Ice crushers

Professional ice crushers for bars, cafés and tea-rooms

Crushed ice is essential to drinks service: cocktails, granitas, iced coffees, smoothies, homemade lemonades or seafood displays on a bed of ice. Making this ice by hand is slow and uneven; an electric ice crusher produces fine, uniform ice in seconds, ready to serve. Our selection covers both the small countertop unit for a cocktail bar and the high-output crusher for intensive service, always with steel blades and a build designed to last.

Why an ice crusher in your business

Beyond saving time, an ice crusher delivers a consistency that hand work cannot match. Ice of even granularity chills faster, blends better into drinks and improves presentation. For a bar, it is the key to a successful cocktail; for a tea-room or café, it makes it possible to extend the menu to iced drinks in season. The appliance also frees up staff during rush periods: simply feed the hopper to build a reserve of crushed ice that is immediately available.

Which output for which use

The main criterion is hourly output, expressed in kilos of ice per hour. A compact crusher of around 12 kg/h such as the Caterlite CT057 ice crusher is perfect for a small bar, occasional use or a counter where space is tight. For sustained service — a busy cocktail bar, a summer terrace, a banquet — a unit able to crush up to 90 kg/h, like the Buffalo CH919 ice crusher, prevents any bottleneck and quickly rebuilds the ice stock. Also consider the volume of the receiving bowl or container, which determines how much ice is available between two crushing cycles, and the appliance's footprint on the worktop.

Crushed ice, cracked ice and drink types

Not every cocktail calls for the same ice. Finely crushed ice, light and quick to melt, is ideal for shaken cocktails such as caipirinha or mojito and for granitas; more coarsely cracked ice holds up better in a long glass and melts more slowly. Depending on the model and setting, a crusher produces a finer or coarser texture. For a varied menu, a versatile appliance with a stainless steel bowl, like the 3 L stainless steel bowl Diamond ice crusher, offers a good balance of fineness and speed.

Blades, durability and maintenance

Crushing quality and appliance lifespan depend directly on the blades and motor. Robust stainless steel blades ensure a clean crush and withstand intensive use; a commercial-grade motor handles repeated cycles without overheating. Favour a wide filling opening, which makes feeding easier, and materials that are easy to clean, since hygiene is essential for an appliance in contact with ice intended for consumption. Regular cleaning of the blades and container, along with careful drying, preserves performance and prevents corrosion.

Safety and installation

An ice crusher handles sharp blades at high speed: favour models with a safety cut-out that stops the motor when the lid is opened, and train your staff never to put a hand into the hopper. Place the appliance on a stable worktop, near a drain to handle melting, and provide a suitable socket. Regular maintenance of the seals and receiving container prevents leaks and guarantees clean ice with no residual taste.

Our selection and related categories

Browse our ice crushers, from the compact CT057 model to the high-output CH919 crusher, and complete your drinks area with the other categories in the Coffee bar - Tea room family: coffee machines, coffee percolators, citrus juicers and hot water boilers to cover all your hot and cold drinks.