Choosing the Right Ice Cream Freezer for Your Needs

Summer is here, and who doesn't love a frozen treat in the summer?  Adding an ice cream freezer, or similar freezer for other frozen confections can bring in a lot of foot traffic.  If you're offering up your own homemade ice cream, you could be the new "hot spot" where people go to cool off! Of course, that's dependent on finding the right ice cream freezer for your needs. 

Here are some of the most important considerations.

I. What type of frozen product do you want to make?

Your basic choices in frozen desserts boil down to ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, or sorbet.  Which you want to serve will determine what type of freezer you need!  Ice cream and froyo are typically stored at -20°F (-28°C), while gelato and sorbet are stored at the comparatively warm 10°F (-12°C).  

This one is a hard either/or. You don't want to store ice cream or froyo in a sorbet/gelato freezer, or vice-versa, because it will harm the product.  

II. Do you want a dipping cabinet?

Dipping cabinets are the sort of ice cream freezers you see at dedicated ice cream parlors, where visitors can see all the flavors on display, while an employee provides service.  These cabinets are excellent for putting your goodies on display, although they can tend to create a crowd.  Your staff will need to be on the ball to keep up with orders!

III.  Will your customers be self-serving?

If you don't intend to provide full counter side service to people seeking ice cream, a glass-top ice cream freezer is the better option.  This can be placed in a customer-facing area, allowing patrons to peruse your frozen goodies and select what they want for themselves.  Of course, they need to be packaged in some way, which can potentially add cost to your frozen items.

IV.  Will the ice cream be hidden from view?

If you run a sit-down restaurant, you may not want your ice cream products upfront.  In that situation, there's no reason for a glass case.  Just get a traditional drop-in chest freezer, one which will keep your frozen desserts at the proper temperature for serving later.  These are less expensive and easier to maintain long-term since they aren't customer-facing.

We Have the Restaurant Equipment You Need

Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies has freezers to suit any type of frozen food or dessert.  What do you need to help your restaurant grow?  Contact us to request a quote!