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akcorcoran_gw

Anyone have a Hoshizaki residential ice machine? Vs Manitowoc

akcorcoran
11 years ago

We use A LOT Of ice between my family and our entertaining, so as crazy as it sounds, this is not a decision I take lightly. :)

I am deciding between the Manitowoc residential Undercounter Ice machine (SM-50) which is also the SubZero ice maker (just difference in handle and the scoop holder, machine for SZ) and the Hoshizaki residential model AM-50BAE Undercounter Ice Makers.

The Manitowoc has been reviewed as a high-quality machine, fairly quiet (all the SZ folks talk about theirs being quiet as well) and the ice is nice and clear. Also like the 2 and 4 hour delay, plus the ease of changing the filter.

Then I am also considering the Hoshizaki - Does anyone have the Hoshizaki and can share their experience?

Hoshizaki is the top ice machine maker out there, known for quality and quiet (as quiet as they can be.) The top-hat ice is a slightly smaller size than the Manitowoc which I'd prefer, but I'd love to know if anyone has one.

This link is for the spec sheet:
http://www.hoshizakiamerica.com/color-specs/AM-50BAE-(AD)DS.pdf

Below is to one website selling it (where it has good reviews) - but I would be getting it through our local appliance store who provides excellent service.

Been striking out here on Gardenweb lately so hoping maybe if anyone's out there, they will be able to pass on their experience. Thanks, in advance, for your help!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoskizaki AM-50B AE Undercounter Ice Machine

Comments (39)

  • akcorcoran
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I should add the Hoshizaki also produces the same amount of ice in less cycles which I would think would make it more environmentally friendly and quieter? They are just known for the dependability. But, I was hoping somebody out there might have one?

    :)

  • breezygirl
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    DH works for a large restaurant supply and design company and has 20 years of experience with commercial ice machines. While he has no personal experience with either residential unit, he said both are good choices. When pressed, he said he'd choose Hoshizaki because they're probably better and have been doing it longer. I don't know if this helps or not. You've not been getting many responses on your ice machine hunt so I thought I'd throw it out there. And yes, I'd say you're a lil bit obsessed. ;)

    Have you tried searching past threads for any of the brands/units of any of the appliances you're considering?

  • akcorcoran
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi! Thanks for at least throwing me a bone. :-) I appreciate the input from your husband. It sounds similar to what I've heard (we own a food business ourselves which is how we even know of / about Hoshizaki.)

    I went to the store today all set to buy it but the gentleman at the store (a family-run appliance store in business for three generations) said we'd have problems with the Hoshizaki b/c while it was designed to be under the counter, it wasn't designed to be set in between two cabinets with no air circulating on either side. Something about the way the air flow is designed (vs most that are front in/front out so they can be set in a cabinet?) It's hard to verify that information since most appliance stores here don't sell it. :(

    If that's so, then I'd likely go with the Manitowoc (or same as the SubZ) - I just need to stop reading reviews because for every person that says it's as "quiet as an ice maker can be" there's another that says it's like a freight train running all the time.

    Argh. Thanks for your post - I appreciate it!

  • waterpondgal
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    so what did you decide about the ice machine? I'm wanting to put one in my kitchen but kinda leary because of the noise my one in the garage makes. Its not new but works great!! Don't want to move it to kitchen because cabinets in garage are cut out for it.....also would like to splurge on the Hoshizaki one ....I think its the one I picked out that makes sonic ice. What if it messes up often?? my new cabinets in the kitchen are going to have a cut out for it too????

  • trix_e_lee
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a little late to this party, but I'm here now because I am looking to replace my Scotsman Ice Maker....too much maintenance. I have been looking at the Hoshizaki and it appears it does have the front in, front out airflow..... here is the description from this website: http://www.goedekers.com/product/Hoshizaki-AM50BAE/15--Stainless-Steel-Built-In-Undercounter-Ice-Maker.html

    Hoshizaki AM50BAE Features:
    Up to 55 lbs. of ice production per 24 hours
    Up to 27 lbs. of built-in storage capacity
    Undercounter design is less than 34 inches tall
    Durable stainless steel exterior
    UL approval for outdoor use
    Power switch accessible without panel removal
    Easily disassembled water circuit for easy cleaning
    Front in, front out airflow
    Fewer moving parts for longer life
    Swing style reversible door
    Side trim kit available

  • pcc2628
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a little late to the discussion, but I'm definitely at the same shoe. Thinking about replacing my Scotsman with either the Hoshizaki or the Manitowoc. Looks like anyone did their homework and looking for a quality undercounter ice machine may come down to the same situation.
    They are about in the same price range, but Manitowoc seems to have easier maintenance and service accessibility than Hoshizaki, and they have an easy installed front water filter which is quite uncommon. On the other hand, Hoshizaki has the stainless steel core making it the most reliable unit on the market... Gosh, tough decision, hope someone can share more light to me...

  • akcorcoran
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi!

    I'm circling back around, since I asked the original question. :-) We did go with a Hoshizaki in our wet bar! We went with the Hoshizaki AM50BAEDS 15" Undercounter/Self-Contained Ice Maker Panel Ready. It was paneled by our cabinet company (which wasn't inexpensive but probably not much more than a whole cabinet. Because of our beverage/wine fridge, I wanted the symmetry of two cabinets on either side.

    I was really close to getting the Manitowac - especially liked the delay feature and the filter replacement. BUT, and I'll grant you this is a personal preference, I didn't' like the size of the ice. It seemed giant to me! I felt like I had huge rocks in my mouth when I sampled it. Now, it melts down, etc, but in addition to the stellar reputation for Hoshizaki, I preferred the ice.

    And, tiny little thing, but I like the scoop on the left inside of the unit vs on the door. Little ice chunks can fall and my friend with a Manitowac always has wet spots on her floor. If I did it again, I'd probably put it on the sink side of our wet bar (the other side) but we have a 2nd dishwasher there so didn't really have a choice. It makes for a nice beverage area on the clean side, but sometimes ice falls b/c I can't pour the scoop in a glass over a sink.

    We were putting this in newly added space so we were able to put in a gravity drain so the water just flows down as it washes through the ice. I was worried about hearing the ice drop b/c everyone says that's loud in ice makers. We don't hear that really - not sure if the extra panel helps with that? Probably does.

    What we DO hear is the vent/fan. Because it is made by a commercial company, it's there in the front under the unit. That's where they are in other appliances but the sound of that ventilation has come a long way in modern appliances where this icemaker still blows. It clicks on and you can't miss it. To be honest, it's probably the appliance I hear the most in our entire new wetbar and kitchen. I just wanted folks considering it to know.

    I'd much prefer the white noise of a fan sound to the drip drop clunk of ice, so I've adjusted to it by now.

    We have ours in a butler's pantry / wet bar, so it's not in any majorly-used room. There is a swinging door between that area and the dining room, so I just swing that closed if we're doing formal dining - I usually do that anyway for intimacy. (I'm the only one who hears it but still...) Or, I temporarily switch it off (right on front of unit) - it's got plenty of ice to last us an evening! :-)

    THAT SAID, I would most likely buy it again. The ice is fantastic, we've had absolutely no problems - perfectly refreshing since the day it was installed. Produces tons of ice of the perfect size (top-hat style it's called,) and it's always fresh and tasty. Combined with the Little Butler "insta-cold/hot" we have across in a sink (34 degree water,) it's a dream come true.

    We use the ice maker THE MOST of any appliance in the house. Probably scoop 20 - 30 times a day between the four of us. I'm not exaggerating! I know it's a luxury to have, and it makes me so happy. I'm an ice girl!

    Here are pics (before our grout was in the tile, sorry about that! Icemaker is on the right side of the bev center) - let me know if I can tell you anything else. Good luck!

  • nanj
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great information! Thanks for all the details and photos.

  • cardinal94
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We plan to get an icemaker in our new build. Haven't gotten to the point of decisions on this, but thanks for all the detailed information.

  • ivan256
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm also considering one of these Hoshizaki ice makers. I can't find anywhere near me where I can go to see one, though.

    I'd like to install a cold plate in whichever ice maker I get. They're typically 8"x12", and I'd have to drill 10 holes for tubes (5 in, 5 out for syrup and water) into the back of the unit. I know this can be done with the KitchenAid ice maker, but I don't like the ice or the noise of that particular unit.

    Do you think there's room in there for the plate and sufficient space on the back to drill without hitting mechanical or electrical bits?

  • dlj50ster
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I had a Manitowoc SM-50 under counter. It lasted only 5 years. I complained to the company and they ignored me. I was also pretty loud. My Scotsman before that lasted 15 years and was a bit more quiet.

  • dong123
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am late to this posting but I have owned undercounter ice machines since 1976. my first one was a scotsman. I had it in service for 16 years and had to repace the sump pump and the water pump (this one I rebuilt using a surplus c-frame motor real cheap) ,solenoid vale , and other minor parts.After about 4 years it seemed to always have some problem.I had a second scotsman for our lake place -same kind of problems, so I changed to a manatowoc and it was somewhat louder and it lasted about 8 years at the lake place . N

    ext was a home depot special made by manotowoc (had to replace the water pump in about 5 years .) The last machine I purchased was the hosazaki am50bae and it now is about 10 years old and I have not had one problem with it whatsoever, and my wife really likes the top hat size cubes it makes..It even ran dry for about aweek once -no problem . Long story shorter, my compac from home depot just went out, so today I ordered a new hosazaki.With my experience this make has given me the best experience to date. hope this helps to make you feel better about your purchase of the hosazaki.Now some good advice -keep it clean ,vacuum the filter on the condenser coil regularly ,a good water filter (reverse osmosis or even a water distiller). will make it's life longer. just my 2 cents . thanks don

  • dridr
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We have had two ice makers. The first was a U-Line that was purchased as a floor model when Home Expo closed. We kept it for about a year until we were ready to do the install only to find that the unit would not stop producing ice. Multiple service calls later, we gave up. I then purchased Manitowac 15" under counter ice maker. This unit lasted for a little over 3 years (a month or two after the warranty ran out). The evaporator plate then gave out. Replacement cost half the price of the entire unit. We were told by the service tech that these plates are one of the items that fail most often.
    Now I am searching for a new ice maker. I am basically using the length of the manufacturer's warranty as the benchmark for the unit's reliability. I ordered a KitchenAid unit as it comes with a 3 year warranty but was just told that Best Buy can no longer provide the unit. I am now considering the Hoshizaki. Any additional feedback regarding the KA or Hoshizaki would be great. I would not buy another Manitowac.

  • kaseki
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am curious why these units need a water pump and a sump pump (neither of which is apparent in my SZ ice maker) Is household pressure too low for its ice mould injection scheme; is there some internal overflow that needs to be pumped to a drain?

    kas

  • GreenDesigns
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If you have a gravity drain below, you don't need the water pump. Otherwise you need a pump to push the melted ice residue up an out to the nearest drain. FYI for those lurking, ice makers don't keep ice frozen. They just replace the melted ice with new ice. (BIG energy consumers.)

  • lee676
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No trouble at all with several Manitowoc SM-50s I've used that are 9 years old now, and I like the jewel-like ice cubes they make, as well as the relative quietness, the temporary shutoff option, the inside LED lighting, and other aspects of its design. I'm also intrigued with the new Scotsman ice machine that makes small chewy ice nuggets of the sort normally only seen in restaurants and bars; it's the only residential machine that makes that sort of ice.

  • kaseki
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    GreenDesigns:

    Thanks, I failed to even imagine that an ice maker would not also be a freezer to keep the ice cold enough to not melt.

    kas, not thinking outside the (ice) box

  • akcorcoran
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi -

    As the original poster, I'm back!

    First kaseki, you wouldn't want the ice to just sit there - it would quickly become stale and taste funky if that much ice just lived there until use.

    Back to the general question, I'm mixed on the Hoshizaki - here's the update on our experience.

    After about a year, we started to see the ice cubes "clumping" and were clouded and not breaking into individual "top hat" cubes when they dropped. The problem quickly escalated.

    Working with Hoshizaki then become an issue. First they had us call a couple different service companies, none of which handled residential service. Then they finally connected us to the ONE guy who covers our area (lives in PA, we are in Baltimore, MD.). Finally had him scheduled to come, assuming the unit just requires a cleaning.

    Well, then it got very complicated. So the service guy found that the evaporator showed pitting and damage even though it was a year old. We had a whole round of discussions about the filter (ours was a sediment filter, not a full Everpure mineral and sediment filter). The net of the interaction was that we hadn't had it installed by a Hoshizaki rep so technically the warranty was voided. My husband was furious as there it took us months to find this single service guy, so clearly we wouldn't have easily been able to find someone to install it! And, we bought it through a small, locally-owned applicance store NOT a big box store and were assured the warranty would be in place when our licensed plumber installed it.

    Long story, lots of discussion with Hoshizaki later, we settled on a compromise that allowed the service guy to do the work to repair the ice maker with no cost to us, but it was a tedious process.

    we did put in the Everpure filter system and would recommend it for anyone getting an ice maker. There is just a lot of water that runs through to melt and reform the ice so minerals and damage can add up.

    Now that it's back, it's great. Ice is perfect size to me (I found the cubes for the Manitowac / SubZero to be too big). It is always full and ready to enjoy.

    Observing it now, it is quieter and the water is running less (it was aost constant by the end when it was having issues), so I'm convinced that the damage was caused by excess water and fact that it was in an active mode nearly all the time. It's much quieter now.

    Would I get it again? If I had service reps in the area to install it, probably. If I had known what a pain that would be, probably not. I would only have considered the Manitowac (and the filter is built in there, so that's great, just expensive) or the Kitchen Aid.

    All told, I'm still happy bc our unit has the cabinet door front that matches our wet bar cabinets and it looks amazing and functions well. We're hosting a Super Bowl party today for 30, and I don't have to get any ice... Love it.

    Good luck!

  • sfigari67
    8 years ago

    I am purchasing a new ice maker and I'm really torn between the Hoshizaki, Manitowac, and Scottsman. Your reviews have been really helpful. Your last review was in February after some repairs. How is your unit working and would you still purchase the Hoshizaki?

  • PRO
    Olivia Hatcher-Sheridan Solomon & Associates
    7 years ago

    If anyone is following this thread--as an ice obsessed family, I definitely am, I wanted to add that our experience with the Scotsman machine we purchased two years ago has just hit a major bump in the road. I had heavily consulted these threads before deciding on the Scotsman. We were in favor of the large cubes because my husband and I enjoy rocks drinks and the smaller cubing machines tend to melt liquor quickly. The machine worked well (after an initial bad install which flooded our new kitchen---don't ask!) until I had emptied the bin on Memorial Day weekend in order to fill a cooler. When we came home there was no ice in the bin. The machine was running & freezing but we were told that the harvest cycle timer was likely bad. Here's where warning number 1 comes in: If you live in a smallish town, your resources for fixing your better appliances is diminished. In a crazy twist of fate, we have an authorized Scotsman dealer, but there is no actual authorized service provider nearby. Warning number 2: Scotsman customer service is virtually nonexistent. My husband and I have had unreturned calls and emails for week. Finally furious, he called Scotsman and inadvertently got someone higher up the chain there. We are still on the fence as to if they will be of any help. Warning number 3: We filed our Scotsman warranty online and received email confirmation and a pdf warranty certificate yet Scotsman claimed that they had no record of our machine's registration. The bottom line is that now we have two service company's bills & estimates to the tune of $900 on a machine that is 2 years old. This is completely unacceptable and has permanently tarnished my opinion of the company. I'm not sure how we will proceed, but I'm pretty disappointed that my custom paneled ice machine has been out of service in one of the hottest summers on record. Hope this helps someone.

  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    The e-mail and warranty certificate (dated? references serial & model?) should sufficient to validate the warranty.

  • ivan256
    7 years ago

    I figured I should come back here and post a follow-up, since I was just answering questions about my ice-maker/cold-plate/bar-gun setup elsewhere and never found the info I was looking for back when I was asking in this thread...

    I took a chance sight unseen and bought the Hoshizaki AM-50BAE and a cold-plate.

    I don't think there is room on the back of the unit to drill enough holes to run seltzer and syrups, but I was able to fit four holes for seltzer and still water in/out of the back of the machine and sat the cold plate on the bottom with no issue. The back wall is two layers, hard plastic on the inside and thin steel on the outside with foam inbetween. Both layers are thin enough for standard hardware store grommets, so a pilot drill, step drill, 16 grommets, PEX tubing and some food-grade lube made nice water-tight passages.

    Overall I am quite happy with the setup. I've been running it for about a year and a half. I'm using pure RO water even though the instructions recommend against it. There are barely any minerals in my water to begin with, so the RO water is not as acidic as it would be if the membrane were removing more. I've been keeping an eye on the evaporator plate to make sure I'm not causing pitting after having read akcorcoran's experience above. If I notice any dulling at all of the mirror finish on it, I'll add in a remineralization post filter.

    Overall I would say that I would highly recommend this model for people looking to add a bar-gun setup to their kitchen.

  • terryisthinking
    6 years ago

    What is a cold plate if I may ask????

  • dadoes
    6 years ago

    A metal plate that sits in an ice bin and has tubes embedded in it to chill beer, water, carbonated/non-carbonated drink as it flows through.

    This one has three tubes for three kinds of beverages.

  • Arl Tile
    6 years ago

    Anyone have experience with the True clear ice machine?

  • Chris Fairman
    4 years ago

    I know this is very late, but wanted to thank the folks above and chime in with my own experiences. I've had a few machines over the years.

    1. a Kenmore scratch and dent from Sears. This was going in a pantry so it would not be seen so the scratch and dent bargain was great. It was the style made by whirlpool and rebranded for kenmore, kitchen aide, GE etc. etc. It was the type that makes the brick of ice that then melts through a grid of thin heated wires to make tiny 1/2" cubes. I cleaned it often and got very good and home maintenance. This machine started our families infatuation with clear ice. It was $400 for a scratch and dent $1600 machine. I replaced this metal grid the most as the wires were very thin and it broke may 3 times in the 6 years we had it. I learned a ton from a website a guy posted with detailed instruction on how to repair these and how the cycles worked etc. http://www.truetex.com/icemachine.htm This guy has all sorts of tips on how to find parts etc. I replaced the main water pump, with a $15 fish tank pump. The fish tank pump is the same thing used in the ice machines that they want $200 for. It literally had the exact same connections. It was plug and play. (not the pump for the melted water, as I always went with gravity drain, one less thing to go wrong). Once you understand how these work, they are pretty easy to fix if you have a minor amount of mechanical skill. It was fun for me until I got a little older and had less time to fiddle with stuff. Now I just pay a guy. This $400 machine probably cost me $1200 over 6 years to fix.

    I got fed up with this machine and to Hoshizaki


    2. Hoshizaki KM model that made the crescent ice. It's an 18 inch wide machine with optional legs that made it stand tall. I think its a 71 lb a day unit. Again this was in a pantry, gravity drain and didn't care that the front is kinda industrial looking. Of the machines I've had this was my favorite. it was such a workhorse and had zero issues in 10 years. It's still in my garage at my new house, and waiting for me to find a place for it after a home remodel. Again, I loved how much ice it made. We were the neighborhood ice store for friends and family filling coolers for those long days of kids and travel sports. We had friends and family over all the time and didn't mind a bit. If you don't like your neighbors, don't offer this service because they will use your ice. We loved ours.


    There were no moving parts, it made the clear crescent ice and fast, I'd say more like diner style, great for coolers too since they sort of slide next to each other. Imagine when you push a can or bottle of beer into a cooler and wiggle it to get it deep into the ice. This type of ice just slides side to side and parts like the Red Sea so you can push into it.


    We loved the legs, making it taller and easy to access and bend down less, but this would not fit under a counter and the door is ugly and plastic like you see behind a bar at your neighborhood dive bar. Ice drops were the only noise we heard and they weren't very often unless we emptied it for a large cooler. Again, none of these mattered since it was hidden in a walk in pantry a few steps removed from our main kitchen. The pantry was between the kitchen and right next to the garage making it easy to grab that last minute ice or fill a cooler or one of those 5 gallon igloo team water coolers. We had a Hoshizaki filter mounted on the wall, which simply helped me to clean the scale far less often, maybe once a year and it was easy with this machine. I pulled it out, the top came off and four pieces came out and went back in 30 minutes later. So easy.


    3. Scotsman 15 inch under counter, top hat style. We liked clear ice so much when we remodeled our basement with bar we needed a maker upstairs in the pantry and downstairs for the bar. We didn't have the luxury of hiding it so it needed to look pretty. That's about all this scotman did well was look pretty. We had a number of problems. it was very loud, hard to clean, and the pump seemed to run constantly. The pump ran way to much. It had 3 cycles, chugging, slurping, and spraying. Something was always running. When the pump stopped the fan ran. We had it repaired several times and seems to work now and is quiet. The warranty was only a year, so the first few repairs were free, then it started costing a few $$. Fingers crossed. We also have an inline pre filter to attempt to clean it less often. I'll replace it with a Hoshizaki under counter when it dies, or when the repairs start adding up again.


    Someone above mentioned having difficulty with getting a service man. I have a good relationship with a restaurant owner in town. I called him and asked who services their machines. Just ask a few folks from local bars or restaurants who they use. They will all have a service tech who's willing to work for a little side cash and help you out. This of course is after your warranty expires. As I've gotten a little older and don't want to move things around and spend time on these machines. This dude comes to the house and takes both the scotsman and the Hoshizaki outside to our garage, takes them apart and scrubs them down once a year for $200. He hooks them up, tests them and runs the nickel safe stuff, which is very expensive, through them both a couple of cycles. Its way better than what I used to do. He also found us a cheap source for filters. it's well worth it.


    I hope this was some value. Feel free to chime in with experiences. My next purchase in current kitchen that needs to look decent under the counter will be the Hoshizaki BA model, always get the gravity drain if you can!

  • PRO
    The Studio
    4 years ago

    Thanks for all this (current) info Chris! This seems to be a real quandary....even for those of us in the arch/building industry. I personally need to replace a Scotsman 15 UC machine that has been a nightmare since a year after 1st installed. It was the worst! Not only was it mind numbingly loud all the time, right after the warranty expired, the motor went. It cost almost half the price of a new unit to get it repaired, which we did only to have it start leaking and die a year later.


    To be honest, there are not a lot of great options. I haven't heard good things about the Subzero units. True has a residential under counter unit but I cant find any reviews of it.


    I came across these Hoshizaki machines in the club boxes at a newly renovated stadium in our city. Everyone there seemed to like them and based on these reviews I am going to give this brand a try. Wish me luck!


  • Sean Hollands
    4 years ago

    @ivan256

    Quote: "I took a chance sight unseen and bought the Hoshizaki AM-50BAE and a cold-plate.

    I don't think there is room on the back of the unit to drill enough holes to run seltzer and syrups, but I was able to fit four holes for seltzer and still water in/out of the back of the machine and sat the cold plate on the bottom with no issue. The back wall is two layers, hard plastic on the inside and thin steel on the outside with foam inbetween. Both layers are thin enough for standard hardware store grommets, so a pilot drill, step drill, 16 grommets, PEX tubing and some food-grade lube made nice water-tight passages."


    I would love more info on your setup. Completely addicted to carbonated water and am shopping for an icemaker. Flat & Seltzer are all I need. Anything you can share would be highly appreciated. Hoshi unit was high on my list, but I haven't convinced a store to let me take it apart before buying yet.

  • ivan256
    4 years ago

    Wow, this is an old thread!


    I went to check my eBay history for part numbers to give you, but it doesn't go back that far. In the basement below the ice maker, I have a McCann pressure booster pump that boosts the water pressure to 90 PSI. After the pressure booster I tee off for the still water and for the McCann Big Mac carbonator (You can find deals on them used on eBay if you're patient). I feed the carbonator and the syrup pumps from a 20lb Co2 tank. You also need a cold plate - whatever you can find cheap - if it's got too many passages, just loop your seltzer through it multiple times, a regulator (get one with two gauges!).


    Everything is plumbed with .375 pex, and clamped together with oetiker clamps. You need to drill four holes in the back of the ice maker - just be careful and make sure you don't drill through anything important. There's nothing hidden to avoid, everything you don't want to hit is right where you can see it - there's basically only one place where you'll find room for four holes.


    I chose the hole size based on what the local hardware store had rubber grommets for that also fit my tubing. The back of the unit is foam insulation sandwiched between sheet metal and plastic. The holes in the metal and plastic need to be perfectly concentric to prevent leaks, so use a small pilot drill, and a step drill to bring the holes to size. Making the holes and feeding the hose in is the only real "hard" part. And even then it's only hard because you have to get it right the first time.


    The two water lines go into the ice maker, clamp to the cold plate (leave enough loops of pipe behind the unit to be able to pull it out of when you need to), then out of the cold plate to the manifold of a Wunderbar bar gun. I wish I had gotten a more traditional seltzer tower, since I hardly ever use the post-mix, but I thought the bar gun was cool!


    I've had this running since 2016, and so far the only thing I've had trouble with is the pressure booster pump. McCann makes two models. The "cheap" one with the diaphragm pump, and the expensive one with the vane pump (16-2170) - I don't know if the expensive one is good, but I assume it is. I do know that diaphragm pumps universally suck - they're loud and they break. Don't get one! You do need some kind of pressure booster to get the water pressure up to 90-100 psi before feeding it into the setup though.

  • Arl Tile
    4 years ago

    The studio: the current subzero undercounter (OEM manitowoc) works great. the true is also an excellent choice. Cant go wrong with either. true comes standard with a pump and is outdoor rated. Those are options on the subzero.

  • Mark Atl
    3 years ago

    I’m leaning towards a hoshizaki or Manitowoc, but am a little worried about the noise referenced in these comments. Is one louder than the other? Anything quieter with the same reliabilit?

  • Arl Tile
    3 years ago

    All ice machines are loud, they are constantly dropping ice into a large bin, 24/7. They are essentially commercial pieces of equipment in your home.

  • Mark Atl
    3 years ago

    thanks. Are they all similar relative to the compressor and fan sound.

  • Arl Tile
    3 years ago

    Can't comment on that, only seen a few brands and never noticed much difference. Only real difference I've noticed are ones that have a pump and ones that don't (gravity drain).
    Bottom line, they are small noise machines, no way around that.

  • Michelle and Bob
    3 years ago

    I have a True ice machine - from the day it was installed u til now, the ice clumps. We have the full cubes. If we don’t use the ice within a few hours ( about 8 hours), the cubes melt together into one big chunk. so basically overnight! we have had it serviced and replaced (True was good about that), but the new one did the same. I am looking into a manitowoc or hoshizaki for our new house.

  • ryanknoll
    3 years ago

    I have a True Ice machine for about a year with no issues at all so far, and no clumping. I have the large top-hat style ice.

  • HU-808946128
    2 years ago

    Bought a Hoshizaki under counter icemaker model # AM-50BAJ back in Jan of 2021.

    Should have known right off the bat this was not going to go well as the machine is very loud.

    Within 3 months of install, which was done by a professional Plummer, the machine was already not working.

    The drain pump went out along with the thermostat that controls the amount of ice that is made. On top of that the on/off switch had to be replaced.

    I find out from the repair person which by the way was the only licensed company that can do the warranty work, tells me they have had nothing but trouble from this company.

    He does a good job in fixing the problem and I am thinking that is the end of it as warranty will cover the repair.

    Then I receive a letter from the repair company 6 months later, that I owe them $359 as Hoshizaki paid only half of the total bill which was $719.16 which was about a third of the total cost of the icemaker bought brand new.

    Would not recommend any one in buying this model much less anything from Hoshizaki.

    They will not stand by their products.

    They also have so few licensed warranties repair companies that the repair company will try to charge you an additional amount for travel time if not close ( another $91)

  • Lynda Fortier
    last year

    BUYER BEWARE OF HOSHIZAKI!!! We purchased a Hoshizaki under-counter built-in nugget Ice machine, C-80BAJ-ADDS It was quite pricey! It was installed in late 2021. My nightmare began on 5-6-22, It is a piece of junk! I ended up with grease and broken pieces of gasket all over the ice. Hoshizaki tried to tell me it was dirty, but I don't think so... They referred me to a service company in Jackson, WY. I sent pictures to the service company, they said they could tell by the pictures the machine needed to be replaced... This machine is still under warranty, but trying to get it either fixed or replaced has been a nightmare!!! I purchased this machine from Ferguson's in Idaho Falls, ID. Hoshizaki won't even respond to Ferguson's upper management. Hoshizaki is having trouble finding anyone in my area to come to see what is wrong with this machine. According to Idaho law, if they can't get anyone to fix it they have to replace it! I may have to hire a lawyer to go after Hoshizaki, what a waste of money... All I can say is DON"T PURCHASE HOSHIZAKI! I would welcome anyone in upper management from Hoshizaki to contact me regarding this machine!

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