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Irrespective of the type of restaurant, your professional kitchen requires equipment that is crucial for the success of your team. Picking the right commercial refrigerator and freezer not only improves your operation’s efficiency but also enhances the quality of your food. Restaurants rely on mise en place, or kitchen prep, before and after their service. This includes chopping vegetables, making base sauces and burger patties, and marinating meat. To preserve such food, it is important to have good commercial refrigerators and freezers. A good refrigerator will also help keep customers safe from food-related illnesses.
Even though commercial refrigerators and freezers are intended to keep food fresh, they have different purposes and capabilities. Listed below are a few types of commercial refrigerators and freezers that you might need for your restaurant:
- Reach-In Refrigerators: Reach-in refrigerators give easy accessibility to food. They are widely seen in restaurants and supermarkets.
- Merchandising Refrigerators: These are display refrigerators to help customers view your products and encourage purchases.
- Countertop Refrigerators: A countertop display refrigerator maximizes product display by making it easier for customers to see and collect items.
- Refrigerated Prep Tables and Worktop Refrigerators: Mostly seen in sandwich shops and pizzerias, these tables help simplify preparation by keeping regularly used ingredients at arm’s length.
- Walk-In Coolers & Freezers: Walk-in coolers and freezers are perfect for restaurant kitchens with a lot of space to store bulk items, like meat and poultry.
- Undercounter Refrigerators and Freezers: Undercounter refrigerators are smaller fridge and freezer units that fit right under your counter where you can store smaller ingredients, sauces, seafood, etc.
- Blast Chillers: Commercial blast chillers help in bringing down the temperature of the food quickly. Bakers use these to chill their cakes and preserve other ingredients.
- Bar Refrigerators: Bar Refrigerators include beer coolers, wine coolers, glass chillers, etc. that can help run a bar efficiently.
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Things to Consider When Buying a Commercial Refrigerator
Kitchen Space and Size
Commercial refrigeration equipment is normally kept close to or inside the kitchen for optimal workflow. Before investing in a commercial refrigerator or freezer, be sure to evaluate the refrigerator’s dimensions and the location suitable for it.
Food Type
The food items you want to store will determine the type of refrigerator you will need. Meat and other poultry items have a different temperature point compared to vegetables. In the same way, ice creams and beers are stored at different temperatures. Most restaurants have multiple types of refrigerators and freezers for storing different products.
Energy Efficiency
It is important to invest in an energy-efficient commercial refrigeration system. You can save thousands of dollars by using refrigerators with an ‘Energy Star’ rating.
Brand
A good brand commercial refrigerator, if used well, can sometimes last over ten years. Before investing in a refrigerator, be sure to read customer reviews or get advice from kitchen consultants to help you choose the best brand. Ideally, you should choose one that has a good warranty period and a great customer service record.
To make your restaurant shopping easier for you, we’ve done a thorough research and listed the top online stores to buy commercial refrigeration equipment at the best prices.
WebstaurantStore
WebstaurantStore offers commercial-grade refrigeration equipment from some of the world’s most trusted manufacturers like Avantco, Beverage-Air, Continental Refrigerator, Hoshizaki, and Scotsman. The online store offers merchandising refrigeration, reach-in refrigerators and freezers, refrigerated prep tables, bar refrigerators, walk-in refrigerators, Ice machines, and many more. With a WebstaurantPlus membership, you can avail free shipping for eligible products.
Amazon
Amazon Food Service Equipment & Supplies, by Amazon, the world’s largest online platform, has an exhaustive collection of commercial equipment. It features categories like commercial cold pans, beverage refrigerators, display refrigerators, commercial freezers, commercial ice machines, and commercial refrigerators. Some of the brands that Amazon offers are Nor-lake, Continental, Hydra-Kool, Carroll Coolers, and KoolMore, amongst other renowned names in the industry. Since these are not Amazon-owned products, the sellers can charge for shipping depending on the delivery location and the size of the equipment.
CKitchen
Refrigeration Equipment at CKitchen features all the prominent refrigeration equipment brands and are exclusive dealers for manufacturers listed on their online store. CKitchen offers reach-in refrigerators, freezers, and dual temps, merchandising refrigerators, countertop refrigerators, freezers, and blast chillers, refrigerated prep tables, worktop refrigerators, and freezers, commercial walk-in coolers and freezers, commercial undercounter refrigerators and freezers, commercial blast chillers, commercial bar refrigerators, refrigerated display cases, commercial ice cream freezers, commercial chef bases, milk coolers, wall-mounted refrigerators, ice machines, and more. A few of the most renowned brands listed on CKitchen are Americal Panel, Beverage-Air, Atosa USA, Inc., Electrolux, Delfield, Liebherr, Hoshizaki, Traulsen, Kool-It, Convotherm, Federal, Garland, Glastender, Turbo-Air, Everest, Hatco, Nor-lake, Piper, Southbend, Star, Victory Refrigeration, Vulcan, Wells, Cambro, and more. CKitchen offers excellent customer service and warranty to all its customers. They have a dedicated team to help restaurants choose the perfect equipment for their kitchen. If you are still unsure, you can also lease commercial refrigeration equipment from CKitchen.
Katom
KaTom offers high-quality refrigeration equipment at wholesale prices. Reach-in refrigerators, refrigerated prep tables, glass door merchandisers, undercounter refrigerators, walk-in freezers and refrigerators, display refrigerators, chef bases, bar refrigeration, worktop refrigerators, mini hotel refrigerators, blast chillers, countertop fridges and freezers, milk coolers, and frost tops are all products offered by KaTom in their Commercial Refrigeration section. Hoshizaki, Scotsman, MoTak, Traulsen, True, Beverage Air, and Delfield. are just a few of the many premium, renowned brands they carry. The majority of their products come with free shipping and next-day delivery.
Chef Buyer
Chef Buyer, much like the other restaurant supply stores on this list, is a veteran in the business. Founded in 1985, they offer reach-in refrigerators and freezers, merchandising refrigerators and freezers, back bar refrigerators, undercounter and worktop refrigeration, refrigerated prep tables, milk coolers, ice cream makers, walk-in refrigerators and freezers, and blast chillers on their online store. They feature famous brands like Advance Tabco, Scotsman, Manitowoc, American Panel, Bizerba, Beverage-Air, and more. Chef Buyer provides free shipping on all purchased products, guaranteed to be delivered in the shortest time frames, and reliable customer support.
It is impossible to imagine running a restaurant without a refrigerator. Choosing a robust and reliable commercial refrigerator not only improves work efficiency in the kitchen, but enhances the quality of the food, and helps serve customers fresh produce. Commercial refrigerators and freezers can last for a very long time if taken care of. Be sure to do your research and invest in the best brand that has extended warranty options. If you are not sure about the type of refrigerator you need for your restaurant, reach out to us to assist you with brands that can be perfect for your space.
