Commercial refrigeration is designed to take the wear and tear of the foodservice industry. Not only is the refrigerator found at home much smaller and less insulated than their commercial counterparts, but it also won't be as energy efficient in your kitchen. Translation? Higher energy bills. Commercial refrigeration is designed and built to meet health code requirements and is more powerful to maintain proper temperatures to keep customers safe. From bar refrigeration, to blast chillers, walk-in coolers, prep tables and more, Tundra Restaurant Supply has hundreds of different commercial refrigeration options for you.
Types of Commercial Refrigeration
There are several types of commercial refrigerators for the back and front of house. In addition to large, reach-in fridges, you may also find undercounter commercial refrigeration units that nestle comfortably beneath a kitchen counter. Many refrigerated prep tables (like pizza prep tables or sandwich prep tables) are a great way to prep and store product within reach for quick refills. And for the king of refrigerated storage, nothing beats the space of a walk-in cooler. In your front of house, shop for a refrigerated display case or merchandiser to make your product shine. Refrigerated buffet tables are also great for salad bars, cold cuts and other cold foods that need to be kept at the proper food safety temperatures.
Choosing the Best Door for Your Commercial Refrigeration
Like most pieces of restaurant equipment, you have options when it comes to selecting the type of door on your refrigerator. Some commercial refrigerators have a classic swing door, with many featuring a 'stay open' feature to make loading and unloading of your inventory that much easier. In tight settings (which, face it, describes most commercial kitchens) swing doors could impede efficiency by blocking traffic. Typically back of house refrigerators will feature solid, stainless steel doors which are more insulated. Solid doors are also easier to clean than glass, but you will lose product visibility (which is often not an issue in the kitchen). Glass door refrigerators are great for the front of house like in cafes where you want to display product for sale. Pass-Thru refrigerators feature doors on either side of the unit for multiple points of access. You may find sliding doors are more common in front of house merchandisers and refrigerators, which work well in narrow aisles.
Commercial Refrigeration Materials
While the interior of most commercial refrigeration units are lined with plastic, the exterior of most refrigerators will feature one of the following metals: stainless steel, aluminum, G90 galvanized, painted G90 galvanized or galvalume. Stainless steel is a favorite among chefs and restaurateurs alike due to durability; extremely strong and dent-resistant, stainless steel is also the least corrosive. However, if you can't stomach the price tag of stainless steel, other options like aluminum are also rust-resistant by do dent easily.
