Hoshizaki Ice Maker

Hoshizaki Ice Machines for Sale: What You Need to Know

There are many different types of Hoshizaki ice machines for sale, although they all share a couple common features. For one, every Hoshizaki ice machine for sale has a stainless steel exterior housing, as well as stainless steel ice plates inside the machines. Unlike galvanized steel or other types of metal, stainless steel is durable and extremely resistant to rust. Secondly, all Hoshizaki ice machines for sale produce individual ice cubes – unlike the sheets of connected cubes produced by many other models. Because of this, users don't have to break up chunks of ice into individual cubes manually before filling beverage cups.

Common Questions About Hoshizaki Crescent Ice Machines

What is crescent-cube ice?

Hoshizaki crescent ice machines produce a unique type of cube designed to melt slowly while optimizing product displacement in beverage glasses. Crescent cubes aren't actually cubes at all – they're curved on one side and flat on the other, forming a slender shape that resists sticking to the ice plate during harvest while nestling together closely in tumblers and to-go cups. This type of product displacement gives the appearance of a full glass without requiring additional product to be added, which can save operators money in the long run.

Hoshizaki crescent ice machines were designed to produce clear, hard ice in this special shape so cubes wouldn't stick together in sheets and operators could pour beverages over ice with reduced splash back. Over time, crescent cubes became more popular, and now many Hoshizaki crescent ice machines are available, with production capacities ranging from 100 to nearly 2,700 pounds of ice per 24 hours.

Where are Hoshizaki ice machines made?

Hoshizaki was originally established in 1940, in Aichi, Japan. At that time, it was known as Hoshizaki Electric Co., Ltd. In January of 1965, the company began selling fully automatic ice machines, which comprise a significant portion of their product line to this day. Since its inception, the company has grown into a worldwide organization, with manufacturing plants located in the U.S.A., Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., Turkey, Australia, China, and India.

In July 2019, the company shifted the manufacture of many Hoshizaki crescent ice machines to its plant located in Peach Tree City, Georgia, here in the United States. Those models include Hoshizaki self-contained ice makers and are designed for installation under the counter.

What is a self-contained ice machine?

A Hoshizaki self-contained ice maker contains a complete refrigeration system (including the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator) within its exterior housing. This is in contrast to a remote system, which only houses some of the refrigeration system components and requires the purchase of a separate, remote condenser to work.

All parts needed to freeze water are prebuilt into Hoshizaki self-contained ice makers, which also are simpler to install and operate than a remote system. However, having the condenser built into the unit means it requires more clearance and better ventilation to operate without overheating. In addition, it exhausts hot air directly into its surrounding atmosphere, potentially raising the ambient temperature and putting more strain on the refrigeration system.

Both types of ice machine have their own benefits and drawbacks; the one that's best for you depends on where the machine will be installed and how it'll be operated.

Self-contained

• Requires no extra coolant lines or building modifications
• Doesn't require the purchase of a separate condenser
• Simple to install and maintain

Remote

• Exhausts hot air and noise at a distance from the production air
• Some models can be daisy chained to share a single condenser
• Usually can be installed with 0 clearance on back and sides

How are Hoshizaki air-cooled ice makers different from models with other refrigeration systems?

Hoshizaki air-cooled ice makers use air to remove heat from the water as it's being frozen, meaning they exhaust hot air. Water-cooled options use water to absorb heat, meaning they consume more water but cool more efficiently. Depending on the utility district and whether or not the building has a cooling tower system in place, models cooled with water can cost significantly more to operate, which is why air-cooled systems are popular.

How do Hoshizaki cubelet ice makers work?

A Hoshizaki cubelet ice maker operates differently than a Hoshizaki ice cuber. Instead of an ice plate, a Hoshizaki cubelet ice machine contains a freezing cylinder and auger that operate similarly to how an ice cream machine operates. As thin layers of ice form on the cylinder's wall, the auger turns, simultaneously scraping free thin layers of ice and moving them out of the cylinder. At this point, the machine is creating flake ice. To turn the flakes into cubelets, the Hoshizaki cubelet ice maker compresses the ice flakes into small, soft cubes before harvesting them.

How long does it take for a Hoshizaki ice machine to make ice?

This depends on the model of ice machine, as well as the surrounding ambient conditions. Typically, Hoshizaki crescent ice machines are tested with ambient air temperatures at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and an incoming water temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This serves as a baseline to establish the maximum output users can expect from a given model in a 24-hour timespan.

In reality, many machines are operated in areas where the ambient temperature is much higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes even crossing into the triple digits. In those surroundings, ice machines of all kinds often experience reduced output.

To verify you purchase a Hoshizaki crescent ice machine that fits your needs, check for the listed AHRI (Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) output. AHRI testing is performed with an ambient air temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit and an incoming water temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is closer to the field conditions in which the machine will be operated. Checking the AHRI output that's listed for a specific model should give you a more realistic idea about how much ice it can produce in each 24-hour span.

A Hoshizaki crescent ice machine will perform many freezing and harvest cycles during each 24-hour timespan. On average, a complete freezing cycle, from harvest to harvest, lasts between 25 to 45 minutes, with the average production time landing right around 35 minutes. This cycle also fluctuates depending on the specific model, and because flakers and nugget machines follow a different type of production cycle, their freezing times may vary greatly from this average. Factors such as surrounding ambient temperatures and water valve or float switch malfunction also can affect the freeze cycle's length.