Bagged Ice Merchandiser Freezers

Display bags of ice to customers at the perfect temperature with a bagged ice merchandiser freezer.

Whether you’re making your ice in house or are simply stocking ice from a local ice vendor, bagged ice merchandisers are a necessity to any business selling bags of ice. These freezers keep bags of ice at ideal temperatures as well as accessible to the public for easy purchasing. Especially during the summer, selling bagged ice can be a great way to add revenue for any convenience or grocery store. The easiest way to do that is with an ice merchandiser. These units are easy to load and can store large quantities of ice at one time. These specialized reach-in freezers are designed to attractively display bags of ice.


Buying Considerations:

  • Location - When choosing the right bagged ice merchandiser for your business, you'll need to know where you plan to place the unit. Gas stations and convenience stores often choose to place their ice chests outside for ease of access and to free up room in the store. Other businesses like grocery stores or liquor stores may choose to keep the freezer inside to make stocking and inventory easier. It's important to note that glass door models should not be used in outdoor settings. Solid door and flip top models are designed to withstand fluctuating ambient temperatures and weather situations. Glass door ice merchandisers are not equipped to handle the elements, and could be damaged from being used outdoors.
  • Size - Ice merchandiser freezers list their capacity in cubic feet, like most commercial freezers. However, understanding how many bags of ice the unit can hold may make it easier to choose the right size for your needs.

    • Indoor - These units hold from 54 eight pound bags of ice for 1-door models, and 117 eight pound bags for 2-door models.
    • Outdoor - Typically outdoor ice merchandisers will have a larger capacity than indoor models. They can hold up to 130 seven pound bags of ice. However, outdoor units take up a much larger area than indoor ice merchandisers will.
  • Energy Efficiency - Ice merchandisers hold interior temperatures from 20°F - 25°F for the best quality ice. In order to maintain these temperatures, their refrigeration systems have to work hard. Look for an ice merchandiser with high-quality insulation and a tight door seal to help keep cold air in the unit. Some freezers feature an evaporator fan that will shut off when the door is opened to prevent warm air from being drawn into the cabinet. Check your unit's spec sheet to see what energy saving features it offers.

What is the difference between a bagged ice merchandiser freezer and a glass door merchandiser freezer?

The difference between these two freezer types is temperature. While standard merchandiser freezers hold temperatures of below 0°F, bagged ice merchandiser freezers hold temperatures between 20 and 25°F. This temperature difference is because ice needs to be kept at a temperature closer to (but not at or above) freezing in order to keep the individual shapes. If it becomes too cold, the ice will clump together and go from individual cubes to one giant block.