Icetro vs Manitowoc comes down to this: Manitowoc gives you the deeper feature set, with the Indigo NXT easyTouch display, programmable production and app connectivity on select units, plus a wider spread of sizes up to very large remote machines. Icetro gives you simpler controls and lower prices on several matched models, and its warranty is very close to Manitowoc’s. In all three matchups below, the Icetro machine is listed for less than the closest Manitowoc on our site, though the Manitowoc flake price includes a bin.
This is a head to head only. For each brand’s full lineup, read our Icetro ice machine review and Manitowoc ice machine review. Specs come from our listings and the makers’ websites; we have not tested these machines.
Icetro vs Manitowoc at a glance
| Point | Icetro | Manitowoc |
|---|---|---|
| Origins | Founded as SE-A in South Korea in 1981, renamed Icetro in 2010 | Began in 1964 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin |
| Owner today | Middleby, since 2022 | Its site calls it Manitowoc Ice from Pentair Water Solutions |
| Ice types | Full and half cube, nugget, flake, snow flake | Regular, dice and half dice cube, nugget, flake, gourmet and square cube |
| Controls | Front status panel plus an internal error code display | easyTouch display, programmable production, Bluetooth app on select Indigo NXT units |
| Cube machine warranty | 3 years parts and labor | 3 years parts and labor |
| Ice machine prices in our listings | About $2,776 to $12,722 | About $2,319 to $18,818 |
Price ranges cover new, in stock machines on our site without bins. Prices change, so check each product page.
Company background
According to Icetro America’s About Us page, the company started in South Korea in 1981 as SE-A and changed its name to Icetro in 2010. Middleby bought Icetro America and Icetro Korea in 2022. Icetro says it has sold over 2,000,000 units in more than 80 countries.
Manitowoc’s company page traces the brand to 1964, when Manitowoc Equipment Works bought a Minneapolis ice machine maker called Kodiak. It says it filed a patent for its vertical evaporator in 1966.
Head to head: matched models from our listings
We paired machines of the same ice type and a similar output. Where two ratings are listed, the first is at 70°F air and 50°F water and the second is at 90°F air and 70°F water. All six models are in stock.
| Matchup | Icetro model and output | Icetro price | Manitowoc model and output | Manitowoc price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nugget undercounter | IU-0090-ANP: 91 lb at 70/50, 24.3 lb bin, drain pump, 115V | $4,466.00 | UNP0200A: 213 lb at 70/50, 164 lb at 90/70, 20 lb bin | $4,818.00 |
| Flake, about 730 lb | IM-0770-AF: 736 lb, 639 lb, 115V, no bin listed | $6,669.00 | RFP0620A with D570 bin: 730 lb, 506 lb, bin with 532 lb application capacity | $7,641.00 |
| Remote cube, 48 in | IM-1700-RC: full cube, 1,680 lb, 1,462 lb, condenser sold separately | $9,811.00 | IYT1900N Indigo NXT: half cube, 1,830 lb (rating basis not listed) | $10,336.00 |
What the matchups show
- Nugget: the Manitowoc costs $352 more but its listing gives more than twice the 70/50 output. The Icetro has a built-in drain pump, which helps where no floor drain is close.
- Flake: the two heads are rated at almost the same 70/50 output, but Icetro lists 639 lb at 90/70 against Manitowoc’s 506 lb. The Manitowoc price includes a bin, so add a bin to the Icetro before you compare totals.
- Large remote cube: the Icetro is $525 less, and Icetro sells the pre-charged IRC-2000 remote condenser for the IM-1700 and IM-2000 at $1,969.00. Our IYT1900N listing gives only a title-level spec, so confirm with us whether a condenser and line set are included before you compare. The Icetro IM-2000-RC is rated at 1,980 lb and 1,730 lb for $11,131.00.
Controls and Manitowoc Indigo NXT features
This is where the brands differ most. Our Manitowoc IDP0450A listing, a 30 in Indigo NXT head rated at 483 lb and 393 lb for $3,945.00, describes the easyTouch display with 13 languages, reminder and alert icons and programmable production by time, weight or day and night. Manitowoc’s Indigo NXT page adds Bluetooth connectivity with the Manitowoc Ice App for status, alerts, diagnostics and energy, water and ice data. Manitowoc says the app works with select Indigo NXT machines only, so look for the Bluetooth sticker or icon.
Icetro keeps it simpler. Icetro America’s home page says its modular machines have a front control panel that uses flashing lights to show errors, plus an internal numeric display that shows error codes and lets a technician adjust settings such as flush and fill time. Icetro also says every modular machine has 3-way ventilation.
Cleaning and self-cleaning features
- Icetro: our IM-1700-RC and IM-2000-RC listings describe an automated cleaning cycle, a diagnostic control panel, an ABS antimicrobial interior and a 304 stainless steel exterior. The IM-0770-AF listing mentions an automatic flush cycle.
- Manitowoc: Indigo NXT heads have one touch cleaning with on-screen instructions and AlphaSan antimicrobial protection, plus an all-white interior and tool-free snap-fit food zone parts, per Manitowoc. LuminIce II and the AuCS automatic cleaning system are optional accessories. We list the iAuCS for Indigo machines at $538.00.
Both warranties exclude problems from skipped cleaning, so follow the schedule in the manual.
Warranty compared
Terms below come from Icetro America’s warranty page and Manitowoc’s warranty summary for commercial use.
| Coverage | Icetro | Manitowoc |
|---|---|---|
| Cube machines | 3 years parts and labor; evaporator 5 years parts and labor; compressor 5 years parts, 3 years labor | Indigo NXT, Indigo and NEO: 3 years parts and labor; evaporator 5 years parts and labor; compressor 5 years parts |
| Nugget and flake | 3 years parts and labor; evaporator 3 years; compressor 5 years parts, 3 years labor | RF and UNP series: 3 years parts and labor; compressor 5 years parts, 3 years labor |
| Bins | 3 years parts | 3 years parts and labor |
| Extras | Registering an IcePro filter extends the cuber base warranty to 4 years | Replacement parts: 90 days, or 1 year for a compressor or evaporator |
Icetro gives 1 year parts and labor on any unit installed in a home. Manitowoc’s labor coverage excludes travel, normal maintenance, cleaning, adjustments and fixing an improper installation.
Best commercial ice machine brand for your business
- Choose Icetro if you want a lower price on a 48 in remote cube head, simple controls your staff can learn quickly, a 115V flake machine, or the 4 year cuber warranty with a registered filter.
- Choose Manitowoc if you want programmable production, app data on select units, the widest range of cube sizes, square or gourmet cubes, or very large machines such as the 48 in S-Series and QuietQube models in the 3000 size class.
- Either way, size on the 90/70 rating and budget for a bin. Our guide to what size ice machine you need shows how to work out pounds per day, and Manitowoc model numbers explained helps you read the codes.
Ask who services each brand in your area. Power, water, drains and remote condenser line sets also need a licensed electrician and plumber, and your local code has the final word.
Frequently asked questions
Is an Icetro ice machine as good as a Manitowoc?
On paper they are close. The cube warranties match at 3 years parts and labor, and the Icetro was listed for less in all three of our matchups (the Manitowoc flake price includes a bin). Manitowoc offers more controls and sizes.
What is the Manitowoc Indigo NXT?
Indigo NXT is Manitowoc’s line of modular cube heads with the easyTouch display, programmable production, one touch cleaning, R290 refrigerant and, on select units, Bluetooth app connectivity.
Do Icetro ice machines clean themselves?
Our Icetro Maestro remote listings describe an automated cleaning cycle, and the flake model has an automatic flush cycle. You still need to clean and maintain the machine as the manual says, or warranty claims can be refused.
What is the best commercial ice machine brand for a small bar?
For nugget ice, the Manitowoc UNP0200A makes more ice per day than the Icetro IU-0090-ANP for $352 more. If you need a drain pump, the Icetro has one built in.
Browse every model on our Icetro brand page. We ship freight free on orders of $999 or more, with a $200 flat rate below that. Not sure which brand fits your space? Call us at 866-777-2590, Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM PST.
