Whether you are purchasing commercial kitchen equipment for a restaurant or other food related business, there are some things you need to consider when buying your kitchen equipment. The first thing to really think about is the type of business, and the volume of your sales. For an example, if you are running or opening a sandwich shop, and expect to do most of the meat and cheese preparations yourself, you should purchase at least two commercial grade high volume slicing machines. One will be use for slicing meat, the other cheese.
When buying commercial kitchen tools, you want to make sure that all the surfaces that have contact with any food products are stainless steel. Stainless is your best bet not only because it is far more sanitary, it also is easier to clean and maintain. You should really look at the kitchen equipment details, and be sure that parts that come in contact with food can be easily taken apart, and either cleaned by hand, or are dishwasher safe. This way there is no risk of food borne bacteria being left on the equipment because you weren’t able to clean in all the nooks and crannies.
There are of course other things to consider when it comes to buying commercial kitchen equipment as well. Most of us are on a budget, and restaurants especially have to save money wherever they can, but also balance this with making food that keeps their customers coming. While you may want to buy cheaper equipment, this is not always a good idea. Buying cheap kitchen tools now is going to cost you in the long run because of many factors.
One of the reasons why buying cheap commercial kitchen equipment isn’t such a good idea is that in many cases, you are buying outdated products. In many cases, buying outdated equipment means that you are going to have to fix the machines more often, and run the risk of not being able to find parts for them. They use more energy than newer kitchen supplies, are harder to clean and you will end up spending more money in the long run.
Buying better commercial kitchen supplies, and spending the extra money up front can actually save you money and increase your profits in the long run. For an example, let’s take the newer technologies being used in cooking kitchen equipment. Today’s broilers, grills and evens utilize infrared spectrum technologies. This is much more energy efficient, can cook the food far faster than conventional methods, without sacrificing the flavor of the food. Because of this, you will not only save money on your energy bills, but also cook and serve food faster, increasing your profit margin.
Another way you can save money even when buying more expensive commercial kitchen equipment is buy purchasing products that conserve water, or have self cleaning features built in. Not only does this cut down on the water wasted cleaning your kitchen tools, but you don’t have to hire more workers to clean. You also want to check with each piece of equipment, to make sure you purchase products with the longest warranty possible. There are going to be times when machines break down, and having a good warranty can make the different between not having to pay a lot of money on repairs, or spending quite a bit.