Best Commercial Ice Cream Machines for Small Businesses in Canada (2025 Guide)
Discover the top-rated soft serve ice cream machines perfect for small business owners. Compare features, prices, and performance to find your ideal match.
Best Commercial Soft Serve Ice Cream Machines for Small Businesses in Canada: Features & Benefits
When it comes to choosing a soft serve ice cream machine for your small business, understanding the key features and benefits can significantly inform your decision. These machines are not just about serving delicious ice cream, they also contribute to operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
Whether you operate a café, dessert shop, or food truck in Canada, the right commercial soft serve machine can unlock high-margin growth with minimal space and labour. This guide highlights top-performing models from Taylor® and Icetro, two trusted brands known for reliability, efficiency, and quality soft serve output.
What to Look for in a Commercial Ice Cream Machine for a Small Business
When selecting a commercial soft serve ice cream machine in Canada, two of the most popular brands are Taylor and Icetro. Depending on your business needs, consider the following features:
Production Capacity: Choose a machine that aligns with your daily volume. Taylor® and Icetro models can produce between 5 to 40 litres per hour, ensuring smooth service during rush periods without long wait times.
Flavor Options: Many Taylor® and Icetro soft serve machines come with twin twist and dual hopper configurations, allowing you to serve two distinct flavours, or a combination at once, expanding your menu options.
Ease of Use and Maintenance: Both brands offer intuitive controls, digital displays, and self-cleaning features that simplify operation and upkeep, saving on labour and service time.
Durability: With stainless steel construction and rugged internal components, Taylor® and Icetro machines are engineered to handle the rigours of daily commercial use.
Energy Efficiency: Advanced refrigeration systems ensure consistent product quality while reducing energy consumption, lowering your overhead and boosting your margins.
Other useful features to look for include customizable overrun control and temperature regulation, which help deliver that ideal creamy texture.
Benefits of Using Soft Serve Machines in Small Businesses
Incorporating a commercial soft serve machine from Taylor® or Icetro into your foodservice operation offers numerous advantages:
High Gross Margins: Soft serve programs can deliver 70–80 % gross profit, making them one of the most lucrative additions to a small menu.
Increased Throughput: High-capacity models let you serve more customers during peak times without sacrificing quality.
Healthier Menu Versatility: Offer frozen yogurt, custard, or dairy-free alternatives with the same machine to appeal to broader dietary preferences.
Brand Trust: Taylor® and Icetro are trusted names in the QSR and convenience retail world, used by chains like McDonald’s and Circle K.
Top Soft Serve Ice Cream Machines for Small Businesses in 2025
Model | Key Features | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
Twin twist, high-capacity, energy-efficient | Busy QSRs, cafés | |
Twin twist, freestanding, air-cooled, high-capacity | High-volume restaurants, dessert bars | |
Single flavour, compact, easy to clean | Low-volume, space-limited settings | |
Single flavour, heat treatment, agitator, AI control | cafés, small-format foodservice |
Operator Favourites: TFI Recommended Soft Serve Machines
Taylor® C722 Soft Serve Machine
Features: Twin twist functionality, high-capacity output, and energy-efficient performance
Applications: Designed for busy QSRs and cafés serving high volumes of soft serve, frozen yogurt, or sorbet
Why Operators Love It: Handles heavy traffic with ease, delivers consistent texture, and reduces energy costs, ideal for scaling dessert programs.
Icetro ISI-303SNA Ice Cream Machine
Features: Twin twist output, freestanding design, air-cooled system for reliable high-capacity performance
Applications: Perfect for high-volume restaurants, dessert bars, and operations with a dedicated frozen treat station
Why Operators Love It: Durable, easy to maintain, and built to keep up with heavy service demands, without sacrificing quality.
Taylor® C152 Countertop Model
Features: Compact single-flavour design, plug-and-play setup, and easy daily operation
Applications: Ideal for space-limited cafés, kiosks, or businesses adding soft serve for the first time
Why Operators Love It: Minimal footprint, simple to clean, and reliable entry point into soft serve with low setup complexity.
Icetro ISI-161TH Mini Ice Cream Machine
Features: Single-flavour output, heat treatment for food safety, integrated agitator and smart AI controls
Applications: Tailored for small-format operators like cafés, coffee shops, and compact dessert counters
Why Operators Love It: Modern controls, worry-free safety features, and a sleek footprint make it a smart fit for urban or boutique spaces.
Need help choosing? Book a demo at TFI’s Mississauga or Dartmouth locations to explore your options firsthand.
Choosing the Right Soft Serve Machine: Key Factors
How Does Power Consumption Affect Your Choice?
Soft serve machines typically range from 800W to 2200W. Higher-efficiency Taylor® and Icetro models may cost more upfront but generate long-term savings through lower power usage and reduced compressor wear.
Evaluating Capacity for Your Business Needs
Capacity should match your foot traffic. If you're serving 100+ cones per hour during peak periods, a freestanding Taylor® C722 or Icetro twin-twist model is a smart choice. For seasonal setups or lower traffic locations, consider compact models like the Taylor® C152 or Icetro countertop units.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Soft Serve Machines Work?
Soft serve machines freeze and aerate a liquid mix, producing a lighter, creamier texture than traditional ice cream. A motor drives a beater that mixes the product while freezing, and the result is dispensed at the ideal temperature for immediate serving.
What’s the Price Range for Soft Serve Machines?
Basic models like Taylor® C152 or select Icetro units start around $7,000 CAD. Mid to high volume units with twin twist, advanced features, or self-pasteurization can range from $12,000 to $20,000+. Ask about leasing or rental options to reduce upfront costs.
Need a Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine for Your Business?
Ready to grow your dessert program with 70–80% margins? TFI Canada carries Taylor® and Icetro soft serve machines in stock, including Certified Used models with warranty. Book a demo or get a quote today.
Nicole Camposeo-Cheung is the Director of Marketing, People & Culture at TFI Food Equipment Solutions, Canada’s leading provider of premium commercial foodservice equipment. She combines her expertise in business management and fashion arts to foster a dynamic, innovative, and people-centric corporate culture. Passionate about empowering teams, building strong client relationships, and driving growth through creativity and collaboration, Nicole plays a key role in shaping TFI’s brand and workplace culture. She also shares her industry expertise and insights through the TFI blog, helping foodservice professionals stay informed about the latest trends, best practices, and innovations in commercial food equipment.
Add a comment
This will be publicly visible.
Your email address will not be published.
Your comment will be reviewed by an admin before it is published.
![](https://ik.imagekit.io/cr32zgyto/5/1738954776601_cEXvz4HCr.jpg?tr=w-"724"
)
![](https://ik.imagekit.io/cr32zgyto/5/1709423757619_aWGWtIwDQ.jpg?tr=w-"724"
)
![](https://ik.imagekit.io/cr32zgyto/5/1741807840317_JN4y-37uFt.jpg?tr=w-"724"
)