Why invest thousands in a commercial ice machine? Today I’ll discuss how EasyIce cleans and maintains the complicated ice machine and saves hotel, restaurant and sports bar owners money.
3 REASONS NOT TO OWN A COMMERCIAL ICE MACHINE
Do you own a commercial ice machine? If so, what type of cleaning and maintenance program have you implemented? Are you aware that ice machines have surpassed dishwashers as the greatest on-premise problem in the foodservice industry? Ice is food. Therefore, commercial ice machines require regimented cleaning. Do you have the maintenance staff to preserve the health of your patrons and your business?
1. MAINTENANCE IS TOO TEDIOUS FOR BAR OWNERS
Have you ever gotten sick after a night out and wondered how it happened? Perhaps the ice in your drinks is the culprit. Ice is considered a food product by the FDA and is required to be sanitary. Many have a disconnect with the commercial ice machine. Don’t believe that merely because ice is manufactured in a cold, closed environment, it isn’t susceptible to mold and bacteria. This just isn’t the case.
- Algae and slime growth are naturally-occurring by-products in the ice “drop zone” and evaporator compartment of all commercial ice machines.
- As a result, commercial ice machines need to be deep-cleaned on a periodic basis, or slime, bacteria and mold will proliferate, thereby making the ice unsafe for consumption.
- Additionally, ice machines must be wiped-down and sanitized between scheduled deep-cleanings.
- It takes 22 factory-recommended steps to clean the machine, including the exact sequence of when to turn the power supply “ON” and “OFF” and for how long, and the exact cleaning agent and dilution to use for removal of scale, etc.
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IN-HOUSE TALENT CAN BE CHALLENGING
If you don’t clean a commercial ice machine on a regular schedule, you run the risk of infecting your customers. Most owners would be hard-pressed to admit that they have a diligent in-house cleaning program for their ice makers. For those who do have such an employee, what happens if that person quits?
DOWNLOADABLE:
2. COMMERCIAL ICE MACHINES REQUIRE COMPLICATED PERIODIC MAINTENANCE
Aggressive, periodic cleaning program is just one aspect of commercial ice machine ownership. If you want your machine to perform reliably and efficiently, periodic maintenance is also mandatory – after all, it is a machine! Don’t let that simple, attractive stainless steel case fool you – a very complicated machine lies beneath! To illustrate, the following routine steps are just a snippet of a commercial ice machine preventative maintenance program:
- Clean the air filter.
- Check external filter system and change cartridges as needed.
- Check and clean the inlet water valve screen as needed to assure proper water flow.
- Conduct annual bearing inspection.
This may not seem like much, but I bet most bars owners don’t have the qualified staff to perform any of these tasks in an ongoing fashion. If this seems imposing, check-out the downloadable below. The subject document lists an entire page of topics that affect the performance of commercial ice makers.
DOWNLOADABLE:
3. Easy Ice: The Alternative to Owning a Commercial Ice Machine
I don’t know about you, but considering all the above, it’s pretty clear that owning, cleaning and maintaining a commercial ice machine is an insane proposition. Worse yet, between $4,500 – $5,500 in operating capital is tied-up when you purchase the machine. Without diligent maintenance, the health of your patrons AND your business is at risk. Folks, this is NOT what I call a “winning proposition.”
Fortunately, there is a solution that can rid you of all this: a commercial ice machine subscription from Easy Ice! Easy Ice is the first and only company to offer ice machine subscriptions! In fact, Easy Ice is to commercial ice makers what Ecolab and Autochlor are to commercial dishwashers. Instead of the traditional approach of purchasing, cleaning and maintaining, an ice machine subscription with Easy Ice will provide you with the following:
- Guaranteed ice, 365 days a year.
- A Hoshizaki ice machine.
- All repairs and maintenance by expert technicians.
- U.S. based customer support center, 24 x 365.
- Free standard water filter replacements and ice machine cleanings (twice yearly).
EASYICE GUARANTEES ICE!
With guaranteed ice, in the unlikely event that your commercial ice machine breaks down, Easy Ice will furnish you with emergency ice! Hoshizaki ice makers produce the cleanest, hardest and best ice in the industry, which will help you pour more consistent drinks.
OTHER BENEFITS OF EASY ICE
Before you purchase a commercial ice machine consider this:
- You no longer have to concern yourself with machine cleaning and maintenance (see the link below).
- Invest your hard-earned capital in something that produces a measurable return for your business.
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