Top 5 Ice Machine Rental in Chicago, IL

Empire Cooler Service is an ice and refrigeration house based in Chicago that has been installing machines since 1932. In addition to leasing equipment they service and repair under full warranty. Empire publishes five ice shapes including cube, half cube, nugget, flake, and crescent ice on Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman, Follett, Ice-O-Matic and ITV brands. More impressively, of all the companies we researched throughout the city of Chicago, Empire was the only company who publishes both water cooled and remote condenser models along with air cooled. This decides if a build will work in a kitchen that does not have traditional ventilation methods to rid itself of heat. Their leases include delivery, installation, regular cleanings, maintenance and 24/7 emergency service for one flat rate. We also really liked that they provide a 24/7 service phone line. We couldn't locate their capacity range online, so you'll have to discuss sizing with them over the phone. Before you sign anything, we'd advise asking about the daily output of the unit they're recommending.

Ice Town Leasing has been leasing and servicing commercial ice machines from Glendale Heights since 1985. Ice is their entire business, not just one item on a refrigeration menu. After reviewing several companies, we found Ice Town had the most flexible lease terms we could find in the metro. You can change the size of your machine up or down at any time during your lease agreement. If a unit can't be repaired, they will replace it with no questions asked and will reimburse you for bags of ice purchased while your machine is down. Twice yearly cleanings and repairs are included in the monthly payment. Their toll free number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. However, Ice Town does not list any capacity dimensions, cooling types or machine models on their website. So a consumer is forced to choose a brand based on that limited brand list. Since none of the above is mentioned on their website, we recommend requesting the model and daily output be placed on the estimate.

Lisle woman-owned restaurant equipment dealer Gator Chef leases ice machines via their Ice Cold Products division, as well as through showrooms in Chicago and Bensenville. With three locations in the metro, they have a greater physical reach than any other dealer we confirmed for this market, and the family has operated a commercial refrigeration service company for over four decades. Gator Chef's ice machine rentals cover a production range of 50 to 5,000 pounds daily which is a wider spectrum than any other dealer we checked in the area. Terms are typically three years, including installation, scheduled maintenance cleanings, and reimbursement of ice purchased during down time. However, repairs are not listed among the included services, and they do not publish a 24/7 phone number. It’s important to nail down the details about repairs in writing before entering a three-year contract.

Swanel Beverage is a Hammond beverage-dispense supplier that has traded since 1941, and ice machine leasing sits beside fountain syrup, bag-in-box and bar equipment on their route business. What we found is a rate itemized down to the count rather than described in general terms. It names standard installation, two preventive maintenance visits a year, deep cleanings, up to two water filter replacements and no charge for repairs. They publish four Manitowoc and Koolaire models from 270 up to 1,800 pounds a day, and they name over two hundred Illinois towns in their service area. But cube and half cube are the only formats they carry, and we could not find a cooling configuration named for any of the four models. So confirm whether the unit they quote is air-cooled or water-cooled before install.

Ice Solutions 24 provides installation, service and leasing of commercial ice machines in Cook County and throughout Chicagoland. They’ve been working in East Dundee and the surrounding areas since 2016. Prompt service is their big selling point. They tout a 24/7 emergency service number and promise technicians will be locally based to the areas they service, which when you’re in the far northwest suburbs can mean life or death for a Saturday problem. They service cuber, flake and nugget ice machines and their potential customers range from supermarket and cold storage buyers all the way down to hospitals, school systems and convenience stores. Pricing was a bit more opaque. While they list fair prices per month for ice machines, we found no details about lease terms on their site. You have to call in order to ask, and since so little is provided on their site we’d suggest asking about the rate, term and what is included in one question on the initial call.