Commercial ranges come in two flavors; Heavy Duty and Restaurant grade.
Heavy Duty Ranges
Pros
- Designed to withstand the rigors of heavy usage and stand the test of time
- Highest BTU rating means fastest cook times
- *Made to be batteried together with other units to create large, high volume lines
Cons
- More expensive
- Larger
- More costly to maintain
- Higher BTU rating costs more to run
Best Suited For:
Country Club, Catering Halls, or other high volume applications
Restaurant Ranges
Pros
- More affordable
- Can be used as a standalone unit
- Reduced upkeep cost
- BTU rating close to Heavy Duty range’s at more affordable prices
- Smaller footprint than equivalent Heavy Duty models
- Favored by most restaurants
Cons
- Not built to withstand high volume or intense usage
- Not as easy to install, causing installation costs to be higher
- Not as powerful as Heavy Duty ranges
Best Suited For: Restaurants with fewer than 150 total seats, short order stations, churches, nursing homes, snack bars
*What does batteried mean?
Saying a range is batteried means that it is connected to one more additional pieces of equipment, set in a continuous line. This lets you make a customized chef line consisting of as many pieces of equipment as necessary. Casters can make servicing or cleaning any of the units much easier, and should be considered when placing any order. Note that gas connection kits will be different whether the unit is stationary or mobile. See Gas Connection Kits
Top Configurations
Types of Cooking Surfaces:
Open Gas Burner – A staple of the restaurant industry. Used by virtually every commercial kitchen, open gas burners provide a visible heat source who’s intensity can be customized from low to high. They provide more, and faster, heat to cooking vessels. The grates are durable, and are available in either ring or star configuration.
Electric Burner – For most applications, open gas burners will provide more affordable and usable work space than an electric burner. Some areas, however, do not have access to gas, or do not wish to run additional gas lines. In that case, electric burners can be a valuable option.
Griddle Top – Griddles are flat pieces of steel, cast iron, or aluminum. They are used as a direct cooking vessel in that food is placed directly on the hot surface. Griddles are convenient for cooking multiple different types of items simultaneously without mixing the flavors. Griddles have troughs in the front to collect grease, allowing for an easy clean up. Griddles also have valve controls similar to a regular gas range, allowing the user to pick the cooking temperature. Griddles must be well seasoned, however, to prevent food products from sticking.
Hot Top – A hot top looks similar to a griddle, but it does not take up the entire surface of the range, nor is food cooked directly on the surface. Instead, hot tops are ideal for applications where multiple vessels need to be heated for varying amounts of time at the same heat level.
French Top – French tops are a special type of hot top with a center plate designed for different size cooking vessels. They are designed to allow for a constant cooking surface, easily moving vessels from one section to another.
*************Picking and choosing:
Speak with one of our professionals, or consult the following images to help decide how you would like to configure your range top.
Salamanders, Cheese melters, and Broiler/Griddles
Once your range is configured, you may want to consider adding an additional unit with your purchase. The following units can be mounted on the range itself, or on the wall above it. They also come in countertop models.
Salamanders
By far the heaviest and most powerful of the overfire options, Saladmanders are made for a wide range of applications, from simply finishing dishes by glazing sugar coatings or melting cheese, to cooking entire cuts of meat. Salamanders are built to last, but cost more than other options initially.
Cheese Melters
Built for use in smaller applications, cheese melters give some of the utility of a salamander at a more affordable price. Cheese melters are more suited to delicate food product, or holding food at a high temperature.
Broiler/Griddles
A valuable space saver that combines an over fire broiler with a griddle. This comes at the price of not as efficient cooking, but if space is a major issue, or if you need to supplement existing cooking appliances, these can be affordable alternatives to floor models.
Last but not Least
Gas Type – when ordering any gas-powered unit, be sure to specify natural gas or propane.
Altitude – If you will be operating at an altitude of 2000 or more feet above sea level, your gas valves may need to be adjusted in order for the range to work efficiently.
Castors – Consider adding castors to your equipment to facilitate cleaning and servicing of your machine. Locking castors allow for stability when movement is not needed, but they can drastically reduce the time and hassle associated with cleaning or servicing your equipment.
