Tips For Buying Restaurant Equipment (Part 2)

The motto, “you get what you pay for,” truly applies when talking about restaurant equipment. As a purchaser, you may be tempted to take the cheapest option available, without giving much thought to equipment specifications, or how equipment fuel efficiency affects a daily budget.

Continuing from our previous post on buying new restaurant equipment, here are 5 new tips to keep in mind while making a purchasing decision.

Consider Quality Over Cost

Are you expanding your commercial equipment arsenal, or replacing an older unit? What if your next piece of equipment lasted longer, and required less upkeep than what you had before? Both questions lead to an important point—choose quality equipment when cost allows for it. Do some preliminary research on equipment manufacturers, and if materials, technology, and reputation factor in to a good purchase. In some cases, purchasing equipment with extra features or systems cuts out the need for an entirely separate unit!

Pay Attention to Utility Specifications

When reading up on equipment features online or at the store, don’t forget to run through the utility specifications. These include all hookups for water, gas, and electric. It may help to jot down some notes of what you have available in your kitchen setup before you begin your search for new equipment. There is nothing worse than buying electric powered equipment, only to remember your setup runs on gas!

Make Sure You Have Space

Another great step to take before making any purchases is to measure your kitchen. Remember, if your newly purchased fryer doesn’t fit through your kitchen door, it won’t be of much use! Take the time to compare product dimensions with your own kitchen setup, and create a mock diagram of where new equipment will go.

Go Green

Certain manufacturers may offer “green” functionality as a selling point. Equipment efficiency is another important factor to keep in mind when considering two similar options. Remember that “green” is just a word, and on few occasions may even signify less efficient specifications than equipment not advertised as green. At the end of the day, it is up to you to carefully consider your options and select equipment based on the facts, and not hype. Fuel-efficient equipment has the potential to save a restaurant over $10,000 a year compared to less optimized options.

Don’t Immediately Sign For New Equipment

While it may be exciting to make such a big purchase, don’t jump the gun and sign without inspecting the equipment in question first. After delivery, the first thing you should so is check for any nicks, dents, or indication of mishandling. Should anything be damaged, do not sign for the package. If you do, it will become more difficult to claim the damage was due to faulty delivery practices.

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

Tips For Cleaning Stainless Steel Restaurant Equipment

Stainless steel is often times the preferred material for restaurant appliances and equipment due to its durable nature. Stainless steel is also much easier to clean, which makes it the perfect material operating an efficient commercial kitchen. Certain grades of stainless steel also have the ability to resist bacteria.  Stainless steel is an investment for any restaurant, and it’s important that it gets taken care of and maintained properly. If stainless steel isn’t cleaned properly it will corrode just like any other metal material.

Stainless steel is coated with a layer of chromium, which reacts with air to make the hard surface that is able to resist stains and corrosion. Frequent cleaning of stainless steel is necessary because anything that can damage or interfere with the air/chromium reaction (ex: dirt, oil) will then cause the material to stain, rust, or corrode. Luckily, chromium can never wear away on stainless steel, so there is no such thing as cleaning it too much. Frequent cleaning is necessary to prevent this. Follow these tips to ensure your stainless steel stays in top shape!

Wipe with the finish: It’s common for some stainless steel applications to have a brushed finish or grain. When cleaning these surfaces, it’s important to go with the grain, as scrubbing against it can damage the finish.

Clean spills immediately: Any spilled food or liquid should be wiped from the stainless steel surface immediately, especially acidic foods. If spills are left too long, the chromium layer can be damaged. Cleaning upon spilling also makes it easier to clean later on, as the food will not dry or bake onto the surface.

Rinse After Cleaning: If left for a long period of time, residual soap or detergent can damage the stainless steel surface. It’s important to rinse your stainless steel restaurant equipment with clean water using a damp cloth after cleaning.

Dry Quickly: Water spots left behind from hard water are another element that can do damage to a stainless steel finish, it’s important to dry your surface immediately after cleaning to ensure water spots do not form.

Buying stainless steel restaurant equipment is definitely an investment, but can be very worth it in the long run. Be sure to take care of your investment by maintaining all of your stainless steel surfaces on a consistent basis. Also, be sure to never use chlorine products, steel wool, or abrasive sponges when doing your cleaning.