Things to know about renting a soft serve ice cream machine
Thinking of renting a soft serve ice cream machine? Sweet! They totally turn a great party into an awesome one! Here are some things to keep in mind if you plan to use a soft service machine for your wedding reception, birthday party, or other event.
1. Transportation: Most rental companies require you to collect the machine and return it to them. This sounds simple enough, but be sure to bring the manpower you need to lift it (usually two or three strong people), as most soft-duty machines weigh around 220 pounds. They won’t fit in a small four-door car, so plan to bring a van, SUV, or truck to transport it.
2. Electricity: Several soda rental companies rent a Taylor 152-12 machine that runs on a standard 20-volt outlet. 20-volt plugs are found in most homes in the kitchen or bathroom. The machine runs on 16.2 amps, which means that if you try to turn on additional lights or appliances on the same circuit, it will likely trip. Just make sure nothing else is connected to the same circuit as the machine and that it is working properly.
3. Loudness – These soft-duty machines produce noise while in operation. If you are using it in a large room or outdoors, noise will not be a problem. But if you plan to operate the machine in a small space or in a quiet environment, be aware that you will experience the sound of the machine in the middle of your party. (Most people don’t mind the noise as they are just raving about the ice cream!)
4. Amount of ice cream: Taylor’s maker says the Taylor 152 machine produces 120 servings (4 oz) every hour or 2 servings per minute. If you’re planning a big party or reception, you have a couple of options. First, you can decide to rent two machines so that the ice cream flows throughout the night. This should solve many of the “timeout” problems. Second, you can decide to serve mini ice cream cones or eat other foods while the ice cream takes 2-4 minutes to replenish. In reality, the machines can produce ice cream faster than 2 cones per minute, however when the machine runs at a rate higher than its capacity, the ice cream becomes smoother. If you run it too fast, you may need to let the machine recover for a minute before making additional cones. Again, if you have a large event (more than 100 people or so), I would recommend renting more than one machine.
I highly recommend DooDilly’s Soft Serve ice cream rental company in Lehi, UT for ice cream machine rentals. They are a great company! They have excellent customer service and flexibility for pickup and drop-off times.
