One may be surprised to know that not so long ago ice was considered a luxury in a number of the hottest areas of the world and was extremely expensive! However, the arrival of the compact refrigerator within the 20th century brought meal preservation and ice production into modern day homes, and in the 60′s, automatic freezer icemakers made life even easier. The home icemaker’s predecessor was the plastic ice tray.
In a standard ice tray all that you have to do is to pour water into a tray, and put it in the freezer till it turns to a solid after which you will extract the ice cubes. An icemaker does exactly the same thing, but the process of pouring water and extracting cubes is fully automated. Ice makers are very helpful kitchen equipment in homes and in businesses. Typically it is usually called an ice maker or ice generator.
An ice maker has numerous uses in today’s world. Healthcare groups find it handy especially in sports activities where a cold compress to an injury might be needed. Also, grocery shops and other retailers sells hundreds or blocks of ice produced from ice makers. Also, lodging houses, restaurants and cafes by always use a lot of ice, and can use an ice maker to its fullest extend.
There are many various kinds of ice makers available in the marketplace which can produce various kinds of ice. So in keeping with their use these are termed as domestic ice makers or commercial or industrial ice machines. Domestic ice machines include standard fridge ice makers, computerized ice makers and moveable icemakers. These domestic ice makers are fine for household use, but when you need larger amounts of ice produced you will have to get a commercial ice maker.
Household ice makers are very handy when you need ice for a drink at anytime. When the icemaker does not form part of a fridge it is also called a freestanding ice maker. They can produce ice at a much faster rate than regular fridge ice makers – up to 50 lbs of ice a day. Many of the smaller portable icemakers are capable of produce up to 35 pounds of ice per day.
Commercial ice makers can produce different kinds of ice, including:
- ice cubes,
- ice chips or flakes,
- crushed ice,
- Ice nuggets.
- One other type is block ice which is produced by special ice-making plants.
Commercial icemakers can produce as much as four hundred kilos of ice per day.
In areas where refrigerators are not available ice can also be used to preserve food, by putting the food items on ice. Specifically big blocks of ice can be used for this purpose.
The biggest brands that produce ice makers are Danby, Sunpentown, Avanti, Scotsman, Whirlpool, Viking, and GE.They all offer spectacular features, steadfast efficiency and stunning styles.
