We all know commercial fridges when we see them. Compared to their residential equivalents, they’re often vast, and fit to serve entire city populations. However, as any catering or retail enterprise knows from experience, they come in many shapes and sizes.
If you’re feeling a little confused about the sheer range of refrigerators out there, then this post is here to help. Whether you need a catering fridge, a retail fridge, or something in between, we list it below.
Walk-In Refrigerators
Walk-in refrigerators are popular among commercial establishments that need to keep a large quantity of fresh food to hand at any given time. However, firms should carefully consider whether they actually need one. That’s because they take up a lot of space.
Most are essentially rooms that you annex to kitchens or other preparation areas. Typically, they have double doors for easy entry and exit. They also rely on powerful refrigerants and radiator units to keep temperatures lower than ambient, even in high-use scenarios.
Reach-In Retail Fridge
Reach-in refrigerators are a “back of house” retail fridge solution. With these, customers and colleagues can easily see the food inside via glass panels.
Most of these refrigerators are tall and vertical, with horizontal shelving displaying products. Many are adaptable as display fridges and have auto-close doors.
Refrigerated Prep Tables
Refrigerated prep tables feature easy-to-access food pans at the top and then refrigerated cabinets underneath. These help keep food conveniently stored and cool before serving.
This type of fridge is ideal for any quick food service application including pizza shops, sandwich outlets, and even juice bars.
Under-The-Counter Catering Fridge
Not all food service outlets and stores have the luxury of dedicating space to new fridge units. Many need solutions that fit into their existing setups.
Under-the-counter refrigerators are one such solution. These fit underneath the counter, as the name suggests, allowing service staff to quickly access convenience items, such as chilled beverages. Under-the-counter fridges are particularly popular in clubs and bars where service space is limited.
Over-The-Counter Refrigerators
At the same time, some enterprises, such as delis and pastry shops need refrigerators that let them display food items. Over-the-counter fridges showcase goods ready for purchase. Most have a server-side door, allowing waitstaff to access food items and then serve them to customers. However, in some buffet-style setups, the door may be on the customer-facing side.
Draught Beer Systems
Beer systems are a special type of refrigerator that helps to keep draught beer cool before dispensing to customers. The goal of such systems is to enable bars and restaurants to pour the perfect pint every time.
Horizontal Case Refrigerators
Horizontal case refrigerators are usually low-level, freestanding refrigerators that display items in a way that lets shoppers access them easily. Replenishment staff then refill them periodically when they get low. Some vendors refer to them as display cases because most units are customer-facing.
Once you understand the full range of commercial refrigerators out there, you’re better able to serve your customers. Picking the right unit for the job is essential, so let our reliable team serve as consultants.