If you’re looking for information about where to find a fondant sheeter, what model will best suit you, and how much they are going to cost you; you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled the information you need, whether you are looking for a large industrial model or a fondant rolling machine for home use.
Commercial Fondant Sheeter
Somerset is a brand well known by professional bakers. They make large commercial baking appliances. Somerset makes one of the most popular fondant sheeters on the market. While fondant sheeters are most often used to easily roll fondant used for beautiful cakes, bakers are finding many other ways to use them. Some of the other uses of the fondant rolling machine are to make pastry, for sugar icing & sugar paste, as well as dough sheeting. (There are some small differences between fondant sheeters and dough sheeters, though; some may to use one or the other for both purposes. See our article on Fondant roller machine vs. Dough roller machine).
Somerset CDR-500 fondant roller machine
The CDR-500 is a tabletop dough sheeter that can be used to roll fondant, make pizzas, pies, donuts, and pasta. Specifications:
- Synthetic non-stick rollers or metal rollers
- Creates 20 inch pieces
- 500-600 pieces per hour
- Stainless steel
- Safety sensors for auto shut off
- Compact
- Spring-loaded scraper means easy cleaning
- 150 lbs.
- Price $2760 – 3500 (online retailers)
Somerset CDR-500F fondant roller machine
This model is also a tabletop sheeter which is ideal for pastry chefs and bakerswho make sugar icing, sugarpaste, cake fondant, but can also be used to roll dough. Specifications:
- Creates 20” pieces
- Spring-loaded scrapers for easy cleaning
- Compact
- Synthetic, non-sticking rollers
- Safety sensors for auto shut off
- Stainless steel
- Price $2850 (online retailers)
CDR-600F fondant roller machine
A table top dough and fondant sheeter. Makes 30 inch wide sheets. This model is for bakers, caterers, and pastry chefs. Specifications:
- 30 inch sheets of fondant/dough
- Synthetic, non-sticking rollers
- Stainless steel
- Safety sensors for auto shut off
- 180 lbs.
- Price $4000- 4200 (online retailers)
The advantages to buying a fondant sheeter
For many, investing in a fondant sheeter may not be worth the cost. But, if you are planning to do significant amounts of fondant work, the time saved may well be worth the initial investment. Reasons to consider purchasing a fondant sheeter:
Using a fondant sheeter will greatly decrease the amount of time you spend working with the fondant. Time is money, so you should consider whether the amount of time you are spending rolling fondant could be better spent elsewhere (or making more cakes!)
Your sheets of fondant will be a lot prettier. The machines create uniformly thick sheets of fondant, which definitely makes for a more professional look.
Hand-rolling fondant can be very laborious. Working with fondant can cause hand and arm strain. You may not have the strength to hand roll fondant for many cakes. This is where you’ll have to do your own analysis. If you make many cakes, save your strength, get a fondant sheeter.
Fondant sheeters can also be used to roll dough.
The disadvantages to buying a fondant sheeter
The biggest disadvantage in purchasing a fondant sheeter is the amount of money you will have to part with as opposed to continuing to work with the fondant by hand. Fondant sheeters are expensive, and if you’re not baking professionally (or for a profit) it might be hard to justify spending a thousand dollars or more.
Fondant sheeters are large. You may not have the space for one.
Commercial fondant sheeters can be complicated to fix. If your machine should break, you’ll most likely need to have it serviced professionally.
You still have to roll. Lots of machines require that you first roll the fondant a bit before sending it through.
Fondant sheeters for home use
If you find that a commercial fondant rolling machine is too expensive or that you do not have space, there are a couple of alternatives that you might consider. Some use countertop pasta machines to roll small sheets of fondant; but these sheets might not be large enough to cover large cakes.
Another alternative to buying a fondant sheeter is to purchase pre-made fondant sheets. You can find these at most craft stores and on-line.
Click this link for a very popular brand of pre-made fondant sheets found at Amazon.
We’ve also written an article on a great alternative to buying a fondant sheeter if you don’t have the money to invest in the commercial version. Find it here: Cheap alternative to buying a fondant roller machine.