Our Follett ice machine review in one line: Follett is the brand to look at when you want soft, chewable nugget ice delivered with as little hand contact as possible. Nearly everything Follett makes is built around its Chewblet ice, from countertop dispensers for offices and hospital floors to large Horizon Elite heads that can push ice through a tube to a soda fountain. It is not a cube ice brand, and it is not cheap. Specs and prices below come from our listings and Follett’s own website; we have not tested these machines ourselves.
What Chewblet ice is and how Follett makes it
Follett’s guide to ice shapes describes Chewblet as “uniformly shaped pieces of chewable compressed nugget ice.” Follett says its porous texture soaks up the drink’s flavor and that consumers prefer it 2 to 1 over cube ice, based on its own customer intercept studies. The same page lists the Horizon Elite piece at about 5/8 inch across by 3/8 inch long, and the Champion, Symphony Plus and Maestro Plus piece at about 1/2 by 1/2 inch. Our listings also include Horizon Elite models that make Micro Chewblet ice.
Nugget machines in general make ice continuously with an auger instead of freezing and harvesting batches of cubes. Our nugget vs cube vs flake ice guide explains that process and when nugget beats cube.
Follett ice machine review: the lineup by series
Prices are from our listings and can change. Production is the listed figure per 24 hours; our listings do not state the air and water temperatures behind each number.
| Series | Type | Example model | Listed lb per 24 hr | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion 7 | Countertop dispenser, drainless | 7CI112A-NW-NF-ST-00 | 100 | 7 lb | $5,582.50 |
| Champion 15 | Countertop dispenser, drainless | 15CI112A-NW-CL-ST-00 | 100 | 15 lb | $6,173.75 |
| Symphony Plus 25 | Countertop dispenser, lever | 25CI425A-LI | 425 | 25 lb | $8,690.00 |
| Symphony Plus 50 | Countertop dispenser, lever | 50CI425A-LI | 425 | 50 lb | $9,322.00 |
| Symphony Plus 110 | Dispenser, SensorSAFE | 110CT425A-SI | 425 | 90 lb | $13,513.00 |
| Horizon Elite 1000 | Head, remote condenser, top mount on dispensers | HCD1010RHT | 900 | None (sits on a dispenser) | $11,627.00 |
| Horizon Elite 1800 | Head, remote condenser, mounts on Follett bins | HCF1810RBT | 1,784 | None (needs a bin) | $18,543.00 |
| Horizon Elite 2100 | Head, remote condenser, mounts on Follett bins | HCD2110RBT | 2,039 | None (needs a bin) | $19,514.00 |
| Upright bin | Storage only | SG860S-48 | Not listed (no ice maker) | 860 lb | $6,138.00 |
| Maestro Plus | Undercounter or top mount | Not stocked as a machine | 425 per Follett | 75 lb (bin model) per Follett | Not listed |
Follett’s current modular Chewblet page shows slightly different numbers for some series, for example 978 lb for the 1000 series remote head, so confirm the spec sheet for your exact model before you size. The Horizon Elite 1800 figure of 1,784 lb matches Follett’s 1800 series page.
Champion and Symphony Plus: ice and water dispensers
These are self-contained: they make, store and dispense ice. Follett’s Champion page says the current line makes up to 125 lb a day (our Champion listings still show 100 lb, so check the spec sheet for the exact model) and is designed to serve up to 50 people (Champion 7) or 75 people (Champion 15). It is drainless, needs only power and a push-in water line, and comes with a Claris ion exchange filter on filtered models. Follett also lists an internal UV light for the water reservoir, touch-free dispensing and on-screen cleaning instructions.
Symphony Plus steps up to 425 lb a day. Follett’s Symphony Plus 25 and 50 Series page says the dispensers are self-flushing, have a modular icemaker, and use semi-automatic cleaning and sanitizing that cuts preventive maintenance to about one hour. SensorSAFE is Follett’s infrared, touch-free dispensing; lever models (the “LI” codes above) put a shared touch point in the room.
Sizing a Follett dispenser for a hospital floor
Follett’s patient care sizing page gives a rule of thumb: 12 Series up to 20 beds, 25 Series for 20 to 35, 50 Series for 35 to 50, and 110 Series above 50. It says the ice machine recovers at about 16 lb per hour, a chilled water option can use up to 40% more ice, and you should add 20% for growth.
Horizon Elite and RIDE remote ice delivery
Horizon Elite is Follett’s high output modular head. Follett’s Horizon Elite page says its design resists scale without scale inhibitors or reverse osmosis and uses up to 50% less water than cube machines. Treat those as manufacturer claims; water quality varies by site.
The standout feature is RIDE. Follett’s RIDE page says Horizon machines can send ice through a tube up to 75 feet, and that with its Ice Manager diverter one machine can fill two dispensers. That lets you keep the noisy machine in a back room. Follett’s Vision ice and beverage dispensers are built for this; our ice and beverage dispenser guide covers Vision models and RIDE pairing in detail.
Follett vs Manitowoc
Both brands are well known, but they lead in different places. Our Manitowoc ice machine review covers its Indigo NXT cube heads and NEO undercounters. Here is how the two compare on the facts we could check:
- Ice range. Manitowoc’s modular ice machines page lists cube, nugget and flake machines. Follett’s catalog centers on Chewblet nugget ice, with flake offered on Maestro Plus.
- A nugget head on a bin. Our Manitowoc RNP0620A with D320 bin lists 451 lb AHRI certified at 90/70, a 264 lb bin and a self-contained condenser for $7,227.00. Our Follett heads start much higher in output and price, and the listings do not state a rating basis, so do not compare the numbers one for one.
- Dispensing. Follett offers self-contained nugget dispensers from 7 to 90 lb of storage, plus RIDE, which Follett says only its machines can do.
Pick Manitowoc if you mainly need cube ice for a bar or kitchen. Pick Follett if Chewblet ice, touch-free dispensing or remote ice delivery is the point.
Pros and cons
- Pro: one ice style across the line, from 7 lb countertop units to 2,039 lb heads.
- Pro: hygiene features in the spec, such as SensorSAFE, Agion silver-based antimicrobial protection on key contact parts (per Follett’s Champion page) and RIDE delivery.
- Pro: drainless Champion models go almost anywhere with a water line.
- Con: price. The HCD1010RHT head lists 900 lb for $11,627.00, while our Manitowoc IDP1000A cube head lists 970 lb at 70/50 for $7,299.00 (different rating conditions, but the gap is real).
- Con: no cube option if your menu needs clear cubes.
- Con: remote condenser heads add refrigeration and electrical work, so budget for install.
Maintenance, filters and warranty
Follett pages list SafeCLEAN Plus cleaner and IMS-III sanitizer for its machines. A filter is the cheapest insurance: our Follett 00978957 high capacity filter system is listed at 15,000 gallons for $745.00. Antimicrobial features do not replace cleaning; follow the manual’s schedule. For the warranty, Follett’s warranty center handles registration and service; check the warranty document for your model, as we could not confirm terms on a Follett web page. Power, water and drain work should be done by a licensed electrician and plumber, and local code has the final word.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Follett Chewblet ice maker the same as Sonic ice?
Both are nugget ice. Chewblet is Follett’s name for its compressed nugget ice, and “Sonic ice” is a popular nickname for nugget ice in general.
Which Follett is best for an office?
Follett rates Champion 7 for up to 50 people and Champion 15 for up to 75. Both are drainless and countertop.
Follett vs Manitowoc: which lasts longer?
We have no lifespan data for either brand. Compare warranty documents for the exact models you are considering.
Does a Horizon Elite include storage?
No. Horizon Elite heads sit on a dispenser or Follett bin, or feed one through RIDE tubing.
Browse every model on our Follett brand page or start with the commercial kitchen equipment guide. Shipping is free on orders of $999 or more, with a $200 flat rate below that. Questions about sizing or pairing? Call us at 866-777-2590, Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM PST. See our return and refund policy before you order.
