It’s important to keep ice safe for employee and customer consumption. Unfortunately, the mishandling of ice by employees is what commonly leads to ice contamination. There are a few commercial ice machine accessories that help avoid accidentally contaminating the ice supply. Learn more about these helpful accessories.
At Easy Ice, we supply many of these accessories with compatible machines under our all-inclusive ice machine lease. Some accessories, like our ozone generator, are available for an additional charge.
Below are some of the most common ice machine accessories for commercial ice equipment.
1. Ice Scoops
Ice scoops may be one of the best tools you can use to reduce the chances of contaminating your ice supply. Many commercial ice machines are installed on top of an ice bin. Especially large ice machines that can’t accommodate a dispenser. Employees need to grab ice and dispense it into drinkware or other containers.
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When used properly, the shovel part of a scoop is the only part that touches the ice. This keeps germs from hands away from the ice supply. Under no circumstances should an employee grab ice by hand or with a glass.
Keep in mind, using a scoop is not an excuse to ignore proper hygiene. Employees should still wash their hands for at least 20 seconds before handling ice.
Employees should always store their ice scoop outside of the machine unless your model comes with an internal scoop holder within the bin. Otherwise, you should store your ice scoop in a clean container.
It’s also a good idea to clean your scoop every night with either a food-safe sanitizer or by running it in your commercial dishwasher at the end of the night.
2. Ice Shovels
Ice shovels are common ice machine accessories used with high-capacity ice makers anytime employees need to fill large containers with ice.
They are very popular in large facilities like markets, arenas, and stadiums where it’s common to deliver large amounts of ice to different areas.
Not only does an ice shovel save a lot of time when filling large containers, but they are hygienic as well. Employees can stay far away from the ice supply, reducing the chances of accidental contamination.
For an even safer option for large facilities, many ice machine manufacturers offer touchless ice bagging machines that don’t require a shovel at all. Models like our Follet Ice Pro DB650SA Ice Bagger Machine dispense ice directly into a bag or container without opening the bin door.
3. Ice Rakes
Yes, some ice machines use rakes to dispense ice, so employees don’t have to get close to the ice supply. These are also popular ice machine accessories used with high-capacity ice equipment. Models like our Follet Ice DevIce ice dispensing bin with Bagging Kit are manual, using gravity to dispense ice into a container, bag, or cart.
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An ice rake is the perfect ice machine accessory to pull ice toward the bin door, where it drops below the bin and into whatever container you choose.
Many times, ice rakes are used along with ice shovels to fill large containers safely.
4. Ice Carts
Ice carts are very common with certain ice bins like our Follett Ice DevIce Dispensing Ice Bin and Cart. Carts help to move ice from place to place with ease. These are the best ice dispensers for large facilities that need to move a lot of ice quickly.
Ice carts are made of durable plastic that insulates and protects the ice supply as it’s being delivered.
5. Ozone Generators
Ozone is a remarkable disinfecting agent that is safe and natural. Ozone is a gas that occurs naturally in sunlight and lightning. It sanitizes surfaces over 3000 times faster than chlorine-based disinfectants and is commonly used regularly in water treatment plants.
We offer ozone generators as an additional ice machine accessory under our all-inclusive ice machine subscriptions. Ozone is a low hassle sanitizer. The generator releases the gas in small amounts throughout the day. As the gas works its way through your ice machine and bin, it inactivates harmful pathogens and mold, preventing them from spreading.
Since ozone generators use electricity to produce ozone, employees never have to refill cartridges. The generator will continue to produce ozone for as long as it runs.
Once ozone makes contact with a harmful pathogen, it burns off as pure oxygen. There’s no need to rinse or wipe down surfaces.
Sanitary Ice Machine Accessories Included with your Equipment
We provide the best commercial ice equipment under our all-inclusive ice machine subscriptions. Many of our high-capacity equipment comes with ice machine accessories that help keep your ice supply safe and sanitary.
Other accessories, like our ozone generator, are available as an add-on for a small monthly price.
Keep in mind; we also include preventive maintenance and cleaning to ensure your ice supply stays safe. We have it all for a low, monthly cost.
If you’re looking for the best ice maker for your business, give our team of Ice Machine Experts a call. They’ll help choose the best ice machine for our business needs.
Looking to keep your ice supply safe? Check out our guides on Hoshizaki ice machine cleaning and Manitowoc ice machine cleaning.