Commercial Ice Machines for Restaurants and Bars
The catalog price is the head. The decision is whether you will have ice on Saturday: the right pounds, the right ice, a tech who will show up, and an install that fits the hole.
Start with size. Then price the full ticket. Then decide lease versus buy. Compare brands only after you know the class.
Start here
- Size calculator: covers or bar seats to lb/day, undercounter vs modular, bin range. Live tool. Starting number, not a load calc.
- Cost / TCO: what the catalog leaves out (install, bin, filter, drain, who owns the service call).
- Lease vs buy: cash vs monthly, term, when a rental wins.
- Hoshizaki vs Manitowoc: pick the cube brand your tech can service on Saturday.
- Best commercial ice machines 2026: roundup by job, not a model-number list.
Locked sizing defaults
Restaurant: 1.5–2 lb ice per cover. Bar: ~3 lb per seat. Add a 20% buffer. Take 10–30% off in a hot kitchen. Bin: 40–60% of daily production.
Cube for drinks. Nugget for QSR and chew. Flake for seafood and display. Different machines, not a setting.
Buy path or dealer path
Shop equipment by category if you already have plumber, electrician, and a tech:
Lease, install, water, drain, and the Saturday call are local. Use the dealer quote form (lease/rental, buy, or not sure) with covers, ice type, and photos of the proposed spot.