6 Things to Consider While Buying Commercial Induction Range
One of the most important aspects of your commercial restaurant is not the decorations or the type of material your tables are made out of, it is your kitchen, specifically the range you use to cook your customer’s food. If your customers are not happy with their food, then they will not return or recommend your restaurant to their friends. Knowing where to begin and what to consider when purchasing a range can become overwhelming. Here are six aspects to consider when buying an induction range.
1. Style
Even though you have narrowed your purchase from a cooktop to a range, there are still styles you need to consider. The three main styles are:
- Drop-in: For areas where there is a designated space or dimensions for the induction range.
- Built-in: these are units that are built into your kitchen area.
- Countertop: This is when the range is placed on top of the counter. This style of the range is especially nice if you need something with more mobility.
2. Type of Controls: Buttons or Knobs
The type of controls you choose for your commercial range is mostly out of preference. There are two types, knobs and buttons. One benefit to having knobs is that they are faster and easier to use than buttons. In contrast, buttons offer a cleaner look and provide a smoother area for cleaning. Either way is right whether you want your employees to save time changing temperatures while cooking or maintaining the restaurant through faster cleaning.
3. Number and Size of Heat Zones
This can be the most important factor when choosing an induction range. For your restaurant, you want to make sure your employees have enough burners and/or heat zones to cook the required food. That way, you can get the meals out to your clients as quickly as possible. There are four sizes of induction ranges you can purchase, the smallest being one burner while the largest is four.
4. Lifetime Hours
Similar to heat zone sizes, you should consider the lifetime hours of a given range when purchasing a range. You should always ask what the lifetime hours are of each range you look at because if you don’t, you may end up spending money on a new range sooner than you would have liked. Commercial ranges last longer than your average residential range. Manufactures make their commercial products to last for about 10,000 to 30,000 hours.
5. Power
The power of an induction range will determine how quickly the heat zones reach their desired temperature. The power ranges from 2kW to 5kW, depending on the quality of the range. If you have a very busy restaurant, you may consider purchasing a range with more power.
6. Temperature Control
If you have narrowed down your choice to an induction range, you likely know that the way this technology works is through pulsing on and off to maintain the temperature. This feature can become especially annoying to some restaurant employees. If you want to forgo those problems, consider purchasing a higher-end induction range where the temperature sensors are more sensitive. You should always inquire about the pulsing technology used for the ranges you research.
In conclusion, there are many factors to consider when purchasing a commercial induction range for your restaurant. Some basic information to research with the specific ranges you are considering are the style, controls, number and size of heat zones, lifetime hours, power of the heat zones and the temperature control technology. Knowing these aspects of the induction ranges will help you narrow down what one is a perfect fit for your business. Be sure to Contact Texas Restaurant Supply today to find the best supply of induction ranges.