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Hire or Buy an Ice Resurfacer?
It’s one of the biggest equipment decisions a rink makes: should you hire your ice resurfacer, or buy one outright? There’s no single right answer — it depends on how you run your ice — but getting the decision right saves you money, hassle and the frustration of being tied to the wrong machine.
Marshalls International has both supplied and hired ice resurfacers to rinks across the UK and beyond since 1984, which means we’ve helped operators of every kind weigh this up. Here’s an honest look at when each option makes sense, and how to choose the right machine whichever route you take.
The short answer is…
As a rule of thumb: buy if you run a permanent facility with ice all year round, and hire if your ice is seasonal, if you need cover, or if you want to try a machine before committing. But it’s worth understanding the reasoning, because the details of your rink can tip the decision either way.
When hiring makes more sense
Hire tends to be the better answer in three situations:
- Seasonal or temporary ice — winter attractions, festive rinks, pop-ups and events that run for weeks rather than years. Buying a machine for an eight-week season rarely adds up, whereas hiring gives you a fully serviced machine for exactly the period you need it.
- Cover — your own machine is booked in for service, has broken down, or simply can’t keep up during an unusually busy spell. A hire machine keeps your ice open and your sessions running while yours is off the floor.
- Trialling before you commit — hiring a model you’re considering buying is the most reliable way to find out whether it suits your ice and your team — far more telling than any spec sheet.
The appeal of hiring is flexibility and low commitment. There’s no capital outlay, no long-term maintenance to budget for, and the machine arrives fully serviced and ready to work. For seasonal and temporary operations especially, it’s usually the sensible choice.
When buying makes more sense
For a permanent rink running ice all year round, buying usually wins over the long term. If a machine is in near-daily use across multiple seasons, ownership almost always works out more economical than repeated hire, and you have a machine that’s always there, set up exactly how your team likes it.
Ownership also gives you control: no dependence on hire availability at your busiest times, and an asset on your books. The trade-offs are the upfront cost and the responsibility for maintenance — though a good supplier takes most of the sting out of the latter. And buying doesn’t have to mean buying new: quality used and factory-refurbished machines are a cost-effective route to ownership, and finance or a maintenance contract can spread the cost.
The questions that decide it
If you’re weighing it up, these are the questions that usually settle the decision:
- How long is your ice in place — a few weeks, a season, or year-round?
- How often will the machine actually be used?
- Do you have the capital to buy, or would you rather avoid the outlay?
- Do you have somewhere to store and maintain a machine you own?
- Are you certain which machine suits your ice — or would trialling one first help?
Run through those honestly and the right answer usually becomes obvious. And if it doesn’t, that’s exactly the kind of thing we’re happy to talk through with you.
Whichever you choose, fit matters most
Hire or buy, the single most important thing is matching the machine to your rink. The most common and most expensive mistake is choosing on price or availability alone, and ending up with a machine that doesn’t suit the job.
A compact, tractor-mounted resurfacer ideal for a modest community pad will struggle to turn round a large surface between sessions. An oversized machine may be impractical to manoeuvre or store on a constrained temporary site. The right choice depends on your surface size, how quickly you need it resurfaced between sessions, your site access and your available power.
Electric or fuel?
This applies whether you hire or buy. Electric machines have become the default for many indoor and enclosed venues: no exhaust emissions, which matters in an enclosed space with spectators, and markedly quieter running — a real consideration for outdoor city-centre rinks and events. The trade-off is charging, so you need appropriate power and time between sessions. Fuel-powered machines remain a practical option where power is limited. Tell us about your site and we’ll tell you honestly which suits it.
Don't forget the operator
A machine is only as good as the person driving it. Whether you hire or buy, if your team is new to a resurfacer they’ll benefit from proper training — our driver training covers all makes of machine and includes real on-ice practice, so your team can produce safe, consistent ice from the first session. It protects the ice, the equipment and your reputation.
Why talk to Marshalls first
Because we both hire and sell — including new, used and refurbished machines — we have no reason to push you one way or the other. We’d genuinely rather recommend the option that suits your rink than sell you the wrong thing, because that’s how you become a customer for the long term rather than just this season.
Whichever route you take, you get the same support behind the machine: full servicing, genuine spare parts held in stock for next-day UK delivery, factory-trained engineers, and emergency cover when you need it. That’s what we’ve offered rinks since 1984.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Should I hire or buy an ice resurfacer?
Hire usually makes more sense for seasonal or temporary ice, for cover while your own machine is serviced, or for trialling a model before you commit. Buying tends to win for permanent facilities running ice year-round. Marshalls International both hires and sells, so we can advise honestly on which suits your rink.
Is it cheaper to hire or buy a resurfacer?
It depends on use. For a short season or occasional cover, hiring is almost always cheaper. For a permanent rink using a machine near-daily across many seasons, buying usually works out more economical over time — and used or refurbished machines and finance can reduce the upfront cost.
Can I try a resurfacer before I buy one?
Yes. Hiring a model you're considering is the most reliable way to see whether it suits your ice and your team before committing to a purchase.
What should I consider when choosing a resurfacer?
Whether you hire or buy, match the machine to your surface size, how quickly you need it resurfaced between sessions, your site access and your available power — and decide between electric and fuel based on your venue. Our team can help you get the specification right.
Where can I hire or buy an ice resurfacer in the UK?
Marshalls International hires and sells ice resurfacers — new, used and refurbished — to rinks across the UK and worldwide, and has done since 1984, with full servicing, spare parts and support behind every machine.
