Commercial Benchtop Appliances

Space is everything when you have a smaller kitchen and choosing the right kind of Commercial Benchtop Appliances equipment is key. Appliances like benchtop deep fryers and griddles are often great choices as they enable you to expand your menu owing to the fact they can be used to make a wide variety of food items. They’re also quick to cook your food, are ideal for fast food options ranging from things like chips, wings, burgers and breakfast menu items on time and with great results, all while taking up a minimal amount of space. Depending on your menu and how you like to cook, you might also want to consider something like an induction cooktop. They come with precise heat control, quick response and can be used for a range of tasks from sautéing to simmering.

The best choice for you comes down to a few factors. This includes what your menu looks like, how much speed is a factor, and what your workflow looks like. Gas units often deliver a faster heat up time than electric, and are ideal when you want a wok burner for example. Electric is often better when it comes to precise temperature control, with even heat distribution and is generally better where consistency is a key focus for you. Both have their benefits. If you’re unsure which one to choose for the specific menu you have and conditions you’re in, the team at REO are happy to help and you can contact us for a recommendation anytime.

When you’re looking at the footprint of your kitchen, you’ll need to account for the kind of Commercial Benchtop Appliances you want but also where you can place it and whether you need additional power installation. Generally, single-phase is the most common source you’ll find in smaller venues and is compatible with a lot of benchtop electric units. However, when you start getting into larger or higher capacity cooking equipment, you’ll likely be in need of three-phase power to handle greater loads. If you don’t have adequate power, things can get overloaded or your circuits can get tripped.

When it comes to gas-powered Commercial Benchtop Appliances, you’ll want to ensure a secure connection, which will require installation by a gas fitter for proper performance and safety. If you need help with installation, we can help you find an appliance installer nearby to come and take care of things for you.

Choosing the right size comes down to your menu and how much volume you need to get through. We recommend considering your current maximum production requirement and working backwards to calculate what kind of speed and volume you need to get through when you’re buying a deep fryer or griddle. Depending on your preferences, having two fryers may be beneficial - one for things like fried chicken and one for chips, for example, so you have access to multiple appliances for different menu items. Or, go for a larger model for bulk preparation if you’re prepping food in bulk to put in a hot food display. If you’re unsure, you can check the capacity on the product pages, or contact us and we can offer you a personal recommendation.

Speed and consistency are always going to be important in any commercial kitchen both for food safety and customer satisfaction. Look for features like digital thermostats that let you know the temperature variance before you reload your fryer or griddle to ensure you’re prepping everything properly to avoid soggy fried food or excessive oil saturation. When it comes to plate thickness on things like griddles, certain materials can be beneficial but you should primarily look for thicker plate construction as it’ll improve heat retention and give you even heat distribution. This ensures good results, a faster turnaround between batches, and makes it easier to deliver the service you want to your customers.

Maintenance and regular cleaning is always important in terms of food health and safety, but can improve efficiency as well. Checking the oil in your deep fryer is key, removing any debris, filtering it between batches or shifts where possible, and doing a proper boil-out of the deep fryer when you’re in between oil batches for the best flavour and food consistency. Look for appliances with parts that can go in the dishwasher, so even if you do need to clean anything during a busy shift, you can get them sanitised and back into the rotation more quickly.

All the appliances here at REO will come with manufacturer guidelines regarding cleaning and ongoing maintenance. We recommend consulting them to find the best practices and periodically book in for servicing if you notice any changes in output or quality.

Benchtop cooking appliances are ideal in a number of situations. One is when space is at a premium and you can’t feasibly install a larger griddle, deep fryer, or oven. Another factor to account for is frequency of use. If you only need something periodically for a specific menu item, it makes more sense to have a more portable option that can be stored between uses to free up food prep space. Even in larger kitchens, benchtop units can serve as supplementary stations to support peak periods or specialised menu lines.

Safety is paramount when it comes to cooking and that spans everything from installation and appliance use to maintenance and proper ventilation. Getting anything with gas or a complex electrical power supply installed by a professional is important. Keeping enough space around each appliance is also important, along with placing your Commercial Benchtop Appliances equipment in a logical place in the kitchen to avoid slips or spills when the production line is operating at full speed during rush hour. You’ll also need ventilation for staff comfort, safety, and compliance, so ensure you have an exhaust canopy over appliances. The regulations can vary depending on what kind of appliance you have, so you contact our team for support or check the local regulations to make sure you’re setting up your kitchen safely.