The right ice cream equipment keeps every tub at the perfect scooping temperature and shows off your flavours. Babak Food Equipment offers ice cream dipping cabinets and ice cream freezers for gelato and scoop shops, cafés, dessert bars, restaurants, convenience stores, hotels and catering kitchens across Vancouver and British Columbia – from brands such as New Air, Turbo Air, Infrico and Atosa.
Types of ice cream equipment
Dipping cabinets
Dipping cabinets are glass-topped freezers that hold ice cream tubs at serving temperature so staff can scoop straight from the case. Customers can see every flavour, which encourages upsells.
Ice cream freezers
Ice cream freezers include chest and display freezers for storing tubs and selling packaged novelties such as bars, cones and pints. They run colder than a dipping cabinet to keep product hard for longer storage.
Building a complete ice cream station
A typical scoop shop pairs a dipping cabinet for serving with a storage freezer for backup tubs, plus a dipper well, toppings rail and cone storage. If you make soft serve, frozen yogurt or gelato in-house, plan the freezer space and power for your production equipment as well.
How to choose an ice cream freezer

Number of flavours: dipping cabinets are sized by the number of tubs they hold. Count the flavours you plan to offer and leave room for seasonal specials.
Serving vs. storage temperature: ice cream scoops best at about 6–10°F (-14 to -12°C), but is stored colder, around -10°F (-23°C) or below. Use separate units for each job.
Glass style: curved or flat glass tops display flavours; solid-lid chest freezers hold temperature better for back-of-house storage.
Space and access: measure the counter area and doorway, and check whether staff will scoop from one side or two.
Power and ventilation: most units plug into a standard 115 V outlet, but they need airflow around the condenser. Keep them away from ovens and direct sunlight.
Defrosting and cleaning: manual-defrost dipping cabinets need regular defrosting; easy-to-clean interiors and drain plugs make this quicker.

Why buy your ice cream equipment from Babak Food Equipment?
With more than 20 years in business and a 4.9★ Google rating from 380+ reviews, our team helps you size dipping cabinets and ice cream freezers for your flavours and layout, and check space and power before you open. Delivery and installation options are available across BC – details and costs are discussed when you order. Browse our full range of commercial refrigeration or ask about used commercial refrigeration.
Ice cream equipment at a glance
TypeTypical temperatureBest forDipping cabinetAbout 6–10°F (-14 to -12°C)Scooping and displaying flavoursIce cream display freezerAbout -10 to 0°F (-23 to -18°C)Packaged novelties and pintsStorage chest freezerAbout -10°F (-23°C) or belowBackup tubs and bulk storage
Frequently asked questions
What equipment is used to sell ice cream?
Most shops need a dipping cabinet for serving, a storage freezer for backup tubs, scoops and a dipper well, and toppings and cone storage. Shops that make their own product also need production equipment.
What is the difference between a dipping cabinet and an ice cream freezer?
A dipping cabinet holds ice cream slightly warmer so it scoops easily and displays it to customers. An ice cream storage freezer runs colder to keep tubs hard for longer.
Is ice cream equipment a good investment for a business?
Ice cream and frozen desserts can add strong margins to cafés, restaurants and convenience stores, especially in summer. Sizing the equipment to your expected volume keeps the investment reasonable.
How many tubs does a dipping cabinet hold?
Sizes vary widely – small units hold about 4–6 tubs, while larger cabinets display 12 or more flavours. Count your flavours and backup needs before choosing.
How much ice cream do I need for 100 guests?
A common rule of thumb is about 4 oz (roughly two small scoops) per guest, so around 3 gallons (11 L) for 100 people, plus extra if ice cream is the main dessert.
Availability, pricing, warranty terms, delivery and installation are confirmed at the time of purchase – request a quote on any model or call our team at (604) 566-9747.