When looking for a commercial ice maker for your business or home, consider purchasing the hOmeLabs Freestanding Commercial Ice Maker.
There are several reasons why this commercial ice maker should be considered, and that is the purpose of this post.
Before we begin breaking down the features of this commercial ice maker, I want to help you determine how much ice you’re going to need for your home or business.
How Much Ice Will Need?
Before purchasing a commercial ice maker, you need to determine how much ice you’re going to need.
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Below is a chart taken from webstaurantstore.com, which describes how much ice you will probably need for your business.
- 99 pounds of clear ice
- Stainless steel design
- Front vented
- Affordable
- Needs drain and water hook up
- Smaller ice capacity
It’s also important to note that they suggest that you use two ice makers to prevent downtime.
| Restaurant | 1.5 lb. of ice per meal sold |
| Cocktail Bar | 3 lb. of ice per seat |
| Water Glasses | 6 oz. ice per 12 oz. glass |
| Salad Bar | 35 lb. of ice per cubic foot |
| Beverage Service | 5 oz. of ice per 7-10 oz. cup, 8 oz. of ice per 12-16 oz. cup, or 12 oz. of ice per 18-24 oz. cup |
| Hotel Guest Ice | 5 lb. per hotel room |
| Hotel Catering | 1 lb. per customer |
| Patient Ice | 10 lb. of ice per patient |
| Cafeteria | 1 lb. of ice per person |
Now that we have determined how much ice you’ll need for your business, we can begin to review the hOmelabs commercial ice machine.
The Design of the hOmelabs Commercial Ice Maker
What can I say? It’s a rectangular box full of ice.
This isn’t made to fit into any kitchen decor, and I would strongly discourage you from purchasing this ice maker if you’re buying it for its looks.
Yet, looks aren’t everything.
This ice maker looks very industrial, in my honest opinion. It’s not the most elegant ice maker on the market and I do not think it’s suppose to be elegant.
It’s front vented, so it’s perfect to have built into your cabinets. Typically, a unit like this one would be in a business environment or an industrial kitchen. I would suggest placing it under your cabinets where it’s out of sight.
It’s made from plastic and coated aluminum. It’s not designed to be outside, and by doing so, you would void the warranty.
I’ve read of people installing this ice maker outside under a shelter, protected from the elements, and didn’t have a problem.
hOmelabs Commercial Ice Maker Features
The hOmelabs Ice Machine is a small to medium, air-cooled commercial ice maker. It produces 99 pounds of ice every day and makes 45 pieces of clear ice cubes every 11-20 minutes.
If you are looking for more ice, you can purchase the hOmelabs Commercial Ice Maker, which produces 143 pounds of ice each day. For more information on this ice maker, please check it out here.
| Ice Production | 100 lbs a day |
| Ice Cycle | 45 pieces every 11-20 mins |
| Water Supply | Connects to a cold water supply |
| Drain Line | Gravity-fed drain hose |
| Accessories | A water supply hose (9′ Length), a water supply connector, a drain hose (6’5″ Length), an ice scoop, user guide / manual and a registration card. |
| Price | Affordable. |
This ice maker is a freestanding unit (the measurements are 17.6 x 15.7 x 31.4″), so it doesn’t take up much room as does most other commercial ice makers.
When installing the unit, you need to make sure that you have a water source (a cold water supply line like under a sink) and a place for the water to drain, other than that, you can place it almost anywhere in your home or business.
Unlike portable ice makers, the 1.2L water tank hooks directly to a water supply, so you don’t have to worry about refilling it throughout the day.
The insulated storage bin will hold 29 pounds of ice at one time, and keeps the ice from melting, just not as long as I had hoped.
With a large storage bin, it means that your business will always have ice when they need it – filling beverages or creating ice treats will be easy with this ice maker.
This hOmelab ice maker has a sensor that will automatically turn the ice maker off when the storage bin is full of ice, so it protects the unit from damage or overflow.
This ice maker does not have an internal water filter. If you decide that you want one, most people buy a separate water filter and install it on the waterline.
Learn more about which water filter to purchase here.
Installation
Everything that you need to start making ice comes with the ice maker. In the box, you’re going to get the following items: hOmeLabs commercial ice maker (obviously), a water supply hose (9′ Length), a water supply connector, a drain hose (6’5″ Length), an ice scoop, user guide / manual and a registration card.
I also added a PDF copy of the manual below.
For most situations, the hOmelabs commercial ice maker provides you with everything that you need to start making ice right away. All you have to do is connect the water supply, attach the drain hose, and turn on the unit. The drain hose doesn’t have a pump, so it depends on gravity to get the water away from the unit.
It’s also necessary to make sure that your hOmelabs ice maker is upright for least 24 hours before you plug it in and operate it. This is because when the unit is on it’s back, generally in transit, the freon in the compressor isn’t where it’s supposed to be, and running the ice maker will cause damage.
If the ice maker has been shipped upright the whole time and it’s confirmed, then it’s safe to turn it on right away. I would wait 24 hours to be on the safe side.
Getting Started
The hOmelabs commercial ice maker isn’t hard to operate. To get started, all you have to do is follow these simple steps.
First, plug in your ice maker, and you will notice the ON/OFF button will be flashing in the display window. Press the ON/OFF button to power up the unit.
The ice maker will begin the cycle by bringing in water into the unit. Once the ice maker has enough water, the symbol will stop flashing, and the ice cube symbol will start spinning.
You can adjust the thickness of the ice cubes by simply pressing the “+” or the “-” on the control panel. The more time that you add to the ice cycle, the thicker the ice cubes are going to be. You need to remember that any changes that you make mid-cycle will apply during the next ice cycle.
What I Liked About the HomeLabs Commerical Ice Maker
I loved that it was quiet to run. You can hear the compressor during the ice cycle, but it’s a lot quieter than other commercial units.
I also love the ice. It’s high-quality, and it’s fast – makes ice every 10 minutes.
This ice maker is perfect for a restaurant, churches, hotels, or larger households that need a large amount of ice.
What I Didn’t Like About The Homelabs Commercial Ice Maker
I didn’t like that the ice melted quickly in the storage bin. This is something that is the same for most commercial ice makers. If you’re not using the ice, you’re going to lose most of it to the drain.
Thumbs Up or Down?
It’s definitely a thumbs-up.
I liked this ice maker and thought it did a good job. I recommend it for your business.
This ice maker provides a lot of value for the price, and it has an excellent customer satisfaction rate. Most people that had a problem with the ice maker contacted hOmelabs, and they dealt with the problem, and the customer was happy in the end.
If you have any questions or comments about this commercial ice maker, please use the comment section below.
If you own this unit, make sure you tell us what you liked or disliked about it. You can also add your rating below.
Download the Owners Manual Here
- 99 pounds of clear ice
- Stainless steel design
- Front vented
- Affordable
- Needs drain and water hook up
- Smaller ice capacity
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