Your Guide To Commercial Toasters: How To Buy And Maintain
If you own a commercial restaurant, you need to have commercial equipment that runs flawlessly. One such piece of equipment is a commercial toaster. Investing in a reliable toaster makes a world of a difference especially if you own a bakery or specialize in offering breakfast and similar meals. So, you need to buy the right toaster that fit your business requirements and size. Moreover, you have to maintain the toaster by hiring commercial kitchen appliance repair experts. We will discuss commercial toasters, what are their types, how to buy one for your business, and how you can look after them to prevent costly problems.
How Does A Commercial Toaster Work?
A commercial toaster is a special commercial appliance specifically designed for commercial settings such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels. It is programmed to be both effective and efficient for items like bread, bagels, and other similar items.
Commercial toasters work more or less on the same principle as regular toasters for households but there is a slight difference considering they have to deal with larger quantities. These toasters typically come with multiple slots or conveyor belts to accommodate high volumes of food.
They are built using high-quality materials and feature settings like timer controls, quick heating elements, etc. This is because the primary reason for having a commercial toaster is to provide fast and consistent toasting.
What Are The Types Of Commercial Toasters?
Before we can discuss how to maintain commercial toasters, you should be aware of the different types as well. Here are three common types of commercial toasters.
Commercial Pop-Up Toasters
Commercial pop-up toasters as the term suggests are toasters that feature a pop-up design. These toasters are used for toasting bread, bagels, and other items in small bakeries and restaurant settings. These toasters are similar to the ones that are used in homes.
You simply place a bread or other item to toast in the toaster and it will pop up after a while. These toasters are not able to cater to a high volume of customers. This is why, they are also energy efficient and utilize comparatively less electricity than other commercial options.
A great plus point is that these toasters are compact and portable. You can easily unplug and re-install them wherever needed.
Conveyor Commercial Toasters
A conveyor toaster is an efficient commercial equipment that is designed to cater to a wide range of bread types and higher outputs. These toasters are one of the most reliable and effective working equipment out there.
These toasters utilize a conveyor belt to feed the bread into the heating chamber of the toaster. Once the food items are toasted, they shoot down on another belt into the collection area. So, this type of toaster is ideal for catering services, breakfast buffets, and busy restaurants.
Bun Grilling Toasters
You might have not heard about this before but bun grilling toasters exist and they are specifically designed to toast various types of bread products like sub rolls, bun halves, and sliced bread. Since these toasters are expected to be very precise, consistent, and accurate with their toasting abilities, manufacturers can sometimes take custom orders as well.
Plus, these toasters also look similar to conveyor toasters and are ideal for high-volume cafeterias and sandwich shops, where not only sandwiches but also burgers are made.
What To Consider When Buying A Commercial Toaster?
Now that we have discussed the different types of toasters, it is equally important for you to consider some important factors that will help you make the right decision.
Production Rate
The most important factor you need to consider is the production rate. This factor is directly related to your needs and preferences. If your commercial café or restaurant produces food items on a large scale, you will need a heavy-duty toaster.
At the same time, you will also have to consider the type of food items you make and the techniques utilized. Otherwise, it will be a lot easier to buy something that is of no use.
Size Of The Toaster
The next thing you need to consider is the size & space. This not only goes for the toaster but also the size of the kitchen and space available. If the size of your commercial kitchen is humble, you should be space-conscious. This means you cannot opt for a toaster that takes up all the sizes available and makes it difficult for the rest to even navigate through the kitchen.
Reliability
In addition to that, you will also need something that is powerful, reliable, and durable enough to handle the workload. Most commercial toasters are in the 1200W to 3600W range. Then again, the decision will most primarily be based on the volume of the food items being prepared daily.
Low Maintenance
Finally, you need a toaster that is easy to clean and maintain. Toasters like other commercial equipment need regular inspection and cleaning as well. Ignoring the maintenance will result in expensive consequences. That said, make sure you are willing to invest in professional services. This is important for all appliances. If you’re going to buy a walk-in cooler or a commercial freezer, make sure to have it maintained regularly by commercial refrigerator services Northern VA.
How To Maintain A Commercial Toaster?
Proper maintenance of the commercial toaster is important to ensure smooth functioning and to prolong its lifespan. The maintenance process of a commercial toaster begins with keeping ears and eyes out for unusual signs & symptoms.
As commercial toasters run almost throughout the day, wear and tear is normal on such equipment. But, if you come across squeaking, cracking, grinding, or other types of issues, you will need to immediately shut it down and take a look.
But the majority of such issues can easily be prevented if you schedule professional maintenance. This type of maintenance is not just limited to inspection and cleaning but also ensures the unit is free of cracks and damages.
If you can spot and fix issues before they can turn worse, you will be saving yourself a lot of time and money. Unfortunately, people consider it as an expense rather than an investment.
In between the professional checkups, you should invest in cleaning tools and agents and train and educate your employees to clean up the toaster at the end of the working day. It should be made sure that the toaster is not hot. Plus, it should be disconnected from the power socket.
And, if you are working on a commercial toaster, you will need to work on one area or component at a time instead of hurrying the process. Allot the moisture and cleaning agents to dry before turning the unit back on.
Conclusion
Commercial toasters add great convenience to every business and restaurant. However, you need to choose the right one for your business, take care of it and maintain it for it to work effortlessly. Hopefully, the tips mentioned above will let you do that and keep your business running without any complications. If you need any help in repairing or maintaining your toaster or any other commercial kitchen equipment, consult commercial appliances repair Fairfax services.