Spaceman Countertop Soft Serve Machines Compared: T5A, T5B, T10 and T15

Last updated: November 2026

In 30 seconds:

• We sell four Spaceman countertop soft serve machines: the T15 (from £5,259), T10 (from £6,008), T5A (from £6,124) and T5B (from £8,642). All four are single flavour.
• The T5A and T5B are the slimmest at 284mm wide, but they are 754mm deep. Measure your counter depth before you fall for the narrow front.
• The T5B is the heat-treatment model. Its spec sheet says it can keep product fresh in the machine for up to 21 days, so you strip it down far less often.
• The T5A is the pump-fed one. The T5B, T10 and T15 are gravity-fed, which means fewer parts to clean.

Where is the machine actually going to sit? Most people pick a soft serve machine from a photo, then find it is too deep for the counter or too wide for the gap next to the till.

A single-flavour countertop machine is the standard first step into soft serve for a café, kiosk, dessert bar or van. This guide compares the four Spaceman countertop models we sell on the things that decide the buy: footprint, feed type, cleaning and power.

Spaceman T5A, T5B, T10 and T15 at a glance

Sizes come from the Spaceman spec sheets, and the T15 size also matches our listing. All four are single flavour. If you want two flavours and a twist, look at the twin twist machines in our commercial soft serve ice cream machine buyer’s guide instead.

How we compared them

Every figure here is taken from the Spaceman spec sheets, the T15 user manual or our own product listings. Where two of those sources give different numbers, we have left the number out rather than guess.

That matters most for output. The T5A and T5B are both rated at 150 serves an hour, based on an 80g serving. For the T10 and the T15, our sources do not agree yet, so ask us for the confirmed figure before you size your peak hour on it.

Spaceman T15: the lowest price of the four

Quick specs

• Flavours: 1, gravity feed
• Freezing cylinder: 1 x 1.7L
• Mix hopper: 8 litres
• Size: 440mm wide, 700mm deep, 721mm high
• Weight: 80kg
• Power: standard 13A
• Price: from £5,259
• View the Spaceman T15

Best for

Cafés, kiosks and seaside units adding soft serve for the first time. It is the cheapest way into the Spaceman countertop range.

What it does well

• Gravity feed keeps the parts count down at cleaning time.
• A low mix light comes on before the hopper runs dry.
• The self-closing valve stops product running on after each serve.
• Standby holds the mix and the cylinder below 4.4°C overnight.

Honest note

The T15 is the widest of the four at 440mm. It also needs air around it to cool, so check the gap either side before you order.

Spaceman T10: the shallowest footprint

Quick specs

• Flavours: 1, gravity feed
• Freezing cylinder: 1 x 1.7L
• Mix hopper: 8 litres
• Size: 421mm wide, 544mm deep, 714mm high
• Power: 1.8kW, with a 13A maximum fuse on a 220-240V supply
• Price: from £6,008

Best for

Shallow counters. At 544mm deep it is the shallowest of the four, so it suits a narrow bench.

What it does well

• The same cylinder and hopper sizes as the T15, in a shorter body.
• Digital display shows status, temperatures, dispense count and errors.
• Dispense speed control lets you adjust the flow for different serves.

Honest note

The T10 costs more than the T15. You are paying for the shorter depth, so it only makes sense if counter depth is your real limit.

Spaceman T5A: slim and pump-fed

Quick specs

• Flavours: 1, pump feed
• Output: 150 serves an hour (80g serving)
• Freezing cylinder: 1 x 1.2L
• Mix hopper: 5 litres on the A version
• Size: 284mm wide, 754mm deep, 755mm high
• Weight: 100kg for the pump version
• Power: 13 Amps
• Price: from £6,124

Best for

Tight frontages where width is the problem, such as a kiosk hatch or a corner of a coffee bar. At 284mm wide it takes up the least counter frontage of the four.

What it does well

• A direct drive pump feeds the cylinder, so you are not relying on gravity alone.
• Auto programming can switch modes on a preset schedule.
• A defrost setting softens frozen product in the cylinder to speed up cleaning.

Honest note

A pump is one more assembly to strip, wash and rebuild. If you want the simplest possible clean, a gravity machine is the easier life.

Spaceman T5B: the heat-treatment model

Quick specs

• Flavours: 1, gravity feed
• Output: 150 serves an hour (80g serving)
• Freezing cylinder: 1 x 1.2L
• Mix hopper: 8 litres
• Size: 284mm wide, 754mm deep, 755mm high
• Weight: 90kg for the gravity version
• Heat treatment: product can stay fresh in the machine for up to 21 days
• Price: from £8,642
• View the Spaceman T5B

Best for

Shops and cafés that sell standard soft serve every day and want to cut the nightly strip-down. Its spec sheet calls it the most compact single-flavour soft serve machine on the market.

What it does well

• Heat treatment cuts full cleaning to as little as once every 21 days, according to the spec sheet.
• Gravity feed, so there is no pump to rebuild.
• The same slim 284mm frontage as the T5A.

Honest note

Heat treatment is the wrong choice for live-culture frozen yoghurt, because heating the mix kills the cultures. Our frozen yoghurt machine guide on gravity vs pump and pasteurised vs live-culture explains the trade-off.

Who each machine is for

• First machine, tight budget: the T15.
• Shallow counter: the T10.
• Narrow frontage: the T5A or T5B.
• Daily trade, little time to clean: the T5B.
• Two flavours or a long queue: none of these. Step up to a twin twist model.

What you need before it arrives

• A firm counter. The T15 weighs 80kg and the T5 models 90kg to 100kg, so the bench needs to take that load.
• Air space. They are air cooled. The T15 manual asks for clear space at the sides and the back against a wall, so warm air is not pulled back in.
• The right room temperature. The T15 manual says not to run it outside 10°C to 40°C.
• A dedicated socket. The T15 manual warns that an extension lead must match the power cord’s rating. Plug in direct where you can.
• Cleaning kit. Brushes, a food-grade lubricant, an approved cleaner and an approved sanitiser.

Running from a generator at events? Add the machine to your total load first. Our LPG generator sizing guide for mobile catering walks through the sums.

If you are buying the vehicle too, our guide to finding the best ice cream van in the UK covers that side.

The biggest mistake: buying on width alone

The T5A and T5B look tiny from the front. They are not small machines. At 754mm deep they need more counter depth than the T15, and far more than the T10.

The second mistake is skipping the cleaning maths. A standard gravity machine like the T15 is cleaned and sanitised daily, as its manual recommends. If nobody on your team will do that every night, the extra cost of the T5B buys you that time back.

So measure width, depth and height, then decide who cleans it. Only then pick on price.

Looking after a countertop soft serve machine

• Keep at least 2cm of mix in the hopper. The T15 manual warns that running dry can freeze up the cylinder and damage the beater and compressor.
• Keep mix in the hopper below 4.4°C.
• Sanitise with 3.8 litres of approved 100PPM solution, as set out in the T15 manual.
• Brush the condenser clean every month. A dirty condenser cuts the machine’s capacity.
• Replace O-rings and seals when they are worn, torn or loose.

Frequently asked questions

Which Spaceman countertop soft serve machine is the smallest?

The T5A and T5B are the narrowest at 284mm wide. They are 754mm deep, though. The T10 is the shallowest at 544mm deep, so the smallest machine depends on whether your counter is short on width or depth.

Which countertop soft serve machine can I leave with mix in it for days?

The T5B. It is the heat-treatment model, and its spec sheet says product can stay fresh in the machine for up to 21 days. For the standard T15, the manual recommends daily cleaning and sanitising.

Can I plug a countertop soft serve machine into a normal 13A socket?

The T15 and T5A spec sheets both list a 13A supply. The T10 sheet lists 1.8kW with a 13A maximum fuse on 220-240V. For the T5B, ask us to confirm the supply before you order.

How many servings an hour do the T5A, T5B, T10 and T15 make?

The T5A and T5B are rated at 150 serves an hour, based on an 80g serving. For the T10 and T15, ask us for the confirmed rating. Size on your busiest hour, not your average one.

What is the difference between gravity feed and pump feed?

Gravity feed lets mix drop into the freezing cylinder under its own weight. Pump feed pushes the mix in with a pump. Of these four, only the T5A is pump-fed, and the pump is one more part to clean.

How often do I need to clean a soft serve machine?

For the T15, the manual recommends daily cleaning and sanitising, with a full strip-down and brush clean. The T5B’s heat treatment cuts full cleaning to as little as once every 21 days. Always follow your local food safety rules.

Can I run a countertop soft serve machine in a van or trailer?

Yes, if the counter, power and airflow are right. The T15 manual says not to run it outside 10°C to 40°C. Check your generator or hook-up can carry the load alongside everything else.

Can I spread the cost of a soft serve machine?

Yes. Lease finance lets you buy and pay over time on orders over £1,000, and all four machines are above that. Each comes with a 12-month parts and labour warranty.