Managing costs is critical for any business, and reducing unnecessary expenditures is a key component of that effort. In restaurants, a lot of small, behind the scenes components may be left to the wayside, deemed unnecessary for efficient operation. 

Water filtration systems are one such consideration, a minor factor that contributes in ways many employees and even restaurant patrons may not even notice. However, these systems are vitally important to the health of a commercial kitchen.

Restaurant Water Filtration Systems Explained

Restaurants maintain a vast array of appliances that depend on water for their production, including:

• Soda fountains
• Ice makers
• Coffee makers
• Steamers
• Dishwashers

The water that flows to and through these machines is often unpurified, full of contaminants such as minerals, sediment, bacteria, water treatment chemicals and scale. Eliminating these materials can be beneficial in several ways.

Improved Odor and Taste

Keeping customers satisfied is the primary goal of a business trying to grow, and water quality plays an integral role towards ensuring a pleasant experience. Glasses of water, soft drinks and hot beverages can be noticeably affected by quality water filtration. Poorly filtered water often carries an unpleasant odor, hard water and traces of treatment chemicals like chlorine, which will undoubtedly leave a bad taste in your customer’s mouth.

Better Equipment Performance

Water filters remove damaging elements like minerals and scale, which can build up in the mechanisms of kitchen appliances if given free passage. Over time, machines will become less efficient and potentially break down from the excess material clogging them up. This means you will have to repair or replace them more often, costing you more money and potentially affecting your business’s profitability if you can’t fulfill certain orders.

Keeping your appliances free of these contaminants and running smoothly also means repairs may be covered. It is important to remember that damage caused by unfiltered water can void warranties, leaving the owner responsible for the full cost of repairs.

Greater Efficiency and Lower Costs

Having clean, uncontaminated water flowing to kitchen appliances not only improves their longevity and output quality but also their efficiency. With filtered water, equipment benefits from less energy consumption, meaning your annual operating costs could be reduced considerably.

Maintaining a clean water supply also means more efficient work from kitchen staff. In-line filtration systems running to dishwashers, for example, make dishes and glasses cleaner the first time. Hard water stains and other grime that normally accumulates are eliminated, reducing the extra time needed to hand wash and polish items to a presentable state.

Common Water Filtration Options

Water filters greatly improve the taste and safety of beverages, reduce operating and maintenance costs and generally add to greater efficiency in the kitchen. A number of water filtration options are available to accomplish those goals.

Reverse Osmosis

For appliances that need extremely high quality water, such as ice machines and coffee makers, reverse osmosis filters provide exceptional filtration. Water is pushed through a semipermeable membrane to remove a number of ultra-fine contaminants, including heavy metals, sulfates, dissolved materials, chlorides and other water treatment additives. While not the most efficient in terms of water usage, these filters are an ideal solution for consumable water.

Carbon Block Filters

Often paired with reverse osmosis filters, carbon filters remove most flavor-inhibiting contaminants from drinking water. They can eliminate lead, bacteria, pesticides, chloramines and PCBs, giving water a much more natural taste. Carbon filters can easily be blocked by large sediment, however, and may need frequent upkeep to ensure their continued performance. Using a pre-filter system to remove large materials is an effective way to reduce clogged carbon filters.

Ultraviolet Light

A less common filtration method normally reserved for low-quality incoming water, UV light kills off many harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria and parasites. These need to be a pre-filter, used in conjunction with carbon or reverse osmosis filters, as they do not remove hard particles from water.

All of Your Water Filtration Needs

There is a wide assortment of water filtration systems and kitchen appliances that need them. We carry the largest selection of commercial kitchen water filtration options in Texas at value pricing. If you need help finding the right filter for your equipment, contact our team today to find the best option at the best price available.

Outfitting a restaurant kitchen carries a ton of expense. Keeping costs low is a primary concern, and it’s easy for restaurant managers to cut corners. Opting for inexpensive residential kitchen supplies can seem like a much more budget-friendly route. However, over time, those cheap initial investments can negatively impact your restaurant’s bottom line and end up costing far more.

The range of new and used commercial kitchen equipment options makes it more manageable to find an agreeable blend of price and quality. Taking advantage of restaurant-quality equipment will benefit you in both cost-savings and profit generation. Consider some of these major ways that quality commercial equipment can affect your restaurant’s profits when it comes time to update your kitchen.

Commercial Kitchen Equipment Lasts Longer

The initial high cost of commercial equipment is offset over time by the amount of maintenance you won’t need compared to lower quality residential equipment. Heavy-duty commercial equipment should last at least 10 years under normal use. This can be twice as long, if not longer, than cheaper models, which effectively reduces the long-term cost difference. It also means you spend far less time fixing or setting up repairs on the equipment.

When a piece of kitchen equipment breaks down, it can shutter your business in an instant and eat into your profits for anywhere from an hour to several days. If an oven goes out, for example, you won’t be able to keep up with customer orders and you will lose considerable money for the day.

Low-Quality Equipment Affects Performance and Efficiency

Tied to longevity is the daily performance of kitchen equipment. The high volume output at restaurants means that most machines will be running non-stop. You need the right equipment to put up with the abuse that a normal day provides at a busy restaurant. 

Commercial kitchen equipment is designed to offer greater power and more durable features. Commercial mixers, blenders and food processors have higher horsepower, better motors and larger capacities to handle multiple orders without burning out. High-grade ovens, dishwashers and refrigerators can similarly support larger food quantities and handle more stress through better components.

Putting a residential kitchen machine, even a small appliance, in a commercial setting will subject it to more use than it was meant to handle. With the endless use these items see through a normal day, you can expect it to wear out and need replacement long before any limited warranty expires.

Maintaining quality commercial kitchen equipment will also make your kitchen staff more productive. Each person and piece of equipment plays an important role in food production systems. One minor hiccup can upset the entire kitchen, severely reducing your overall output. That can leak out from the kitchen and into the dining area, resulting in a poor customer experience if they are left waiting.

Commercial Equipment has Better Safety Features

Using a quality piece of equipment adds layers of safety for both kitchen employees and customers. For customers, having their food cooked and stored in reliable appliances makes for a lower risk of contamination and spoilage. The risk of food-borne illness is greatly reduced, which can mean good things for repeat business and reviews.

Equipment produced for commercial settings also carries more rigid safety standards than residential kitchen appliances. The National Sanitation Foundation monitors and reviews commercial grade equipment for adhering to safety requirements. Appliances carrying the NSF label are compliant with regulations, which means that your staff is less prone to work-related injuries. Plus, those labels are important in mitigating issues with Health Department inspections.

Buy Quality New and Used Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Getting the performance you need does not have to break the bank. Our huge selection of new and used commercial grade kitchen equipment offers you the durability, capacity and power you need at a price you can afford. If you are managing a commercial kitchen in Texas, contact our team to see how we can help you outfit your kitchen to guarantee optimal output and maximized profits.