Shane Gannaway on September 14, 2015 7 Comments There are a number of different reasons anyone could be in the market for commercial-grade refrigeration units. When opening a new restaurant, oversized freezers and refrigeration units will be required to keep large amounts of food and liquor at the proper storage temperature. If someone wants to turn their unused garage into a home bar, they might want some professional grade beverage and wine coolers. An expanding catering company purchasing space for a new kitchen will need some high-end refrigeration to store their various meats and other ingredients. Whatever the reason, in today’s online market it’s a snap to browse the large array of commercial refrigeration units and find the one that fits your specific needs. Not only are there a lot of different types of commercial refrigeration, the freezers and fridges out there come in a wide range of sizes. Refrigeration units always involve some sort of ventilation for their compressor. Depending on the unit, this ventilation could be located on the bottom or side of the unit. It can even be found on top of some units. No matter where you’d like a commercial unit installed, you’re sure to find one that accommodates your space and ventilation needs. Browse through the list below for an introduction into the cool, cool world of commercial refrigeration. 1. Keeping the Back Bar Stocked Commercial bar refrigeration units can be used in a variety of different scenarios. Most will have a pretty large capacity in order to store the various drinks, mixers, and supplies a standard bar needs. This makes them ideal in a commercial type setting, and a potential dream in a residential one. A lot of back bar refrigerators will be front ventilated with glass doors, making them ideal for behind-the-bar placement. A unit with glass doors allows the customer to view available wines and beers, and makes it easier for bar tenders and bar backs to navigate their stock. Wine bottle coolers are also popular commercial bar refrigerators. These are often top-loading beer coolers allowing you to store and easily access large numbers of bottles. Bar refrigeration doesn’t stop at consumables though. There are also a number of glass and plate chillers out there to ensure your dinner and glassware stay at an ideal serving temperature. 2. Keep Cool & Merchandise In order to store a large amount of bottles or cans in a non-bar commercial setting, a refrigerated merchandiser can be a great choice. Commercial merchandisers come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, all with individual features and capacities. A lot of merchandisers come with ventilation in the front, making them ideal for displaying beverages. Glass doors make it easy for customers to view what’s on sale, and for employees to easily manage their stock. The greatest thing about merchandisers is their ability to provide proper refrigeration while allowing for a great display. These commercial units excel in retail settings where goods might be perishable or have upcoming expiration dates. The large windows on the doors help grab customer attention, making it all the more likely they’ll make a purchase. 3. Refrigeration + Prep Table = Ultimate Station A typical kitchen needs prep tables and stations for various dishes being made and served. A commercial prep table that is also refrigerated is about as efficient as you can get. There are smaller versions on the market, which are meant more for sandwiches and salads and the like. But there also exist tables with a much bigger area for preparing larger meals that need more room and ingredients, such as pizza. In addition to the table space, these commercial units will also feature large refrigeration areas, usually including wire shelves. These refrigeration units may not always have front ventilation, but many of them come equipped with casters for easy maneuverability and space management. A great thing about these prep tables is their ability to still function as a commercial refrigeration unit, often times having a large temperature range. 4. Undercounter Refrigerators: The Mini Reach-in These units work like your traditional, commercial reach-in fridge, but are quite a bit smaller. While squat and square, they still provide you with intense, commercial-grade refrigeration power. Some under counter units even function as a freezer, and easily compliment larger fridges or merchandisers. A commercial kitchen would only benefit from a smaller undercounter fridge. Due to the size of a lot of undercounter refrigerators and freezers, the top of them can also double as a food prep table. These worktop undercounter models are like a combination of a refrigerated prep table and a classic, commercial reach-in fridge. Not only can you chill or freeze ingredients, but you also end up having easy access to a prep table, albeit of a smaller size than the sandwich or pizza table. 5. Reach-in: The Classic Commercial Unit Owning a home today without a refrigerator in the kitchen sounds unheard of…probably because for the most part it is. If you have a restaurant with a high-functioning, busy, commercial kitchen it’ll be unheard of for you to not outfit it with a large, reach-in fridge. Great for the back of the house, or just on the other side of the bar right out of the customers sight, these units have the capability to store a lot of various food and drink items in a segmented and shelved interior. These work like typical residential fridges, but have more power and a much larger capacity. These reach-in commercial models can come with a lot of options as well. You can find units that come with casters so they can be easily moved around a kitchen, or others that have glass doors like a merchandiser instead of typical steel. Some even have Dutch or double doors, allowing for even more storage space. Dual-zoned reach-in fridges exist as well, allowing half of the unit to be stored at a different temperature than the other half. Commercial Success Hopefully this list cleared up a few questions you may have had about commercial refrigeration and served as a jump-off point for deciding what particular units your bar or kitchen is calling for. This is also just a short sampling, and there are many other types of units available to you. You can find commercial refrigeration specifically designed for almost anything you can think of. From milk to flowers, it has never been easier to efficiently refrigerate any sundry item you need kept cool.
Maggie says January 22, 2016 at 12:54 pm Wow, I had no idea that there were so many different types of commercial refrigeration! It is really cool that there are prep tables that are refrigerated too, so that it is easier to grab whatever you need and prepare it in the same spot. I wish I had something like that in my house, especially since I make a salad every single day! Reply
Asrith says October 10, 2017 at 4:33 am Hai i have an idea a cooling compart ment and other side hot compartment a refrigerator make Reply
Andy Harrison says March 8, 2016 at 2:53 pm Since there are a few different types, I think that number two and five are the more common ones. You’d probably see those ones in food stores or gas stations. Regardless if you are getting one for home or for a business, do know that it is important that you get the right one. No sense in getting one too big and not using all the space, or too small and needing another one. Reply
Zequek Estrada says September 8, 2016 at 3:03 pm The list did clear up some questions I had about commercial refrigeration. I didn’t realize there was such a wide variety. Taking into consideration your needs first would make the selection easier. Reply
Shad Morris says December 7, 2016 at 10:18 am Thank you for showcasing all of these great commercial refrigeration systems. The one that really stood out to me was the under counter one, because they fit under the counter and are good with their refrigeration. It would be nice to have something small that you can easily access when needed. Reply
Bernard Clyde says February 24, 2017 at 10:03 am I appreciate you attaching certain uses to the different types of refrigerators out there. Sometimes I find myself wanting a certain mini fridge but not knowing what I would use it for to get the most out of it. A fridge and a prep table combination sound pretty fun to me! Reply
Jhon says November 21, 2018 at 5:21 am Thanks for sharing the article about types of commercial refrigeration. With the help of your article i have been able to choose a proper refrigeration and i have buyed an commercial refrigeration for my resturant from Refrigeration Solutions. Reply
