commonly in use. You may know it as Sonic ice, for the fast food chain that has popularized it. Many customers will go out of their way to find a place that offers nugget ice, so offering this style can potentially drive business. Chewable nugget ice is usually about 90 percent ice, and the extra space left for water is what makes the ice chewable. It also means nugget ice can absorb the flavors of whatever drink it's put in, leaving your customers a delicious crunchy slush after they finish their beverage. Guests will expect more nugget ice than they would with another type, which decreases the amount you spend on the drink but increases the amount you spend on ice. If you opt for a higher-output machine, your overall ice costs can be reduced.

Manitowoc nugget ice is great if you want chewable ice for your customers. Nugget ice melts fast, so more ice is needed per cup. However, this can save you money on drinks.
Best choice for chewable ice, soft drinks, and a unique experience.
Consider this nugget ice machine head for large-volume nugget ice production.

Manitowoc Flake Ice Makers

Flake ice is used primarily for display purposes and healthcare needs. Because flake ice has the smallest pieces, it's the easiest to shape around a display item. It's also the lowest percent ice of any type at around 73 percent, which means it'll melt incredibly quickly if you use it to cool down drinks. Flake ice is also frequently used for healthcare patients who have trouble swallowing as the ice provides a slow drip of water as it melts.

Manitowoc flake ice is best for creating attractive displays and for healthcare uses. You would very rarely use flake ice for cooling beverages.
Best choice for displays and medical use.
Consider this flake ice machine head for large-volume ice production.
Consider this option for smaller volumes.

So, Which Manitowoc Ice Machine Do I Need?

This guide covers the best Manitowoc ice machine by ice type to help you decide on a reliable Manitowoc ice style that fits your business. You'll also need to determine how much ice production you need, which type of condenser fits your business, and what size ice bin you need, if any. All of these questions are explored in depth in our comprehensive ice maker buyers' guide. For an easy rule of thumb, a restaurant needs 1.5 pounds of ice per customer, while a cocktail lounge needs 3 pounds of ice per customer. If you serve lots of blended drinks or like to serve cups full of nugget ice, that can increase your estimate substantially. Keep in mind that your machine's estimated ice production per day is how much it'll produce over the course of a full 24 hours, depending on ambient conditions. If you use all the ice over the course of lunch, it's not going to be refilled by dinnertime.

A hefty ice bin can help you cope with rushes since a low-volume machine can fill up an ice bin in your downtimes, and then you'll have enough to serve during busy times. Still, your ice machine won't produce more than its estimated volume per day.

Once you've decided on an ice type, volume, and bin, you're ready to make a purchase with the backing of Manitowoc's name, warranty, and history of quality products.