For most restaurants, the opening of their kitchen is a significant investment and often serves as the focal point, or heart, of business. As for new kitchen equipment, it can be a poor investment in some regards, as the equipment will depreciate in value as soon as it leaves the lot.
As such, many experts would agree that investing your money in previously-owned kitchen equipment, such as a used commercial freezer, might be the better option. Or, you can turn to lease said equipment instead of to save money down the road.
Here, we will discuss the top commercial restaurant equipment for your new restaurant and how you can save money. We’ll discuss things such as learning how to negotiate with suppliers, maximize your kitchen space, and keep your decor to a minimum.
Production Equipment
Regardless of the type of restaurant that you run, you will require some form of production equipment. Equipment needs will vary from restaurant to restaurant, depending on the type of restaurant, the food being served, and the demand for food.
Still, there is certain standard kitchen equipment that virtually every restaurant will have at its disposal. For instance, most restaurants will own or lease a broiler, baker’s bin, cheese melter, oven, blender, fryer, baker’s table, meat grinder, food cutter, and preparation slicer, commercial freezer, mixer, and handwashing sink. If you are in the food service business, you may also want to explore commercial ice maker for sale options to find a cost-effective equipment that meets your specific requirements.
However, it’s important not to spend too much, especially if you are a start-up. Overspending can cause your new restaurant to close shop if you don’t have the money needed to support the business.
As such, we would suggest that your menu concept guide you to determine what needs to be leased or purchased. You will need to learn how to compromise until you reach a certain level of success and profitability.
Refrigeration Equipment
The ice machine, refrigerator, and freezer that you end up buying or leasing should depend heavily on the size and capacity that fits your restaurant’s kitchen.
While used commercial freezers and stainless steel refrigerators have great merits in the restaurant industry, the design that you end up choosing should be determined by your establishment’s cooling requirements. This is because there is no “one size fits all,” solution.
Opting for a used commercial freezer or refrigerator can save your business quite a bit of money, assuming it’s in good working condition and comes backed by a certified warranty.
We recommend that you work with a professional who can perform a thorough inspection of the used commercial freezer and refrigerator to assess their condition and their age.
In sum, the three elements or criteria that should determine what ice machine, used commercial freezer, and refrigerator that you buy is the type of unit, the age of said unit, and its aesthetic and pragmatic condition.
Dishwashing Equipment
If you own a restaurant that requires clean dishes on a regular basis, you will need to invest in a reliable commercial dishwasher. However, there are many different types to choose from, namely, conveyors, door type models, glassware, and under-counter dishwashers.
Undercounter commercial dishwashers are designed for restaurants that deal with smaller volumes, such as bars and coffee shops. This is because they tend to be smaller than the other commercial dishwasher types, albeit they can’t clean as many dishes as their more powerful counterparts.
Glasswashers are ideal for bars that clean a large volume of glasses on a daily or nightly basis, as they have the precision needed to prevent fragile glasses from shattering, while still possessing the power and capacity of other commercial dishwasher models.
Door type commercial dishwashers are known for their high capacity, and as such, is recommended for high volume, busy, kitchens. They are also known for having a large door on the front of the unit, allowing workers to fill an entire rack, and then fit said rack into the apparatus after having closed the door.
Door-type commercial dishwashers are the most popular type of commercial dishwasher on the market today. However, they do tend to consume more water and energy than their under-counter brethren, due mainly to the larger capacity and added power.
Finally, we have conveyor type dishwashers, which take up the most space of all of the types on the market, and are also the most expensive, with some even costing over $50,000. However, they have the highest power capacity of any, and, as such, are frequently used in hospitals, prisons, and schools.
Ventilation Systems
Ventilation systems are designed to control the rise in temperature in your kitchen, as well as to filter out smoke, fumes, steam, and airborne grease. There are four main components to focus on, namely, fire suppression systems, make-up air units, exhaust fans, and commercial kitchen hoods.
Commercial kitchen hoods serve as the central nexus of the internal exhaust system and house most of the other essential parts of the ventilation system. Upblast exhaust fans tend to be erected outside of the restaurant and are designed to move exhaust out of the ventilation mechanism via a powerful fan.
Make-up air units will replace the exhaust that was extracted from the main cooking area and replace it with clean air. Finally, fire suppression systems are mandatory for all commercial kitchen hood devices that are sold and must extinguish an oil fire that exceeds 680 degrees in temperature to be certified.
Finding Quality Commercial Restaurant Equipment
In sum, the main areas to focus on when buying or leasing commercial kitchen equipment are price, size, type, condition, quality, and age. While there are an infinite number of factors to consider, keeping these in mind will help you get the most out of your kitchen.
