Making the most of confectionery equipment and supplies can help you cater to the sweet tooth in each of your customers with your candy and chocolate treats. Creating these items requires the use of high quality commercial sized confectionery equipment and supplies. Using confectionery machinery can be a tricky task. Making the most of confectionery equipment and supplies means educating yourself and your staff with the right training, maintenance and tips for usage.

Once you obtain the best candy making equipment available, it’s important to find the right resources in order to make the most out of your confectionery equipment and supplies. When looking for resources, remember to:

1. Search for expert tips and tricks for making the most of your confectionery equipment and supplies.

2. Consider taking a class to increase your knowledge about candy making equipment.

3. Follow the best maintenance tips to ensure a long life for your confectionery supplies.

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Find cooking tips that work on specialized confectionery equipment

All types of confectionery machinery have special operating instructions. In fact, they usually come equipped with thick owner's manuals. To make the most out of your confectionery equipment and supplies, it's important to find specialized tips for your business' machines. These tips will ensure your candy products turn out perfect every time.

I recommend: Land O'Lakes offers a large resource of information and tips for using baking and confectionery equipment and supplies. Check out each section's product recommendations for small projects. Cook's Cake Decorating and Candy Supplies also offers cooking tips for various pieces of equipment and baking supplies.

Take a class to expand your knowledge about using confectioners supplies

Instructional videos, in-person classes and virtual courses are all great ways to learn more about your business' candy making equipment and confectionery machinery. The best professionals constantly learn from other people, both in and out of their specific industries.

I recommend: American Cake Decorating offers online projects for students of every level to brush up on their skills. You also find classes and conventions you can sign up, as well as an idea gallery. Check out Simply Elegant to schedule a class in various locations around the country.

Learn the appropriate maintenance tips for your confectionery equipment

Making the most of your confectionery equipment and supplies begins with maintenance. Whether it's as simple as cleaning or more complicated like a complete overhaul, the right maintenance will ensure a long life for your confectionery supplies and equipment. This is especially important if you buy used confectionery equipment the previous owner may not have maintained well in the past.

I recommend: Food Service Warehouse offers a large resource of new and used candy manufacturing equipment repair and maintenance tips. Check out Superior Service for additional maintenance tips for your confectionery machinery.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure you appropriately train each staff member to properly use your candy and chocolate making equipment. This will avoid injuries and unwanted machine repairs.

The demand for confectionery equipment and supplies has never been greater as appetite for chocolates, candies and other confectionery treats grows and grows. From holidays to special occasions, like weddings and birthdays, there is always room for a special confection. If you are thinking of starting your own candy making company, or expanding upon an exiting business, then it is important that you have the right candy-making equipment.

Confectioners' supplies cover a wide range of candy and treats, from chocolate to taffy and hard candies. Confectionery equipment exists that can mass produce hundreds of pieces of candy an hour, as well as wrap and pack them.

Confectionery equipment and supplies can be broken down into three different production phases:

1. Cooking
2. Molding
3. Packaging

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All confectionery machine molds are not created equal

Candy molds, especially those for chocolate, come in every shape, size and design imaginable. Chocolate molds, in particular, come in several materials. Plastic sheet molds and silicone molds are two popular types of chocolate-making equipment. However, polycarbonate chocolate molds are the best choice, if you are serious about mass producing chocolate treats. These durable molds are simple to work with and easy to turn out, leaving chocolate candies with a glossy sheen that is hard to match.

I recommend: Chocoley has everything you need to make gourmet chocolates and candies, including chocolate molds and chocolate panning equipment. Winbeckler Enterprises and SugarCraft.com are two more vendors of molds and other confectionery supply.

Take the guesswork out of cooking with confectionery supplies

Today's confectionery equipment carefully monitors temperatures, volume and consistency, making candy and chocolate production more efficient and cost effective. Candy-making equipment includes candy pullers, rotary dies for cutting candy, liquid cream fillers and automatic wrappers.

I recommend: Liberty Engineering Company offers customized candy-making machines. Sollich and Keith Machinery Corp. each carry confectionery equipment and supplies, including complete candy kitchens.

The final touch: confectionery equipment for packaging

Packaging is a central part in the candy-making process. Not only does good packaging keep confectionery treats fresh, it increases product sales. Everyone expects chocolates to arrive in a pretty box.

I recommend: Candyland Crafts carries a large line of confectioners' supplies, including candy boxes, lollipop wrappers and cellophane bags. Candy Molds Central is more than just molds. They carry seasonal boxes and other novelty packaging that will have your candy flying off the shelves.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When purchasing any kind of confectioners' supplies or equipment, ask about the availability of replacement parts and the company's repair policy, to make sure you are covered in the future.

Whether you sell chocolates or candies, you know the value of the best confectionery equipment and supplies for your business. The right confectionery equipment boosts your business’ productivity and success. Finding the ideal pieces of candy making equipment and confectionery supplies are essential for your shop, and investigating the best pricing and costs of confectionery equipment and supplies helps with your profit margin.

To find the best confectionery machinery, it’s important to establish a plan for what you would like to spend. A budget is the first step in finding and obtaining the right confectioners' supplies and machines. After you have established your budget, it's time to price the ideal pieces of new or used confectionery equipment. When researching the pricing and costs of confectionery equipment and supplies, keep in mind that a majority of new and used equipment manufacturers don't list their prices online, but require you to request a quote. You should also consider the following:

1. Used confectionery equipment may be the best choice for your budget.

2. Suppliers that offer new confectionery equipment usually have financing options available.

3. Leasing candy making equipment is less expensive than purchasing.

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Select used confectionery equipment to stay within your business' financial plan

Whether you're seeking candy making equipment or chocolate making equipment, used machines are always a cost effective option. Because there are so many different pieces of equipment your business may need, you may have to deal with several used confectionery suppliers to get everything you need. Additionally, the pricing on used equipment varies greatly depending on the size and type of machine required, among other things. For example, something as simple as a used ribbon type blender can run as low as $3,500 or as high as $95,000 and used double arm mixers can start around $4,900 and go up to over $47,000, depending on your needs.

I recommend: Union Standard Equipment offers a large selection of used candy making equipment. If you have an existing shop, check out its rebuilding program for information on reviving old machines. Bakery Technology Enterprises also offers a large inventory of used confection equipment and a rental program for businesses. You must send your pricing requests via the Internet or call these two companies directly to get specific quotes on the used equipment you seek. You can get an idea of used equipment pricing by looking through the pre-owned candy packaging and processing equipment list at Keith Manufacturing.

Choose new equipment and supplies from a confectionery supply company for your business

New confection equipment is a functional choice for any confectionery business. New equipment offers reliability you may not find with used machinery. When choosing a confectionery supply company, look for one that offers high quality warranties and financing options for every machine it sells. When choosing a vendor for new candy making and confectionery supplies, be sure the company offers wholesale pricing.

I recommend: Contact Sollich North America for a price quote on every type of new confectionery machinery or spare machinery parts for your business. For new candy and confectionery supplies, check out Sugarcraft. It offers wholesale pricing on everything from bags starting as low as one cent up to 54 cents to candy molds at less than $2 per sheet, depending on the size, styles and quantity you require.

Consider leasing confectionery equipment and supplies for your business

Leasing is a cost effective choice for many small and large business owners. It offers varying levels of commitment to your confectionery equipment. Before leasing any equipment, it's important to remember to consult a professional and look for innovative and new items.

I recommend: R.J. Jansen Confectionery Equipment offers a large selection of chocolate planning equipment and candy manufacturing equipment to meet your needs. It offers a leasing option on both new and used equipment through US ProLease. Check out the Right Stuff Equipment where financing options, including leasing, are available through Matrix Business Capital to meet every business’ needs. Examples of used equipment pricing from Right Stuff include a range from $2,500 to $33,500 for various mixers and from $450 to $4,500 for various sizes of holding tanks for your confectionery creations.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some confectionery supplies, like polycarbonate chocolate molds, are best when purchased new. Although this will increase your cost, they may not be food safe, if bought in a used condition.

Baking and candy making are an art. Like any art, it comes with its own supplies, its own techniques, its own jargon. Part of the joy of creating the delicacies is using and understanding the equipment. It is even more fun to discover new equipment you haven't used before, learn about it and be able to make new creations with it. These confectionery equipment and supplies key terms will begin a journey of sweet satisfaction.

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Candy thermometer

The candy thermometer, like any thermometer, reveals temperature. The candy thermometer, however, is made with a special clip that enables it to be attached to whatever bowl or pan in which the confection is.

I recommend: Visit For Dummies for a detailed description and information on the candy thermometer. For instructions regarding its use, see What's Cooking America.

Chocolate-tempering machine

Chocolate, being very temperamental, is often melted in a tempering machine. This allows the chocolate to remain at a consistently low temperature. Using the tempering machine is one of the steps recommended for a high-quality chocolate product.

I recommend: Get to know more about the tempering machine from Apocalypse.org.

Convection oven

For professional-quality baking, serious businesses utilize convection ovens in place of conventional ovens. The difference of a fan constantly circulating air around the oven promotes more even baking and better quality products.

I recommend: General information on what a convection oven is can be found at Land O'Lakes. For information on the convection for commercial applications, visit AbestKitchen.com.

Jacketed kettle

The jacketed kettle is an insulated steam cooker used to guarantee the most consistent heating of confections.

I recommend: Allied Catering, a manufacturer of kettles, explains what a jacketed kettle is and how it works. Suited for a variety of confectionery applications, the kettle can do more than just melt chocolate.

Polycarbonate molds

Of plastic and polycarbonate molds, the polycarbonates are used more widely among professionals. These molds have proved to be easier to use and produce a superior product.

I recommend: For a definition, description and care-and-use instructions of these molds, go to the Chocoley website.

Self-contained steam kettle, direct steam kettle

With a self-contained steam kettle, the steam used for cooking gets its power from an electric or gas source inside the machine. In a direct steam kettle, the steam comes from a heat source outside the machine.

I recommend: The NYS Food Venture Center aids in defining the machines and their differences.