A pellet ice maker produces chewable, soft ice that is popular in Chicago hospitals, elementary schools, and many bars and restaurants as well. Pellet ice has many different names. Nugget ice, cubelet ice, pebble ice, even Sonic ice after the popular drive-up chain. No matter what you call it, pellet ice is a great option for many businesses.

Let’s look at some of the reasons why.

What is Pellet Ice?

Pellet ice is a functional ice cube with a soft texture. Where traditional cubes are frozen rock-solid, pellet ice has the texture of compacted snow. This allows people to chew on the ice without harming their teeth safely.

While many industries choose pellet ice because it is soft, many bars and restaurants use pellet ice in specialty beverages.

Pellet Ice Makers for Healthcare

Hospitals prefer pellet ice because it helps to hydrate patients who have a difficult time swallowing liquid. Patients can slowly chew these cubes and stay hydrated throughout the day.

Large square cubes might be ideal for a cocktail, but they are not recommended for hydration. These cubes are large and cumbersome, which is not a safe choice for patients who are feeling weak. A large square cube can also damage teeth if the patients decide to chew on these cubes.

Physical therapy clinics also benefit from a softer cube. When used in a cold compress, pellet ice molds around difficult to treat areas, like elbows and knees. The soft pellet ice provides a far better surface area for cooling than large, ridged square cubes.

Harder cubes can also melt into sharp points that can rip through cold compress bags and leak all over patients. Pellet ice is soft and rounded, which won’t tear through cold compresses.

Pellet Ice Machines for Education

Young children love to chew ice, which is why pellet ice is such a popular choice for elementary schools. This type of ice allows teachers and parents to feel safe knowing that children can chew on ice and not worry about damaging their teeth.

School nurse stations can also benefit from a pellet ice maker for the same reasons physical therapy clinics prefer a softer ice cube. Kids can get all manner of bumps and bruises from rough recess play. Pellet ice makers provide a soft cube to treat these injuries.

Pellet Ice Makers for the Food Industry

Many bars and restaurants choose pellet ice for specialty drinks. Pellet ice is a popular ice cube in the Southern US.

Tiki bars and Mexican restaurants have learned the pellet ice works great in drinks such as mai tais and margaritas. The soft cubes are also great for blended drinks since the ice blends quickly and won’t damage blenders.

Many soda shops and delis also choose pellet ice because it’s porous and absorbs the flavor of drinks. When customers finish sugary drinks, they have plenty of sweet-flavored ice to chew. No wonder Sonic restaurants choose this ice for their signature slushes.

What Types of Pellet Ice Makers Are There?

There are plenty of nugget ice machines on the market in varying sizes. Hoshizaki ice makers come in pellet ice maker models (which they call cubelet ice). The DCM-300BAH ice machine is a popular model that produces over 300 lbs of chewable cubelet ice a day. This model is a countertop ice maker, which is perfect for self-serve stations.

Pellet ice machines also come in modular-style models that work with any Hoshizaki ice bin. These are great ice makers for growing businesses that need a lot of pellet ice on hand. The Hoshizaki F-801MAJ-C ice machine is excellent for businesses that have a high-ice demand.

Choosing the Right Pellet Ice Machine

If you’re looking for a pellet ice machine for your Chicago business, look no further! Our all-inclusive commercial ice machine rental program include the best commercial ice maker machines on the market for a low, monthly cost.

We also include cleaning and ice machine maintenance for Chicago businesses. If the machine or commercial ice dispenser breaks down, the cost of repairs and labor are included in the lease price.

Need help choosing a pellet ice machine for your business? Our team of Ice Machine Experts is ready to help. Contact us today!