With so many commercial soft serve machines available on the market today, finding the right one for your business is an important decision with many factors to consider. The type product the business offers (Gelato, Ice Cream, Sorbetto, Frozen Custard, etc.), the amount of product that business is looking to make, how many flavors available, and the size of the space are just part of the equation.
An extremely important, but often misunderstood metric for choosing a soft serve machine is whether that machine is gravity fed or pump fed. All commercial soft serve machines will be labeled as Gravity (G) or Pump (P) fed. Both types have pros and cons, and it is important to understand the difference when deciding which one is best for your business.
Gravity Fed Soft Serve Machines
In gravity fed machines, the soft serve mix is located in a hopper at the rear of the cylinder. The hopper feeds the mixture directly into the cylinder using gravity, . This energy-efficient method allows for more controllable overrun and is perfect for creating high fiber mixes (fruit pieces, seeds, nuts, for example) and low-overrun desserts such as gelato, which typically introduce less air into the mixture.
Gravity fed soft serve machines typically have lower upfront costs and as they have less parts, they are generally easier to clean. Because they are better suited for low overrun desserts (such as frozen yogurt, or gelato), products created with pump fed machines will introduce less air in the mix. This results in a richer mouth feel and bolder flavor profiles, but will yield less product per batch.
Most Soft Serve Machines, like the Carpigiani 191 SP (Self Pasteurizing) offer both gravity fed and pump fed models.
Pump Fed Soft Serve Machines
For pump fed models, a stainless steel mix pump pulls the soft serve mix from the hopper, pushing it into the freezing cylinder where the final product is made. Pump fed systems allow for more consistent overrun, more dispensing control, as well as higher product yield.
Pump fed soft serve machines typically have higher upfront costs and maintenance needs as they have more working parts. However, they offer more control over the texture of your product. They are better suited for high overrun desserts (such as ice cream), they will introduce more air into the product. This results in lighter, fluffier desserts that have creamier mouth feel.
Which Model is Best For Your Business?
Choosing the right soft serve machine(s) for your business is dependent on many factors, not just how the mixture is fed into the freezing cylinder. Production capacity, flavor options (single flavor, two flavor, and/or twist models, for example), the space of the specific business, and important features such as self pasteurization, are all important things to consider when choosing your soft serve machine.
Thankfully, you don’t have to make this decision alone! GTI Designs has been providing top-of-the-line Carpigiani Soft Serve Machines for over 30 years. Our team is always available for a free consultation, to learn more about your business and help you select the perfect model for your needs. All of our machines come with an extended two-year warranty and our nationwide service network is available for any repairs or maintenance. You can even sign up to receive periodic tune-up kits, to ensure your machine is running optimally for years to come!