Twelve machines that make and keep their own ice
Every unit on this page has the ice maker and its storage in one cabinet, so once water, drain and power are connected it starts filling itself. Listed output runs from 20.5 kg a day on the UCG045A to 96 kg a day on the ICEU225, across three types of ice.
UCG gourmet machines
Ten of the twelve are UCG models making clear, slow melting gourmet cubes. They come in six output sizes:
- UCG045A: 20.5 kg a day, 8 kg stored, 387 mm wide and 656 mm high.
- UCG065A: 27 kg a day in the same 387 mm cabinet, also storing 8 kg.
- UCG085A: 38.5 kg a day, 15 kg stored, 463 mm wide and 842 mm high.
- UCG105A and UCG135A: 47.5 kg and 58 kg a day, each holding 22 kg in a 463 mm wide cabinet 896 mm high.
- UCG165A: 73 kg a day and 40 kg stored, 532 mm wide and 1,016 mm high.
The UCG045A, UCG065A, UCG085A and UCG135A also come as PD versions fitted with a pump out drain. All ten UCG listings name R134A as the refrigerant and discharge air through the front, a layout Ice-O-Matic aims at compact undercounter spots.
ICEU225 cube machine
The ICEU225 is a 610 mm wide undercounter cube machine. Its card shows 96 kg a day, the figure in the listing name, but the published feature list quotes 114 kg. Plan around the lower number and ask Sam to confirm output for your conditions.
ICF165A flaker
The one self-contained flaker is the ICF165A, making 80 kg of flake ice a day in a 535 mm wide undercounter cabinet that holds up to 25 kg. It suits a cafe or deli that needs ice for a cold display as well as for drinks.
Choosing between them
Size for your busiest day rather than an average one. Count the glasses and jugs poured during the rush, then look at storage as closely as output: a UCG065A making 27 kg a day still only has 8 kg on hand when service starts. If the bar runs dry every Friday night, a larger cabinet with more ice in reserve often fixes it better than a faster machine would.
Height matters as much as width under a counter. The 387 mm models stand 656 mm tall and the UCG165A just over a metre, so measure the gap beneath the bench and allow room to get at the door.
Plumbing and placement
Each machine needs a cold water line with an isolating tap close by and a drain. A standard model lets melt water fall to a waste below it. Where there is none, pick a PD version, which pumps the water up to a higher or more distant drain. On hard Perth water a filter slows scale on the evaporator. Keep the front grille clear and avoid spots beside fryers or ovens, because ice output falls as the room warms.
Installation and looking after it
Sam delivers the machine, levels it, connects water, drain and filter, and waits for the first harvests to check the cubes before he leaves. If the old machine needs to go, ask Sam about removal. If your own plumber is doing the fit, the unit can go by courier instead. After that, plan on descaling and sanitising several times a year, and sooner if the cubes turn cloudy or thin. Call-outs are $75 + GST and labour $180 + GST an hour plus parts. See Ice-O-Matic repairs, the general ice machine cleaning and repairs page, or the whole Ice-O-Matic range.
