Before purchasing any type of ice cream machine, we advise you to read everything we explain below.
Although there is a lot of information and you may not want or have time to read it, these are insights gathered over many years, and by reading them now, you will save a lot of time in the future.
The ice cream business, 'Take a step back into the future'!
The ice cream business, or the 'Refreshing' business, refers to the fulfillment of three major fundamental needs for a person:
the need to regulate body temperature, the need to consume something sweet, and the need to feel happy.
These arguments are supported by American and British researchers, and a summary of these findings can be found on www.theguardian.com.
The golden rules
The ice cream business must be approached with seriousness and extensive research. Many people have invested money in this venture but failed to take it seriously, leading to significant financial losses. However, among the chaff, there is also wheat, represented by those who have followed the golden rules of this business—rules that we, too, have adhered to.
First rules
The first and most important rule is to choose an optimal ice cream machine for this activity.
We categorize ice cream machines into three main classes:
1 Class A or Vanilla Ice Cream
These are machines that function perfectly and are the least prone to wear, with the highest production rate and the lowest consumption rate.
2 Class B or Assorted Ice Cream
These machines are average in every respect but do their job perfectly.
3 Class C or Cocoa Ice Cream
These machines are the most problematic and can put you in a difficult economic situation, consuming more than they produce.
Class A – Vanilla
These machines are the most efficient tools in the range, capable of producing the highest number of ice creams in the most efficient manner. However, they present significant disadvantages for business owners.
The price of these machines starts at around €14,000 and can go up to €48,000 for the most expensive models.
If the price of an ice cream is 2, 3, or even 4 lei, a simple calculation at an average price results in: €25,000 machine x 4.8 lei = 120,000 lei. Dividing 120,000 lei by 3 lei yields 40,000 ice creams. Ultimately, as a seller, you will need to sell 40,000 ice creams just to recoup the investment of such an ice cream machine. This does not include the costs associated with producing those 40,000 ice creams, as well as electricity, goods, employees, taxes, napkins, and rent for public space or the location where this machine will be placed.
Another disadvantage of these machines is that they operate on three-phase electric motors. As you may know, approximately 95% of the electrical connections in our country are single-phase. For example, if you have a street location and believe you have a better traffic flow elsewhere, such as at a swimming pool or any other place, that location must be equipped with three-phase electrical connections.
Every machine requires maintenance, and the parts for these machines are just as expensive as the machines themselves.
In our opinion, this type of equipment is designed for countries where an ice cream costs at least €3, not 3 lei. Therefore, we believe they are not suitable for our country's budget due to the aforementioned challenges.
Class B – Assorted - class https://inghetata.com
This type of machine is ideal for entering the ice cream business, as it is much more accessible than Class A machines.
As a seller, you must understand that the equipment you use must be fully functional technically and have a good productivity rate. Below, we present the details you need to make your future ice cream business easier and to help you achieve your goals more quickly.
Pentru a avea o o rata de productie eficienta cu acest tip de masina de ingetata va trebui sa intelegem cele 14 subpuncte ale aparatului de facut inghetata:
1 Price:
he price of these machines starts at approximately €5,000 and can go up to €15,000. This price is determined by the quality of the product and the components installed on the equipment.
Acest pret este definit de calitatea produsului si a pieselor montate pe acest utilaj.
2 Compressors:
First and foremost, the heart of an ice cream machine is the compressor. Compressors come in various types: Chinese, Italian, Austrian, etc. A good machine needs a good or very good compressor. The ice cream machines sold by us have the best compressors available, which are either Aspera or Copeland compressors. Our ice cream machines use specific, high-cost compressor models that help the machine freeze quickly, even when it's 40°C outside. The ice cream machine can produce ice cream one after another. We sell single-phase models with powerful compressors and very strong three-phase models.
3 Electronic Board:
nother significant advantage of the ice cream machine is the electronic board.
We refer to this electronic board as the brain of the machine. After thousands of models have been manufactured and tested, refrigeration and electronic engineers have implemented a new operational principle, which we will explain in simple terms.
Pressing the freezing button first activates the electric motor, which checks the current draw. If the mix in the cylinders is thawed, the motor consumes 2.0 amperes. The electronic board saves this value and starts the second motor, which is the compressor. As the ice cream mix freezes, the current draw increases because the machine consumes more energy. As the ice cream mix becomes firmer, the display shows how the amperage increases from 2.1, 2.3, 2.7, etc., until it reaches the set value of 4.5 amperes. When the display shows 4.5, it means the first motor consumes 4.5 amperes, and the mix in the cylinders is firm enough to automatically stop the compressor.
This system ensures precise operation without the machine freezing up, while older models rely on temperature testing on the cylinders, which can lead to major errors.
4 Capacity of the Tanks:
Another aspect we want to highlight is the 22L tanks.
How do these tanks help us, and why do we consider them beneficial?
An average ice cream is about 150ml. If you sell a minimum of 300 ice creams daily, that amounts to 45,000ml. Your employee will need to refill the machine only at the beginning of the day, as our equipment has 2 tanks of 22L each, totaling 44 liters. This is a significant advantage not found in many models available in our country.
Additionally, these 22L tanks have a secret we will reveal to you in our warehouse, ensuring that the ice cream machine never jams and has a productivity rate far exceeding any other model sold in our country.
5 Air Pumps:
The tanks where the ice cream mix is stored are equipped with air pumps, which play a crucial role. The air pumps aerate the ice cream, resulting in a creamy, fluffy, light, and voluminous product. The advantage of our machines is that from a bag of ice cream powder, thanks to the pumps and special recipe we will share in our warehouse, you can produce a minimum of 22L of ice cream mix from a 2.5kg powder bag. No model in our country has this productivity rate compared to the machines sold by our team.
6 Cylindrical Capacity:
Another advantage of the equipment we sell is the increased cylindrical capacity.
With a volume of 2.9L per cylinder, this larger capacity allows you to serve more ice creams in a row. A larger cylindrical capacity means the ice cream machine's compressor will freeze a greater volume of the mix prepared for serving. Thanks to the powerful compressor, ice is produced in a very short time.
For example, if the cylindrical capacity is 2900ml and a simple machine has 2 cylinders, 2900 x 2 cylinders results in 5800ml. This approximate quantity can be served as ice creams one after another. Therefore, if we have a group of 14 people and want to serve them 14 ice creams in succession, our machines will easily handle this amount, and potentially much more depending on the power of the compressor you choose.
7 Design of the Ice Cream Machine:
An attractive design, a tall machine with tasteful advertising will attract customers.
An old proverb says, "people eat first with their eyes and then with their mouths.".
8 Night Cooling:
Another benefit implemented in the machines sold by our team is the night pre-cooling function. This feature keeps the ice cream mix cold throughout the night.
This function keeps the ice cream mix chilled throughout the night. Thanks to this feature, the merchant is not required to wash the machine every evening. During the night, the refrigeration can be activated to ensure the ice cream mix stays cold, just like in a refrigerator. The pre-cooling function has a separate cooling system distinct from the main freezing system, along with a dedicated compressor for this role. In contrast, older models operate on a flawed principle, meaning their compressors run continuously. Most older models do not even have this night cooling feature, resulting in your employee spending at least 30 minutes at the end of their shift removing the unsold ice cream mix and cleaning the machine.
This procedure has to be done daily if the machine does not include this function.
9 Automatic Washing:
The ice cream machine also includes an automatic washing function, which can be activated easily by pressing the "clean" button.
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10 Ice Cream Counter:
The machines we sell are equipped with an ice cream counter that allows you to track all the ice creams sold by you or your employee. This counter will be displayed on the machine's screen only if you press a hidden key combination, so the employee won’t even know whether the ice cream machine has this counter or not.
11 Rainbow Function:
Another benefit that increases sales is the topping function.
This feature is implemented in our machines and provides a sales advantage. The topping function can be turned on or off for each ice cream flavor.
For example:
- The ice cream machine with 3 levers and toppings offers the following flavors:
vanilla, mixed, chocolate, vanilla + 1 topping, and chocolate + 1 topping, totaling 5 flavors. - The double ice cream machine with 6 levers includes:
vanilla, mixed, chocolate, vanilla + 1 topping, chocolate + 1 topping, strawberry, mixed, watermelon, strawberry + 1 topping, and watermelon + 1 topping, resulting in 10 flavors.
12 Warranty and Components:
To guarantee the quality of these ice cream machines, our team offers a special warranty.
The operating principle is innovative, as the equipment is equipped with various protection systems against electrical shocks and overpressure. In the event that these machines malfunction and we are unable to repair them within 24 hours, we will provide you with an identical machine to replace the defective one, which will remain your company's property permanently. Components that may fail or consumables are in stock and can be delivered via courier on the same day you need them.
13 Ice Cream Size::
The ice cream machine transforms the liquid mix into solid form.
All you need to understand is that a good machine with a high productivity rate is one that can produce a very large ice cream portion with a very low weight.
For example:
a mixture of ice cream made from 2.5 kg of ice cream powder and 6 liters of water/milk results in 8500 ml of liquid mix.
A cheap ice cream machine will simply freeze that mix.
A medium ice cream machine will freeze and aerate that mix.
The first machine will produce around 50 ice creams because it simply freezes that mix. If we take 8500 ml, which is transformed into 8500 g, dividing 8500 g by 150 g (the weight of one ice cream) results in approximately 50 ice creams.
The second machine will produce 100 or 150 ice creams, depending on how well it aerates the ice cream mix. We repeat the same calculation but modify the ice cream's volume: 8500 ml through aeration transforms into a much larger volume, resulting in a very fluffy ice cream that no longer weighs 150 g. Now it weighs around 85 g, but in volume, it is identical; it is just lighter and airier. Dividing 8500 g by 85 g gives approximately 100 ice creams.
The more the machine aerates that mix, the more ice creams it will produce.
14 Quality Price:
hese machines are perfect for the budget of our country regarding quality and price.
We recommend and work with these machines. Our team sells street ice cream at +70 locations, some in Europe and others in the country, all using this type of ice cream machine.
Clasa C – Cacao
Most inexpensive models are mass-produced in China.
hese ice cream machines are made with low-quality components. When you say "cheap," it means the manufacturer has installed the lowest-priced compressor possible and the cheapest parts available on the market. The very low power of the compressor translates to low performance for the ice cream machine. When 10 customers come to buy, the equipment will struggle to keep up and will need extra time to freeze the mix in the cylinders. Additionally, inexpensive machines have a cylinder capacity of only 1.7L to 2.3L, resulting in a limited number of ice creams served consecutively.
Another drawback is the small capacity of the tubs, which ranges from 6.8L to 10L. You can only store a minimal amount of mix in the machine, meaning frequent refills. For example, 6000ml in a 6-liter tub means a maximum of 30 ice creams. Consider that if you encounter this type of tub in any ice cream machine, you risk the machine jamming after serving just the first 10 ice creams in a row.
(Test the equipment by trying to serve 100 ice creams in a row, and you'll understand.)
Along with the risk of jamming, these machines produce ice cream with ice crystals, resulting in a frosty texture that will not satisfy you or your customers. No one wants to buy an ice cream that drips down their hand, lacks flavor, and melts too quickly. Many of these ice cream machines lack overnight refrigeration, forcing you to remove the ice cream each evening, clean the machine, and store it in a refrigerator. This process will waste at least 30 minutes in the morning when you place the ice cream and another 30 minutes in the evening when you take it out.
The second rule - do not buy if
When you’re a beginner looking to purchase, never buy an ice cream machine if it has the following characteristics:
- Don’t buy if the machine has tubs of 6, 10, or 12 liters.
- If someone claims that the machine they are selling can produce 250 ice creams in an hour, do not buy until you see this demonstrated.
- Don’t buy equipment that lacks warranty or at least consumables and spare parts.
- Avoid purchasing a Class C (Cacao) machine.
- Don’t buy bar/restaurant equipment for street sales.
- Don’t buy if the seller tells you that the machine is new but cannot demonstrate it.
- Avoid new or second-hand equipment that presents only scripted productivity ( TEST IT )
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