Four Key Considerations When Selecting a Frozen Yogurt Machine

Commercial grade frozen yogurt machines are a major investment for frozen yogurt shop operators. Higher end models can cost well over $15,000 per machine. We asked IFYA’s US frozen yogurt machine and store operations expert, Jeff Resnick, what a customer should look for when buying a new frozen yogurt machine. Jeff is the Founder and CEO of Forte Supply (fortesupply.com) and My Frozen Yogurt Store. 

Four Key Considerations When Selecting a Frozen Yogurt Machine

By Jeff Resnick

The four most important things for a store owner to evaluate when purchasing frozen yogurt/soft serve machines are:

  • Product Quality
  • Service
  • Support
  • Function/features

There are only a handful of companies in the USA and Canada who provide all four (the full package) with their machines and those include Taylor, Stoelting, Electrofreeze, Donper, and Forte. Taylor, Stoelting and Electrofreeze have been manufacturing soft serve machines for many decades. Donper and Forte are newer players that offer quality machines, service, support and functionality at a lower price point.

There are companies who have some of these four elements. For instance, they may have a quality product, but no or inadequate support, parts, service, and training.  Also, there are a lot of companies that are selling poor quality products with warranties they cannot fulfill. The bottom line is that you should only purchase a machine from a company that can provide all four elements.

Product Quality and the Importance of Certification. Product quality is extremely hard to determine as a buyer. Ask around, get recommendations, and learn which brands have a good reputation for quality and service.

TheFrozenYogurtReview.com has detailed reviews of several frozen yogurt machine models including:

  • Taylor C713
  • Stoelting F231
  • Forte ss100
  • Comparison chart of several soft serve frozen yogurt machines

A major concern I have is coming across machines that have no commercial certification. CE is not adequate. CE is a certification standard that is sometimes used in Europe. A lot of frozen yogurt machines out of China will put a fake CE that stands for something different but looks similar and try to pass it off as a commercial grade certification. The bottom line is, even with CE, the frozen yogurt machine is not sufficient to meet US and Canadian standards.

When the machine is not certified, health inspectors or fire inspectors could shut the store down or not allow it to open. Another serious problem is that often, if there is no certification it means the machine has not been being produced long enough with the same components and specifications and that each time a new one is produced there is a very low level of quality control and assurance. The person purchasing the machine basically becomes the test pig and finds all the problems that arise and then has a hard time finding parts and solutions since no one has seen the problem. By that time, the manufacturer may have already moved on to a new model with new components and does not have the necessary parts in stock.

When purchasing a soft serve machine, you should only buy a machine that has NSF, UL, or ETL certification. To learn more about foodservice equipment certification standards, read Navigating Foodservice Equipment Certifications.

Service, Support and How Features Affect Maintenance. Some frozen yogurt machines are easier to understand, operate, and clean than others.  Personal preference plays a big part here. Consider what is important to you when choosing the machine. If you are looking to plug in a machine, understand its basic functions, run it for a low cost, and have consistent product with little training, then you are better served by a lower cost machine.

If you want each machine to be set to your store and the flavors you choose, then a dual control machine is better. I suggest having a technician to come out and save the settings to your store to ensure you have the ideal viscosity, motor, and freezing settings.

The higher cost machines will have prime plugs on the valve body. Learning to use prime plugs, air tubes, and settings of your machine is extremely important. Hopper agitators are important to some store owners, if you do not want to have your employees check to stir product in the hoppers each hour.

You can cool your machines by water (glycol) or by air.  Both ways work equally well, as long as the cooling system is set up properly to handle your BTU load.  Talk to your contractor and HVAC engineer to make sure your building has the proper air in place or consider water cooling.

In some cities, service and support will be better or worse than others, depending on the availability of the company’s technicians. Having parts readily available can make or break your business, while understanding how to troubleshoot and maintain your frozen yogurt machine is also extremely important. Purchase machines that come with a good warranty. Keep in mind that the machines have an upfront purchase cost but you should also factor in the cost of parts and ongoing maintenance.

Finally with any purchase decision, your budget and the cost of the machines will also be major considerations. When you buy from a company with a solid track record that provides excellent post-sales service and support, you can enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that your money was well spent.

About Jeff Resnick

Jeff has an extensive background in the frozen yogurt business.  He has contributed to the frozen yogurt review, local newspapers, and Yahoo News, as well as personally helped over 100 entrepreneurs enter and successfully open self-serve frozen yogurt stores.  Jeff created the Jefe line of topping dispensers to offer to his customers and has teamed up with Turbo Air to offer customers who purchase Forte brand machines a below market price on refrigeration and stainless steel products.

About Forte Supply

Forte Supply (fortesupply.com) is dedicated to staying true to our original purpose: to help entrepreneurs and store owners bring in quality frozen yogurt machines that make sense and cost a fraction of the price of the “traditional brand.”

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Frozen Yogurt Association.