Industrial vending machine or smart bins? Which fits your store.
Vending machines control who takes what. Smart bins track how much is left. They solve different problems, and many sites use both.
Industrial vending machines lock items away and dispense them to authorised users, which suits PPE, cutting tools and high-value items. Smart weighing bins leave parts on open shelves and track stock by weight, which suits high-volume small parts such as fasteners and fittings. Choose vending for control, and weighing bins for visibility across hundreds of bins.
How do vending machines and smart bins compare?
| Industrial vending machine | Maxi Bin weighing bins | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Control who takes each item | Track how much stock is left |
| Typical items | PPE, cutting tools, batteries, high-value items | Fasteners, fittings, seals, electrical parts |
| Number of items | Limited by the machine's slots | Up to 100 bins per Gateway; add Gateways to grow |
| Space | Floor space for each machine | Your existing shelving |
| Picking speed | Log in, select, wait for the item | Grab from the bin |
| Records usage by person | Yes | No: records quantity and time |
| Supply arrangement | Often provided with a supply agreement | Not tied to a supplier |
Which should you choose?
Choose vending when…
Items are expensive, controlled or easy to walk off with, and you need to know who took each one.
Choose weighing bins when…
You have hundreds of low-cost, high-use parts and the problem is running out, not who took them.
Use both when…
Your store holds both. Put controlled items in the machine and keep everything else counted on the shelf.
Frequently asked questions
Do smart bins stop theft?
No. Open weighing bins do not lock. The activity log shows when stock left each bin and how much, which helps spot unusual use, but it does not record who took it.
Can smart bins be used for PPE?
Yes, for items with a consistent weight, such as boxed gloves, earplugs or packs of wipes, where access control is not required.
Can I use both?
Yes. A common setup is a vending machine for controlled items and weighing bins for fasteners, fittings and other high-volume parts.
Do smart bins need floor space?
No. The scales sit under bins on your existing shelving.
Related guides
Count the parts the machine can't hold.
Tell us what sits on your open shelves and we will size a system for it.