How to Choose the Best Margarita Machine for Your Business
With their bright colors and fun flavors, frozen beverages made in commercial margarita machines can open a new revenue stream for your establishment while adding an exciting twist to the drinking experience. Such libations usually generate a good profit margin, as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages can be made with simple ingredients yet command a higher price point than soft drinks or juice. Because margaritas are often ordered as special treats on nights out, guests typically aren't hesitant to splurge. With budget-friendly ingredients and minimal employee labor required, frozen beverages are a no-brainer for bars and restaurants.
Buying a commercial margarita machine to make these frozen treats is a significant investment, so it's important to ensure you get the most efficient, profitable option for your venue. To simplify the buying process, this article explains compressor types, machine capacity, cylinder count, and other important features.
Choosing a Compressor Type
To chill the drink mix and achieve a delicious frozen consistency, margarita machines are equipped with refrigeration systems. All refrigeration systems operate with a compressor that forces heat from the coolant, keeping the beverages ice-cold but generating hot air and noise during the process. These are unavoidable byproducts of the refrigeration process, but your choice in compressor type can determine where and how the heat and sound is released.
There are three main types of compressors: air cooled, water cooled, and remote cooled. We'll explain the features and benefits of each to help you decide which is best for your establishment.
Air-cooled Condensers
- Simple to install and maintain
- No additional coolant lines or building modification required
- Typically costs less and can be relocated more easily than other options
- Can be used for mobile/catering applications
- Requires front, back, or side clearance to operate
- Exhausts heat directly into the room
- May overheat when placed near other air-cooled equipment
Air-cooled machines are the most popular option because they require the least amount of work to install and maintain. The compressor is housed inside the unit, located on top of or directly below the hopper and cylinder, and to release excess heat, these units have built-in vents that exhaust warm air directly into the room. Air-cooled machines tend to be economically priced and don't need the additional setup waterand remote-cooled options do - which can save time, hassle, and additional money spent on professional installation.
On the other hand, many air-cooled units require front, back, or side clearance to prevent overheating, and this compressor type can be noisier than other options. Because they circulate air in the room around them, placing multiple units close together can overload their cooling systems and cause overheating. This means running several air-cooled machines in the same room requires more space than a similar number of remote- or water-cooled units would.
Operators looking to start small and add just a couple of frozen drink options to diversify their beverage menu will likely get the most benefit from an air-cooled unit. Operators selling a high volume or wide variety of frozen drinks may want to consider a commercial margarita machine with a different compressor type.
Remote-cooled Condensers
Remote-cooled configurations have external condensers that can be installed far away from the margarita-making cylinders. The condenser can even be installed on the roof of your building, venting hot air up and away from your venue where it won't heat up your kitchen or customers. Remote-cooled options are a good choice for high volumes and/or diverse ranges of frozen beverages because multiple machines can be installed in the same room without overheating or creating a noise disturbance. Remote-cooled units may produce more servings per hour as well. If you need to operate multiple units simultaneously, remote-cooled units are the most space-efficient option.
The downside to remote-cooled systems is the extra time and effort needed for installation, as they must have a connection to the compressor running from inside the building to the outside. This means you'll need a professional to install your remote-cooled machine and may have to make some minor modifications to the building to do so - an additional expense air-cooled machines don't demand. Many remote-cooled units have condensers that are sold separately and may require additional coolant and lines for your preferred setup, which is another cost. However, if you have room in the budget and want to offer a wide array of frozen drinks, remote-cooled units are often the most efficient choice.
- Condenser can be installed in variety of locations
- Exhausts heat away from staff and customers
- Can be installed with zero clearance
- Multiple units can operate together without overheating
- Cools more efficiently than air-cooled options
- May require separate purchase of coolant lines and/or condenser
- May require building modifications to install
Water-cooled Condensers
Water-cooled frozen drink machines are a niche product not suitable for most establishments. Instead of venting heat into the air, they displace heat into water, which is then cycled through a special system or flushed away. This requires copious amounts of water and can run up your utility bills quickly unless your establishment has a cooling tower or is in an area with very low utility costs. Some larger establishments, such as resorts, casinos, and large hotels make use of water-cooled machines because they already have a localized water system to control their utility costs. Otherwise, water-cooled machines aren't recommended.
- Only suitable for select high-volume applications
- Requires ample amount of water to operate
- Typically used with cooling tower or flat-rate utility system
- Designed for industrial-level output
For most venues, an air-cooled machine is the simplest and most cost-effective option. However, businesses selling a high volume of product or running multiple machines together can benefit from the efficiency of remote-cooled units. Water-cooled systems are only used for select industrial operations with specific utilities.
Comparing Capacity & Servings Per Hour
At first glance, these measurements seem like they would produce the same result: more margaritas. In some ways, that's true, but capacity and servings per hour differ in the way they produce more drinks. This difference can impact how you serve your guests and, ultimately, determine the best commercial margarita machine for your needs.
What does capacity mean?
Capacity refers to the maximum amount of frozen margarita the machine can hold, regardless of the time taken to prepare that quantity. Capacity is measured in quarts, with each quart containing 32 ounces, or, approximately three 10-ounce drinks. When considering machine capacities, determine how many margaritas you serve during peak business hours. For example, if you run a happy hour with discounted margaritas, you might need to keep a lot of product on hand to satisfy the rush of guests during that small timeframe. Then, once it's over, you have plenty of time to replenish your stock before the next rush. In that situation, you'll need a machine with a generous capacity, but probably won't need to worry about how many servings it produces per hour.
Shop by Cylinder Capacity
When would I need more servings per hour?
Servings per hour refers to the number of 10-ounce beverages a machine makes in an hour. Machines are available ranging from 64 to 1,280 servings per hour, so if you sell a steady volume of frozen beverages throughout the day, choosing a margarita machine with a small capacity and high servings per hour can save money and space while still meeting customer demands. If you experience steady demand and sell a high volume of margaritas throughout the day, you might need a machine with both large capacity and high output to ensure you always have enough. Large capacities and high servings per hour frequently go hand in hand, but machines are available with more of one than the other to meet operator needs ranging from steady traffic to fluctuating spikes of demand and everything in between.
Machine capacity and servings per hour often go together but serve different needs. Prioritize large capacity to meet fluctuating spikes in sales volume at different times of day or prioritize servings per hour if your venue typically experiences consistent demand.
Number of Cylinders
Margarita machines with multiple cylinders let operators make larger batches of one product or simultaneously prepare separate batches of different products. Having twin cylinders enables you to offer traditional margaritas and fruit-flavored margaritas without the hassle of shutting the machine down and cleaning it out. Multiple cylinders can also be used to serve non-alcoholic frozen beverages alongside traditional cocktails or to serve dairy beverages alongside dairy-free options without worrying about contamination between products.
High-capacity machines might have multiple cylinders purely for added capacity. You don't have to make different drinks in different cylinders, but without multiple cylinders, you won't have the option. You can also choose to invest in multiple machines to add this kind of flexibility to your margarita-making process.
Choose a machine with more than one cylinder if you offer more multiple beverage flavors or types, or if you simply need more volume of one flavor than a single cylinder can provide.
Countertop Units vs. Floor Models
This distinction will often be made by how much capacity you need. The largest machines will not fit on a countertop and are instead designed to be placed on the floor. However, there is some overlap. If you have a lot of counter space, you can buy multiple countertop units instead of a larger floor unit –provided you leave enough room for them to breathe if they're air cooled. Floor models are typically used in establishments that serve large quantities of margaritas at a time. When shopping for a floor unit, measure the space you have available to install the machine, and don't forget to factor in breathing room, if required.
First, determine the capacity you need. If floor and countertop models overlap at that capacity, choose an option that best fits the layout of your kitchen. Be sure to allocate space for the machines to breathe if they are air cooled.
The Benefit of Special Features
Many machines have features that aren't crucial to the unit's operation but are still important in determining the best commercial frozen drink machine for your establishment. Additional features can seem inconsequential at first, but they serve specific needs and can come in handy for many operators.
These machines can store prepared margarita mix overnight, reducing product waste at the end of the day. Flip the standby switch before closing and your product will be there, safe and cold, waiting for you the next day.
SHOPThese machines have been constructed for safe use with products containing dairy ingredients, making them suitable for producing a wider range of beverage types.
SHOPBright signage adds ambiance to the room and merchandizes your products to thirsty customers with eye-catching designs that can be seen from a distance.
SHOPA reservoir holds frozen product at the ready to refill cylinders that are running low, ensuring you have plenty of product on hand to serve your guests.
SHOPAuto-fill machines refill themselves from a tank of drink mix when they run low, saving the time and labor required for manual refilling.
SHOP
- Decide which compressor type is best. Air-cooled systems are affordable and easy to install, but remote-cooled systems are incredibly efficient for high-volume operations.
- Determine what storage capacity or servings per hour are needed. Select options that can meet the unique demands of your establishment.
- Choose how many cylinders are required. Single cylinder machines are affordable and simple to operate, but machines with multiple cylinders can hold more product in different flavors.
- Select a countertop or floor model. while producing the quantity/type of product you'll offer. Carefully measure the space available for a countertop or floor model and choose a machine that fits. Include space for breathing if the unit's air cooled.
- Browse through special features. Find a machine that delivers more than just appropriate production volume and speed. Determine which, if any, special features will help you manage your establishment's needs.
- Compare the machines that meet all your criteria. Choose your perfect match from the options that fit within your budget.
