Manitowoc SM 50A Under Counter Ice Maker Review 2023
If you are looking for some professional ice maker, the Manitowoc ice maker with bin is undeniably worth taking into consideration. It has sleek and professional look which is efficient, quick and incredibly easy to use. The Manitowoc ice maker reputation for dependability and durability made the company as one of the leading manufacturers of ice makers in United States. The Manitowoc SM 50A Under Counter Ice Maker with bin has stainless steel finishing with clear coating and can be installed as inbuilt ice maker or left like free standing. Manitowoc ice machine is connected directly to water line and can also be attached to gravity drain which has drain pump.
This machine has multi-functional control panel with inbuilt filter so you can straight away take the water from tap and is designed either for residential use or business settings. In this Manitowoc Ice Machine review, we will let you know in detail about everything regarding the machine. We will go with Manitowoc SM-50A review, specs, pros and cons.
MANITOWOC SM-50A 53LB ICE MACHINE FEATURES
- Capacity, Ice type and dimensions
- Storage space
- Power Consumption
- Parts and structure
1. Capacity, Ice type and dimensions
Manitowoc SM-50A ice maker produces up to 53 pounds of gourmet octagon ice in 70 degrees Fahrenheit ambient air and 50 degrees Fahrenheit water. This Under Counter ice maker also has internal storage bin with capacity of 25 pounds. It produces Gourmet octagon ice with 1-3/8” high*1-3/8” diameter. Manitowoc gourmet ice is crystal clear with little air bubbles or some impurities, making this type of octagon ice ideal for high end alcoholic beverages.
2. Storage space
The Manitowoc SM-50A is designed to take up the minimal space with 22.75”*14.75” foot print. Since this machine is only 33.5” tall, you can easily fit this device under most commercial counters. This device can also be installed into 15” standard wide cabinet space.
3. Power Consumption
Manitowoc SM-50A 53lb houses a 1/6 HP compressor and condenser is air cooled. This machine comes in factory prewired with 6 foot power and NEMA 5-15P plug. This device has 60 Hz, 115 Volt, 1-phase electrical specs and consumes around 7.0 kWh for every 100 pounds of ice it produced. To prepare 100 pounds of ice, the Manitowoc SM-50A uses 44 gallons of water.
4. Parts and structure
The body of Manitowoc is made from stainless steel and during the installation right hinged door can be field converted to left hinge. An included water filter system makes the swapping of replacement water filter system in easy way. Best Ice machine has a control panel mounted above the storage bin. From the single location you can be able to control the ice making, cleaning and sanitizing. In addition to this it also has delay start option and water filter replacement warning light at this location.
MANITOWOC UNDERCOUNTER ICE MACHINE SPECIFICATIONS
Types of Manitowoc Ice Makers
There are different types in Manitowoc ice makers
- Modular: this type offers ultimate flexibility. By selecting the head unit and bin separately, the user can build their own custom unit. These type icemakers are available in flakers, cuber, and nugget ice machines.
- Remote: Manitowoc’s remote ice maker technology allows the customer to place the fan of machine outside of building, so you can keep the added heat and noise out of kitchen and dining area.
- Under counter: these small ice cube machines are perfect for small volume ice production. Mainly designed to fit under the counters or in areas where the floor space or height restrictions ban the use of bigger equipment.
- Countertop: this type of machines dispenses nugget ice and water. These are perfect for break room appliances and healthcare facilities. It makes easy to chew and chewable nugget ice.
- Hotel dispensers: designed for filling the bucket by hotel guests or ice dispensing for factories or institutions. The streamlined design and original rocking dispensing mechanism reduces the ice spillage and in-fight ice.
- Ice beverage: Manitowoc “IB” devices are 14” deep allow to access easily by manually filling the beverage dispensers. With the correct adapter, Manitowoc’s IB devices can be installed on any type of brand beverage dispenser.
Some of the Best Manitowoc Ice Makers
Manitowoc CNF0201AL-315 LB Air-cooled Countertop Nugget ice machine:
Product features:
- Lever activated
- Stores up to 12 LB of ice
- Produces maximum 315 LB of ice in a day
- Self-contained air cooled condenser
- 16.25 inch width
Produces nugget ice, and it is to chew the nugget ice making it perfect for medical applications and beverages.
Benefits:
- Stainless steel finishing with durability and attractive
- Operating machine is incredibly simple due to front access control panel
- As it is air cooled condenser so it does not require any medium liquid cooling for operation.
Overall dimensions:
Height: 35”
Front to back: 24”
Left to right: 16 1/4 “
It is smaller in size and it produces Manitowoc’s standard dice cube. The UDE-00675A produces 57 pounds of ice every day. As an air cooled ice machine this device takes and releases air from front, so it needs no clearance on sides in order to operate. The self contained bin holds up to 31 pounds of ice.
Hertz | 60 Hertz |
Ice type | Nugget |
Type | Ice/water combination machines |
Ship weight | 198 lbs |
Voltage | 115 volts |
Dispenser style | Lever |
NSF listed | Yes |
Installation type | Countertop |
Bin storage capacity | 12 lb |
Likes
- Fast ice production
- Efficient and makes large amount of ice per day
- Efficient use of electricity
- Inbuilt ice storage bin with capacity of 25 pounds of ice
- Delay start option
- Good standard size
- It has water filter for clean tasting ice
- Insulation helps to keep the ice cold enough for further use
- Automatically shuts off when it is full
- Hinged front door for accessing easily
- Easy read display
- Programmable ice production helps for high efficiency and low utility bills
- It has outstanding corrosion resistance for longevity and durability
Dislikes
- Very expensive
- Sometimes can be loud
- Occasional cleaning is must
- May require professional installation
- ome users complain lack of durability
FAQs
To reset Manitowoc SM-50A Under counter ice machine you have to unplug the unit and wait for a while and the reset is done.
The Manitowoc SM-50A Under counter ice machine should be cleaned thoroughly with the help of a soap solution, or you can use salt when you are out of solution.
Plug in and then there is a power button that helps to turn a Manitowoc SM-50A ice machine on.
Follow the steps for Installation Manitowoc ice machine
1. Locate a place for the ice maker
2. Start to do the levelling of ice maker by attaching the legs and screw them to the machine
3. Find a power source to plugin
4. Do the plumbing for water source and drain
All set to use your Ice Maker
Yes, Manitowoc SM-50A Ice maker comes with a drain pump.
We can use a direct water inlet or pour water manually into the Manitowoc SM-50A Under counter ice machine. Once the filling process is done, you need to restart the device after allowing water to stay in the compressor for 3 minutes. Ice formation takes place.
Yes, Manitowoc SM-50A ice machine mostly uses a gravity pump.
BOTTOM LINE
There are mixed reviews from the users who owned Manitowoc Undercounter Ice Machine. Many found that it is well worth with the cost and is quite high for home ice maker. If maintained well then it will last for many years. It is efficient, quick and easy to use. It will provide you with enough ice when it is set in recommended settings, you will never find yourself petite on ice. Manitowoc Ice SM-50A Undercounter Ice Maker is also the perfect size for keeping under the counter top or tucking into corner.
However, even the positive reviews of this Manitowoc Commercial Ice Maker mentioned that it is noisy while preparing the ice. This is expected to some extent that is when it makes 53 pounds of ice per day. Some review found that it breaks down very often to be worth its heavy price tag.

To bring the quality of an professional ice maker to your home or office, just buy this Manitowoc SM-50A Commercial Ice Maker. You can get a fresh and large amount of ice quickly every day. The only drawback of this machine is its price. If you think you can afford a little more, then you can get the best commercial ice machine.