Ice machines
Ice, in the shape the drink needs.
The three we would put in your room
What decides one of these is ambient air temperature, incoming water supply and electrical service — measured before the order, not after it.
What decides the fit
- Ambient air temperature
- Around 70F air is close to the condition manufacturers rate production at, and that is the figure on the specification sheet.
- Incoming water supply
- A quarter-inch or three-eighths supply line with a shut-off is the common arrangement. Water pressure and water quality both matter as much as the line size.
- Electrical service
- A dedicated 15 or 20 amp circuit covers most under-counter and modular heads. Larger machines and remote systems have their own requirements on the sheet.
Worth knowing before you order
Why water
An ice machine needs three connections, and the one people forget is the third. A cold water supply in, a drain out, and power — and the drain usually has to be a gravity drain with an air gap rather than a pumped line, which is a plumbing question about floor levels rather than a preference. Filtration is not optional in most water: scale is the main cause of ice machines dying young, and the filter is far cheaper than the repair.
Air vs water
Air-cooled is the default: cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, and it rejects its heat into the room. Water-cooled uses water to carry the heat away instead, which is quieter and works where the room is too hot for air cooling, but it uses a meaningful amount of water and some jurisdictions restrict it for that reason. Remote condensers put the heat outside entirely. Room temperature and incoming water temperature both change how much ice a machine actually makes, which is why published output is quoted at stated conditions.
Ice type
The type of ice is a real decision rather than a cosmetic one. Full and half cubes are the durable all-purpose choice and melt slowly in a drink. Nugget or pellet ice is soft, chewable and displaces a lot of drink, which people love and which means you get through more of it. Flake ice is for packing and display rather than for drinks. Gourmet or top-hat ice is slow-melting and clear, and it is the one that suits a bar built around the look of the glass.
A presentation set. Venerabull is in its first phase and is signing its first manufacturers — the models on this page are our own, shown so a maker can see the page their line would get. As lines are signed their real products and photography replace these, and anything that was never inventory comes down.

