Commercial Gelato Machines

Gelato Machines: What You Need to Know

Commercial gelato machines come in countertop and floor models with a variety of hopper sizes. Countertop gelato makers are useful for low-volume production, refining flavor recipes, and making samples. Floor models generally produce larger batches quicker, so they're useful for high-volume gelato sales. Many industrial gelato operations use both types of machines – countertop units for testing and developing new flavors, and floor models for large batch production of finished recipes.

Units that dispense directly from the gelato maker machine can have one or two hoppers, ranging in size from about 2 liters to 15 liters. The number of hoppers determines how many flavors can be produced simultaneously, while the hopper size determines how big each batch can be. Often, dual-hopper units have three dispensers; one for each flavor and another in the middle that allows operators to dispense a blend of both flavors swirled together into one cup or cone.

Common Questions About Commercial Gelato Machines

What equipment do you need to make gelato?

Making and serving gelato requires more than just an industrial gelato machine. Here is some commercial gelato equipment often used to produce and serve frozen desserts:

• Immersion blenders are useful for smoothly blending flavorings, milk, and sugar together, eliminating any lumps before the mixture is added to the freezer.
• Blast chillers hold finished tubs of gelato, quickly chilling the product to serving temperature to preserve optimal texture and prevent waste due to melting.
• Ice cream freezers, also known as dipping cabinets, hold containers of gelato, arranging them for optimal viewing and scooping by guests and employees.
• Food scales can be used to measure both ingredients and portions of finished product, ensuring uniformity from batch to batch and serving to serving.
• Ice cream machine parts and accessories include every part necessary to repair commercial gelato makers in the field, as well as accessories such as mobile equipment stands, which facilitate easy movement of countertop units.

What is a gelato maker called?

The machines used to produce ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and custard are called batch freezers. However, because gelato is produced differently than ice cream or custard, not all batch freezers are gelato maker machines. Units designed specifically for making gelato usually are referred to as gelato machines or gelato makers.

How does an industrial gelato machine work?

Commercial gelato makers work with the use of a freezing drum and paddles. Enwrapped with cooling pipes, the freezing drum stays chilled well below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Once ingredients are added to the drum, or cylinder, the paddles constantly churn the mixture, scraping frozen product away from the barrel's sides in thin layers. This prevents large ice crystals from forming as the product freezes, ensuring a smooth, creamy consistency that customers enjoy.

Some units dispense the finished gelato directly into cups and cones, while others are designed to fill large containers of product for dipping and distribution. Once filled, these containers usually are placed in a blast freezer to be chilled to the ideal serving temperature.

How much does a gelato maker cost?

The price for a commercial gelato machine varies based on size, output, and features. You can find gelato machines ranging from about $1,700 on the low end to $20,000 or more for premium models. With such a wide range of prices and options, buyers often have to compare many models to determine the best investment.

Always consider how the equipment will be used when comparing gelato machines for sale. No one wants to pay for features they don't need, but it's important to select a machine that will keep up with demand. Overworking a low-output machine to meet heavy demand can cause the unit to break down, raising the cost of operation. Over time, this can end up costing more money than it would have to purchase a high-end machine to begin with.

On the other hand, smaller operations that sell a low volume of gelato or only offer it seasonally may benefit from choosing a low-output machine. For some locations, such units can be a good choice to meet demand sufficiently without a high upfront cost.

Can you make gelato in a soft serve machine?

Many batch freezers are designed to produce multiple products, including ice cream, sorbet, granita, and gelato. Because frozen dessert products are churned at varying temperatures and speeds, it's important to verify whether a specific model has this capability. Simply adding different ingredients to the gelato ice cream machine won't work unless the unit has adjustable speed and/or temperature settings.