Every restaurant requires a freezer, as it serves as a primary appliance. There are many different commercial freezers to choose from, and you can choose from a wide array of colours, sizes, shapes, and uses as well.
You need to first understand what your needs are before you go about choosing a freezer for your restaurant. Here, our focus will be on upright freezers, and why they are a good choice for restaurant kitchens.
How Upright Freezers Differ From Other Freezers
Upright freezers have shelves, unlike chest freezers. Upright freezers also tend to look very similar to conventional refrigerators, which may also be a plus. Upright freezers also have front-opening doors, and require less maintenance than chest freezers.
Chest freezers can take quite a bit of time to manually defrost, an issue you do not have to worry about if you purchase an upright freezer. As far as installation is concerned upright freezers also require a smaller footprint.
Many upright freezers also include versatile storage systems. Door storage bins can be removed or adjusted, and shelves can be adjusted and can also slide back and forth if needed. Some will also include bins or baskets that can be pulled out.
Upright freezers tend to make a bit more noise than chest freezers. They may also cost a little more than your conventional chest freezer as well. An upright freezer that is used as intended can last up to 14 years before it needs to be replaced.
What are the Advantages of Upright Freezers?
Upright freezers are easy to organize because they come with many baskets and shelves. They will also defrost automatically, so you won’t need to spend time and effort manually defrosting your freezer.
They also require less storage space because they tend to be more compact than many of their freezer counterparts on the market. Also, due to their unique dimensions and configurations, you will be able to reach and sort items far easier.
They also come in a variety of different finishes, so you should be able to find a style that perfectly complements your commercial kitchen.
Commercial upright freezer benefits are myriad, but you need to sit down and determine what your commercial kitchen needs truly are before going out to purchase one.
Which is Better: Chest or Upright?
Chest freezers tend to have a top that opens on the head of the freezer. Upright freezers, on the other hand, come with a door that unfolds and folds on the face of the unit. Upright freezers actually match conventional coolers when it comes to this unique design choice.
Upright freezers have a smaller footprint, and are also easier to organize. The bins and shelves in the door can also be adjusted as needed, and you can also choose from a myriad of different finishes, including stainless steel or slate.
You can also choose from self-defrost or manual if you wish. Upright freezers, however, tend to be a little noisier than their chest counterparts. They also tend to cost more, and chest freezers also offer more usable space.
One of the biggest issues with chest freezers is that manual defrosting is the only available option. It can also be harder to retrieve food items that are at the bottom of the unit when dealing with chest freezers.
Chest freezers also generate a larger footprint, and are also harder to organize.
Still, chest freezers will keep food colder for a longer period of time in the event that the power goes out. They also tend to generate less noise, and, since they don’t self-defrost, they are less likely to cause freezer burn.
One of the biggest advantages of upright freezers is that they tend to take up less space in a kitchen because they tend to be more compact. While they may offer slightly less usable space when compared to their chest counterpart they actually take up less overall space.
The bottom line is a chest freezer would be our top choice if having the most storage space possible is your top priority.
However, if you want a more compact unit that doesn’t take up much space in your kitchen, and you also want a unit that will defrost automatically, then upright freezers are the way to go.
Also, if you like to organize your food in different compartments then upright freezers would be our preferred choice.
The Final Verdict
Your final choice should depend on your budget, space, as well as whether or not you want to manually defrost your refrigerator unit. Regardless of your final choice, there are literally dozens of different models to choose from.
By narrowing down your needs you should be able to find a model that will take care of all your kitchen needs.
