Ice and water vending machines may be the best-kept secret of the ice and water industry. Did you know that you can skip plastic water bottles and expensive, low-quality convenience store ice? There might be better quality, cheaper ice, right near your home or business. Unlike traditional methods of buying ice or bottled water from stores, ice and water vending machines offer a fresh, affordable, and sustainable solution. More and more consumers are discovering the benefits of ice and water vending, and not going back to bottled water or convenience store ice. Here are just a few of the reasons consumers love ice and water vending machines.
7 Reasons Consumers Love Ice and Water Vending Machines
1. Cheaper Than Store-Bought Options
One of the biggest reasons consumers love ice and water vending machines is simply the price. Vended ice and water are typically $1 to $2 cheaper than products purchased from convenience stores. This is possible because the machines are connected directly to local water lines and power supplies, eliminating the need for costly shipping, storage, or refrigeration. Consumers save money without sacrificing quality, making vended ice and water a no-brainer.
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2. Clean, Cold, and Refreshing
When you purchase ice or water from a vending machine, you’re getting ice that’s freshly made or water that’s freshly filtered just moments before it’s dispensed. This ensures that your ice and water is always clean and refreshing. Unlike bottled water that may have been sitting on a shelf for weeks or ice stored in freezers for long periods, vended ice and water are always top-quality. Whether it’s a hot day or you need to stock up for a road trip or you’re filling up your water bottle and cooler for the workday, you can count on these machines’ quality.
3. Quick and Convenient
Have you ever gone into a convenience store, and all you wanted was ice or water, and you still had to wait in line behind people buying snacks, lottery tickets, cigarettes, and more? Then, you had to wait for the clerk to unlock the ice bunker so you could grab your ice. If you’re on your way to work or you want to get back on the road, these delays can eat into your schedule. With ice and water vending, you just drive up, pay, get your bag of ice or refill your water container, and drive away. With the ICE2U app, you can even pay for your ice or water directly on your smartphone.
Touchless vending lets you make purchases and get rewards in the app
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4. No Awkward Ice Blocks
Anyone who has bought bagged ice from a store knows how frustrating it can be when the ice fuses into a single, solid block. This often happens because the ice sits in freezers for days as the temperature fluctuates, causing the ice to melt and refreeze. With ice vending machines, this isn’t an issue. Since the ice doesn’t sit in the machine for long, it’s always dispensed in convenient, easy-to-use cubes. Whether you’re filling a cooler or using ice for drinks, you won’t have to struggle with big, awkward ice chunks.
5. Skip the Plastic
Plastic waste is a massive global problem,. Globally, we buy over a million plastic water bottles consumed every minute. Since very few of these are recycled and they only break down into microplastics, millions of bottles either end up in landfills or polluting our oceans or other environments. But this is preventable!
Ice and water vending machines provide an eco-friendly alternative by encouraging consumers to refill their own reusable containers. By eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles, these machines help reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable habits. For environmentally conscious consumers, this is a simple yet impactful way to make a difference.
6. Reduced Energy Use
In addition to reducing plastic waste, ice and water vending machines are more energy-efficient than traditional bottled water or bagged ice production and distribution. Bottled water companies often transport water across long distances, consuming significant energy for refrigeration and logistics. In contrast, vending machines filter and dispense water locally, eliminating the need for refrigerated storage or long-haul trucking. This localized approach saves energy and further reduces the environmental footprint, making it a win-win for both consumers and the planet.
7. Supports Small Business, Fights Corporate Greed
The biggest bottled water producers in the world are also the largest, most powerful brands in the world, and also the biggest plastic polluters: Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Pepsi. These businesses make billions annually taking millions of gallons of water from communities and environments, with no concern about dried up creek beds, springs, or other ruined habitats. They take water in one area, ship it in a plastic bottle that will never break down, and charge hundreds of times more than what they paid the community for its water. With billions of dollars to put behind lawyers and lobbyists, communities are trying and failing to fight for their drying rivers, streams, creeks, aquifers, even running water in their own homes.
Ice and water vending doesn’t do any of that.
Ice and water vending machines are owned by individuals who live in the community. Since these machines aren’t extracting millions of gallons of water to ship around the world, they’re not drying up water resources any more than local homes or businesses are. By simply tapping into local water lines and filtering water and ice, these vending machines serve the communities they’re meant to serve. And, the money consumers use to pay for ice and water for these machines goes into the pockets of the owners, who live nearby, which helps keeps money in the community, rather than into the pockets of wealthy CEOs far away.
Ice and water vending machines offer affordability, convenience, and sustainability. It’s easy to see why consumers love ice and water vending machines! Whether you’re looking for fresh, clean hydration or an eco-friendly alternative to bottled water, ice and water vending machines are a smart and practical choice.
