Nugget vs cube ice comes down to what the ice has to do. Cube ice is hard and slow to melt, so it suits drinks, dispensers and bagged ice. Flake ice is soft and moldable, so it suits seafood and produce displays and cold packs. Nugget ice is compressed flake: soft, chewable and quick to cool a soda. Below: how each is made, best uses, and cost per pound of capacity from our listings.
Types of ice: how cube, flake and nugget machines make it
Cube machines: freeze, then harvest
A cuber pumps water over a chilled evaporator plate. Each pass gets colder until ice builds up on the plate. When a sensor or timer says the ice is thick enough, the machine sends hot gas through the evaporator to release the slab, which drops into the bin as cubes. That freeze and harvest description follows the HVAC School article Ice Machines: Cuber, Flaker and Nugget Basics.
Cube size (half dice, full dice, regular) is a choice within this one machine type. We cover sizes and cubes per pound in our half dice vs full dice ice guide, so we will not repeat that table here.
Flake and nugget machines: an auger that never stops
Flakers and nugget machines use a round evaporator cylinder with a corkscrew auger inside, turned by a gear motor. Ice forms on the cold cylinder wall, and the turning auger scrapes it off and pushes it up and out through a head at the top. Freezing and harvesting happen at the same time, so there is no batch cycle (HVAC School, same article).
The outlet decides what comes out. Flake ice leaves as thin, loose pieces. For nugget ice, the flakes are pressed into small, compact pellets. Burkett’s Scotsman ice types guide describes nugget ice as “formed by compressing small flakes of ice into a compact shape.”
Nugget vs cube ice vs flake: texture, melt and best uses
Middleby’s guide “Selecting the Right Type of Ice for Your Concept” and the Burkett guide report:
- Cube: solid and holds its shape. Larger full cubes melt more slowly, which means less dilution. Middleby lists cocktails, soft drinks, dispensing, blended drinks and ice bagging as cube uses.
- Flake: soft and snow like, melts quickly, packs well around product and conforms to surfaces. Middleby lists seafood and produce displays, fish markets, buffets, grocery, healthcare and labs. Burkett adds salad bars.
- Nugget: soft and chewable, and it absorbs the flavor of the drink. Middleby calls it “the ideal ice for soft drinks” and notes it is common in hospitals because it is easy for patients to chew.
For nugget ice’s traits in more depth, and the “Sonic ice” nickname, see our countertop nugget ice maker guide.
| Type | Texture | Melt | Best uses | Machine type | Example from our catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cube | Hard, solid | Slowest (full cube) | Cocktails, soft drinks, dispensers, bagged ice | Evaporator plate, batch harvest | Manitowoc IYP0600W-261, 650 lb, $5,199 |
| Flake | Soft, snow like, moldable | Fast | Seafood and produce displays, salad bars, buffets, cold packs | Auger, continuous | Manitowoc RFF1300W, 1,365 lb, $8,880 |
| Nugget | Soft, chewable, porous | Not listed by our sources | Soft drinks, blended drinks, self serve, healthcare | Auger, compressed flake | Manitowoc RNF1100W, 1,158 lb, $9,206 |
Which ice machine fits your business?
Bars, restaurants and anyone bagging ice: cube
If ice goes into a glass with spirits, through a soda dispenser, or into bags for sale, start with a cuber.
Seafood counters, produce and salad bars: flake
Flake ice spreads into a bed and packs around fish and produce, which is why grocery and display cases use it. If you also serve drinks, plan on a second machine.
Therapy and medical packs: flake or nugget
Middleby says flake ice’s softness makes it suited to compressing injuries because it cools without adding much pressure, and Burkett lists both flake and nugget for therapeutic use. Treat that as a manufacturer description, not medical advice. Clinics should follow their own protocols and a doctor’s direction.
Soft drinks, cafes and healthcare: nugget
Nugget ice is the chewable choice for fountain drinks, smoothies and iced coffee, and for patient rooms where hard cubes are a problem. For a break room or self serve station, a countertop nugget dispenser may fit better than a full machine; our nugget guide covers those formats.
Flake ice vs nugget ice machines: cost and upkeep
Cost per pound of daily capacity
We divided each listed price by its listed daily production. The fairest match is three 30 in water cooled Manitowoc machines:
- Flake: RFF1300W, $8,880 for 1,365 lb, about $6.51 per lb of daily capacity.
- Nugget: RNF1100W, $9,206 for 1,158 lb, about $7.95 per lb.
- Cube: IYP0600W-261, $5,199 for 650 lb, about $8.00 per lb.
So on these listings, flake is the cheapest per pound of capacity, and nugget and cube are close. Cube still wins on entry price, because you can buy a much smaller cuber. Small machines cost more per pound across the board: the UYP0190A-161BX undercounter cuber works out to about $16.66 per lb, and the UFP0200A-161 undercounter flaker to about $18.56. Check each listing for whether a bin is included, and budget for one if not.
Running and maintenance differences
An auger machine has a gear motor and auger turning inside the evaporator whenever it makes ice, with very tight clearance between them (HVAC School). Ask about the manufacturer’s service schedule for those parts before you buy.
All three types share one enemy: minerals in the water. HVAC School calls them “an ice machine’s worst enemy” and recommends a filter sized after a water quality test. Water cooled models also need a water supply for the condenser, and larger heads may need 208 to 230V or 3 phase power. A licensed electrician and plumber, and your local code, have the final word on hookups.
To size any of these machines to your volume, use our ice machine sizing guide.
Cube, flake and nugget machines we carry
| Model | Ice type | Format | Daily production | Price | Per lb of capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc UYP0190A-161BX | Half dice cube | 26 in undercounter, air cooled, 90 lb bin, 115V | 200 lb | $3,332 | $16.66 |
| Manitowoc IYP0600W-261 | Half dice cube | 30 in, water cooled, 208 to 230V, 1 phase | 650 lb | $5,199 | $8.00 |
| Manitowoc IYP1000A-263 | Half dice cube | 30 in, air cooled, 208 to 230V, 3 phase | 971 lb | $7,430 | $7.65 |
| Manitowoc UFP0200A-161 | Flake | 19 3/4 in undercounter, air cooled, 50 lb bin | 272 lb | $5,048 | $18.56 |
| Manitowoc RFF1300A | Flake | 30 in, air cooled | 1,264 lb | $8,375 | $6.63 |
| Manitowoc RFF1300W | Flake | 30 in, water cooled | 1,365 lb | $8,880 | $6.51 |
| Manitowoc RNP0620W-161 | Nugget | 22 in, water cooled, 115V | 613 lb | $6,119 | $9.98 |
| Manitowoc RNF1100W | Nugget | 30 in, water cooled | 1,158 lb | $9,206 | $7.95 |
Prices can change. See every model in our Manitowoc collection, or browse more equipment in the commercial kitchen equipment guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between nugget vs cube ice?
Cube ice is frozen on an evaporator plate and harvested in batches, so it is hard and melts slowly. Nugget ice is made by an auger machine that compresses ice flakes into soft, chewable pellets that absorb a drink’s flavor.
What is the difference between flake ice vs nugget ice?
Both come from auger machines. Flake ice leaves as thin, loose pieces that mold around food and melt fast. Nugget ice is the same flake pressed into compact pellets, which makes it better for drinks.
What are the main types of ice for a business?
Cube (in half dice, full dice and regular sizes), flake and nugget. Choose cube for drinks and bagging, flake for displays and cold packs, and nugget for chewable soft drinks and healthcare.
Is a flake or nugget machine more expensive to buy?
On our current 30 in water cooled Manitowoc listings, the flaker costs less and makes more ice than the nugget machine: about $6.51 vs $7.95 per pound of daily capacity.
Not sure which ice type or size fits your operation? Call us at 866-777-2590, Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM PST. Orders of $999 or more ship free by freight, and orders below that ship for a $200 flat rate. Please review our return and refund policy before you order.
