Why You Need Commercial Refrigerators in Your Professional Kitchen

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Refrigeration is the secret to any successful catering operation: you simply cannot function without a way to keep your food cool and safe for your customers. But it can be difficult to understand why it is necessary to invest in ‘commercial grade’ refrigerators. More often than not, people who dive into the restaurant or food industry ask why they should invest in commercial refrigerators instead of a cheaper fridge just like the ones they have at home. 

There are some really important reasons why it is a must to invest in commercial grade refrigerators for your professional kitchen. They are as follows:

Commercial Refrigerators Have Big Compressors

You might not think of this an important reason, but a big compressor is a big deal—it REALLY matters!

Virtually every refrigerator in the world runs using a compressor. A compressor moves gas around a sealed pipe system that runs both inside and outside the fridge. The gases are allowed to cool inside the fridge, then it soaks up excess heat before it’s carried outside where the heat is permitted to escape. 

The fridge that we use at home has a small compressor (the bottle you’ll see behind it). It is designed to be small because at home, you might only open your fridge at least two-three times an hour. This means that the compressor doesn’t have to work hard at all times just to bring the temperature to the right level after the air inside has been warmed from the door opening up. 

It’s not like this in a commercial or professional kitchen.

In a professional meal prep kitchen, the fridge or freezer is often used and opened hundreds of times a day, especially if things get busy. Each time the door opens; the temperature inside the fridge goes up. Whenever the temperature goes up, there is a huge chance for bacteria and germs to multiply within the food stored in the fridge. This simply means that commercial refrigerators in a commercial kitchen environment has to do a LOT more work compared to the fridge that you use in your kitchen at home. You also have to consider the fact that most commercial kitchens tend to be very, very hot places—commercial freezers and fridges are made to function at peak efficiency in temperatures that can reach up to 43 degrees Celsius. If you use a regular or domestic fridge (which is normally designed to work for conditions up to 20 degrees) to work in such conditions, it would only break or be unable to bring the temperature down and leave u with food that only gets hotter and hotter all through the day. This only means that the food you store in the fridge would become unsafe for your customers to eat. 

Commercial refrigerators have compressors that are double in size compared to normal, domestic fridges and it’s all for a good reason!

Commercial Refrigerator Hinges Won’t Fail

As we’ve mentioned earlier, commercial refrigerators get opened and closed for up to fifty to sixty times in an hour, unlike a domestic refrigerator that only gets used two-three times an hour. 

Try to open and close your domestic fridge fifty times in an hour, day in and day out. You’ll see that within a few weeks its hinges will start falling apart. 

Commercial refrigerators will have solid, stainless steel hinges that are built to last for years of wear and tear. In addition, most commercial fridges are equipped with self-closing hinges so make sure that the fridge is always shut, and thus ensuring that the temperature inside is as cool as possible.

Commercial Refrigerators are Meant to Be Deep-Cleaned

The standards within modern commercial kitchens are not only high but they are exacting in the extreme. Environmental Health Officers all over the country demand only the best from restaurants, caterers and food producers due to high-profile food poisoning cases. As a result, global catering equipment suppliers and producers have come up with a design that allows you to keep your kitchen equipment pristine with very little fuss and effort. 

The insides and outsides of commercial fridges are made of stainless steel, which is easy to clean and also fights bacteria and infection. It also has removable shelves made from quality materials that won’t easily get damaged or create spaces for bacteria to grow. 

The development of removable door seals is one of the latest addition to the trend in designs that help keep your kitchen cleaner, healthier and free from bacteria. This will also help in protecting your customer’s health and protecting your business’ reputation.

Commercial Refrigerators Enhance Food Quality and Reduce Food Wastage

Commercial grade refrigerators are very efficient which makes them good for enhancing the quality of food you store. 

Every time food heats up, it begins to break down or start rotting. But when it is cooled as quickly as possible, your fridge can protect its cell walls. This gives you a guarantee that your vegetables will have more crunch in them, or that your fish wills till have gleaming scales and clear eyes, for longer. 

In addition to stopping the growth of bacteria, you also protect your business’ reputation with regards to the quality of food it serves. You also end up reducing food wastage, which translates to more savings for your business. With this in mind, you already know you’re getting so much more out of this investment.

Conclusion:

Based on the information we’ve presented above, it’s safe to say that the need to own a commercial grade refrigeration system is more than just owning a high-quality piece of equipment. It is also about protecting yourself against faulty equipment, potentially dangerous food poisoning outbreaks. You also get to protect your business and your reputation for high quality food thanks to the clever and innovative designs of commercial refrigerators. 

Your commercial refrigerator is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your commercial kitchen. It’s up to you to make sure it is used and taken care of properly and optimally.