Unless you live in the North Pole, you likely have a refrigerator (or two) that you rely on a lot. This is certainly one of the great inventions that man has come up with and it has served many homes, helping them preserve perishable foods for very long time.
Our focus today is however not the refrigerator you have in your home, which is called a residential refrigerator. In this article, we want to focus on commercial refrigerators.
What is a Commercial Refrigerator?
A commercial refrigerator and freezer is simply a type of refrigerating machine used for business purposes. They are specifically designed to withstand the rigors of a business environment and to provide continuous cooling or freezing even in extreme temperatures and with constant opening of its door or lids.
This article here lists some legal definitions of this class of refrigerators.
Features of a Commercial Refrigerator
There are a number of features that will differentiate a commercial refrigerator from other types. Let’s look at a few of these.
Operating Temperature – According to the link above, it has to be able to operate at or above 32 °F.
Auto Defrosting – Because the fridge will constantly be in use, there will likely not be a really convenient time to switch it off to defrost. To this end, a common standard feature now is to have the fridge defrost automatically from time to time.
Self-Closing Doors – Not every customer in a commercial setting will have the presence of mind to ensure the doors are properly closed after them. This feature simply helps ensure the doors are properly shut.
Advanced Insulation – Because of the immense demands from these machines, it is important that they are able to maintain their temperature as much as possible. Aside from the cooling components, the insulating component is also very important as this is what keeps heat away from the compartments and by the same action, keeps the cold in. One of the common insulation materials used is polyurethane foam.
These are just a few of the important features you can expect to find.
Buying Guide
While picking out a commercial refrigerator, you need to know exactly what you are looking out for. There is a very wide selection of these fridges to be chosen from. If you do not know exactly what you want, you will likely get confused and possibly pick one that will not serve you perfectly. You should also pay attention to maintenance costs by looking at appliance & refrigerator repair Toronto.
If you’re technically oriented and will want some in-depth explanation of the different specs, you can read this article here: https://www.fridgesolutions.com/terms-considerations.html.
For those who want the simple version, you will need to consider some of the following factors to help you choose right.
Type
There are many types you can choose from. Your choice will largely be determined by your need. A few types of commercial refrigerators you may encounter include: Reach-in, merchandiser, undercounter, worktops, walk-ins, bar-types, display types and others. Each will be ideal for different industrial or business uses.
Size
When considering size, you need to first take into consideration the size of the door through which you will be taking it in. You will of course not choose one that cannot fit through your door or any other opening.
Secondly, you will also want to consider the space you want to move it into. These two are your two most important consideration points when choosing size.
Door Type
The type of door that is best for your business should also be considered. There are swing doors or sliding doors. In cases like the pass-thru, reach in variation, there are two doors – one in front and one behind.
A swing door will work well where you have enough space. A sliding door is usually used for display fridges and will be great for places with little space. The pass-thru type is usually used between cooking and serving areas. When the chefs prepare their desert, they can place then in the pass-thru fridge. The waiters can then open it from their side when they are ready to serve the guests.
There’s also the issue of the material used. You can either have glass or steel. Glass allows your customers see your product but does not provide as much insulation as steel.
Location of Compressor
Compressors in commercial refrigerators can be located below or above. Those mounted above are great for cool environments as they can pull in warm air from above. They are also not prone to getting clogged. The disadvantage with this type is that cleaning them can be a little bit more difficult and the lower storage shelves will also be more difficult to reach.
For the bottom mounted types, they are best suited for hot environments so they can pull in cool air from below. They however are more exposed to dust so they can get clogged more easily.
Energy Efficiency
Commercial refrigerators used to be notorious for consuming energy. Thankfully, this is no longer so. You however need to ensure that you check or ask to be sure that the one you choose will be very energy efficient as this will save you cost.
By considering some of these factors listed above, you will be in a better position to choose right.
