How to choose a commercial freezer

Commercial freezers are the basis for any professional kitchen or catering service. Businesses hold valuable stock which requires freezing, making it imperative to store this food at an optimum temperature. 

Alongside this, commercial kitchens must ensure their freezer fits well in the allocated space. Buying a commercial freezer is an investment, with many business owners struggling to decide how to choose a freezer that works for them. 

Although the aim of this purchase is to keep stock frozen for extended lengths of time, it is also important for firms to find a freezer with the exact features they require. Thinking about the required capacity, size, appearance and worktop are all factors to keep in mind. Making this job easier with our freezer buying guide, we have broken down the major types and their features to consider when wondering how to choose a commercial freezer.

Upright Freezer Buying Guide

For kitchens requiring a convenient upright freezer to store items on shelves, a large commercial freezer is ideal. With our upright freezer buying guide, we can confirm large commercial freezers are a fantastic use of space, reaching height which would otherwise be unused in a commercial kitchen. They can be placed at the convenience of staff and with a variety of sizes to choose from, businesses can select the optimum freezer for their space. These solid door freezers are best suited to commercial firms with a large amount of food to store. For those with only a small proportion of food to freeze, a large commercial freezer may be unsuitable for the unused floor space and running costs it will waste.

Under Counter and Counter Top Freezer Buying Guide

Designed to maximise kitchen space, under the counter and countertop freezers are convenient for smaller commercial kitchens. Their versatility means business owners do not need to worry about running out of room in their kitchen since countertop freezers can simply be placed on existing appliances. Under counter freezers reverse this, slipping underneath any counter space which staff use rather than taking up added floor space. 

Catering and Chest Freezer Buying Guide

Similar to under counter freezers, catering and chest freezers are designed beneath-counter level. Catering and chest freezers differentiate themselves, however, for their popularity for doubling up as counter space for food prep and cooking. Gastronorm catering freezers are sturdy and larger than most home freezers, meaning their worktops are perfect for commercial kitchen space. 

A chest freezer buying guide; bear in mind that chest freezers come in more varieties of form, with both consumer-facing chest freezers and kitchen based models available. With chest doors opening from the top, chest freezers trap cold air making it harder to escape, ideal for keeping food frozen. For ease of access, however, chest freezers do make it harder to quickly access food which is stored underneath other containers and stock. 

Display Freezer Buying Guide

For consumer-facing freezers, we recommend purchasing a commercial display freezer. Display freezers can aid directly with maximising sales of frozen food, allowing customers to select their own product from the freezer. For large amounts of stock and floor space, we recommend purchasing a jumbo freezer.

This product allows consumers to browse items at their leisure, with a low-level position meaning equal opportunity is given to each brand. Alternatively, for high visibility of frozen products like ice cream, frozen meals or treats, we recommend a glass door freezer. With an upright position and small footprint, this freezer maximises space whilst drawing in customers with a clear view of key products.

Chat about your needs with your supplier

While we’ve outlined the key benefits of each type of commercial freezer above, it’s still important to discuss your unique needs with your supplier. A large freezer, for example, may not be needed for low usage items, so it might be better to select a smaller freezer with an expert. Equally, choosing a smaller, less expensive freezer for high usage items might mean the freezer wears out more quickly. At Fridgesmart, we’re always available over the phone or by e-chat.

So, we have summarised the pros and cons of each type of commercial freezer for you to choose from. To find out more about storage freezers or display freezers available to you, check out the products Fridgesmart has available.