More than a million ice makers operate in restaurants, hospitals, hotels, and other facilities in the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average efficiency of all ice makers can be improved by 18 percent. Careful choice of equipment can lead to big energy savings. Types of ice .
Ice machines produce a variety types of ice for a range of applications.
More than 80 percent of ice machines sold in the U.S. make cube ice. Flake ice comes in chips or flakes that contain up to 20 percent liquid water. Flake ice tends to conform to the surface of items that rest on it and is typically used in supermarket display cases, on fishing boats, or anywhere food needs to be preserved for short periods. Flake ice may also occasionally be used in soft drinks. Crushed ice consists of small, irregular pieces made by crushing larger chunks of ice.