Ranking the All-Time Best Hoshizaki Ice Machines

Hoshizaki is a company with a storied history in the ice machine business. Since their founding almost a century ago, they've grown into one of the most recognizable names in the industry. Hoshizaki's ice makers combine unique, gourmet ice styles with some of the best longevity and energy efficiency ratings throughout the years. If you're considering different ice machine brands for your business, we're here to tell you about some of our great experiences with Hoshizaki ice makers through our experience in the world of ice machines!

The Top Five Hoshizaki Commercial Ice Machines

Hoshizaki ice makers tend to be excellent machines, but there are a few particular standouts that throughout our years, Easy Ice technicians have had a very positive experience with:

• Hoshizaki KM-500MAE
• Hoshizaki KM-800MAE
• Hoshizaki KM-900MAH
• Hoshizaki KM-600MAH
• Hoshizaki AM-150BAF

Most of these machines center on Hoshizaki's unique brand of crescent ice, a classic ice type with many applications in food service and hospitality. However, each has its own niche among businesses of different sizes. Most of these models have since been replaced by a newer version, but the experts at Easy Ice will need a little more time to properly observe them and give you the best information possible!

KM-500MAE

Ice Type: Crescent Cube

Machine Style: Modular

Dimensions: 30" L x 32" W x 65" H

Condenser Style: Air Cooled

Best for: Small-midsized restaurants, bars, cafeterias

Why we picked it

The Hoshizaki KM-500MAE is well-known for its bulletproof construction and ease of maintenance. It's ideal for mid-sized businesses with a production capacity of more than 500 lbs. of crescent cube ice daily with the right air and water temperatures. Crescent ice is large, solid, and crescent-shaped in a way that melts slowly and fills a cup more efficiently than cubes. It's a great option to enhance liquor and cocktails, or even to add charm and style to glasses of water. Mechanically, the KM-500MAE is as robust as you'd expect from a Hoshizaki ice maker. Even in harsh conditions, the machine's stainless steel evaporator provides longevity and high quality ice. Please note: this unit has been replaced with the rollout of Hoshizaki's KM-MAJ series.

Pros

• Great evaporator
• Single circuit board
• Easy to diagnose
• Runs under most conditions
• Water inlet valves have a low failure rate in various water conditions
• Low compressor/expansion valve failure rate, easy to troubleshoot
• Little to no refrigeration issues, easy to service, good acces

Cons

• Difficult and time consuming to clean

KM-800MAE

Ice Type: Crescent Cube

Machine Style: Modular

Dimensions: 30" W x 27-3/8" D x 22" H

Condenser Style: Air Cooled

Best for: Midsized to large restaurants and hotels

Why we picked it

The KM-800MAE offers a larger crescent ice production capacity than the KM-500MAE, making it more suited for larger establishments. Similar to the KM-500MAE, this unit is reliable under high demand thanks to a strong evaporator and durable components. Please note: this unit has been replaced with the rollout of Hoshizaki's KM-MAJ series.

Pros

• Durable construction
• Very good evaporator
• Easy to diagnose
• Runs under most conditions
• Water inlet valves have low failures
• Low compressor/expansion valve failure rate, easy to troubleshoot
• Little to no refrigeration issues

Cons

• Difficult and time consuming to service and clean

KM-900MAH

Ice Type: Crescent Cube

Machine Style: Modular

Dimensions: 30" W x 27 3/8" D x 37 7/16" H

Condenser Style: Air Cooled

Best for: Mid to large restaurants, hotels, businesses with high ice demands

Why we picked it

The KM-900MAH is another one of Hoshizaki's excellent crescent cube ice makers, but with a refrigerant change and some other slight tweaks. Besides the appeal of crescent ice and Hoshizaki's rugged manufacturing standards, the KM-900MAH delivers more than 800 lbs. of crescent ice per day. If the previous machines don't match your crescent ice demand, a unit similar to this one may be the perfect fit. Like the other previous machines in the article, this unit has since been replaced by the KM-MAJ series.

Pros

• Durable construction
• Reliable evaporator
• Easy to diagnose
• Runs under any conditions
• Water inlet valves reduce failure rates in varied water conditions
• Low compressor/expansion valve failure rate, easy to troubleshoot
• Little to no refrigeration issues, easy to service and maintain

Cons

• Difficult to access some components, makes service and cleaning more time consuming

KM-600MAH

Ice Type: Crescent Cube

Machine Style: Modular

Dimensions: 22″ W x 27-3/8″ D x 37-7/16″ H

Condenser Style: Air Cooled

Best for: Small to midsized restaurants, any business needing moderate ice production

Why we picked it

This model shares many of the strengths of the KM-500 and KM-900 series and is an ideal machine for any business with moderate ice demands. While it has a slightly higher compressor failure rate than the KM-500, it remains a reliable option for consistent ice production. The current version of this machine still in production is the KM-660MAJ.

Pros

• Easy to diagnose
• Same durable components as the above models

Cons

• The compressor failure rate is slightly higher than KM-500

AM-150BAF

Ice Type: Top Hat

Machine Style: Modular

Dimensions: 28" W 28" D 39" H

Condenser Style: Air Cooled

Best for: Small restaurants, cafes, and cocktail bars

Why we picked it

Unlike the other Hoshizaki machines listed here, the AM-150BAF produces specialty top hat ice. It's a compact ice maker that produces over 150 lbs. of ice per day, with more than 80 lbs. of internal storage. However, all design features are compromises. The machine's layout makes cleaning some parts difficult, and the water inlet valves are far less reliable than the larger Hoshizaki ice makers. Overall, the AM-150BAF was a great choice for small establishments with modest ice demand and little room to spare. For top hat ice, Hoshizaki has since made a move to the more compact AM-50BAJ.

Pros

• Simple, efficient control system
• Track record of reliable performance
• The refrigeration system is reliable

Cons

• Cleaning the spray tubes is a hassle
• Water inlet valves can be unreliable