7 Best Ice Machine Brands for Commercial Foodservice Buyers

The best ice machine brands for commercial foodservice buyers are Scotsman, Manitowoc, Hoshizaki, Ice-O-Matic, Follett, ITV Ice Makers, and Empura. Each brand fits a different buyer: specialty ice, large-volume service, durability, value, healthcare dispensing, hospitality presentation, or budget-conscious production.

Let’s compare the top commercial ice machine brands by use case, product strengths, and buying tradeoffs so you can choose the right shortlist before comparing models.

Quick verdict

Ice machine brands at a glance

Use this table to narrow the brand shortlist by buyer type, product strength, and main tradeoff.

How to choose a commercial ice machine brand

Start with ice type. Choose cube-style ice makers for most beverage service, nugget-style ice makers for soft chewable ice, and flake-style ice makers for seafood, produce, healthcare, and product cooling.

Choose the format next. Modular machines need a compatible commercial ice bin. Undercounter ice makers work when production and storage need to fit in one cabinet. Dispensers make sense for guest floors, healthcare, offices, and self-service areas. Water filtration systems should be part of the plan because scale, sediment, and taste issues can affect performance and maintenance.

Then match the brand to the operating reality. A hotel may care more about dispenser compatibility. A hospital may care more about sanitary dispensing and chewable ice. A multi-unit restaurant group may care more about diagnostics, parts access, and service consistency.

For the full model-level process, read our commercial ice machine guide.

Brand recommendations by buyer type

These are brand-fit recommendations, not universal rankings. Use them to build a shortlist, then verify the exact model by ice type, output, bin capacity, condenser type, voltage, drain setup, filtration, warranty, and local service support.

1. Scotsman

Scotsman is the strongest pick for buyers comparing more than standard cube ice. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog covers cube, nugget, flake, remote condenser, dispenser, bin, filter, accessory, and cleaning-product categories.

The brand is especially useful for buyers who need specialty ice because Scotsman’s official nugget resources position Original Chewable Ice for fountain beverages, smoothies, blended cocktails, salad bars, and therapeutic use.

Limitations: Scotsman can be more than a simple buyer needs. If the job is basic low-output cube ice, compare the exact model price, production rating, bin size, and service support before paying for specialty coverage.

2. Manitowoc

Manitowoc is the best fit for hotels, high-volume kitchens, and multi-location operators that want service-friendly equipment. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog includes modular cube machines, undercounter cube units, flake and nugget machines, remote condensing options, dispensers, bins, filters, and cleaning systems.

Manitowoc’s Indigo NXT resources emphasize preventative diagnostics, cleanability, and programmability, which matter when downtime slows service.

Limitations: Manitowoc delivers the most value when controls and serviceability matter. A small café or office may be better served by a simpler undercounter unit.

3. Hoshizaki

Hoshizaki is the durability-first pick. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog is deep across modular cube machines, flake machines, nugget machines, dispensers, bins, remote condensers, filters, and accessories.

Hoshizaki’s Crescent Cuber resources highlight the KM Edge double-sided evaporator design, which produces clean, clear, hard crescent ice with fewer ice-making cycles than grid-cell machines.

Limitations: Hoshizaki is not always the lowest-cost route. It makes the most sense when uptime, hard ice, and long-term production consistency matter more than the cheapest upfront price.

4. Ice-O-Matic

Ice-O-Matic is the practical-value pick for buyers who want solid commercial coverage without narrowing too early. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog includes modular cube machines, undercounter cube makers, flake machines, nugget machines, hotel dispensers, filters, remote condensers, and handling supplies.

The brand also gives buyers a pearl Ice path; Ice-O-Matic describes pearl ice as soft, chewable, nugget-style ice for beverages, smoothies, and signature drinks.

Limitations: Ice-O-Matic is not one fixed buyer profile. A cube machine, pearl Ice unit, and remote-condensing setup solve very different problems, so the model choice matters more than the brand name alone.

5. Follett

Follett is the strongest specialist brand for healthcare, hydration, and ice-and-water dispensing. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog leans into storage bins, dispensers, beverage dispensers, dispenser parts, filtration, and healthcare-adjacent workflows.

Follett’s healthcare resources emphasize patient-preferred soft Chewblet ice and sanitary dispenser features, making it more relevant for hospitals, care facilities, and controlled dispensing areas than a standard back-of-house cube machine.

Limitations: Follett is not the default answer for every restaurant. It fits best when chewable ice, sanitation, dispensing, or healthcare workflow is the core reason for the purchase.

6. ITV Ice Makers

ITV Ice Makers is the hospitality and presentation ice pick. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog includes cube, flake, nugget, ice maker-with-bin, dispenser, shuttle, and filtration products.

ITV’s official product resources position GALA around elegant gourmet cube production and SPIKA around classic American full- and half-dice cube formats for foodservice use.

Limitations: ITV is more niche than Scotsman, Manitowoc, or Hoshizaki in the U.S. market. It can be a smart hospitality pick, but buyers should check availability, local service support, and parts access before committing.

7. Empura Ice Machines

Empura Ice Machines is the value-focused pick for buyers who need commercial ice production at a lower entry point. Its IceMachinesPlus.com catalog centers on modular ice makers, undercounter ice machines, and storage bins.

Empura’s official resources describe its machines as foodservice equipment built for consistent clean ice, dependable performance, energy efficiency, and easy maintenance.

Limitations: Empura is the budget-conscious option, not the premium legacy-brand pick. It works for cost-sensitive buyers, but high-volume or mission-critical operations should compare warranty, service support, parts access, and workload before choosing mainly on price.

Commercial ice machine brand FAQs

Commercial ice machine brand FAQs

Final recommendation

Choose the brand for the job. Scotsman is the broad-specialty ice pick; Manitowoc fits service-heavy operations; Hoshizaki is strong for durability-focused buyers; Ice-O-Matic offers practical value; Follett fits healthcare and dispensing; ITV fits hospitality presentation ice; and Empura works for budget-conscious setups.

Once you have a shortlist, compare exact models by output, ice type, bin capacity, condenser type, voltage, drain setup, filtration, warranty, and current availability.

IceMachinesPlus.com has supplied commercial ice equipment since 2006, offers free shipping on qualifying orders, and backs eligible purchases with a 30-day price-match guarantee.

Shop commercial ice machines by brand today.

Scotsman, Manitowoc, Hoshizaki, Ice-O-Matic, Follett, ITV Ice Makers, and Empura are trademarks of their respective owners. IceMachinesPlus.com is an independent authorized retailer and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these manufacturers. Brand characterizations reflect general industry reputation, product-category coverage, and publicly documented product features; specifications vary by model. Verify current specs on individual product pages.