Blue Air BLDN-280A-OS 16" Countertop Nugget Ice & Water Dispenser, 282 lbs/24 hr
Blue Air BLDN-280A-OS — 16" Countertop Nugget Ice & Water Dispenser with Optical Sensor
The Blue Air BLDN-280A-OS is a self-contained countertop ice maker and water dispenser that makes and delivers soft, chewable nugget ice from a cabinet only 16" wide. It produces 282 lbs of nugget ice per 24 hours and holds 10 lbs in the built-in bin, so a busy drink station is drawing from ice that was frozen minutes ago rather than hours ago. Dispensing is touch-free through an infrared optical sensor — a cup breaks the beam and the unit delivers ice, water, or both, with no lever or paddle for customers to handle.
Key Features of the BLDN-280A-OS
Nugget ice sells itself, but a dispenser earns its place on the counter through hygiene, serviceability and how little space and water it consumes.
Soft, Chewable Nugget Ice at 282 lbs a Day
The BLDN-280A-OS forms individual nugget pieces rather than pressing a compacted ribbon, measuring roughly 3/8" (9.5 mm), 1/2" (13 mm) and 5/8" (16 mm) across their axes. Rated to AHRI Standard 821, output is 282 lbs per 24 hours at 70 °F air and 50 °F water, and still 200.6 lbs per 24 hours in a punishing 100 °F room on 90 °F supply water. Ice hardness factor is 91.4%, which is why the nuggets chew softly but still hold a drink cold.
Touch-Free Optical Sensor Dispensing
Infrared detection replaces the push paddle: the customer presents a cup, the sensor sees it, and ice or chilled water is delivered without anyone touching the machine. Maximum dispensing time can be adjusted for ice and for water independently, so you can cap a portion at a self-serve counter or open it up behind the bar.
Digital Self-Diagnostic System and Panel-Off Service
An onboard digital self-diagnostic system reports fault conditions instead of leaving a technician to guess, and every panel comes off by hand so all components are reachable in place on the counter. That matters on a 16" countertop unit, where pulling the machine out for a service call is the expensive part of the visit.
Air-Cooled Condenser with a Removable Air Filter
The air-cooled condenser carries a removable, washable air filter — the single most common cause of lost ice production is a clogged condenser, and this one is cleaned at the sink rather than replaced. Blue Air specifies 6" (15 cm) of clearance at the rear, sides and top for air circulation and service access, and an easy cleaning system plus an auto drain mode keeps standing water out of the reservoir between cleanings.
R-290 Refrigerant, 4.4 kWh and 12 Gallons per 100 lbs
The sealed system runs on R-290 hydrocarbon refrigerant, which has no ozone-depletion potential and a very low global warming potential, and it is measurably more efficient than the HFC systems it replaces. Consumption works out to 4.4 kWh of electricity and 12 gallons of water for every 100 lbs of ice made.
Stainless Cabinet, Countertop or Stand
Cabinet and evaporator are both stainless steel, and the footprint is 16"W x 24"D — it stands 35" tall on the counter, or 39" with the 4" legs fitted. For a floor-standing drink station, the matching BLDS-16-32 stand is sold separately and puts the dispenser at serving height.
Plumbing and clearance before delivery: a water filter is required on this unit. Bring in a 3/8" nominal ID water supply line at 10–100 PSIG with a water temperature of 45–90 °F, and run the drain to a minimum 3/4" ID hard pipe, PVC or equivalent. Keep the room between 45 °F and 100 °F, and leave 6" of clear air at the rear, both sides and the top — ice production falls off fast when an air-cooled condenser is boxed in.
Ideal Applications
Nugget ice is the ice people ask for by name, and a 16" touch-free dispenser puts it where the cups already are.
BLDN-280A-OS Specifications
| Model | BLDN-280A-OS |
|---|---|
| Type | Countertop ice maker & water dispenser, optical sensor type |
| Ice Type | Individual nugget (chewable) cube |
| Nugget Dimensions | Approx. 3/8" (9.5 mm), 1/2" (13 mm), 5/8" (16 mm) |
| Ice Production (70 °F air / 50 °F water) | 282 lbs / 24 hrs |
| Ice Production (100 °F air / 90 °F water) | 200.6 lbs / 24 hrs |
| Production Rating Standard | AHRI Standard 821 |
| Ice Hardness Factor | 91.4% |
| Built-In Ice Storage | 10 lbs |
| Dispensing | Touch-free infrared optical sensor; ice & water; adjustable maximum dispense time |
| Condenser | Air-cooled, removable/cleanable air filter |
| Refrigerant | R-290 hydrocarbon |
| Construction | Stainless steel cabinet & evaporator |
| Exterior Dimensions | 16"W x 24"D x 35"H (without legs); 39"H with 4" legs |
| Electrical | 115 V / 60 Hz / 1 phase; voltage range 100–130 V |
| Minimum Circuit Ampacity | 7 amps |
| Maximum Fuse or Breaker | 15 amps |
| Power Cord | 9.8 ft (3 m) cord with molded plug |
| Water Supply Connection | 3/8" nominal ID line; water filter required |
| Drain Connection | Minimum 3/4" ID hard pipe, PVC or equivalent; auto drain mode |
| Water Pressure | 10 – 100 PSIG |
| Water Temperature Range | 45 °F – 90 °F |
| Ambient Temperature Range | 45 °F – 100 °F |
| Electric Consumption | 4.4 kWh per 100 lbs of ice |
| Water Consumption | 12 gal per 100 lbs of ice |
| Clearance Required | 6" (15 cm) at rear, sides and top |
| Shipping Weight | 161 lbs (73 kg) |
| Optional Stand | BLDS-16-32 (sold separately) |
| Certifications | cULus Listed, ETL-Sanitation |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much nugget ice does the BLDN-280A-OS actually make in a day?
282 lbs per 24 hours at the standard rating point of 70 °F ambient air and 50 °F incoming water, measured to AHRI Standard 821. In a hot back-of-house at 100 °F with 90 °F supply water, output falls to 200.6 lbs per 24 hours — worth planning around if the unit sits near a cook line or in an unconditioned room.
Why is the built-in storage only 10 lbs when it makes 282 lbs a day?
This is a dispenser, not a storage bin machine. It is designed to make ice more or less continuously and hand it straight to the cup, so the 10 lb bin is a working buffer rather than a reserve. That keeps the cabinet down to 16" wide and means the ice being served is always fresh; if you need a large standing reserve, pair it with a separate bin machine.
What is nugget ice, and how is it different from cube ice?
Nugget ice is made by compressing flaked ice into small soft pieces that are chewable and about 91.4% ice hardness on this model. It cools a drink faster than a solid cube because of the larger surface area, packs more densely into a cup, and is the ice type most often requested in healthcare, convenience stores and smoothie bars. The BLDN-280A-OS produces individual nuggets rather than a compacted ribbon.
What water and drain connections does it need?
A 3/8" nominal ID water supply line at 10 to 100 PSIG, and a drain of at least 3/4" ID in hard pipe, PVC or equivalent. Blue Air requires a water filter on this unit — nugget evaporators are sensitive to scale, and filtration is the difference between a machine that holds 282 lbs a day and one that slowly falls off. An auto drain mode purges the reservoir to prevent water sitting stagnant.
Is it air-cooled, and how much clearance does it need?
It is air-cooled, with a removable and washable air filter on the condenser. Leave 6" (15 cm) of clearance at the rear, at both sides and above the cabinet so the condenser can breathe and a technician can reach the panels. Do not recess it into a cabinet cutout without that air path, and keep the room between 45 °F and 100 °F.
What outlet does the BLDN-280A-OS require, and can it sit on the floor?
A standard 115 V, 60 Hz single-phase receptacle; minimum circuit ampacity is 7 amps with a maximum 15 amp fuse or breaker, and it arrives with a 9.8 ft (3 m) cord and molded plug. The cabinet is designed for a countertop at 16"W x 24"D x 35"H, or 39"H with the 4" legs. For a free-standing drink station, the BLDS-16-32 stand is sold separately.
| Brand | Blue Air Commercial Refrigeration |
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| SKU | BLDN-280A-OS |
| Brand | Blue Air Commercial Refrigeration |
| Weight | 161.00 lbs |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 39.00 x 16.00 x 24.00 inches |
| Height | 39.00 |
| Width | 16.00 |
| Depth | 24.00 |
| Cooling | air-cooled |
| Type | ice & water combination machine |
| Style | counter |
| Bin Storage Capacity | 1 - 10 lb = .5 - 4 kg |
| Production per 24 hr | 201 - 300 lb = 91 - 136 kg |
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