If you are setting up a new restaurant, then you need to choose the right appliances and equipment for your kitchen. You will need to buy an appropriately sized oven and other equipment to help you prepare and serve each meal and drinks. Of course, most people prefer to have their soft drinks or cocktails cold so a commercial ice maker will be towards the top of your list. However, there are many different types of ice machines, so which is best for your situation?

Full-Scale

Today, it's possible to get a full-scale ice machine that will produce ice in all its various forms. You may opt for one of these larger pieces of equipment, although they are the costlier solution, or you may want to choose a specific type of ice as you look for the right machine.

Nuggets

For example, your restaurant may specialise in serving specialty drinks or blended cocktails. Alternatively, you may be focusing on an "all-you-can-eat" approach where various food items are on constant display in a buffet. In this case, you will need a nugget ice maker so that you can form cubelets of small ice. This type of ice is perfect as it helps to keep that salad fresh. Nuggets will also spice up your specialty drink. Nuggets of ice can also be chewed with great satisfaction by some people, which may make your concoctions even more palatable.

Flakes

You can also get machines that produce ice in tiny flakes. These flakes are much smaller than nuggets and are favoured by some institutions. You can also use this type of ice to help keep that buffet going for as long as possible.

Full and Half

Traditionally, ice will be served in cubes, but cubes could be either full size or halved. This may be a matter of preference or may be dictated by the size of your serving glasses. The smaller cubes are more versatile and may be more popular with younger drinkers, while the full-size variety is typically favoured when serving larger drinks. In the summertime, you will find that full-size ice cubes are a lifesaver as they still cool the drink but melt at a slower rate, which means people can take their time to enjoy their beverage.

Making Your Choice

Choose your icemaking machine according to the type of restaurant, the style of food or drink and the preference of the customer. Talk with your commercial kitchen equipment supplier to discuss the various options.