Here’s the “scoop” on the size & shape of ice cubes and why that matters to your business.
The shape and size of ice cubes matter, so choosing the right ice machine that can make the right type of ice specific to your industry or customer demand is important.
It seems everyone has their own preference and favorite ice shapes, so we’ve put together this reference guide to help you make the best choice for your business.
Commercial Full Dice Ice
Description: Commercial Cubes – also known as – Full Cube, Regular Cube, Dice, Square Cube, or Dice Ice are one of the most common types and often used for fountain drinks, bagged ice, or mixed drinks.
Shape: Rhomboid / Square / Rectangular
Ice-to-Water Ratio: 100%
Melt Speed: Slow
Applications: Large Volume Bars, Baggers, Restaurants
Ice Machine Makes/ Models for Full Dice: Manitowoc INDIGO NXT Series iT0900, iT1900, iF0500N, iF0900N; Manitowoc NEO® 140/190, NEO® 310; Manitowoc Hotel Dispensers SPA-160, SFA-191
Commercial Half Dice Ice
Description: Commercial Half Cubes – also known as – Half Dice and Small Cubes are often used for fountain drinks, bagged ice, mixed drinks, or ice dispensing.
Shape: Rhomboid / Rectangular (Smaller version of the regular cube)
Ice-to-Water Ratio: 100%
Melt Speed: Slow
Applications: Restaurants, bars, convenience stores, or any commercial kitchen
Ice Machine Makes/ Models for Half Dice: Manitowoc INDIGO NXT Series iF0300, iF0500N, iF0900N, iT0420, iT0450, iT0620, iT0750, iT0900, iT1200, iT500, iT1900; Manitowoc NEO® 140/190, NEO® 240, NEO® 310; Manitowoc Hotel Dispensers SPA-160, SFA-191
Commercial Nugget Ice
Description: Commercial nugget – also known as – Pearl ice, Cubelet, Chewblet, Pebble, Pellet, or “Sonic Ice” is often used for soft drinks, frozen blended drinks, and for various healthcare purposes.
Shape: Small, Round Cylindrical “Pellets”
Ice-to-Water Ratio: 90%
Melt Speed: Slightly quicker than cube ice
Applications: Restaurants, bars, ice dispensing, hospitals
Ice Machine Makes/Models for Nugget Ice: Manitowoc CNF0201, CNF0202, RNF0320A, RNF0620, RNF1100, UNFF0200A/UNF0300A
Commercial Flake Ice
Description: Commercial flake is often used for chilled buffet foods, meat & seafood displays, sushi, oysters, blended cocktails, or medical purposes.
Shape: Small, soft bits
Ice-to-Water Ratio: 73%
Melt Speed: Rapid
Applications: Displays, food presentations, or often medical applications rather than drinking purposes.
Ice Machine Makes/ Models for Flake Ice: Manitowoc Flake Ice Machines RFF0320A, RFF0620A, RFF1300, RFF2500A , UFF0200A, UFF0350A
Commercial Gourmet Ice
Description: Commercial gourmet ice is a hard, clear ice that is very effective at cooling drinks like high-end liquors or mixed drinks.
Shape: Cylindrical with Hollow Center, or Octagonal ‘Top-Hat’ Shape
Ice-to-Water Ratio: 100%
Melt Speed: Slow
Applications: Usually served at fine-dining restaurants, high-end bars, or upscale events or banquets.
Ice Machine Makes/Models for Gourmet Ice: Manitowoc SM50 Undercounter
So, if you now know what size and shape you need, what’s next? You’ll need to figure HOW MUCH of that ice you’ll need on a daily basis to meet demand.
Check out our ‘Ice Calculator’ reference guide to help determine your daily production needs.
