Top 10 Commercial Ice Machine Brands to Rent in 2026

You can’t rent every brand on this list. That's the number one thing we learned from analyzing 69 ice machine rental and service companies’ websites. Some of these well-known brands are available at half of all rental fleets nationwide. Others weren’t available at any of the companies we researched. Here are the top ten major brands ranked by availability at rental companies.

The 10 brands at a glance

The Carried by column is data you won't find anywhere else. We surveyed 66 U.S. rental and service companies and counted how many of them offer each brand. The higher the tally, the more available that brand will be for rental and service near you. The lower the tally, the fewer companies that stock the brand.

Not sure how much ice you need before comparing brands? Run your numbers through our ice sizing calculator first.

Which brands rental companies actually carry

Before you fall in love with a brand, check that someone near you rents it. Here is the count from our survey. 50 of the 66 companies name at least one brand, and the typical company that names brands carries three of them.

One thing we expected but did not find. Dedicated ice companies are no more likely to name a brand than anyone else. 75% of them do, against 76% overall. So do not assume a specialist shop gives you more brand choice.

Want the raw numbers? The full survey lives in our ice machine industry data page.

1. Hoshizaki

Hoshizaki was created in Japan in 1947 and now manufactures some of their US models in Georgia. Known for its stainless steel evaporator plate which creates the ice and is more durable than other types. The ice cube is known to be crystal clear and a slow melt. Something we can't tell you is how often each brand fails. We don't know either but I'm sure there are tech's who think Hoshizaki is the best brand. 50% of the companies we surveyed carry hoshizaki.

Best for: restaurants, bars and hotels that run hard every day and cannot afford an ice outage.

2. Manitowoc

Manitowic was started in Wisconsin and is now owned by Pentair. They have a wide variety of ice machines that fit most any need. Some of their newer models such as the Indigo NXT tell you why the ice machine stopped and when it needs cleaned. Most parts are accessible from the front of the ice machine. Which is why it's the #1 brand carried by ice machine rental/service companies. With 56% of the 66 we looked at using Manitowic. Probably because its cheaper to repair.

Best for: multi-location businesses and anyone who wants easy service and clear diagnostics.

3. Scotsman

Scotsman has been making ice machines since 1950. And created the pellet style ice most people refer to as Nugget Ice. They also make Clear Cubes and Top Hat Gourmet Ice. Some of their newer machines can let you know if there is an issue with water or needs cleaned. 45% of the rental companies we surveyed carry Scotsman. So finding one to rent is easy in most cities.

Best for: bars, cafes and any business where the ice itself is part of the product. Curious about ice styles? Read our guide to the types of ice.

4. Ice-O-Matic

Ice-O-Matic Ice Machines are located in Colorado. They manufacture machines that are less complicated which means there could be less failures due to electronics. Also they are less expensive than most brands. If you are interested in a chewable ice, the Pearl Ice line is a good purchase. They offer one of the best warranties on the evaporator if you register your machine and use their filter. Make sure you look at there current terms as they tend to change from time to time. 30% of the brands we reviewed rent Ice-O-Matic machines. Two of these brands award Ice-O-Matic their Elite FAST Preferred Provider badge. This badge is given for factory service credentials.

Best for: small restaurants, delis and offices that want dependable ice without premium pricing.

5. Follett

This brand out of PA became a household name due to its sanitary ice dispensing system. These allow you to dispense ice without touching the bin which is a big selling point for hospital and assisted living facilities. They make a chewable ice called the chewblet and many come with a water dispenser attached. Keep in mind all 4 companies that we found that offered office water/coffee that had a brand name offered Follett. So chances are this is what they will offer you. That channel is about a third of all the Follett carriers we found.

Best for: hospitals, clinics, senior living and offices that want touch-free ice and water.

6. Kold-Draft

Kold-Draft freezes the cells of water from the bottom up. Expelling gasses and minerals to create a solid glass like cube of ice. Only 9% of companies stocked the brand. So if your ice machine breaks down it can take some time to get your craft liquor bar back in business. Which is why many have a Kold-Draft for their liquor and a cheaper cube machine. We would recommend doing this.

Best for: cocktail bars, steakhouses and hotels with serious beverage programs.

7. Cornelius

Cornelius is another ice machine manufacturer under the Marmon umbrella. Cornelius is known for its ice and soda dispensing combination machines. Which can be seen at most drive through windows at fast food restaurants. They also produce a soft ice called the Cubelet. If you're looking for a standard kitchen cube machine, skip Cornelius and start with the big four: Manitowoc, Hoshizaki, Scotsman, or Ice-O-Matic.

Best for: quick-service restaurants, convenience stores and self-serve drink stations.

8. Icetro

Icetro is becoming a popular choice for many american households. Their sleek modern designs have gained traction with cube and nugget ice machines. The downfall to icetro is how many companies offer their product. Only 2 out of 66 companies stock the Icetro vs 30 that stock Scotsman. Make sure you know who will service your machine if you decide to go with Icetro.

Best for: budget-minded buyers in cities with good independent service coverage.

9. Maxx Ice

If your looking for ice that will fit in your kitchen but not take up to much room Maxx Ice is the way to go. Most of there machines come with a ice maker and bin together. Usually on a plug in. Great for offices or small cafe's that don't need to many pounds of ice. None of the 66 rental companies we surveyed carry Maxx Ice. So this is a brand you buy, not one you rent.

Best for: offices, break rooms and low-volume venues that want simple, affordable ice.

10. Atosa

Atosa sells kitchen equipment for less money than almost anyone. Of course your going to sacrifice quality and life span. Just keep in mind budget machines will require more maintenance on filters. Similar to Maxx Ice none of the 66 companies we looked at carried Atosa.

Best for: new businesses and tight budgets that still need real commercial ice output.

What it costs to rent these brands

Here is the part most brand guides get wrong. Rental companies price by machine size, not by brand. Only 16 of the 69 companies we surveyed publish any price at all, and just five publish a full rate card. Their published rates are below. Each one bundles repairs and service into the monthly fee.

Two observations from these numbers. First, small machines rent for more per pound of daily ice capacity. One pound rents for about $0.82 per month on a small machine and $0.26 on a large machine. Three times as much, nearly. If your needs are near the high end of a size category, ask about larger machines.

Second, prices have been rising. The equipment rental companies are paying 89% more to purchase costs than they were in January 2020, according to the government producer price index for commercial refrigeration ( BLS series WPU114803). Consider any rate you find quoted in an old article too low.

Want the full cost picture with fees, utilities and worked examples? See our rental cost guide or the rent vs. buy guide.

Which brands make which ice

As you can see not every ice machine manufactures all types of ice. If your looking for nugget or large cube ice you will want to narrow down your search.

Many companies have switched to advertising nugget ice over the last year. We found 50% of companies advertising nugget ice vs full cube 42% and flake ice at 38%.

Lineups change, so confirm the current catalog before you order. Need help choosing an ice style? Try the ice type finder quiz or read the full types of ice guide.

Do brands matter if you rent?

When renting ice machines, someone else is taking care of repairs. Therefore knowing what brand of ice machine your rental company stocks is crucial. Every major ice machine rental company carries the above 4 brands. They are not giving you anything by renting those brands. Its saving them money on repairs and you get to enjoy it too! Check out our what's included when renting page to see what the monthly fee typically includes.

We called and asked what brands of ice machines they rent. If they were authorized and how long it would take them to install a new ice machine if it broke. The last question is important because nobody answered it. We found that 58% of the companies didn't clarify their response timeframe for repairs or their policy on supplying ice in the interim. Visit our How to Choose a Ice Machine Rental Company page to learn more. Or read our Ice Machine Rental Agreement page.

Ask your potential rental company if they are authorized. Only 24% of the companies we surveyed said they were an authorized dealer or factory service site for the machines they rent. The ones that are were straight forward about it.

Ready to see real numbers? Compare free quotes from rental companies near you.

How we checked

Carried by comes from reading 69 U.S. ice machine rental and service company websites in August and September 2026 and noting every brand each one rents. The rental rates are 19 published cube ice rates from five companies.

One thing to know: this data shows how often a brand is carried, not how reliable it is. Nobody publishes failure rates, including us. See How We Rate and the full research data for more.

The bottom line

Ice Type should be the first thing you decide. This will help narrow your options down. Next is knowing what companies can service your ice machine. Most likely its going to be one of the 4 brands above. Price comes last, and when you rent it depends on machine size more than brand. The one number to remember: 73% of rental companies carry at least one of the big 4. Pick from those and almost any provider can serve you.

If price is your concern renting is the best option. See our Rent vs Buy Guide. Find out what size ice machine you need with our Ice Calculator or Get Free Quotes.