Tips For Buying Restaurant Equipment

If you’re in the market for restaurant-grade equipment, then chances are you know prices don’t come cheap. Kitchen equipment may cost thousands of dollars and be a sizable, long term investment—remember that your purchasing decisions now will determine what equipment you still utilize in your restaurant many years to come. Here are 5 quick tips to better prepare for making the right purchasing decisions:

Research According to Your Needs: 

So you’ve found great kitchen equipment at what seems to be a good price.  You may be tempted to make a purchase right then and there, but first ask yourself—“Do I need it?” Think about the capacity limitations of your kitchen environment, as well as if the unit you are considering can perform various functions to better minimize future costs.

Stay Away From Residential-Grade Equipment:

There is a reason why health departments only want commercial grade equipment used in commercial kitchens—and that is because the equipment is simply made better. Compared to residential grade equipment, commercial-grade means higher quality, easier to clean, and lasting durability. If you have some wiggle room in your budget, give commercial-grade equipment a high budget priority.

Purchase New Equipment:

Resist the urge to lowball an offer for cheaper, used kitchen equipment. Used equipment components are already subject to wear and tear, and may end up costing more if faulty components require replacing. Additionally, purchasing new equipment comes with a warranty to guarantee a predictable time period of component support. There is nothing worse than spending a large amount of money on a defective item, so make sure your initial purchase is worth it.

Create A Budget That Makes Sense:

While it may be tempting to buy the most expensive, highest quality piece of equipment available, it also makes sense to stick to a realistic budget plan. Don’t overspend and regret not being able to buy the equipment necessities.

Check Warranty Information:

Make sure to understand what is covered in an included warranty. Knowing the details of a product’s warranty may be the tipping point that favors one brand of equipment over another. Be wary of manufacturers that offer cheap equipment, but have bad reputations when it comes to honoring the warranty. Do your research and make sure a manufacturer brand can be trusted before handing them the up-front cash

5 Pointers For Commercial Oven Range Maintenance & Cleaning

Commercial range equipment is one of the more widely used pieces of equipment in the kitchen, coming in many different models and configurations. Top configurations such as French tops or griddle tops need their own special care to properly maintain. Proper care and cleaning is a necessity to ensure that your oven equipment gets its full lifespan of usability.

Here are some pointers below to ensure that you are completing the full cleaning and maintenance procedure. Before you start remember to shut down all commercial equipment and let everything cool down to reduce any burn risks.

1. Clean spills immediately: Spills will occasionally happen, and it’s best to get them under control and wiped up when they occur. This also helps prevent any excess food or liquid from cooking on the range top, unless the gas range light has been smothered- in that case simply clean off the burners before relighting.

2. Clean inside the oven: Try and get inside the oven base to clean every 3 to 4 weeks. Use standard cleaning cloth with soap on a metal interior, and keep an oven cleaner on hand for the porcelain variety.

3. Monitor flame or electric heaters: Get into the habit of checking the individual burner heads to see if the flame appears as a steady blue color. A yellow or white color indicates that the shutter needs to be slightly opened to allow more air to reach the burner. A jumpy flame requires an adjustment to the flame shutter. If there is no flame at all then there is a possibility of a clogged port that needs cleaning.

4. Clean Top Configuration: Hot tops require a simply wipe with a cleaning cloth to remove excess food, with a layer of oil applied afterwards to prevent future rust. French tops should be monitored while cooking to remove excess food, and then wiped down with a wash cloth at the end of the cooking session. Griddle tops require a grill brick to scrape away excess food, as well as a degreasing session. Open gas burners should have their grates taken out and cleaned, while the ports should be cleaned with a wire brush. Remember that a clogged port will result in the flame not properly appearing, so make sure everything is checked before placing back in place.

5. Clean off the Scrape Tray: When cooking with certain tops, use a scraper or wash cloth to remove spills and excess food. Take care of spills as they occurs to ensure a clean cooking surface and to prevent earlier food flavor from getting in to the next batch. The last step of the day should be to wipe down the whole griddle after applying hot water.