Hoshizaki Ice Bins

Every Hoshizaki bin compared

Specifications from each product page. Warranty coverage applies in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories; B-SF coverage applies to units produced January 2012 and later.

B-SF bins (300-900 lb)

The B-SF family shares one depth (32.3 inches) and one height (46 inches), in six widths. From the product pages:

• Stainless steel exterior with a polyethylene liner.
• Interior: 27.7 inches deep and 37.6 inches high in every model, so capacity scales with width.
• 3/4-inch FPT drain.
• B-900SF adds a top-hinged, front-opening door, foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation and 6-inch painted legs.
• Pairing: use Hoshizaki's application matrix for the top-kit arrangement that matches your head.

B-500SF vs BD-500SF

Both hold 500 lb in the same 30 x 32.3 x 46 inch cabinet. The BD-500SF is listed by Hoshizaki for select ice machines 24 to 24-1/2 inches deep. Use the application matrix to see which version your head needs.

B-SS high-capacity bins (1,148-1,605 lb)

For banquet kitchens, hotels, hospitals and stadiums:

• Stainless steel front, sides, back and bottom (B-1150SS) with a seamless polyethylene liner and foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation.
• Included: a universal top kit, 6-inch adjustable stainless steel legs and an 82 oz scoop.
• 3/4-inch FPT drain.
• 5-year parts and labor warranty.
• Two heights per width: the B-1150SS (60-3/16 in.) and B-1300SS (66-3/16 in.) are both 48 inches wide; the B-1500SS (62-3/16 in.) and B-1650SS (66-3/16 in.) are both 60 inches wide. The taller version stores more in the same footprint.

Which bin for which Hoshizaki head?

These are starting points. Always confirm the exact combination and top kit in Hoshizaki's application matrix. See crescent cube ice machines and Hoshizaki ice machines.

Sizing: hours of production in the bin

A bin that stores about a day's production lets the head build a full reserve overnight. A smaller ratio, like the KM-622MAK on a B-300SF, suits steady use through the day rather than one big rush. See our bin sizing guide.

Installation

• Floor: level and strong enough for the bin, head and full ice load. A full B-1650SS holds over 1,600 lb of ice on top of its own 375 lb.
• Drain: 3/4-inch FPT, run separately from the head's drain, with an air gap per code.
• Height: B-SF bins are 46 inches tall, and the head adds about 22-30 inches. B-SS bins are 60-66 inches before the head. Check ceiling height and service clearance.
• Delivery: check doorway widths for 48-60 inch bins.
• Legs: B-SS bins include 6-inch adjustable stainless steel legs; the B-900SF includes 6-inch painted legs.

Care

Hoshizaki's product pages call for maintaining the liner, door gasket and scoop as part of the site's ice-handling program:

1. Turn off the head and empty the bin.
2. Wash the liner, gasket and scoop with an approved cleaner and rinse.
3. Sanitize food-zone surfaces and air-dry.
4. Restart the head.

Do this at least whenever the ice machine is cleaned. Keep the scoop out of the ice and the drain clear.

Hoshizaki bins vs other brands

See stainless steel ice bins, Manitowoc ice bins and Scotsman ice bins.

Rated capacity vs usable ice

A bin's capacity is a rating at a standard fill level, so the ice you can actually use is a little less:

• The bin control stops the head before ice reaches the top of the bin, so the bin rarely fills to its rated weight.
• Ice type changes the weight per cubic foot. Crescent cubes, cubelets and flake pack differently.
• Ice near the bottom melts first and the last few inches are awkward to scoop.

As a planning rule, count on about 80-90% of the rated capacity being available. A B-500SF is a reliable 400-450 lb bin in daily use.

Worked example: a hotel banquet kitchen

A 250-room hotel has a banquet kitchen serving events of up to 400 guests, plus room service and a lobby bar.

• Rooms: 250 x 5 lb = 1,250 lb a day (the hotel's guest-floor machines handle most of this).
• Banquets: 400 guests x about 1.5 lb = 600 lb on an event day, needed in the two hours before service.
• Kitchen and bar: about 200 lb.

The banquet kitchen needs about 800 lb on an event day, most of it at once. A Hoshizaki KM-1100MAJ (935 lb at 90/70) on a B-1150SS (1,148 lb) builds a full reserve overnight and covers an event from storage, with the 5-year bin warranty. A B-800SF would fit if space is tight, but it stores less than a day's production.

Replacing an old bin

When replacing a worn bin under an existing head:

1. Note the head's model and serial number and confirm it still matches Hoshizaki's application matrix.
2. Measure the space, including height to the ceiling with the head reinstalled.
3. Order the correct top kit if the head is narrower than the new bin.
4. Check the drain position. All bins here use a 3/4-inch FPT drain, but the outlet location may differ from your old bin.
5. Clean and sanitize the head while it's off the bin; it's the easiest time to do it.

Why stainless steel?

Hoshizaki's B-SF and B-SS bins use a stainless steel exterior. Stainless resists dents and corrosion, looks consistent with stainless kitchen equipment and is easy to wipe down, which is why many chain and hospital specifications ask for it. Inside, the polyethylene liner is what touches the ice; it's seamless on the high-capacity bins, which leaves fewer joints to clean. See stainless steel ice bins.

Ice handling and hygiene

With large bins, more people scoop from the same ice, so handling rules matter:

• Store the scoop outside the ice, in a holder, with the handle away from the ice.
• Never use glasses to scoop; broken glass in a bin means emptying and cleaning the whole bin.
• Use dedicated ice totes to carry ice to bars and banquet stations, and keep them clean and stacked off the floor.
• Keep the door closed between uses to slow melting and keep dust out.

Hoshizaki B-SF or high-capacity B-SS?

Before you order: a quick checklist

• Head model, width and depth confirmed in Hoshizaki's application matrix
• B-500SF or BD-500SF chosen correctly for 30-inch heads
• Top kit included where needed (B-SS bins include a universal top kit)
• Bin sized to your peak period, using 80-90% of rated capacity
• Ceiling height checked with the head installed
• Floor drain or drain line available for the 3/4-inch FPT drain
• Doorways measured for 48-60 inch bins

Common mistakes

1. Using the B-500SF when the head needs the BD-500SF (or the reverse). Check the matrix.
2. Forgetting the top kit when a head is narrower than the bin.
3. Sizing by daily output rather than peak period.
4. Not checking ceiling height with a head on a 66-inch bin.
5. No drain or a shared drain without an air gap.

Related collections

• Hoshizaki ice machines and crescent cube ice machines
• Hoshizaki water filters
• All ice storage bins and bin adapters and deflectors