Restaurant Equipment Archives

A Commercial Gas Range Buying Guide

A good gas range is the center and the soul of a restaurant or commercial kitchen, and every kitchen is different. Choosing the best unit to suit your specific needs can be a challenge, but if you keep a couple things in mind buying the range you need shouldn’t be hard.

BTUs and Gas Type

Commercial ranges vary in the heat output they produce, which is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). Depending on the cooking application and energy usage concerns, you may want to purchase a unit with a higher or lower BTU rating.

Higher BTU ranges are going to heat things faster, but at a higher rate of energy consumption. A higher BTU rating also means quicker heat recovery times

Lower BTU rates will heat things more slowly, but more efficiently. Lower BTU ratings mean a slower heat recovery time

Most gas ranges are outfitted for natural gas. Natural gas is the most common gas type and chances are you are hooked up to natural gas. LP gas or liquid propane is the gas you get if your range is connected to a propane tank, usually for rural locations or portable operations.

Griddle and Charbroiler Add-On Options

Griddles are ideal for cooking multiple foods at once. The large, flat metal plate that makes up the griddle distributes heat evenly over the entire surface. Heat can be controlled either manually or thermostatically. A grease trough allows for easy cleaning.

Charbroilers allow you to broil poultry, seafood, and meat quickly and effectively. Most restaurants and commercial kitchens purchase a separate charbroiler unit, but combination range and charbroiler units can be special ordered.

Necessary Accessories

Casters allow you to move your commercial gas range quickly and easily for cleaning or rearranging. Manufacturers charge a ridiculous fee for casters that come with their restaurant cooking equipment. Instead, buy your casters separately and save a bundle.

Gas hose connector kits allow you to connect your new restaurant range to your kitchen’s gas source, whether it’s natural or LP gas. Make sure you check the diameter of your range’s connection before ordering.

Don’t Forget Your Altitude!

If your commercial kitchen or restaurant is above 2,000 feet in elevation, you may need to have the gas valves on your new range adjusted. Make sure you tell the manufacturer or vendor you’re buying from if you are located above 2,000 feet.

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Restaurant Equipment Maintenance Tips

Here in the Jean’s Restaurant Supply Service Department, we have compilied a list of service and preventative maintenance tips to help your restaurant succeed in it’s business venture. Your heating, cooling, cooking and food preparation equipment is a huge investment that should be kept in good, clean, operational order.

Commercial Ovens:

  • Wipe out spills from your oven cavity daily- this will cut down on rust and corrosion in the oven cavity, while also reducing the possibility of fire hazards.

    • Walk-In Coolers and Freezers:

  • Keep the doors closed when not in use- if doors are left open for any extended amount of time, ice can quickly build-up on the evaporator coils and cause cooling problems. Keeping doors closed will help cut down on any unnecessary service calls.
  • If doors must remain open, consider adding an Air Curtain or Air Door to the doorways. Ask one of our sales representatives about energy-saving Air Curtains and Air Doors.

    • Steam Tables/Warmer Wells:

  • Some units require the heating element be immersed in water at all times. It is important that the water level in the well never drops to a level where the immersible element is exposed, as this can cause premature failure.
  • Keep the heating elements clean and free of any mineral build-up as this can also decrease the life of your equipment.

    • Air Conditioning/Heating System:

  • Have your Air Conditioner Filters changed or cleaned monthly. This will help save immensely on your electricity bill, as air conditioning can be a considerable percentage of your electric bill (20-30%).
  • Be sure to get your Air Conditioning/Heating system checked by a qualified professional at least twice yearly, to be sure both the Heat and Cool cycles are operating safely and efficiently.

    • Condenser Coils:

  • Keep condenser coils clean on all refrigeration equipment, such as: ice-making equipment, refrigerators, freezers, salad coolers, air conditioning units, etc…
  • Keeping condenser coils clean and free from dust and grease will help prevent breakdowns and costly repair bills, and will also save on electricity.
  • Dust can usually be brushed of the coils or blown off with compressed air. Grease build-up sometimes requires a service company to clean it thoroughly with a coil cleaning solution.

    • Ice Machines:

  • Ice machines are one of the most important pieces of equipment in your restaurant/bar. Keeping it clean will make it run better, it will make more ice, and it will cause less wear and tear on component parts, therefore saving money on electricity, as well as excessive repair costs.
  • Let us keep your ice machine in good working order with a high-quality, properly installed water filtration system. Change those water filters every 3-6 months. Both of these suggestions will help extend the life of your ice machine, cut down on costly repairs, and finally, make cleaner, better tasting ice for your customers.
  • Ice-making equipment must be properly sized for your particular establishment’s needs. Here at Jean’s Restaurant Supply, we can analyze the size, seating capacity, and expectations of your business, so that we can suggest the proper size ice machine for your establishment.

    • Ventilation/Exhaust Hoods:

  • Keeping clean air filters in your exhaust hoods will keep them working more efficiently, the motors running cooler and with less stress and strain, therefore extending the life of the motors and belts.
  • Have your exhaust hood and fresh air fans checked quarterly for proper operation and belt tension, which allows for peak performance.
  • As one of the only privately owned, independent manufacturers of Commercial Exhaust Hoods in Texas, we, at Jean’s Restaurant Supply, are proud to be able to custom-build and install quality stainless steel exhaust hoods to meet your restaurant’s exact needs and specifications.Failing to do any preventative maintenance on your restaurant equipment or allowing things to go until they break, ends up in more costly repairs and/or replacement.

    • Rusty Chapman is the Service Manager at Jean’s Restaurant Supply and is a thirty year veteran of the restaurant equipment service industry. He is a factory authorized service technician for many commercial restaurant equipment manufacturers. He can be reached at 800-840-3610 Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, Central Standard Time and on Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm Central Standard Time. Or check us out on the web at http://www.jeansrestaurantsupply.com.