A commercial ice machine is rated by how many kilograms of ice it makes in 24 hours. To choose one, estimate how much ice you use on your busiest day, add about 20% as a buffer, and pick a machine whose rated output covers that figure in the conditions it will actually work in. Then check that its bin holds enough to carry you through peak service.
After that come the practical choices: ice type, whether an undercounter unit or a modular head on a separate bin suits your space, and whether your site has the water, drain and power the machine needs.
This guide walks through each step using real figures from the Icematic, Blizzard and Atosa machines in our commercial ice machine range.
Step 1: estimate how much ice you need per day
Ice machine makers commonly quote these rough daily guides. Treat them as starting points and adjust for how drink-heavy your trade is:
- Restaurants: about 0.7 kg per customer per day
- Bars: about 1.4 kg per seat
- Hotels: about 2.3 kg per room
- Healthcare: about 4.5 kg per bed
Multiply by your numbers on a busy day, then add about 20%. If you also use ice for seafood displays, blended drinks or chilling stock, estimate that separately and add it on.
Worked example: a 50-seat bar
50 seats × 1.4 kg = 70 kg. Add 20% and you need roughly 84 kg of ice a day.
That points to a machine rated at about 90 kg per 24 hours or more. The Icematic C90DP-A is rated at up to 90 kg a day of 20 g cubes with a 42 kg built-in bin, and the Blizzard SN-210P at up to 90 kg with about 28 kg of storage. Both sit only just above 84 kg, so for a warm back bar, consider a size up, such as the Blizzard SN-101B (up to 100 kg a day) or a modular head.
The Icematic C90DP-A undercounter ice machine makes up to 90 kg of cube ice a day and has an integrated drain pump.
The same method for other venues
| Venue | Rule of thumb | Example | Plus 20% | Machines rated around that |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | 0.7 kg per customer | 150 customers = 105 kg | About 126 kg | Icematic M145-A modular head (up to 145 kg) on a bin |
| Bar | 1.4 kg per seat | 50 seats = 70 kg | About 84 kg | Icematic C90DP-A or Blizzard SN-210P (up to 90 kg) |
| Hotel | 2.3 kg per room | 40 rooms = 92 kg | About 110 kg | Blizzard SN-145C (up to 145 kg, about 140 kg bin) |
| Healthcare | 4.5 kg per bed | 20 beds = 90 kg | About 108 kg | Icematic TD120.10-A ice and water dispenser (up to 120 kg) |
Production and storage are two different numbers
Output (kg per 24 hours) is how much ice a machine can make in a day. Bin storage is how much it holds ready to scoop. The gap can be large: the Icematic C46-A makes up to 46 kg a day but its bin holds 15 kg, while the Blizzard SN-500P makes up to 225 kg a day with storage for about 170 kg.
A machine refills its bin gradually, so if a Friday-night rush uses more than the bin holds plus what the machine makes during the rush, you'll run short even when the daily total looks fine. For sharp peaks, a larger bin may fix that without a bigger ice maker. Some spec sheets also list a smaller "bin control" figure (the Blizzard SN-81B lists about 30 kg of storage and about 19 kg bin control), so compare like with like.
Modular machines let you choose storage separately: Icematic bins run from 120 kg (BH56) to 406 kg (BH122), and ice transportation systems such as the Icematic MC140 store up to 210 kg for banquets and large venues. If you sell bagged ice, you'll also need freezer storage: our commercial ice boxes include NovaChill units holding about 1,872 to 3,024 litres at -15°C to -10°C.
Why ice machines make less ice in hot weather
Rated output is measured under set conditions. Icematic rates its machines at 21°C room temperature and 15°C water, and Atosa at 21°C and 10°C water. Output falls as room and water temperatures rise: warmer water has more heat to remove before it freezes, and warm air makes it harder for the machine to get rid of that heat.
A back bar or kitchen in an Australian summer can be a lot warmer than 21°C, which is why the 20% buffer matters. If the machine will sit somewhere hot, allow more and check the spec sheet for output at higher temperatures. Some models are designed with heat in mind: the Blizzard SN-200P is tropicalised for room temperatures up to 43°C.
Choose the ice type for what you serve
Ice type affects how quickly drinks chill and dilute. Here are the types in our range and what the makers recommend them for:
- Cubes and dice: all-round drinks ice. Icematic's C models make 20 g cubes for cafés, bars and restaurants, and its modular M series makes 6–17 g dice for busy hotels, clubs and pubs. Blizzard and Atosa make cubes of around 22 mm.
- Crescent: slow-melting with less dilution, an all-round choice for soft drinks, cocktails and mocktails (Blizzard FWIC-54C, SN-80C).
- Large, crystal-clear cubes: slow-melting ice for whisky, spirits and signature cocktails. The Blizzard SN-200P large cube ice maker makes 48 × 48 × 58 mm cubes, and the SIC-40L makes 50 mm squares.
- Bullet: clear, hard ice from the compact Blizzard SN-25C, suited to small cafés, bars and offices.
- Flake and granular: for seafood and fresh food displays, salad bars, smoothies and healthcare. Super flake machines such as the Icematic B505-A (up to 540 kg a day) suit fish markets, supermarkets and food processing.
- Nugget and cubelet: soft, chewable ice popular for soft drinks, smoothies and healthcare. Countertop dispensers such as the Blizzard SN-229D (nugget) and Icematic TD120.10-A (cubelet) dispense ice, water or both for hospitals, aged care, offices and self-serve areas.
Browse the Blizzard ice maker range for specialty cubes, or the Icematic range for flake, nugget and dice machines.
Our tip: Size for your hottest, busiest week, not an average day. Summer is when you sell the most cold drinks and when an ice machine makes the least ice, so both problems arrive together.
Self-contained, undercounter or modular?
Self-contained machines have the ice maker and bin in one cabinet. Undercounter models are self-contained units sized to sit under a bench, from the 375 mm wide Blizzard SN-25C up to the Icematic C90DP-A, and they're the usual choice for cafés, bars and restaurants.
Modular machines are an ice-making head that sits on a separate bin, dispenser or ice transport system. They produce more and let you size storage to suit your peak. Icematic heads such as the Icematic M145-A modular ice maker are sold head-only with a suggested bin (the 120 kg BH56), while Blizzard's larger cube machines, such as the SN-500P, come with storage.
| Format | Output in our range (per 24 h) | Storage | Suits | Price range* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-contained, including undercounter | About 25–200 kg | About 7–50 kg, built in | Cafés, bars, restaurants, smaller kitchens | About $900–$6,600 |
| Modular head on a bin | About 120–900 kg | Separate bin, about 120–406 kg | Hotels, clubs, pubs, busy venues, seafood displays | About $3,400–$11,900 (Icematic bins sold separately) |
| Countertop ice and water dispenser | About 100–190 kg | About 3–10.5 kg | Healthcare, offices, self-serve areas | About $4,800–$9,800 |
| Industrial super flake | About 540–2,100 kg | Separate bin | Fish markets, supermarkets, food processing | From about $11,500; larger models on application |
*Prices ex GST, at the time of writing (October 2026), rounded.
Air-cooled or water-cooled?
Most machines in our range are air-cooled: a fan moves room air across the condenser to carry heat away, so it needs clear airflow. Water-cooled versions are available on request for many Icematic modular heads and dispensers, and the Blizzard SN-80C, SN-145C and SN-280C list an air/water condenser. A water-cooled condenser uses water instead of room air, so it needs its own water connection; ask us about availability and talk it through with your plumber.
Placement, ventilation and water filtration
- Airflow: leave the clearances the spec sheet asks for, and don't box in an air-cooled machine.
- Heat: keep it away from fryers, ovens and dishwashers where you can, because warmer air means less ice.
- Door space: check the clearance in front. The Blizzard FWIC-54C's upward sliding door needs less room than a swing door.
- Water filtration: a filter is commonly recommended to reduce scale and improve ice quality. Icematic recommends one, and the Blizzard SN-210P's warranty is void without one, so check the warranty terms of any model you shortlist.
- Cleaning: compare features such as Icematic's sanitising cycle, the Blizzard SN-200P's automatic cleaning cycle and the UV sterilisation on the Blizzard SD-130B dispenser.
Installation: water, drain and power
We supply the equipment, not the installation, so check these three things with your licensed plumber and electrician before you order.
- Water: the machine needs a water supply line, ideally through a filter, connected by a licensed plumber.
- Drain: gravity-drain machines need a floor drain or waste below the outlet (the Icematic C28 PLUS-A has a 215 mm drain height including legs). With no drain nearby, choose a model with a pump, such as Icematic's DP models or Blizzard underbench machines like the SN-31A.
- Power: many undercounter machines, including Icematic's C series and the Blizzard SIC-40L, plug into a standard 10 A power point. Some larger machines need a 15 A outlet: the Icematic B305S-A is listed at 240 V and 15 A. A 15 A plug has a wider earth pin and only fits a 15 A outlet.
Any new circuit or outlet must be installed by a licensed electrician, who should also check that your switchboard has the capacity. Don't run an ice machine from a double adaptor or extension lead.
Frequently asked questions
How much ice does a café or bar need per day?
Common rules of thumb are about 1.4 kg per seat for bars and 0.7 kg per customer per day for restaurants. Multiply by your busiest-day numbers and add about 20%; a 50-seat bar needs roughly 84 kg a day.
What's the difference between ice production and storage capacity?
Production is how much ice the machine makes in 24 hours; storage is how much its bin holds at once. A bin that's too small can run out during a rush even when daily production is enough.
Do ice machines make less ice in summer?
Yes. Output falls as room and water temperatures rise, so allow a buffer, keep the machine away from heat and give it clear airflow.
Does an ice machine need a floor drain?
Gravity-drain models need a floor drain or waste below the outlet. If you don't have one nearby, choose a model with a built-in drain pump.
Can a commercial ice machine plug into a normal power point?
Many undercounter machines plug into a standard 10 A power point; some larger machines need a 15 A outlet. Check the spec sheet, and have a licensed electrician install any new outlet or circuit.
Compare the full range on our commercial ice machines page. For a second opinion on sizing, send us a product question with your seat, room or bed numbers, or request a quote for a modular system or multi-unit order.
