Commercial grade ice machines for home use are widely available these days, both through major ice machine manufacturers and online retailers such as Amazon. At SPECS, we have recently seen a skyrocket in the number of service requests for ice machines purchased from online retailers. Popular retail sites like amazon.com, overstock.com, and aliexpress.com carry multiple types of generic ice machines that are readily available, have a more attractive price point, and ship more quickly to the customer than from the major manufacturers. Something our customers need to know is that purchasing ice machines from online retailers can be rife with issues. Although the online ratings may be stellar and the pictures may be attractive, the brands offered at these retailers are usually not backed by support systems or warranty service representatives. Much of the time, the manufacturers of these machines do not even have replacement parts available.
The most common ice machines for home use fall under the category of “under-counter” ice machines. Under counter machines are commercial grade ice machines that fit underneath your home’s countertops. They produce a smaller amount of ice than most commercial grade machines while offering the benefits of readily available replacement parts, technical support, detailed parts and user manuals. They can add the perfect addition to outdoor kitchens, remodeled home kitchens, or the home bar area and can last for years before needing replacement. Undercounter ice machines come in varying models, production levels, and ice types. The most popular ice type for undercounter ice machines is nugget-style ice. Most people know this as “Sonic Ice”. This ice type is well suited for keeping drinks cold and making frozen drinks as it has a softer, less dense texture. These machines, especially undercounter nugget machines, are by far the highest seller on sites like Amazon and Overstock.
These units typically come with generic brand names that are not listed anywhere else, such as Vevor, Euhomy, ADT, DUURA, and many more. These are all brands to stay away from as they are not fully formed companies and are fly-by-night sellers, selling large quantities of cheaply-produced, poorly assembled machines bought at wholesale prices from foreign manufacturers. While these machines might be easy to install and produce ice for a period of time, the issue lies when they inevitably break down. Even commercial grade ice machines breakdown, they have many different components that fail from time to time. By replacing the failed parts with new OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts, SPECS can keep your ice machine running for years without issue. Machines purchased from online retailers do not have OEM parts available to replace. They are also built without regular maintenance in mind, which means that certain areas of the machine cabinet are extremely difficult to reach and nearly impossible to remove and replace parts. These brands also do not publish product manuals or parts breakdowns, which means that service technicians cannot learn about how to repair these products. Most importantly, ice machines purchased from online retailers do not come with a manufacturer’s warranty. This means that when your machine breaks down within the first few years of purchase, you are solely responsible for having the machine repaired and purchasing the replacement parts, if available. Unfortunately, service companies like SPECS Refrigeration are unable to repair these machines, as there are no product manuals, no replacement parts, and no technical support.
SPECS is a factory-authorized warranty service provider for the top ice machine manufacturers like Manitowoc and Hoshizaki. We also provide warranty service for Scotsman and Ice-O-Matic.
These are the major 4 brands of undercounter ice machines and the only ones that SPECS recommends purchasing. These brands produce a wide variety of machines and ice types. While there may be longer wait times and a higher price point, the quality of machine you receive will last much longer and produce high quality ice. If you’re looking to purchase an under-counter ice machine for your home or bar, give us a call and speak to our ice machine experts at SPECS for all the latest information!
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