Does an ice maker use a lot of water? After knowing how much electricity does an ice maker use, we should learn the water consumption of our ice maker. The water consumption of your ice maker can depend on several factors, including its size, efficiency rating, and production capacity. Most residential countertop ice maker just need 1-2 gallons to produce 10-12 pounds of ice.
Bigger undercounter ice makers found in restaurants and bars can use a lot more water to produce huge ice volume. However, in ice maker world, we use the water consumption per 100 lbs of ice production to determine whether the ice maker use a lot of water than its competitors.
For larger undercounter models found in restaurants and offices, water usage increases proportionally with ice production volume. These commercial-grade machines might use between 12-20 gallons daily while producing 50+ pounds of ice. However, this consumption remains relatively modest compared to other appliances like dishwashers. Understanding how much water does an ice maker use helps in planning utility costs and environmental impact. Modern ice makers have become increasingly water-efficient, implementing technologies that recapture melted ice and minimize waste during the freezing process.
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Does an ice maker use a lot of water?
An ice maker can use a lot of water or not depending on its type and its ice type. Ice makers require water for two essential functions: creating the ice itself and, in some undercounter models, cooling the machine’s condenser. Every ice cube naturally requires water to form, but the total consumption varies dramatically across different ice maker designs, sizes, and cooling methods.
In my article of “How does ice maker work?”, I stated that ice makers work by freezing water and forming ice. This process will transform all the water you put in the ice maker into ice, so actually we can’t say the ice maker “use” a lot of water. We, however, use a lot of water.
However, not 100% of the water that you gave your ice maker is being transformed into ice. It is different between countertop ice makers and commercial undercounter units. That’s why in ice maker world, we calculate the water consumption per each 100 lbs of ice production, to determine the efficiency of one ice maker. Additionally, in some high-end commercial ice makers, they are being water-cooled instead of air-cooled, which is a lot better in terms of cooling, but impacts water consumption a bit more.
How much water does a countertop ice maker use?
Countertop ice makers are designed for homeowners that don’t need the large quantity of ice, and that’s why you need less water for the ice maker to make use. On average, a countertop ice maker will consume approximately 2.5 to 3 gallons of water to produce 26 pounds of ice each day.
So for a countertop ice maker (for example the Frigidaire EFIC121) that has a reservoir of about 1.7 liters (which is higher than its competitors), you need to fill water multiple times to get the maximum ice production per day. This design choice typically results in better water efficiency as the ice maker recirculates melted ice back into the reservoir for reuse. A typical countertop unit can produce a batch of ice (usually 9-12 cubes) every 7-15 minutes.
Modern portable ice makers have become increasingly water-efficient, nearly use 100% for ice production. So to produce 100lbs of ice, a countertop ice maker would need about 12 gallons of water, which is as similar as the best undercounter ice maker out there.
Related post: Best countertop ice maker.
How much water does an undercounter ice maker use?
Commercial undercounter ice makers use considerably more water than their countertop counterparts, but only because of its huge ice production. Typically, an undercounter ice maker uses between 10 and 15 gallons of water to produce 100 pounds of ice, but for models that producing large-size ice cubes or gourmet ices, the water consumption can be as high as 30-40 gallons for each 100 pounds of ice.
Moreover, some commercial ice maker are prone to produce, well, up to 500 pounds of ice. It’s meant for big businesses and can use 50-150 gallons water, depending on the size of its ice cubes. Yeah, it’s still the cost you need to calculate before buying a commercial ice maker, and I can’t say that you can do anything else.
In addition, there are some commercial ice makers that is water-cooled. These ice machines can consume about 150-200 gallons to produce 100 pounds of ice. Yes, a water-cooled use a lot more water than an air-cooled ice maker.
Related post: Best commercial ice maker.
Conclusion
While ice makers use a lot of water to function, the water becomes ice that we human consume, and the efficiency for producing ice is really high in modern machines. Unless you’re looking to buy a water-cooled commercial ice maker, the water consumption from any type of ice maker will make you happy.
