Restaurant ovens are the the hub of any restaurant kitchen. Commercial food service ovens come in a variety of brands, makes and models. New restaurant ovens represent a major portion of your kitchen budget. A simple gas range-oven combo can cost anywhere between $3,000 to $8,000, while specialty ovens can cost upwards of $10,000 or more.
Before you choose from among the various commercial ovens available for your restaurant or food service business, first decide what type of food you will be serving. Some ovens are designed specifically for making bread or pizza. Other commercial food service ovens, such as convection ovens are ideal for cooking a lot of food quickly. Keep in mind that certain commercial ovens require outside ventilation, to ensure a safe working environment.
When selecting a commercial food service oven, consider the following:
1. What type of food will you be serving? If you are planning a bakery, then a large commercial bread oven is ideal. If you plan to serve mostly sautéed dishes then a smaller oven will suffice.
2. How much room do you have? You may want a big, shiny, six- burner range with a double oven. However, be sure it will fit into your kitchen design.
3. Does it need ventilation? Most restaurants are required to have some sort of ventilation for their kitchen equipment.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Don't get burned: Compare features on commercial food service ovens
Commercial ovens come in gas and electric. There are standalone models. Others come with a range top or grill. Commercial ovens are specially built to withstand long hours of wear and tear in a restaurant kitchen.
I recommend: Compare the pros and cons of each type of commercial oven at
Vulcan, a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen equipment.
Hobart is another manufacturer of commercial ovens, which also offers ranges, grills and refrigeration units.
Buy used commercial ovens
One of the best ways to stay within your start-up budget is to purchase used kitchen equipment. A used pizza oven can cost as little as $500 vs. $5,000 for a new model.
I recommend: Check out
Jean's Restaurant Supply , which offers both new and used commercial kitchen ovens.
Zesco.com is another vendor that sells both new and used ovens.
Hire a professional ventilation installer for restaurant ovens
Ovens that feature range tops or grills require some sort of ventilation. It is best to leave installing hoods and exhaust fans to the professionals. You can hire professional installers through local HVAC companies if there isn't a hood specialist in your area.
I recommend: Exhausto fans, out of Roswell, GA, come with an extended warranty and are designed to be highly energy efficient. You can also learn more about
kitchen hood installation at APS Hoods, which offers installation and fire safety checks for commercial kitchens.
Choose specialty commercial ovens suited to the task
Pizza ovens, baking ovens, convection ovens are just a few of the different types to choose from. Ovens also come with stove top ranges and built in grills.
I recommend: AAA Commercial Products, out of Ohio, offers an extensive line of specialty ovens, including convection and counter-top models.
PizzaEquipment.com has several different pizza ovens listed on its site, as well as mixers and prep equipment.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Stay away from electric ranges. Gas powered commercial ovens heat up faster and use less energy. They are also less prone to breaking, than electric ovens.
- Used equipment does not come with a warranty. However, even if used commercial ovens break, fixing them will usually cost less than buying a new restaurant ovens.
The official source of Selecting Commercial Food Service Ovens is
the Commercial Foodservice Ovens page at Business.com
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