Ever since it was invented in the 1930s, soft serve ice cream has been one of the most popular desserts. Sure, it’s ice cream by definition, but instead of being hard and so freezing cold that makes your tongue and teeth hurt, it’s air-whipped and has a creamier texture and a lower milk fat content. As a result, it immediately melts once it reaches the inside of your mouth – creating a cooling yet pleasant experience.
But these unique features of soft serve ice cream couldn’t be achieved without the right machine. So, if you’re looking to sell most people’s favourite dessert, you need to be able to distinguish between the different types of soft serve machines on the market. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice.
Pick the Right Model for Your Space
Depending on the amount of space you have at disposal, you can choose between a counter top and a floor soft serve machine. As the name suggests, countertop machines can be conveniently placed on a counter, saving valuable floor space which you can use for other equipment. As a result, these soft serve machines are suitable for larger businesses that offer a variety of items on the menu besides ice cream. On the other hand, if selling ice cream is your primary goal, or you have plenty of space to spare, you can get a floor model which is much larger than a countertop one. Floor soft serve machines also have the capacity to produce greater quantities of ice cream. In general, these machines can produce 7-10 servings per minute, whereas countertop models can only dispense 2-3 servings a minute. With this in mind, pick your machine accordingly.
Consider the Cooling System
Soft serve machines can be cooled with the help of two mechanisms, air cooling or water cooling. An advantage of getting an air-cooled unit is that you can place it anywhere you want, without having to worry about providing a water hook-up. The only downside of an air-cooled machine is that it can’t function properly in very warm conditions. On the other hand, a water-cooled machine needs to get a steady flow of water, which means you can only place it near a water hook-up. However, water-cooled machines can store more energy, which helps cool the ice cream faster. Additionally, these machines experience no problems performing in hot environments, which makes them suitable for restaurant kitchens and other warm spaces.
The Number of Flavours
While gelato and regular ice cream can come in an unlimited number of flavours, when selling soft serve you’re limited in your options. Some soft serve ice cream machines can only produce one flavour, while others offer you the twin options where two different flavours are dispensed together in a twirl.