Wednesday, September 25, 2013

How to Purchase the Right Commercial Cooking Equipment

The most important thing to understand about commercial cooking equipment is that they are generally meant for heavy-duty use. Restaurants, eateries, and large homes are the buyers of this equipment. The products therefore need to be strong and durable enough to withstand continuous usage throughout most part of the day. So, the customers need to make their choice carefully and should know exactly what products to buy. Moreover, the very quality of the foods also depends on the equipment used. The restaurant owners shopping for kitchen equipment should understand this and must have a good knowledge of what equipment to use for what kind of food.

The most common commercial cooking equipment includes commercial ovens, broilers, stoves and ranges, combination griddle/burner, convection, microwaves, grills, fryers and toasters. There are also small appliances such as the crepe and waffle makers, warning equipment, rice cookers, etc. The latter variety is generally called countertop appliances. As you can figure, buying all these equipment means a huge investment. So, the buyers must ensure that they are only buying the top quality products that will be able to withstand middle or heavy-duty usage (according to the size and capacity of the business), so that they do not have to fork out money later for frequent repair or replacement.

As for most things, you can shop for these items online or through visiting a brick and mortar shop. In either case, you must conduct an extensive research on what products to buy and what brands are considered best for what kind of equipment. Read as many customer reviews as possible. This way you will have a good idea of the whole thing and will be better equipped to make the right choice. You can look for reviews from both general relevant forums and from websites of the different brands.

The most basic set of criteria for evaluating the quality of the items include performance, durability and energy-efficiency. Look for equipment that will be able to give you optimal performance. Research the average performance standard for specific equipment and then try to find the products that will exceed this average performance or will at least match it. Money obviously plays an important factor here. The trick is to know how to do the right balancing act between your budget and the equipment quality.

Next, check out on the durability factor. Check the material, the make and the strength of the equipment. Keep an eye on the warranty as well. Generally, the good quality and longer-lasting products will offer a longer-term warranty. Energy-efficiency is another valuable criterion. Energy efficient equipment will cut down on the running costs of your business, which will give you a chance to serve your customers good food at competitive prices--the single most important thing for excelling in the food business. Make sure you check the energy-efficiency rating of every single item that you purchase. If you can find items that work on gas, try to get them. You will benefit from them in the long run.

Purchasing the right commercial cooking equipment is a crucial thing for any business starting out in the food service industry. Therefore, do your research carefully and only buy the best items.

This article was written by Wilson Tameric.


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