When operating a foodservice business, you should never forget to invest in ice. Ice is one of the most important supplies in foodservice. You should never run out of it as people always demand for it. Likely, your service crew should have easy access to it. For this type of need, the best kitchen equipment to invest into is commercial ice machines. Every restaurant and fast-food chain in the world has a commercial ice machine. These allow service people access to ice whenever they need it. With these, your service crew won't have to worry about making or buying ice anymore as the machine does all the work for them; all they have to do is scoop the ice.

If you want to save on costs and make your operations more efficient, this is something worth investing into. However, you should know that commercial ice machines need proper maintenance to function well. Also, it is your responsibility to ensure that you only serve clean ice to your patrons; and this, of course, is very important as you are in the foodservice business. Proper maintenance not only ensures you efficiency; it also protects your business from health hazards and keeps health department happy.

Problems you may encounter with commercial ice machines

Investing in a commercial ice machine is no joke. You see, these ice machines aren't very cheap. They can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000. As this is a big-ticket investment, it's important that you put your money in a brand that's reliable. Four of the most trusted commercial ice machine brands include Ice-O-Matic, Hoshizaki, Manitowoc and U-Line.

However, if you really want your ice machine to last you long, you have to have it checked regularly. You also have to have it repaired in case there are any issues. Here are two common problems with commercial ice machines:

. Improper machine hygiene can be a very big problem for a commercial ice machine. Machine maintenance includes cleaning and filter replacement; so if you don't have your machine serviced regularly, this will likely occur for you. This problem is very dangerous because improper hygiene can lead to bacteria cultures, which will pass to the ice you serve. A tell-tale sign of this is a bad odor or taste with the ice.

. Blockages can also be an issue for ice machines. You see, after much use, ice machines start to develop frost and, at times, ice blockages in the fill tube. When this happens, the tube become impassable to ice, meaning the machine cannot produce ice.

Commercial ice machine upkeep

Commercial ice machines are relatively easy to maintain. You just need to have it checked regularly by a cooling technician. During maintenance work, a technician will check on leaks, cooling and the mechanical works of the machine. A technician will also replace tubes and filters that need replacing. In case you need to replace ice machine parts, stick with genuine parts to guarantee quality.

The most experienced and highly professional Airflow Appliance Repair technicians are able to help with all of your ice machine repair and maintenance needs.