Hoshizaki Reviews

Works well but very loud...

After months of waiting the ice maker arrived in good condition. Installed and looks ok. We ordered custom cabinet panel for the front and the fit is not great. Lots of space/gap around side and top. Cabinet door doesn't cover flush (even though we ordered the appropriate size door) so the stainless steel is very visible on edges and especially across the top. That I can live with but the noise this appliance makes is VERY loud. Fan runs loud and maker hums even louder. I would never recommend this for a kitchen due to the noise. We have it in a separate bar room so we aren't living in that room and it wasn't worth the trouble returning and the return window was up by the time we finished our project and got it installed. All this being said if you are looking for a kitchen I do not recommend due to the noise!

Good but noisy

Confirming another review, this thing is loud. I had my tech look at it just to make sure it wasn't a bad bearing. It runs and freezes very well, sleek and clean, just have to get over the noise

Very loud non-stop motor and fan noise

This freezer is good if you and your staff can bear the loud coni noise noise from the fan and motor. This freezer makes a loud noise that does not stop 24/7. I have never had or seen a freezer that makes this amount of noise. I am unsure why the designers of this product would allow that much noise to be produced. It's unbearable. Other than the noise I think that it was be a great option. Unfortunately, the loud noise this freezer makes make this product unattractive.

Does the job

Delivered quickly and in good condition. Was easy to unpack and plug in, cools perfectly so far. It's only been a couple weeks, so can't testify as to long term reliability, but so far 5 stars.

I would buy this machine again

The ice machine provides ice for church functions and members personal needs

Very noisy

This is my second of the same. The first is over 10 years old and has been great. The new unit is very loud and sounds like the pump case is grinding on the impellers. The quality control is not what it used to be.

The best

It's good working.

Great Product!

Absolutely top notch ice maker. Would recommend to anyone. Well built, solid machine.

Failed 12 hours after install

Ordered this unit based on recommendation of my Refrigeration contractor. 12 hours after it was installed it started a 3 beep error code and stopped making ice. Service call revealed a failed compressor. Tech called Hoshizaki on Friday 3/3 and was given a claim number. Hoshizaki tech still has called him back. He called the nearest Hoshizaki tech service(in Anchorage and I am in Fairbanks). They would not help as I bought this online. I was willing to have a replacement compressor installed even though this was a brand new unit. Not anymore, I have disputed the transaction on my credit card and will not pay return freight. I would not buy another Hoshizaki product based on their complete lack of customer service and ability to honor their warranty. I found iot interesting that this unit was not shipped from Hoshizaki in GA but rather from Cannon Marketing in NC.

I recommend this ice maker if you want an efficient mid-size

Excellent product!

Alert: Does not work with GFCI outlet

I love the ice, but Had to work throw the issue of GFCI outlet. According to Hasizaki customer service, the unit will not work on a GFCI outlet (tripped repeatedly on initial plug in) which seems very strange as you have a water/electricity appliance. Once I connected the ice maker to the supply side of the GFCI, it worked great. Ice in 10 minutes. Full bin over night.

Great item - exceeded expecations in quality & style !

Our first purchase for my new restaurant was an undercounter ice make - item arrive on time, in perfect condition, and after un-packing... the style/workmanship exceeded our expectations

Blows Scottsman away

This ice maker is awesome. My wife eats ice daily directly from the machine and it tastes great. We haven't used our freezer ice maker since. This unit is replacing an Scottsman unit that just doesn't compare. This is disappointing as I always prefer to support US made !

Worked like a charm

Bought this instead of same item at three times the prince in my town thru only local supplier. Had local company put it in and it works great!

Best on the market

This was recommended as being the best machine on the market and they were right. I have talked to other homeowners where their machine has broken down after just a few years. We have used this machine for nine years now and the only problem I had was a pump that stopped working a few months ago. I was able to fix the pump by ordering one online now its working like new now. I would recommend this ice machine to anyone for home use. It makes enough ice for a large family or when you have a gathering at your house. Ice recovery is fast and after being completely empty will fill up in about 12 hours.

Speeeeedy Delivery!

Ice maker easy to assemble and set up, given the detailed step-by-step instructions.

Reliable and Effective

Good air flow control, effective temp control system

Katom is a blessing

We have used Hoshizaki for years and years. They are very reliable.

Great product

Installed in shop for outdoor pleasure activities. The ice maker is reliable, quiet,energy efficient, and makes plenty of ice. Installation was made easy with company support that quickly answered all questions and provided simplified directions. Totally satisfied with this product.

Hoshizaki C-100 "cubelet" ice machine

This C-100 unit produces "cubelet" ice which is most unique Made specifically by Hoshizaki for customers who CHEW ice the ice is very soft because the machine makes shaved ice first then compacts it into a "cubelet" which is aprox 1/2"X 3/8"X 3/8" the C-100 cubelet ice machine is a must if you "blend" ice in your drinks(smoothies), chew ice, or prefer very fast ice/drink emersion i always wanted this machine for my ice drinks/uses and now i can't imagine being without one a bit pricy but (i have seen used units for sale) after 3 yrs you will be hooked enjoy --- sean

Freezer useful for intended purpose

Useful for church functions with congregation of 700

Lots of clean ice

Church kitchen use, makes ice great, the cube size is just fine

Good Unit

Overall seems to be a very good ice maker. Quiet, doesn't throw off too much heat and makes nice relatively thick top-hat style ice cubes that last a while. Much nicer than my more expensive U-line.

nice to have ice

nice door ramp to shield those dropped, easy to install

Exceed my expectation

This is a very nice commercial ice maker, making solid crescent iced cube. Very easy to maintain and clean. You won't be regret to buy this unit.

Great product and service

This is our third ice maker. This one is doing great and runs quieter than the other two. We are very satisfied and would use KaTom again. Shipped in less than a week, no questions, no hassles. Very pleased.

Loving my ice maker!

I was amazed at how quickly ice is produced! We had a machine full of ice for an evening party with friends the same day our ice maker was installed. We use it in our home almost constantly and have never run low on ice! And I love the small, soft ice pieces. It's perfect for making frozen drinks without spending a lot of time grinding in a blender. Just a quick blast on the blender's high setting and the ice is a smooth, creamy texture without the random chunks of ice you get with regular cubes. If you're a person who likes to chew ice, as I do, you'll love the soft texture of this ice. My only negative feedback would be the loud noise made by the motor. It is much noisier than I anticipated. Since our machine is located in the bar area of our rec room it isn't a big deal. I don't think I'd be happy with it in my kitchen however.

Best for High Volume Use

This produces ice by contiually spraying water onto the freezing cylinders. As such, when it is making ice it produces some noise while it constantly sprays the water. It isn't that it is unusually loud, it is just that the noise is frequent, because when it is making ice is keeps spraying water constantly. When ice in the storage bin melts down, it begins making more ice. The storage bin doesn't seem to be refrigerated as far as I can tell. It just acts like a cooler that holds the ice as the bottom layers melt and get replaced by fresh top layer ice. This machine is meant to produce ice quickly for fairly high volume ice users. It is not the most economical/practical for home owners. Homeowners would be better served with an ice maker that stores ice at freezing temperatures with less turn over of new ice. Having said that, since I did already buy it, I just turn off the machine when I don't expect to use it in the near future. It does produce a lot of ice quickly. I'd give it 5 stars for office/small restaurant/dormitory use, but 4 stars for home use for reasons stated above.

"I would buy this product again and agai

The ice maker is great we had a big party for memorial day and the ice maker kept up The people at Ktom where very helpfull and delivery was spot on

Worth every penny!

We use this EVERY day. Love Sonic ice and used to buy it by the bag. This ice is VERY close! The machine pumps out ice like crazy. Very reliable and accurate thermocouple to prevent over flow. A BIT LOUD BUT NOT BAD. tHE ICE GUIDING CHUTE HAS A DESIGN FLAW IN TTHAT IT IS TOO NARROW AND CAN FRACTURE UNDER PRESSURE OF ICE FORCED AGAINST IT AS IT IS GUIDED INTO THE STORAGE BIN. THIS PART ACTUALLY BREAKS THE ICE INTO NUGGETS. PROBLEM IS THE LEXAN PLASTIC IS BRITTLE AND PRONE TO FRACTURE.SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL! NO WORRIES THOUGH, IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AND PART IS USER REPLACEABLE AND CHEAP WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY.THIS MACINE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE APPLIANCES IN MY HOME. COULDNT LIVE WITHOUT IT!!

Love the ice, but not the noise!

The sonic ice machine produces the BEST ice EVER! It is an extremely loud item to be under the counter in the kitchen. I have mixed feeling, because installed in the garage, it would not be handy but the loud running motor would not bother guests. But in the kitchen it is difficult to even talk over. This company said nothing about installation pumps being necessary and even claim it is easy to find an installer. Finding someone who didn't sell it to me and then locating the pump necessary to keep excess water off my wood floors was another chore. It has been difficult all the way around. Once my husband opened it and ice filled the floor!! I mean gallons of ice poured out onto the floor. We spent several minutes scooping the over flow into the sink and cleaning the moisture off the floor. I've only had it a few months but our builder warns us there will be repair bills with this ice maker. I LOVE the ice, but am not convince I love the ice maker as of yet. I might install it in the laundry room or garage, where the loud noise of it running (and it runs a lot) would not be so offensive and wood floors would not be in danger of moisture!!

Good Fridge...Great Service!

We operate a small cafeteria for 30 to 40 people on a daily basis. The refrigerator more than meets our needs. The cooks are thrilled to have more space than ever! KaTom was easy to work with and shipping was as promised. I would not hesitate to buy from KaTom again. We couldn't be more pleased.

Prompt Delivery and Great Product

Sonic-like ice by the pounds daily. Just purchased this ice maker in April. So far so good. If you like to chew ice or have quasi-slushy drinks, this is the product to get.

Hoshizaki KM201BAH

Work great

Excellent Service and Deilvery

Service was excellent made ordering easy made point to inform about commerical carrier add fee. every call I made was ansered by representive quickly immedialtely confirmed unit was in stock shipped 2 days after putting in order Delivery: excellnet follow up sent e mail with teacking # and commerical carrier with telephon# for shipper. carrier call notifing when unit would be distrution center. again excellent information on tracking

Great product and great company to work

We are very happy with this ice machine , if rom the minute we hooked it up , it's been producing plenty of ice for our needs , it's located outside , I have delt with many ice machines over the years and you can tell it is put together well .

Perfect for our needs.

Used for special events in a community room, fits the bill.

Excellent product!

I purchased this ice machine to provide us with extra ice that our refrigerator could not provide. WOW! This little unit exceeds all of my expectations. Simple installation, quiet operation and all the ice that I can use. Beautiful, clear cubes look great in all beverages.

Hoshizaki F500-BAF

This is the fifth Hoshizaki machine we've purchased in 22 years for 2 restaurants. Works great however it is very difficult to find a technician who specializes in this brand. Research before you buy to make sure someone in the area can service the ice maker.

Right or Left?

The quality of the product itself is something you can rely on. We used to have Turbo-Air brands' display case but due to the temperature doesn't really go down and is held higher than it's supposed to be (41F by law) especially in summer season, we decided to replace it with reliable Hoshizaki's product. We are happy to see the temperature is usually being held at 39F. To everybody tries to get this (or any display case), don't get complicated in choosing Right or Left refrigeration! Right means the condensing unit is on right hand side from customers' standpoint, not from chefs' side!!

Excellent ice maker

My third Hoshizaki ice maker of this make/model. This machine is easy to maintain and clean, and doing so will extend it's life for many years. Note this product does not come with an internal water pump, however Hoshizaki makes a pump that is designed to fit inside the housing of the ice maker, and it is easy to install if you have any aptitude for this sort of thing. I've installed external pumps for this Hoshizaki, but found the Hoshizaki brand pump to be the best solution, for the ice maker has internal electrical connectors in place for a "bolt on" application. Instructions to install both ice maker and the pump from Hoshizaki were very simple and helpful. My pump came with all necessary hardware to install - i would ensure yours does too. Great ice maker!

Best icemaker on the market

We bought an ice maker from you several months ago for a bar area in our living room and were so impress with it that when we finished our addition of an entertainment room we bought another one for in there. Makes plenty of ice and I like the large style cubes. They don't melt as fast. Looks sleek and clean. Goes with any decor.