Having the right ice machine cleaner can make or break your experience, and it can make the time you take to clean your ice maker more efficient. Depending on the type of ice machine you have and how much buildup there is, different ice maker descalers may work better or worse for your needs.
This Impresa Ice Machine Cleaner and Descaler is relatively universal and works with most ice makers and brands, offering roughly a year’s supply of cleaner per bottle.
The type of ice maker you have may influence what type of ice machine cleaner you need. While many ice machine cleaners available today are designed to work with several different types of ice makers, figuring out the type of ice machine you have is a good place to start. This may include the ice maker’s brand, style or configuration.
Ice machine cleaners will often include chemicals like citric or phosphoric acid, which help remove minerals and other built-up gunk from ice makers. Some have also found success using vinegar-based chemicals to clean their ice machines. However, no matter what you use, it’s worthwhile to find a product designed for your type of ice machine to ensure the best results.
Ice makers are meant to be cleaned on a regular basis, so if you haven’t cleaned your unit in a while, you may be looking at a higher level of buildup than those on a cleaning schedule. If that’s the case, you might consider heavy-duty cleaning materials or other means of cleaning if ice machine cleaners won’t do the trick. Staying in a cleaning routine with an ice machine cleaner will also help you avoid high levels of buildup down the road.
Most importantly, you want to make sure that the ice machine cleaner you purchase does a good job at cleaning your unit. While some ice machine descalers may work better than others, those designed for specific types of ice makers will usually work best, so it’s worth matching the cleaner you select to the ice machine you own or operate.
Ice machines use a variety of metals for their refrigeration units, often including nickel. For that reason, ice machine cleaners will often advertise that their solutions are nickel-safe. Other ice machine cleaners may also advertise being chrome-safe and stainless steel-safe in addition to being nickel-safe.
While it isn’t the case with every bottle of ice machine cleaner, most products will offer multiple cleanings within a single bottle. This allows users to get between 6 months and a year’s worth of cleaning done with a single purchase, rather than re-buying the solution every few months when it’s time to clean the ice machine.
Ice machine cleaners are fairly affordable as far as maintenance chemicals go since most companies only recommend descaling your ice machine every 2-6 months. A cheap ice machine cleaner may be priced as low as $10, with most products costing around $15 for a single bottle or $20 or more for bulk packs.
A. Most ice machine cleaners do offer a nickel-safe solution, though it’s worth double-checking with the specific product you choose. Some other ice machine cleaners will also include formulas that are chrome and stainless steel-safe, in addition to those that are nickel-safe.
A. While it does vary, most ice machine cleaners are made out of a compound including citric and/or phosphoric acids, which can help to descale and loosen buildup inside the machine. To learn a given product’s specific ingredients, you’ll want to check the product’s listing or website to see what makes up a given compound.
Essential Values Nickel, Stainless Steel and Chrome-Safe Ice Machine Cleaner
What you need to know: This simple ice machine cleaner is mostly universal, working with free-standing, modular or countertop ice machines for a total of four uses.
What you’ll love: This ice machine cleaner is safe for nickel, stainless steel and chrome, and works on the vast majority of ice machine types. Offering 16 ounces and four uses per bottle, the company says users should descale their ice machines every three to six months, meaning this solution should last at least a year, if not more.
What you should consider: This ice machine cleaner required a large volume of water to rinse the machine after cleaning, according to some buyers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Impresa Ice Machine Cleaner and Descaler For Scotsman, Manitowoc and Other Brands
What you need to know: This USA-made ice machine cleaning solution works on nearly any brand of ice maker, and it also easily removes buildup while being completely nickel-safe.
What you’ll love: This ice machine cleaner is good for about four cleanings, which the company recommends doing every two to three months, and it’s more affordable than most. This ice machine descaler also works with several brands, including Scotsman, Manitowoc, Whirlpool and many more.
What you should consider: Some buyers said that this ice machine cleaning solution solidified a little upon arrival, so they had to scrape away the top to use the rest of the bottle.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Affresh Universal Ice Machine Cleaner and Descaler For Free-standing Machines
What you need to know: Another well-recommended ice machine descaler, this solution from Affresh is largely recommended for free-standing Whirlpool and KitchenAid brands, though it can work with others.
What you’ll love: This ice machine cleaner is nickel-safe and works well for removing hard water stains and mineral buildup. It also comes with 16 ounces per bottle, which can be used once for cleaning.
What you should consider: This ice machine cleaner only includes one use, compared to other brands of descaler that offer multiple uses per 16-ounce container.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Peter McGuthrie writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
