Commercial Ice Cream Machines

Choosing between a soft-serve machine, including something like a frozen yoghurt machine, to a gelato machine, all depends on what you want your menu to look like. Soft serve is light, airy, smooth and fluffy, making an ideal option for cones in the summer, marking them as a popular option for pop-ups and food trucks. They’re also quick to dispense from, making them ideal for fast-food and catering business. Many soft serve machines have fast recovery, meaning you can replenish your stock quickly.

By contrast, gelato machines are ideal for establishments that are exclusively or heavily serving ice cream. They’re arguably more versatile, allowing you to make your own flavours. The results you get from an ice cream machine are also thicker and will go in a storage freezer or ice cream display freezer before serving. You can deliver more artisanal flavours, making for a more gourmet and high-end experience for your customers.

Depending on what constitutes high-volume for your establishment, an ice cream machine with different features or capacity may be needed. Generally, if you’re looking for something that can deliver 200 to 300 servings an hour, a model that has quick freezing, a large chamber with higher capacity or a combination of the two will be needed. Models from brands like Musso are ideal, delivering anywhere up to 12 kilos of ice cream an hour. Some models will come with continuous operation, while others have multiple hoppers, enabling you to have more than one batch getting prepared at the same time.

Yes. Depending on the consistency and nature of the plant-based ice cream mix you want to make, certain machines are compatible with non-dairy ingredients. These can include coconut, oat, or almond. If you’re interested in dairy free or vegan alternatives, please contact our team and we can make a personal recommendation for you. The important thing to get the best possible results is to make sure your ingredients are properly emulsified or you can end up with inconsistencies in texture. If it’s too dense, it can damage your ice cream machine, so following the manufacturers guidelines is important.

Cleaning is always an essential job, especially when dealing with ingredients like dairy. Many units feature easy disassembly to make cleaning faster and easier, with some parts being dishwasher safe, so you can sanitise everything quickly and efficiently. Other machines come with features like a pasteurisation cycle to extend the amount of time you can safely store your ice cream in the machine, reducing the frequency with which you need to clean in the first place.

Maintenance is the element most owners neglect, and it’s the one that decides how long your machine keeps performing. Whether you’ve bought a budget benchtop model or an expensive floor-standing one, maintenance is everything - daily cleaning, regular servicing and dealing with small issues before they become big ones. We’d strongly recommend having an ongoing maintenance and support plan in place with your supplier from the day you buy, rather than looking for help once something has already gone wrong.

We now offer Carpigiani Commercial Ice Cream Machines, which include custom flavour mixers and ongoing service, so the support arrangement comes built in alongside the machine.

Benchtop kitchen appliances are always a good choice for establishments with limited space. Many of our Commercial Ice Cream Machines are compact and designed to be stored on your countertop, requiring only a standard plug outlet to operate. This means you can easily use it, move it, or store it during the off-season if you only include ice cream during the warmer months, for example.

Air-cooled machines are easier to install and don’t require plumbing, but need adequate ventilation and can raise room temperatures. Depending on their power levels, you may want to consider adding an exhaust canopy to regulate your kitchen’s temperature if you opt for an air-cooled model.

In contrast, water-cooled machines are quieter and more efficient in hot environments. However, the drawback is they require more serious investment when it comes to installation, and need a proper water connection to operate.

Yes. Many high-end models now include built-in refrigerated hoppers to hold your mix at temperature, and self-pasteurisation systems that extend cleaning intervals, meaning there’s less effort needed to maintain them. These features are ideal for operators seeking reduced labour and improved food safety compliance, but are also useful if you aren’t getting through high-volumes of ice cream everyday but still want to bulk-prepare your stock.

There are several innovative features that help with ease of use, reducing food wastage, and improving kitchen efficiency:

Some Commercial Ice Cream Machines come with touchscreen controls and programmable settings, making it easy for any member of staff to set up.

Energy-efficient compressors for lower power use, helping you save energy and money in the long run.

Automated cleaning alerts and log tracking, helping you stay on track with food hygiene and health and safety.

Improved mix-level sensors to reduce downtime.