Reach-in chilling equipment comes in one-, two- or three-door/compartment configurations, as well as wide-body and narrow-body models.  Smaller, under counter reach-ins can provide convenient added storage space for products needed at a display-preparation or service point.  Reach-ins can be configured as combination refrigerator-freezers with separate temperature readouts.  Pass-through reach-ins allows access from both sides. Glass-fronted reach-ins allows easy identification of contents and is suitable for “grab ‘n go” and merchandising displays.

Top-end reach-in units are typically manufactured of aluminum and stainless steel in a variety of combinations with all-stainless construction representing units’ highest cost factor.  Less-expensive reach-ins may use aluminum to form their sides and interiors or utilize a plastic coating for interiors and door liners.  Reach-ins generally utilizes 2” to 3” of rigid or foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation to help maintain interior temperatures.  Reach-in refrigerators are manufactured to maintain an interior temperature of 40 degrees or below, while reach-in freezers should maintain an interior temperature around zero.  Glass-door display freezers hold temperatures as low as -15 to -20, and come with interior lighting, mirrored interior panels and exterior message displays.  Depending on size, reach-in units may require more than one compressor.  While a one-door unit typically requires a single ½ hp compressor, a two-door unit will need a ¾ hp compressor and a three-door unit requires a 1-hp compressor.  Four-door units rely on two ¾ hp compressors to ensure even cooling and temperature maintenance.  Remote compressors are available that save space and reduce energy loads.

Almost any reach-in can be fitted with either one full-door or two-half doors.  While they take up a bit of storage space, half-door configurations help maintain internal cabinet temperatures and reduce energy costs by allowing less cold air to escape when opened frequently.  Many operators look for sliding doors or doors with a 90 stay open feature and adjustable stops in tight spaces.  Sliding doors may be specified as a space-saving measure.  Reach-ins are typically equipped with four adjustable heavy-duty vinyl-coated wire shelves per door.

Tabletop accessories include bread boards or baskets; charger plates; cheese bowls or shakers; napkin rings and dispensers; oil/vinegar cruets; salt-and-pepper mills or shakers; ramekins; serving trays; sign holders; condiment squeeze bottles; thermal beverage servers; wine buckets and stands; creamer and sugar holders; votives or candlesticks; electric table lamps; and more.

Tabletop accessories are available in a variety of materials, from wicker and wood to glass and plastic or metals with mirror finishes in brass, copper, gold or silver tones.  Salt-and-pepper shakers, creamers, sugar bowls, sauce boats, coffee servers and vases are usually made of china, glass, or stoneware in the same textures, colors and patterns as dinnerware.

Eclectic shapes, such as “origami-inspired” plates with projecting corners, tilted-square wine buckets and spiral wire-bound condiment caddies; lend new visual interest to tabletops.  Brushed stainless steel, however, represents a growing trend.

Tabletop accessories keep dinning necessities at hand.  They also add decorative touches that help to differentiate operations from their competitors.

Providing dressings, sauces, and other seasonings in tabletop servers, gives diners a sense of participation in the preparation of meals. Many owners look to set themselves apart from their competition with the tabletop accessories.  It is one of the most important aspects of a restaurant because the table is the first thing a guest will see.

Spoilage can become a problem if the containers are not regularly emptied and thoroughly washed.

Early blenders were generally simple in style until about a decade ago, when the manufactures began to experiment with jar and blade designs.  Blenders are typically used to produce mixed drinks, such as smoothies and shakes. They are sometimes used in food preparation.  Blenders have a single blade assembly at the bottom of their mixing containers.  Portable immersion blenders have a removable blade affixed to their shafts, and end-users can use them with any food container.  

Food processors offer operators a quick and efficient method of cutting foods, usually produce items, by using interchangeable blades or discs to slice, shred, blend or grind products.  A “blixer” is a hybrid of a blender and a mixer, with the same design as a food processor, but such units run at speeds of up to 3,450 rpm, compared to a maximum speed of 425 to 1,725 rpm for regular food processors.  Typical applications include emulsifying or liquefying foods without aerating or foaming the product, leaving them suitable for making soups, sauces and purees.

Blenders have either one-, two-, or variable-speed configurations and motors ranging from ½ hp to 3 hp.  Food processors usually come with a basic set of slicing/cutting blades.  Many blenders now available come equipped with LCD controls and programmable settings to mix drinks.  Large-size drinks require large-size blender jars, while sauces prepared in the back of the house do best with smaller models.  Certain blender units, designed with coffee and smoothies shops in mind, have timers that allow staff to work with customers while drinks are mixed. 

Food Processor motors range from ½ hp to 1 hp because they run at lower speeds than blenders.  Blixers typically include see-through lids that allow for easy addition of ingredients. 

Slicers feature a rotating blade on a movable carriage in either a gravity-fed angled or spring-loaded upright configuration.  Angled models are designed to drop slices directly onto a receiving table, while upright slicers commonly use a lever arm to stack products in various patterns.  Manual versions require unit staff to move the carriage, while automatic models use a motor.  Vegetable cutters are built with a slower RPM and razor-sharp blades to retain the cell structure of the product, which extends shelf life and guarantees a superior end-product.  End-users can choose from a variety of discs to replicate virtually any hand-cutting style.

Since slicers help guarantee portion sizes; they are extremely useful in controlling food costs.  In addition, slicers present the dual benefit of cutting both faster and potentially more safely than knives.  Product temperature does affect the quality of the slice.  For this reason, end-users should take note of the product temperature range at which they get their best quality slices.  To reduce cross-contamination fears, some high-volume operations, such as delis, will look to employ two slicers, one for meats and another for cheeses.

End-users should reserve slicers only for deli meats and cheeses, as well as fruits and vegetables.  Both deli meats and cheese should be sliced cold, with unsliced portions returned quickly to refrigerated storage, as cross-contamination can occur at 40’F or warmer.  A slicer constructed out of aluminum can be more likely to collect scratches and pits in the casting that can collect pathogens.  Stainless steel works well and decreases the odds of contamination.  To best maintain food safety, a slicer blade and table should be thoroughly cleaned before switching to any foods that will be eaten raw.  Machines should also be cleaned and sanitized after each use.  The most efficient use of a slicer is to pre-portion foods in larger quantities, reducing the number of times a unit must be disassembled for cleaning.

Available in a number of sizes for countertops or as stand-alone equipment, ice machines produce different ice products including cubes of different sizes and configurations as well as flaked, crushed, or nugget ice.  Some machines sit on top of the soda dispensers and feed ice directly into their ice storage bins.  Typically used in self-serve situations, such unit eliminate the labor needed to fill bins manually while guaranteeing that customers have ice available to them during service periods.  Larger ice-production systems include specially designed dispensers that load ice directly into buckets and carts.  Nugget ice is an increasing popular option since more consumers say they prefer it, and it can provide bottom-line benefits because it is slower to melt than flaked varieties and also uses less water and electricity than cubed ice.

Operators can choose air, water or remote air-cooled condensing units.  Appropriate configuration greatly helps control energy costs.  Air-cooled condensers, requiring no additional water for cooling functions, operate best in environments where ambient air temperatures do not exceed 80’F.  In Hotter environments, operators may install remote air-cooled condensers on a roof, simplifying cleaning, and maintenance requirements and reducing demands on air-conditioning systems.  When rooftop units are not an option and temperatures exceed 80’F, operators can employ self-contained water-cooled condensers.  However, these require separate plumbing connections and can cost more to operate in water and drainage fees.

Most ice makers can be serviced from the front for easier maintenance and some have “stay-open” doors or bin lids that slide out of the way for easy access to their contents.  Seamless design in bins ensures ease of product removal and cleaning.  Many bins include ice scoop holders, a centrally located ice “drop zone” to fill bins efficiently, and the thermostats or infrared sensors to indicate storage conditions.

 Pour-over, automatic and satellite brewers are designed to yield traditional “American-Style” coffee.  These brewers drip heated water over coffee grounds in a filter.  Pour-over models require manual filling of water reservoirs, while automatic urns and satellite brewers connect to a water line.  One type of urn holds heated water in a separate chamber until the brew button is pushed, while another uses a heat exchanger.  Some coffeemakers have heated plates below glass or metal decanters, while others dispense brewed coffee into insulated thermal or airports to keep the beverage warm.  Freestanding, insulated urns hold up to 5 gals of coffee and free up coffeemakers to make additional product while allowing service elsewhere.  Some coffee urns have heating systems that measure the temperature of the coffee and increase heat as needed.  Manual brewers, such as French presses, are intended for tableside use.  Espresso-makers use a pressurized water spray to extract brewed beverages quickly.  These machines can also include separate generators that direct steam through a wand into a separate container of milk to make cappuccino.

End-users can program higher-end espresso-makers to brew several different types of coffee automatically.  Similarly, operators can order systems that utilize RFID chips embedded in coffee production equipment that networks the components (from grinder to brewer, for example) to brew the drink.  Some manufactures offer decanter “timer” attachments that allow staff to show the time a pot of coffee was brewed. 

Restaurant or café ranges handle light-duty applications.  Heavy-duty ranges have similar features but are constructed of sturdier materials that allow them to stand up to higher volumes and heavier pots and pans.  Operators can have heavy-duty models configured and customized as island suites.  A variety of specialty ranges-tabletop, stockpot, Chinese, taco-are custom models created for specific applications.

Ranges are available with up to two ovens underneath.  The size of the oven(s) is usually based on that of baking sheets (18” X 26”).  One manufacturer offers a line for smaller operations that is just 12” wide.  Manufacturers construct heavy-duty models in sections, which leads many professionals to refer to them as sectional or modular ranges.  They also come with up to six burners, while restaurant models can have up to 10 to 12.  Some models are available with individual, lift-off, polished-steel top grates and variable-size, multi-point gas connections.  Others offer a stainless-steel front, sides and stub back.  Numerous options and designs make ranges flexible enough to offer features like a variety  of cook-tops, overhead salamander broilers, and fryer units.  The four most common varieties of ranges are open-burner, hot tops, griddle tops and graduated hot tops.  Griddle tops, range in size from 11” up to 72” wide.  A fifth type of top, a French hot plate, comes mostly with electric ranges. 

In some units, components are removable for easy cleaning, the burner box can be insulated for maximum efficiency and heavy duty baffles specified to help ensure an even heat flow.  Many models are available with open-top or step-up burners, a full-width or graduated hot top, and/or a full-width griddle or charbroiler.  Other options include a variety of sizes of shelving such as a stainless-steel tubular high shelf or double-high shelf, a salamander-broiler or cheesemelter.  A rearward-extending flue riser is also available to increase the overall depth of a range to match an existing deep cooking battery.  One range line features ceramic fire bricks under the griddles and hot tops that retain heat for faster recovery, better energy savings and increased productivity.  At least one range line features two-piece porcelain-coated lift-off burner heads that clean up easily and help maintain cooking efficiency.

A range top is almost always the most used piece of equipment in any kitchen.  With it, cooks, boil, simmer, deep-fry, sauté, braise and hot-hold foods.

These items support pizza making and serving, and include dough boxes, rolling pins, dockers, pans, perforated disks or screens, racks, cutters, and knives.

Dough boxes are most often made of rigid polycarbonate with radius corners and rounded edges.  Dough dockers have a 1 ¾”-diameter plastic barrel “I” in-which stainless-steel pins for even heat conductivity are embedded.  All-plastic dockers also are available.  Bubble poppers can be all-aluminum poles with one curved end and one pointed end or a stainless-steel rod on a wooden handle.  Rolling pins frequently have a polished aluminum barrel, wood handles and an interior plated steel rod with stainless-steel threaded acorn nuts on the ends.

Deep-dish pans, made of 14-to 18-gauge aluminum or black, have either straight sides for stacking or are somewhat angled and can be nested, depending on the final pizza shape desired.  Aluminum separator plates allow operators to stack deep-dish pizzas for proofing.  Pizza operators that bake in conveyor ovens can choose between solid 14-to 18-gauge aluminum pizza trays or perforated pizza dishes on which to place their sheeted dough.  Generally, operators should use pizza pans to display and serve pizza, while pizza screens, which can withstand higher temperatures, are optimal for cooking the product.  Pizza screens are round discs with a wire mesh that allows heat to rise and cook the pizza evenly through the screen.

To aid in safe removal of hot pans, 8” tempered-steel pan grippers can be used to grasp shallow pans.  For pizzas baked directly on oven hearths, peels made of wood or aluminum are used.  Pizza wheel blades are made of either stainless of high-carbon steel, with wood, polypropylene or one-piece molded aluminum handles.  Some models allow round blades to be replaced.  A rocker-type knife has a high-carbon or stainless-steel blade with a rounded edge; sealed polypropylene handles help to ensure safe handling; or operators can choose a “T-handle” rocker knife made from a single piece of stainless steel on which the top edge folds to form a gripping surface.

Pizza supplies keep prep and portioning processes organized and, with the addition of a makeup table, ensure staff to make and bake pizzas quickly to order in a variety of sizes.

Since many different types of items perform the same task in the preparation and production of pizza, operators should tailor their pizza equipment and pizza supply selections to the style and volume of their business.

Many items are dish-washer safe, but pizza pans and screens should be hand-washed and scrubbed in hot water.

Walk-in refrigerators and freezers may be pre-engineered (or prefabricated) in standard or customized sizes or built into kitchens.  They may be located inside or outside a facility, built with or without floors, and may contain in-place or remote condensers.

Most walk-in boxes, given their cold holding storage functions, are made using prefabricated panels with urethane insulation sandwiched between aluminum, stainless steel, and other “skin” materials such as high density urethane or fiberglass.  Manufacturer’s rate panel insulation with an “R-value” and most major manufacturers’ panels are rated around R-30, which requires about 4” of insulation.  Panels are also available with 5” or 6” of insulation with higher R-values.  Panels are mass-produced in standard sizes, normally 1’, 2’, and 4’ in width, and heights of 7 ½, 8 ½ and 9 ½...

Quality door designs are vital to the effective use of walk-ins, as doors receive the manumum stress during use.  Rigid, reinforced doorframes and heavy-duty hinges provide maximum durability.  Swing-out doors in widths of 24” to 34” are available and may be left- or right-hinged.  Sliding doors are also available for walk-ins.  Deadbolt locking handles are standard on many models.  Inside door releases are a standard safety feature that operators can specify as a push-bar for hands-free operation.

Walk-ins are available with self-contained refrigeration systems, in which the evaporator coil and compressor/condenser are mounted together on a frame, interconnected with pre-charged refrigeration lines and mounted on a ceiling or sidewall.

An air-circulation system that allows a walk-in to draw in cold outside air when the exterior temperature is colder than the interior box temperature is available to supplement a unit’s compressor.  Another option is a pressure relief valve designed to eliminate the slight vacuum created when warmer air enters a walk-in and expands when the door is closed, which can make it difficult for staff to open a unit.

Walk-in refrigerators and freezers are primarily used to chill or freeze and safely hold large quantities of both raw and cooked products to support daily production activities and preserve an inventory.

Air curtains keep two environments seperate by preventing the intrusion of flying insects, dust, and other airborne contaminants and by keeping inside conditioned or heated air untainted by outside air

Air doors create an invisible air seal generated by high-efficiency, direct-driven centrifugal fans that compress air inside the unit and release it through a directional nozzle outlet with a pressure designed to be powerful enough to stop winds up to 25 mph.  An air curtain, used for repelling flying insects, requires a higher velocity of air than one designed for environmental preservation.

Air curtains are available with adjustable air velocities and operators can purchase them unheated or equipped with electric, steam, or hot-water heating units.  Industrial models are available with gas-fired heating options. 

Air curtains repel houseflies and other pests, helping to eliminate potential exposure to diseases.  The FDA specifically recommends the use of air curtains for the exclusion of insects.  Several states have additionally enacted legislation regarding the mandatory installation of air curtains at specified openings in food production facilities.