Remember ice balls? An old fashioned treat that some of you might remember from your school days. Where crushed ice are compacted into a tight ball with syrup then poured over?
The concept of serving flavoured ice is now much more sophisticated. Where as the ice from ice balls might sometime be a bit too coarse to bite, you can now slurp flavoured ice through a straw. The Slush Machines have created a new way of enjoying an “ice” cold drink. And they can be readily dispensed from a machine without having to wait for the ice shaver. The consistency is smooth and it is now like biting into ice crystals. And the flavours are well mixed and evenly spread.
Still served in bright flavoured colours such as pink, red, green and even blue – it is a common equipment for concession stand operators or convenience stores these days.
A slush machine is basically a tank with a outlet valve in front sitting on top of a compressor, condenser, evaporator and a motor. Slush machines are fitted with an agitator or paddle in its tank where it is constantly stirring at a steady speed to mix the sugar and water.
Many operators prefer machines that have tanks made of clear plastics to show customers its bright coloured mixtures when placed in the stands or stores. Most units in the market are tabletop versions though floor standing units with bigger capacities are available as well that you could line up with soda drink dispensers in an easy flow.
To choose the right unit, you would need to consider whether it operates on a self serve system or your staff serves them. Either way, these units should have enough space around them for it to dispense heat from its motor and compressor. Also consider placing these units away from windows or from other machines that generate high heat as it would not only affect its performance, it would increase condensation appearing at the side of these tanks.
It is important that you check the paddles to ensure they are constantly running. As slush is made at a temperature of -3°C, it will easily form ice blocks if it is not consistently stirred. And the level of sugar mixed with water is important as sugar acts as an anti freeze that will help to prevent the formation of ice blocks. If you are operating on a single unit, using chilled water might reduce the time necessary for it to freeze.
As there is a lot of sugar involve, hygiene is very important, therefore the tanks should be easily removed for washing. Seals and moving parts are to be rinsed and flushed properly at the end of every day to minimise hardening and bacterial growth. Also check if grease is required for moving parts periodically as this will prevent premature wear and tear.
So if you are getting one for your restaurant or stand, ask your dealer for the mixture recipe to give your machine and its paddle a good long run!
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JASON CHOK
Momentum Solution – Servicing & Maintenance Manager
“When purchasing one, look for a brand that has spare parts available in the market. From our experience, there are many distributed in the market which ends up without having the necessary parts available for repair should the motor or paddle mechanism fail. You would then need to replace it with a complete new set.”
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