A commercial kitchen stove is a vital cog and an incredibly critical element when it comes to running a professional kitchen. If you wish to run your own professional kitchen, the commercial stove top will likely be the most important equipment you will need to purchase. Therefore it makes sense to be very careful about making the right choice. There is indeed a lot of variety out there from electric ones to gas-powered ones. Here, we shall take a look at the factors that will influence and help your decision to buy a commercial stovetop.
Deciding the type of commercial stove top to get: Electric or Gas
A commercial stove top is usually substantially larger than an average kitchen stove. They consist of a large cooking top with a big oven below. Due to its large size, it is very helpful for most commercial kitchens. The two main types of commercial stove top worth consideration are:
- Electric Commercial Stove Top:
Many commercial stove tops are fitted with an electric hob that uses tubular metal elements contained within hob plates. These function similar just to an at-home electric stove top. An electric type commercial stove top is relatively cheaper than the gas variant and is also easier to install. This is mainly because electricity is considerably more available and in several cases more affordable than gas. Due to the advances of induction technology an electric stove top is significantly more of a modern alternative to gas and also more environmentally friendly. This is why electric stove tops are preferred over other variants across commercial kitchens.
- Gas Commercial Stove Top:
While an electric commercial stove top is a popular choice, it is by no means the only option available. Many chefs prefer cooking over a gas oven to an electric one. The gas commercial stove tops that are available use either LPG or natural gas as its fuel. Compared to electric stove tops, gas ovens reach a rolling boil much quicker. This is why they are significantly better for the purposes of sautéing or frying. You can either use a combination of an electric oven with gas hobs or just use a standard gas oven fitted underneath.
Other Factors worth Consideration:
- Stove top size: The size of the operation you are intending to run or are currently running ultimately decides the size of the commercial stove top you must opt for. In case you are setting up a cafe or a restaurant, then your thought process should be more elaborate. Factors like the number of chefs engaged in your kitchen or the number of covers to be cooked per day will decide the number of burners your stove top will require.
- Oven doors: Having a transparent oven door can help you keep a watch on the food being cooked.
- Extractor fan: A good extractor fan helps filter out a lot of heat, smoke and grease.
- Warranty: A warranty works as insurance that will help cover any faults your product may have.
