Gain in-depth insights into SD Square Ice Series Upright Ice Makers equipment’s working principles, application scenarios, and technical highlights.
Product Introduction
The SD square ice series is HSYL's upright cube ice maker line for small-business operators whose first constraint is counter space, not peak capacity. The series covers five models — SD-65, SD-80, SD-100, SD-120 and SD-150 — spanning 15 to 70 kg of square cube ice per 24 hours, in just two cabinet widths: 430 mm for under-70 cm counters and 530 mm for 80 cm counters. That narrow width range is the point: most espresso bars, boutique cafés, small nightclubs and hospital beverage stations cannot widen their counter to fit a bigger machine, so ice output has to scale within a fixed footprint rather than the other way around.
Within the 430 mm width, the SD-65 (15 kg/24h) suits low-volume espresso bars where ice is a secondary ingredient, while the SD-80 (45 kg/24h) roughly triples output for sites serving a busier drink menu. Within the 530 mm width, the SD-100 (50 kg/24h), SD-120 (60 kg/24h) and SD-150 (70 kg/24h) cover the 20-seat café through small-nightclub range, with power draw staying between 0.42 kW and 0.55 kW — a fraction of what a full-size commercial cube ice machine like the SD-3000 / SD-4000 commercial cube ice maker demands.
This series is built for buyers who do not need 1,360 kg/24h of industrial ice output and should not be paying for the power, water and footprint that industrial capacity requires. It belongs to HSYL's broader commercial kitchen equipment range, which means an SD square ice unit can be specified alongside other under-counter and beverage-station equipment rather than as a standalone procurement decision.
Technical Specification
| Item | SD-65 | SD-80 | SD-100 | SD-120 | SD-150 |
|---|
| Daily Ice Output | 15 kg / 24 h | 45 kg / 24 h | 50 kg / 24 h | 60 kg / 24 h | 70 kg / 24 h |
| Cabinet Width | 430 mm | 430 mm | 530 mm | 530 mm | 530 mm |
| Counter Compatibility | Fits under 70 cm counters | Fits under 70 cm counters | Fits 80 cm counters | Fits 80 cm counters | Fits 80 cm counters |
| Power Consumption | 0.3 kW | 0.38 kW | 0.42 kW | 0.45 kW | 0.55 kW |
| Ice Shape | Square cube ice | Square cube ice | Square cube ice | Square cube ice | Square cube ice |
| Configuration | Upright / under-counter | Upright / under-counter | Upright / under-counter | Upright / under-counter | Upright / under-counter |
For project-specific requirements — including voltage, refrigerant, condensing method, storage bin capacity, height, depth, noise level, food-contact material grade and certifications — HSYL confirms configuration against your local electrical infrastructure, counter clear height, ambient temperature and food-contact regulations during quotation.
Model Selection by Counter Width and Drink Volume
For small-business ice machine selection, the physical counter almost always decides the model before the daily output does. Use the two-step decision below to narrow the choice.
Step 1 — Match Your Counter Width
| Counter Width Available | Cabinet Width | Eligible Models |
|---|
| Under 70 cm (typically 60 cm counters) | 430 mm | SD-65, SD-80 |
| 80 cm counters | 530 mm | SD-100, SD-120, SD-150 |
Measure the actual clear opening under your counter — including any toe-kick, plumbing rough-in or adjacent equipment clearance — before selecting a width tier. A 70 cm counter that has a 5 cm toe-kick and 2 cm of side clearance may only accept a 430 mm cabinet, even though the nominal counter width suggests otherwise.
Step 2 — Match Daily Drink Volume Within the Width Tier
Once the width tier is fixed, choose the highest-output model within that tier that your daily drink volume justifies. Estimated drink-volume mappings below assume a standard cup with typical ice fill; actual servings vary by cup size, ice quantity per drink and beverage type.
| Model | Daily Output | Estimated Drinks per Day (indicative) | Typical Venue Fit |
|---|
| SD-65 | 15 kg / 24 h | Approx. 50 drinks/day (estimated, varies by cup and ice fill) | Low-volume espresso bars where ice is secondary |
| SD-80 | 45 kg / 24 h | Approx. 150 drinks/day (estimated) | Busier espresso bars, small cafés with iced drink menu |
| SD-100 | 50 kg / 24 h | Approx. 170 drinks/day (estimated) | 20-seat cafés, boutique hotel pantries |
| SD-120 | 60 kg / 24 h | Higher-volume café or small bar (estimated) | Cafés with steady iced-drink demand, small bars |
| SD-150 | 70 kg / 24 h | Approx. 70 drinks/hour at peak (estimated) | Small nightclubs, 24-hour coffee shops, busy bars |
Drink-volume figures are indicative estimates, not guaranteed throughput. Actual servings depend on cup size, ice fill ratio, beverage type (hot vs. iced, blended vs. straight) and peak-hour concentration. HSYL can model expected throughput against your specific menu if you share your daily drink count and average ice-per-drink assumption.
Working Process
- Counter-fit installation. The upright cabinet slides under the counter into the planned opening. A minimum clear height and a clearance envelope for ventilation and service access must be reserved around the unit — the condenser needs airflow even in under-counter installations.
- Water inlet and cube formation. Treated or filtered water enters the square-cube evaporator grid. The refrigeration cycle holds the evaporator surface below freezing, and square cube ice forms cell-by-cell on the vertical grid until each cube reaches target thickness, governed by a thickness probe rather than a fixed timer.
- Harvest into integrated storage bin. A hot-gas harvest cycle releases the square cubes into the integrated storage bin below. Bin capacity is sized to buffer a typical service peak so the compressor does not short-cycle during low-demand periods.
- Dispensing and hygiene checkpoint. Square cube ice is scooped or dispensed from the bin front. Food-contact surfaces are food-grade stainless steel; for beverage stations that want to pair cube ice with a different ice geometry — for example, flake for seafood display or shaved ice for blended drinks — the SD square ice unit can sit alongside a crescent ice maker or a commercial ice shaver within the same beverage zone, with regular cleaning of the water circuit and bin as part of scheduled service.
Applications
- Espresso bars and specialty coffee shops — SD-65 and SD-80 (430 mm) fit under standard 60–70 cm espresso bar counters, supplying square cube ice for iced espresso, cold brew and iced latte menus without taking up floor space behind the bar.
- 20-seat cafés and boutique hotel pantries — SD-100 and SD-120 (530 mm) cover moderate daily drink volume from an 80 cm counter, with power draw under 0.5 kW suitable for standard single-phase commercial electrical circuits.
- Small nightclubs and bars — SD-150 (70 kg/24h, 530 mm) handles the peak-hour ice demand of a small nightclub or busy bar where floor space is at a premium and a full-size commercial cube ice machine would not fit.
- 24-hour coffee shops — SD-150's continuous output supports extended operating hours where ice demand accumulates across morning, afternoon and evening dayparts without a single defined peak.
- Hospital beverage stations and ward pantries — under-counter installation in patient-care buildings where a larger floor-standing unit would intrude on circulation space; square cube ice for patient beverage service and visitor refreshment.
- Office pantries and break rooms — SD-65 or SD-80 provides square cube ice for a mid-size office without dedicating a utility room to ice production.
The highest-value deployment is the espresso bar and small café scenario: the 430 mm and 530 mm widths are designed specifically to fit the counter sizes those venues already have, eliminating the retrofit cost and lost seating that a wider industrial unit would impose.
Advantages
- Two cabinet widths, five capacity tiers. 430 mm for under-70 cm counters and 530 mm for 80 cm counters — buyers scale daily output within a fixed counter footprint rather than re-engineering the bar or counter.
- 15–70 kg/24h output range. Covers the full small-business demand spectrum from low-volume espresso bar (SD-65) through small nightclub (SD-150), so a multi-site operator can standardize on one series across venue types.
- Low connected power (0.3–0.55 kW). A fraction of the power draw of full-size commercial cube ice machines — fits standard single-phase commercial electrical circuits without switchgear upgrade, and keeps operating electricity cost low.
- Upright / under-counter configuration. Vertical format preserves floor space behind the bar and avoids occupying valuable beverage-prep real estate that a floor-standing unit would consume.
- Square cube ice geometry. Consistent cube shape suits espresso-based iced drinks, iced lattes, cold brew and mixed beverages where cube appearance and slow melt matter to drink presentation.
- Same series as a step-up path. When a venue outgrows the SD-150's 70 kg/24h, the buyer can move up to HSYL's larger commercial cube ice machines without changing brand, ice geometry or service relationship.
Complete Your Beverage Station
The SD square ice series is one piece of a small-business beverage station. These HSYL resources are typically evaluated alongside it:
CTA
Send your counter clear width (mm), counter clear height (mm) and estimated daily drink count — HSYL will return the right SD model recommendation and confirm configuration for your site.
Operating a multi-site café or bar chain? Ask our engineers for a fleet standardization brief covering the SD-65 through SD-150 range and a unified service plan.
Unsure whether your venue needs the SD square ice series or the larger SD-3000 / SD-4000? Tell us your peak-hour ice demand and we will model both options against your rush pattern.
