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posted February 20, 2012

Style and Efficiency - The BI98 Undercounter Ice Maker

U-Line is a leader in undercounter refrigeration and ice makers. With innovative technologies and a flair for sleek design, U-Line stays popular amongst fans of their wine captains as well as professionals in the food service industry who love their ice makers and refrigeration products as well. At Ice Machines Plus, we pride ourselves in carrying a fantastic selection of the U-Line brand at competitive prices. As one of the most stylish ice makers out there, U-Line's BI98 undercounter ice maker, with 25 pounds of daily ice production, is at the top of its class when it comes to reliability and high-quality.

U-Line ice makers are the easiest ice makers to install. Basically, a U-Line can be placed anywhere an undercounter ice maker is needed. The BI98 only requires a one-quarter inch outer diameter water line connection, making hooking it up and getting it running very simple. In addition, the BI98 uses less than 3 gallons of water daily to produce its ice. Producing up to 25 pounds of ice a day by using less than 3 gallons of water for that application is a standard that is difficult for other undercounter ice maker manufacturer's to match. The ice maker also has no need for a drain, since there is no water runoff from ice production. The unit can be placed anywhere you can get electricity and a water line to, without the need for a drain or drain pump. In addition, not only is this U-Line incredibly efficient, it is also shorter than the ADA height requirement, so it is marked as an ADA compliant ice maker.

The ice storage capacity of U-Line's BI98 is the same as the amount of ice it produces a day - 25 pounds. That is a perfect amount of ice for small applications and areas. With mechanical dial controls and manual defrost systems, you can maintain the perfect temperature for your ice maker at all times.

A great feature of the U-Line BI98 ice maker is its field-reversible door, which means when you are ready to install your ice maker you can easily choose which side the door will open on, giving you the ability to put it anywhere, no matter which way you need the door to open. Another additional feature is that you can customize the door panel with a wood insert with a wood stain to match cabinetry or decor. Some other U-Line models come with a glass door option as well.

A U-Line ice maker is not a machine you have to hide and tuck away, unseen beneath a counter. It can be perfectly situated as a freestanding ice maker with its durable and sleek looking black or white exterior, or with your custom wood insert. U-Line's ice makers are compact but very efficient in design, allowing customers unlimited options on where to install them.

Here is the true mark of U-Line's efficiency and why the BI98 will appeal to your budget as well as to your eye for design: the U-Line BI98 uses less electricity than a 75 Watt light bulb! That is pretty amazing considering how much electricity most ice makers use. With all of these great features and impeccable design, owning a U-Line ice maker is definitely something you would want to show off. At Ice Machines Plus we have competitive prices, great shipping, and great selection of U-Line products. We invite you to read more about U-Line on our website.

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posted December 30, 2011

U-Line Ice for the Home is Nice

Ice is nice. Let's face it, not having any ice could be worse than skipping your morning coffee. Nothing beats that first refreshing, ice-cold beverage when you finally get a chance to relax and sit down after a hard day's work. Sometimes, however, that little machine in your refrigerator freezer just can't keep up. The kids get home from school and have some juice, someone fell down and needs an ice pack, and before you know it, all the ice is gone and there's none left for you. I only have two kids, and one round of waters at the dinner table for the four of us usually means no more ice until tomorrow! I can't remember how many times I've had to run down the street to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a few pounds of frozen water, just to still not have any the following evening when I get home from work.

I think it's time for a U-Line ice maker. Not nearly as expensive or invasive as one might think, a commercial quality ice maker is just a click away. U-Line invented the residential ice maker fifty years ago, and has always been the front runner in that category of the industry, even blurring the lines between residential and commercial products by offering well-built, domestically-manufactured ice makers that find their way into thousands of applications from homes, to yachts and hotels.

Ice makers don't all need drains built in to your home either. If ice is what you need then all that is required to install the U-Line BI-95 is a standard outlet and a water line. This machine produces approximately 25 pounds of ice every day, which is approximately enough ice for 100 glasses of water every day! The real benefit to this machine is its energy friendly nature and no drain. By using an innovative sump pump system and sophisticated internal controls, this machine wastes no water and therefore does not require a drain; it simply needs a water supply line. This unit can be built right in to your existing cabinets or it can be used as a freestanding appliance.

U-Line as a company, while known forever for their quality, remains committed to their customers and stands fully behind each of their machines with a very strong and competitive warranty. All components of the machine are guaranteed to be free of defects in their manufacture and assembly and will be warranted fully, both parts and labor, for one year from time of purchase. The heart and lungs of the machine are the sealed refrigeration systems (compressor, condenser, evaporator, hot gas by-pass valve, dryer, and connecting tube) and they are warranted for five years from date of purchase. At U-Line's discretion an authorized service tech will either repair or replace any defective part of the system, and U-Line will cover the labor charges associated with this.

This means you can rest assured knowing that U-Line really doesn't anticipate many warranty issues. They already understand the need for quality and rigorous standards with which they manufacture each ice machine, making these ice makers one of the easiest investments that a homeowner can make.

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posted December 22, 2011

U-Line Offers Quality, Affordability, and Elegance for Your Home or Business

Founded in 1962 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the U-Line company has been setting precedents and driving innovation in the residential ice making and modular refrigeration industries. Still family owned and completely manufactured domestically to this day, there are few companies that have the consistent quality and customer focus that U-Line has. They hold the very first patent for an under counter, freestanding, automatic, residential ice maker and have continued to excel and remain one step ahead of their competition. Today, they have a very diverse line of products ranging from commercial clear ice makers, residential ice makers, marine refrigeration and ice makers, wine cabinets, and any modular and combination built in refrigeration for the perfect home kitchen.

As a true American manufacturer, they offer their products in three tiers so that they can be affordable or as elite as preferred by the customer. The economy series models come with fewer features but they are still U-Lines - you will find these pieces in what U-Line refers to as the 1000 Series. These machines focus on working hard, relentless ice production, and natural ease of use. Whatever these models may lack in sophisticated digital controls, they will always have the ice that you need when you need it. The next series, the middle of U-Line's repertoire, is the 2000 series. Here you will find slightly more sophisticated controls, some digital displays, but primarily, a very diverse product line compared to the 1000 series. Finally, the highest echelon of the U-Line equipment is the Modular 3000 series. This is their built-in series. Complete with temperature zones, different ice types, and integrated cabinetry, these are the drawers and ice makers that you don't see in someone's kitchen until they are opened. U-Line also offers marine and ADA compliant machines.

My own introduction to and my primary focus with U-Line have been through their ice makers. As a dealer of commercial ice makers, we are familiar with all ice types. What makes U-Line special is the way that they blur the line between what is considered residential and what is considered commercial. Often, the handcrafted quality of a U-Line machine designed for the home will more than adequately perform in many commercial locations, such as spas, cruise ships, inns, and hotels. They do offer their machines with the residential installation in mind, and therefore their main products, and the ones that we sell the most of, are their crescent ice makers. These models do not utilize a drain mechanism since they freeze ice in a still method, and produce easy to use, very slow-melting crescent cubes. The nice thing about these machines is that no construction and destruction to your house are involved in their installation since they do not require drains.

U-Line does offer commercial style ice makers as well. Don't be put off by the use of the words "commercial style" since I am referring specifically to the ice cubes themselves for the purpose of this article. Some of U-Line's machines actually utilize the same principles of freezing running water as the major restaurant ice makers and produce the crystal clear ice that you are used to getting at your favorite restaurant or bar. The only potential drawback to these crystal clear ice maker models is the requirement of a drain, but is that really a drawback? There are many drain options, like drain pumps that can drain into sink drains that are higher than the machine's outlet, so there is little need for installation anxiety. The efficient water consumption principles built into each machine also add to the appeal of U-Line's models. There really is nothing better than having that restaurant style, commercial ice at home for smoothies, margaritas and so much more.

As a salesman for many manufacturers of ice machines, I can tell you in truth that few brands allow me to sleep at night knowing that I truly took care of my customers like when I sell a U-Line. Proud of their energy and water friendly principles and the hand crafted nature of each machine, one can be assured that the only problem that they might anticipate with a U-Line ice maker is that their drink is too cold.

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posted December 6, 2011

U-Line Wine Captains & Holiday Spirit

The winter holidays are approaching rapidly and that means gatherings of family and friends at your home. If you enjoy fine wine or would like to offer a variety of wines at your gathering, look no further than the U-Line wine captains.

U-Line residential refrigeration products are incredibly innovative and have won various design awards throughout the years. As a successful company that prides itself in design and functionality for the residential market, U-Line has established themselves as the residential refrigeration company. So if you are interested in enjoying a perfectly-chilled wine in your home, a U-Line Wine Captain undercounter refrigerator can make that possible. With a sleek wood overlay and double pane glass, incredibly functional pull-out shelves and technology-driven controls, you can't go wrong. U-Line has taken into account the specific needs of wine cooling, including precision temperature control, and even offering dual zone storage.

U-Line has a diverse line of wine captain coolers, double door coolers, and single door coolers, all capable of fitting under any counter or simply as a stand alone piece of equipment. With the interior and exterior finished with high-quality materials, you also have the ability to personalize it to match your home decor by staining the front wood overly to your choice. Or choose stainless steel or black galvanized steel as your exterior. Having a U-Line wine captain cooler that matches your decor and of course, adds an extra touch of luxurious wine-cooling technology, will showcase your collection of wine and beverages - and your fine taste.

U-Line also carries combination models with wine and beverage refrigeration in a single unit, so for your guests who choose another beverage, you can offer them alternatives that have also been kept at the perfect temperature.

This year, during the holidays, while you're preparing a feast for your guests, and while they are mingling, chatting, and enjoying each other's company, you will have a great looking undercounter refrigerator in your home so they can enjoy the taste and refreshment you have on-hand, ready to serve, while the meal is prepared.

The U-Line Wine Captain is a great addition to the season. Now you can spend time with family and friends, enjoy a feast, and have great beverages and wine to add to the conversation and enjoyment of the holiday.

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posted July 27, 2011

U-Line's Popular BI Series Crescent Ice Makers

U-Line has been specializing in residential undercounter ice makers since 1962. Three of the most popular undercounter ice makers that U-Line makes are the BI95, BI98, and BI2115. The BI Series crescent ice makers are a perfect addition to any home bar or kitchen, especially in three different sizes, and many different design options.

The BI95 is the youngest sibling of the three models, making it the smallest physical unit, as well as smallest in production and in storage. This little machine can still pack a punch though. The BI95 can produce up to 23 lbs. of ice per day, and store 12 lbs. at a time, all while using less than three gallons of water. This machine is offered in a black or white finish. It does not require a drain, which means it can be installed anywhere you can get a water line and electricity. Another great feature of this ice machine is that it is ADA height compliant at 25-1/16" tall. Both of these features mean more flexibility in installation location. The BI95 may be a small unit, but it is a great value for the price.

The BI98 is the next step up, and in certain aspects, you can definitely tell. The machine itself grows an inch wider, about two inches taller, and three inches deeper. Just these small increments each way allow the BI98 to store more than twice the amount of ice than the BI95 does (up to 25 lbs.)! This unit produces 25 lbs. per day, slightly more than its sibling, while also using less than 3 gallons of water to do so. While it is taller than the BI95, the BI98 is actually still ADA compliant at 27-3/8" tall. Just as the BI95, this model is available in white or black finish, has a field reversible door, and does not require a drain.

The BI2115 is the largest model of the three in size, as well as the unit with the most aesthetic options. The model is made to fit under most normal size counters at 34-1/8" tall. It produces 25 lbs. per day while using less than three gallons of water and stores 25 lbs. of ice and stores, which makes it functionally similar to the BI98. Conveniently, the BI2115 also does not require a drain. This model is available in a black or white finish also, but unlike the other machines, the BI2115 is available in a stainless steel finish, which makes this model popular. For installation versatility, the black and white finish models have doors that are field reversible, and the stainless steel finish models are available from the manufacturer in left and right hinge models.

Another unique feature of the BI2115 that it does not share with the other two models is that it offers an overlay kit for your machine to match the decor with the rest of your kitchen of home bar. There is an accessory you can order with the black or white models so you can use a panel to have it match perfectly. And the feature that provides even more flexibility for installation location of the BI2115 is that it does not require any space for ventilation on the top of the unit as the BI95 and BI98 do.

U-Line offers a great overall line of undercounter products. The BI95, BI98, and BI2115 are excellent examples of quality undercounter ice machines available at affordable prices. These three models offer a good amount of ice production with very little water usage. Any of the three ice machines in the BI Series would be a great selection for your kitchen or home bar.

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posted May 23, 2011

With U-Line Marine and RV Models Summer is Cool

With the summer months approaching fast, having a cold drink will become essential. Even if you are on a boat or going on a cross-country trip in an RV, you can still enjoy an ice cold drink with a U-Line Marine or RV ice maker. The U-Line ice makers are specifically made to serve all of your ice making needs even when on the water or on the road. U-Line has already perfected the undercounter ice maker for your home, so why not have access to ice in your all of your favorite places?

U-Line offers ten marine products including ice makers, ice maker / refrigerator combos, and a marine-style freezer. One model from the signature marine ice maker product line is the SS1095. This is a stainless steel ice maker that comes in three varieties: no flange, flange flush to door, and the flange flush to the front of the cabinet. The stainless steel and corrosion resistant marine grade equipment helps the machine stay in good condition in harsh marine atmosphere. These machines also will look and fit perfectly when installed in cabinetry on your boat or RV.

Other U-Line models include a travel pin. The travel pin is included to keep the door on the ice machine or refrigeration unit closed, so when you are hitting the waves or driving on bumpy roads, the door will be kept shut, and your ice or food will be kept securely in your unit.

U-Line makes it convenient for you to make ice or to keep your items cold wherever you are. Whether you need to put the fish you just caught on ice, or just need ice for a cold drink, U-Line's Marine & RV refrigeration units are perfect for any occasion.

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