Is It Better to Buy or Rent an Ice Machine?
If you need an ice machine, you may think buying is the best option. However, you may save money if you rent an ice machine. Here’s what we recommend.
Are you looking for a commercial ice machine?
Whether it’s to keep your food and drink cold or avoid cross-contamination, an ice machine can help. However, its high initial cost can be off-putting. If you’re a small business with limited funds, it’s best to rent an ice machine instead.
Wondering if it’s better to buy or rent? This guide will answer this question and more. Read on and find out:
Buying an Ice Machine: The Additional Costs
Owning an ice machine is attractive because you need not worry about recurring costs. However, keeping it efficient is more expensive. Without proper maintenance, various problems arise.
Issues can be as simple as less ice production. At its worst, you might end up with a health violation. Either way, it means paying more in the long run.
Here are some of the most expensive costs that come with ice machine ownership:
1. Preventive Maintenance Costs
Proper maintenance involves cleaning your ice machine to ensure it goes beyond its usual lifespan. Replacing your ice machine’s parts fall under this category. It can be troublesome because the machine needs regular checks.
You must hire the nearest experienced ice machine technician to maintain it. A good rule to follow is to schedule checkups every six months. If your environmental conditions are harsher, you might need more.
2. Deep Cleaning
Dirty ice machines run slower since dirt and other debris stick to various machine parts. It forces your machine to work harder than necessary. Over time, the extra work will cause it to break down.
It leaves you with a costly ice machine repair bill. Worse, your ice supply becomes contaminated. It will make your business practices questionable when a customer gets sick.
3. Water Filters
Your ice machine’s longevity is better if you have the right water filters. It decreases particles, sediments, and other mineral deposits. It prevents them from building up within your ice machine.
If you don’t replace your water filters, it reduces the water flow. It’s the most common cause of malformed ice cubes. With smaller cubes, you’ll have a lower rate of ice production.
Phosphate water filters are important if your business is in an area with hard water. It prevents scale buildup within your ice machine. You must replace filters often, or the scale will damage the machine’s moving parts.
4. Repairs
Repairing your ice machine is the highest cost that comes from owning one. Regardless of how careful you are, occasional problems are inevitable. With less care, your repair costs will be higher because it happens more often.
When the ice machine breaks down, you must have a qualified technician. The costs will add up the more you enlist their help.
5. Extra Ice
This cost appears whenever your ice machine needs repairs. To continue serving your guests with cold beverages, you must buy more ice. Depending on the time of the year, it will take away more from your profits.
A 10-lb ice bag will cost up to $3. If you use 600 lbs of ice each day, you’ll spend $180 to continue operating until the ice machine returns.
Rent an Ice Machine: The Benefits
People buy ice machines because they think that the answer to the question “can you rent an ice machine?” is negatory. However, renting an ice machine is more advantageous than owning one. Here are some benefits you must consider:
1. Lower Entry Costs
As a starting business, your biggest challenge is paying for the initial costs. If you buy an ice machine, you’ll spend thousands. It’s especially when you pick one with various special features.
High-volume machines often cost over $5,000. Investing in this machine gives you no direct payback. It’s why renting an ice machine is better.
With a rental, your initial cost lowers by a large margin. It allows you to better sustain your business since the price tag is lower. At the same time, you’ll maintain a high level of service toward your customers.
2. Costs Include Service and Maintenance
You have lots of other things to deal with as a business owner. As part of your daily business tasks, you must deal with inventory, marketing, and staffing.
Trim your list by getting rid of ice machine service and maintenance. Ice machine rentals will include both service and maintenance costs.
Owning an ice machine is great, but it carries the responsibility of maintenance. Avoiding these means saving more resources like time. It allows you to do other tasks that will improve your business further.
3. Guaranteed Uptime
It’s inevitable for any piece of technology to break after a while. Ice machines aren’t an exception. As stated above, you’re responsible for your machine when it breaks down.
You must deal with the downtime and the wait associated with its repair. However, most reputable rental services will guarantee your machine’s uptime. When problems happen, they’ll send some professionals to get you back to full operation.
With an uptime guarantee, your business gets little to no interruptions.
4. Competitive Edge
The current era demands every business to stay ahead at all times. If you want to succeed, your customers must leave your premises satisfied. You can do this using excellent customer service.
When summer hits, you must anticipate the surge of cold drink demands. Satisfy their thirst while showing you care about their well-being. It’s what serves as a foundation for a loyal customer base.
With the benefits stated above, renting an ice machine more efficient.
Rent an Ice Machine With Us Today
Rent an ice machine if you’re a startup business. Its initial costs are lower while avoiding the costs associated with ownership. It means you need not worry about maintenance and repair bills in the long run.
Are you looking for a commercial ice machine? If so, request a quote today!