The Restaurants Guide To Buying Commercial Refrigeration


When you shop for commercial refrigeration for your business, there are many quality products to select from; Beverage Air, Turbo Air, True, Victory, Atosa, Delfield and Continental are some to consider.

Here are some tips on selecting more than just a brand; usage, space, budget, and maintenance are vital for your refrigeration unit and the life of your pocketbook. Here is what you need to get your ducks in a row before adding new restaurant refrigeration to your convenience store or restaurant.

The Right Commercial Refrigerator For You

Depending on what area of the foodservice industry you are in, refrigeration systems can be the most important cornerstone appliances you own.

  • The Size Of Your Commercial Refrigerator – How large is the space you have available for the unit? Have you considered the surrounding area and how the unit will impact other workspaces and appliances in the kitchen?
  • Brands You Can Trust – Look for stamps of approval from organizations like ENERGY STAR®, for example, and other quality marks for the brands. Check out trusted brands here.
  • Functionality Of The Machine – Review the product details of the refrigeration unit. Consider your needs around shelf space, storage capacity and organization.
  • Kitchen Process – Evaluate your menu items, kitchen workflow and space considerations. There are many different types of refrigeration solutions to fit your needs.

Types Of Commercial Refrigeration Units Or Commercial Freezers You Need

  • Undercounter Refrigerators – Limited on space? A terrific way to have cold refrigeration in a small area is an undercounter unit. Consider whether you need it for a prep area or for self-service.
  • Solid Door Reach-In – If you need to store large quantities of food, a reach-in commercial refrigerator is an excellent choice. They work well for bakeries, cafeterias, and convenience stores. Most manufacturers offer from one to three compartments, making the reach aspect in commercial refrigeration equipment ideal for larger spaces.
  • Glass Door Merchandisers – When your business needs to display food products to customers, a sliding glass or open front display is typically used. Consider where the unit will be located and thus consider how best to display your merchandise to entice your customers for impulse buys.
  • Bar Refrigerators – Present your beer and wine collections with a glass door display bar cooler right behind the bar.
  • Prep Refrigerators – For pizza and sandwich shops alike, consider a prep fridge with individual compartments for easy access to toppings on the top, and refrigerated storage space on the bottom.
  • Merchandising Refrigerators – Need to display cold beverages or to-go meals? Consider a merchandising refrigerator for your supermarket, convenience store, or even restaurant!
  • Milk Coolers – These commercial units are built with chilled compartments for milk dispensing. Add one to your institution today.
  • Blast Chillers – Blast chillers cool food quickly and efficiently, keeping temperatures in a safe zone to avoid any bacteria growth.

Refrigerator Door Types

Would you prefer a glass door instead of a solid door? Like a convenience store when displaying items for their customers to see, consider whether you have any items in your restaurant necessary for your customers to see around the entrance or check out areas. Also consider energy usage and insulation. Solid doors are known to have more insulation than glass.

  • Swing Doors – These are the most common door type and are great for refrigerators that are used for storage with their door locking features.
  • Pass Thru Doors – These door types are great for large kitchen spaces and are typically used for plating and holding cold ready to serve foods.
  • Half Doors – These doors are split in half which provides energy savings, keeping more cold air in than out.

Commercial Refrigeration Installation Tip

  • Commercial refrigeration equipment will need specific installation. The area that will house your new commercial refrigerator needs to be well-kept and ventilated. You won’t want to spend your time calling in for service over inefficiency of the unit. Consider how the unit will fit through any doorways; a quick measurement before you order will save time and hassle. And remember – The Kitchen Spot offers connections to local restaurant design and build experts to help you with the hassle.

Commercial Refrigerator Regular Maintenance

Maintenance will be a part of care taking of any commercial refrigeration system. Although the more energy efficient units are more expensive, it is best to think long term in how energy efficiency will pay down the road. Lower electricity costs, maintenance and labor costs associated with an untimely replacement or repair can be avoided.

Refrigeration Maintenance Tips

  • Consistently check your refrigeration gaskets for air leaks. Keeping gaskets new will keep your machine healthy, and your energy bill low.
  • Consider a unit with a self-cleaning condenser. Condensers typically build dust, which can cause major issues within your unit.
  • Ensure your unit it equipped with a digital thermostat. These tools are more accurate, and will help you stay on track of your machines temperature adjustments.

Popular Commercial Refrigeration Models

  1. Atosa MBF8005 Top Mount Two Door Refrigerator – Side by side doors, stainless steel interior and exterior refrigerator. Made with Dixell temperature controller and comes with six shelves.
  2. True T-49DT Two Section Commercial Refrigerator – Dual temperature freezer/refrigerator with double solid swing door. Easily accessible condenser coil for cleaning.
  3. Delfield UC4048P 48” Undercounter Refrigerator – Self-contained undercounter refrigerator. Doors have a 22-gauge stainless steel exterior.
  4. Beverage-Air UCR48A Two Door Undercounter Refrigerator – Stainless steel frame undercounter unit. Comes with two solid doors and four shelves.
  5. Turbo Air M3R47-2 52” Reach-In Refrigerator – This model comes with a self-cleaning condenser system, which automatically cleans two to three times per day with a rotating brush.
  6. Victory HRS-2D-S1-EW Dual Temp Refrigerated/Heated Cabinet – Dual temp reach in unit. Comes with two self-contained sections. The compressor is top located with energy efficient dual speed fan motors.
  7. Continental CPA68 68” Pizza Prep Table – Pizza prep fridge comes with two full doors and an additional half door. Storage can hold a variety of pizza ingredients, and it comes with an insulated lid and temperature monitor.