Hoshizaki

Hoshizaki Ice Machines and Steelheart Commercial Refrigeration

In a healthcare setting, the shape of the ice is a clinical decision, not a preference. Nugget and cubelet ice is soft enough to chew, which is why it dominates patient care areas and therapy applications. Crescent and top hat cubes suit beverage service where slow melt and clarity matter. Flake ice packs around irregular shapes, making it the choice for food display and cold therapy. Hoshizaki builds distinct machine families for each of these, and MediDepot carries 31 Hoshizaki configurations spanning ice makers, dispensers, storage bins, stands, and the Steelheart line of commercial refrigerators and freezers.

The breadth is what makes the brand worth consolidating around. A hospital can specify a touchless cubelet dispenser for a patient floor, a high-output crescent cuber for food service, undercounter Steelheart refrigeration for a department galley, and matching stands and bins, all from one manufacturer with one service relationship.

Facilities That Depend on This Equipment

Hoshizaki equipment serves settings where ice and commercial refrigeration are part of daily operations. This collection is a fit for:

• Hospitals and healthcare facilities serving patient floors and nutrition services
• Long-term care and senior living communities
• Surgery centers and clinics with therapy or patient refreshment needs
• Laboratories and research facilities requiring flake or cubelet ice
• Foodservice operations, cafeterias, and institutional kitchens
• Hotels, restaurants, and hospitality venues
• Facilities managers consolidating ice and refrigeration procurement

The Product Families in This Collection

MediDepot’s Hoshizaki range covers ice production, ice dispensing, storage, and refrigeration.

Cubelet Ice Machines and Dispensers The DCM series produces cubelet ice, the soft chewable format favored in patient care. The DCM-271BAK at 16.625" delivers up to 286 lbs per day with a built-in storage bin, and the DCM-271BAK-OS adds hands-free dispensing. The DCM-271BAH and DCM-271BAH-OS Opti-Serve touchless model both produce 257 lbs per day. Larger units include the DCM-300BAH at 26" producing 321 lbs, the DCM-500BAH at 26" producing 618 lbs in a sanitary cubelet (nugget style) format, and the water-cooled DCM-751BWH at 34.063" producing 782 lbs.

Cube Ice Machines Top hat cubers include the AM-50BAJ at 15" producing 51 lbs per day and the AM-50BAK-AD at 14.875" producing 54 lbs per day in an ADA-compliant height. Crescent cubers include the KM-81BAJ at 17.75" producing 86 lbs per day and the KM-2500SWH3 at 48", a water-cooled three-phase unit producing 2,429 lbs per day.

Flake Ice The F-450MAJ at 22" is an air-cooled flaker producing 492 lbs per day in stainless steel.

Ice Dispensers and Storage Bins The DB-130H (22") is dispensing ice from a 130 lb bin capacity and the DB-200H (30") is dispensing from a 200 lb bin capacity. Both machines have a stainless steel agitator and auger. Ice bins include the B-300SF (22") that holds 300 lbs and the B-700SF (44") that holds 700 lbs. They are made of stainless steel.

Icemaker and Dispenser Stands Four stands with locking doors and built to fit different width machines including the SD-271 (16.5"), the SD-500 (25.875"), the SD-200 (30")

Steelheart Upright Refrigerators and Freezers One compartment 27.5 inches units are the R1A-FS, stainless steel fridge and R1A-FG, full glass door fridge both with a capacity of 23.1 cu.ft and run from -0.5° C to 11°C; while the R1A-HS runs with stainless half doors. The F1A-FS is the same 23.1 cu.ft. capacity freezer running -23.3°C to -11.1°C. Two compartment 55 inches are R2A-FS and R2A-FG refrigerators each with a capacity of 50.37 cu.ft., and the F2A-FS freezer with the same 50.37 cu.ft.

Steelheart Undercounter Units The UR27B at 27 inches (6.21 cu.ft.) and UR48B at 48 inches (12 cu.ft.) are under counter refrigerators that run on R290 refrigerant; where the UR48B is ENERGY STAR and UR27B is ETL

Ice Types Compared

Working Through the Specification

Ice and refrigeration equipment decisions turn on output, cooling method, and how the unit integrates with the space.

• Daily ice demand. The output in this group varies between 51 pounds a day and 2,429 pounds a day. Base the size on the peak daily demand and not the average since the complaint always centers on being short in a busy period.
• Air-cooled or water-cooled. The air-cooled machine is easy to install but the waste heat goes back into the room. The water-cooled types such as DCM-751BWH and KM-2500SWH3 require a water source and drain but are suitable for spaces where excess heat is an issue.
• Built-in bin or separate storage. Several machines include a built-in storage bin. High-volume operations typically pair a head unit with a separate B-300SF or B-700SF bin sized to buffer peak demand.
• Touchless dispensing. The Opti-Serve and hands-free models (DCM-271BAH-OS, DCM-271BAK-OS) reduce contact points, which matters in patient-facing and infection-sensitive areas.
• ADA height requirements. The AM-50BAK-AD is specified at an ADA-compliant height, relevant where the machine serves a public or patient-accessible area.
• Stand sizing. Match the stand width to the machine: SD-271 for 16.5 inches, SD-500 for 25.875 inches, SD-200 for 30 inches, and SD-750 for 34 inches. All four include lockable doors.
• Refrigeration format. Choose upright Steelheart units for volume storage, or undercounter UR/UF models where the equipment must fit beneath a work surface.
• Glass or solid doors. Glass door models such as the R1A-FG and R2A-FG let staff identify contents without opening, while solid doors offer better insulation.
• Three-phase power. The KM-2500SWH3 requires three-phase electrical service, which must be confirmed with facilities before ordering.

Technical Details and Site Requirements

Hoshizaki products in this collection span ice production and commercial refrigeration. Documented details available on the collection page include:

Buyers should confirm electrical service, water supply and drain requirements, ambient temperature limits, and clearance dimensions directly on each product page before ordering, since these vary considerably between air-cooled and water-cooled units. MediDepot does not represent that any unit satisfies a specific facility’s health department, code, or accreditation requirements, and these units are intended for general ice production and food or beverage refrigeration rather than vaccine, specimen, or medication storage. Facilities needing medical-grade cold storage should use MediDepot’s dedicated medical refrigeration collections.

Planning an Ice and Refrigeration Purchase

Ice machines and commercial refrigerators are long-service-life equipment with real installation dependencies, so coordination with facilities pays off.

• Involve facilities before ordering. Water supply, floor drains, electrical service, and heat rejection all need confirming, particularly for water-cooled and three-phase units.
• Size storage separately from production. A machine that produces enough over 24 hours can still run out at lunch rush if the bin is undersized. Pair production capacity with adequate storage.
• Plan for ambient conditions. Air-cooled machines in warm mechanical spaces produce less ice than their rated output. Confirm the ambient limits for your installation location.
• Standardize across departments. Running the same machine families across a facility simplifies preventive maintenance, filter stocking, and staff familiarity.
• Budget for water filtration and maintenance. Ice machine longevity depends heavily on water quality and cleaning frequency, so plan both into ongoing operating costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between cubelet, crescent, top hat, and flake ice?

DCM series cubelet ice is chewable and soft, mainly used on patient floors and therapeutic purposes. Crescent ice from KM series and top hat ice from AM series is hard and slow melting, ideal for beverages. Flake ice from F-450MAJ is soft and will pack around irregular shapes; therefore, it is recommended for food display, cold therapy, and laboratory use.

Should I choose an air-cooled or water-cooled ice machine?

An air-cooled unit is easy to install because there is no water needed to cool the condenser, although air-cooling units will transfer the heat into the room. The water-cooled machines include DCM-751BWH and KM-2500SWH3, and these need both water and drainage, though they do not add any heat load.

Do I need a separate ice storage bin?

It depends on the machine and your demand pattern. Several models in this collection include a built-in storage bin. Operations with sharp peak demand often pair a head unit with a separate bin such as the B-300SF (300 lbs) or B-700SF (700 lbs) so ice is available faster than the machine can produce it.

Which models offer touchless dispensing?

The DCM-271BAH-OS Opti-Serve and the DCM-271BAK-OS are listed as hands-free dispensing models, reducing contact with the dispenser. These are commonly specified for patient-facing and infection-sensitive areas.

What is the Steelheart series?

Steelheart is Hoshizaki’s commercial refrigeration line, represented here by upright refrigerators and freezers in 27.5" single section (23.1 cu.ft.) and 55" two section (50.37 cu.ft.) sizes, plus undercounter units at 27" (6.21 cu.ft.) and 48" (12 cu.ft.). Options include stainless steel, full glass door, and half door configurations.

Can these refrigerators be used for vaccine or specimen storage?

Not at all. The Steelheart refrigerators and freezers from this group are commercial-grade food service refrigeration units that do not offer the temperature consistency, monitoring, and alarm features necessary for storing vaccines, drugs, and specimens.

Get Help Sizing Your Equipment

Because ice type, daily output, cooling method, and site utilities all interact, it is worth confirming requirements with facilities before placing an order. MediDepot offers Medical Equipment Financing to help spread the cost of ice and refrigeration equipment, along with a Price Match Guarantee so you can order with confidence. Extended Warranty coverage is available on eligible equipment for facilities that want protection beyond standard manufacturer terms, and a Military Discount is available for qualifying buyers. Browse the full Hoshizaki collection above, or contact the MediDepot team to size a machine for your operation.