Quick Summary
- Vertical batch freezers tend to be more energy-efficient, easier to clean, and cheaper to purchase and run than horizontal machines.
- Vertical batch freezers can cool from the walls AND the base of the cylinder, helping to minimise freeze time.
- You can open the lid of a vertical batch freezer at any point during freezing to add inclusions, which isn’t possible with horizontal freezers.
Here are more reasons why we recommend vertical over horizontal batch freezers.
What is a batch freezer?
As the batch freezer freezes the mix, it incorporates air, which increases the volume but also helps make the gelato or ice cream more creamy.
The two main configurations are horizontal and vertical, referring to the orientation of the freezing cylinder inside the machine. Telme’s vertical configuration overcomes inherent limitations common to horizontal machines.
The first batch freezers were vertical.
The earliest batch freezers were vertical in design. In 1843, the first hand-cranked gelato and ice cream batch freezer was patented. They featured an open vertical cylinder with a top-mounted paddle for manual mixing.
Between the 1920s and 1940s, horizontal machines began to emerge, gradually becoming the industry standard due to their efficiency and scalability when compared to more manual machines available at the time.
When Telme was founded in 1987, the goal was clear: to introduce genuine innovation and create a distinct point of difference and benefit in the market. Rather than following the shift toward horizontal systems, Telme revisited the original vertical concept. The result was a machine equipped with advanced safety features, precise temperature control, and a patented system delivering superior performance.
Since the expiration of Telme’s patent, several other manufacturers have adopted similar approaches. However, Telme continues to lead the way, remaining at the forefront of vertical batch freezer technology.
Why horizontal batch freezers fall short
Here’s what you’re working around with a horizontal batch freezer:
Cooling is limited.
The cylinder runs sideways, so cooling only comes from the cylinder wall. The ends don’t contribute, meaning less cooling surface area, therefore less efficient production.
You can’t open the door mid-cycle.
The product starts as liquid. Open the door while it’s running, and it spills straight out. This means you’re locked out of the machine until the cycle is done.
Inclusions are restricted.
Because you can’t open mid-cycle, any inclusions must be added with the liquid mix when first loading, which has several negative effects, including the deterioration of the inclusions and uneven distribution.
The machine decides when it’s ‘ready’. Not you.
Most horizontal batch freezers use a belt-driven motor. Companies will tell you the machine ‘knows’ when the ice cream is ready. But what’s actually happening is: As the product thickens, the belt works harder until it simply can’t turn anymore. It’s not reading your product. The machine just reached its limit. That typically means extraction at around -7°C.
More components, higher cost.
Horizontal machines have more parts (many include a heavy stainless-steel front door), which makes them more expensive to manufacture and buy, regardless of brand.
Why vertical batch freezers work better
Here’s why we recommend vertical batch freezers for ice cream and gelato producers.
More cooling surface area = more efficient cooling.
The cylinder sits vertically, and cooling comes not just from the cylinder walls, but also from the bottom. Better thermal efficiency, lower running costs.
Open the lid at any point.
A magnetic safety mechanism stops the beater the moment the lid is raised. No safety risk. You can add ingredients mid-cycle, meaning more versatile recipes.
Bigger, better inclusions.
Add whole hazelnuts, chocolate chips or large fruit pieces directly into the running machine. You can also swap the standard exit grill for a clear safety guard, allowing larger inclusions to pass through on discharge.
A unique, patented feature of the Telme machines is the option of an exit door, which allows for large inclusions to be added to easily exit from the machine. This isn’t possible with horizontal machines, which require the operator to add and painstakingly mix by hand after the frozen product exits the machine.
Complete control over temperature.
Telme vertical batch freezers work to a temperature you set. Dial in -10°C or -12°C (colder than the average horizontal freezer) and the machine keeps working until it reaches the set temperature. The only limitation is your recipe. Extracting colder means smaller ice crystals and a noticeably better finished product.
Cleaning is much simpler than with horizontal freezers.
Open the lid, pour in hot water and sanitiser, let the beater turn, drain it out. Much easier than with horizontal barrels, which makes it much harder to access the inside of the cylinder if you need to scrub a bit of honey or caramel off the wall.
What our clients say about vertical batch freezers
When a gelato producer who uses horizontal batch freezers comes in for a demo, the reaction is almost always the same:
‘Why have I never done it this way?’
One producer making 1,000 litres of ice cream a day came into our showroom after years on horizontal machines. His process for adding inclusions (including choc chips, nuts, fruit pieces) was long and painful:
- Wait for the batch to finish freezing
- Unload into trays
- Sprinkle inclusions on top
- Mix them into the frozen product by hand
At a thousand litres a day, that’s a huge amount of manual labour and time spent on every single production run.
We demonstrated one cycle on a Telme vertical machine. Opened the lid at the end of the cycle and poured the inclusions straight in. As the frozen gelato was extracted, the inclusions were evenly distributed throughout the product and transferred directly to the pan, with no additional work required.
His words: ‘That immediately cuts my production time in half.’
The Telme Vertical Batch Freezer Range
Artisan Industrial is the exclusive Australian representative for Telme. We carry their full vertical range:
| Model | Best For | Output |
| Gel 5, Gel 10, Poker | Restaurants and cafes | Small offerings |
| Pratica Series | New or growing dedicated ice cream and gelato businesses stepping up capacity | Entry to Mid-range |
| Ecogel T Series | High-volume professional production | Up to 200L/hr |
Gel 5, Gel 10, and Poker — Telme’s smallest vertical batch freezers. Compact, single-phase machines with manual extraction and outputs 0.6–2.3kg per batch, designed for restaurants and cafes.
Pratica Series — Telme’s entry to mid-range professional line. Three-phase power (a few single-phase options), automatic extraction, and outputs from 1.2–13kg per batch, available in air and water-cooled configurations for consistent, higher-volume production.
Ecogel T series — Telme’s top-level professional line. Dual refrigeration systems, inverter motor, touchscreen interface, and outputs from 4.5–34kg per batch. We also offer other Telme models, including horizontal batch freezers for those who specifically want them. But for the vast majority of producers, vertical is what we recommend.
See our range of Telme vertical batch freezers for restaurants & caterers, or retail & wholesale.
See what a vertical batch freezer can do
Whether you’re opening your first gelato shop or looking to upgrade, we’d love to help. Get in touch with Artisan Industrial. We can offer support, from choosing the right machine for your setup through to installation and servicing.
