Ultimate Buying Guide for Commercial Upright Fridges and Freezers
Determine Your Storage Needs
- Capacity: Assess the amount of storage space you need. Consider the size and volume of items you plan to store. Usually, 1 door (2 split door) upright fridge or freezer provides about 500 – 600 litres of cooling capacity. And, it increases by 500 – 600 litres as the number of doors increases. 3 door upright fridge or freezer has chilled or freezer storage to accommodate whopping 1800 – 1900 litres of stocks.
- Type of Goods: Identify whether you need to store perishable foods, beverages, or frozen items. This will help determine whether you need a fridge, a freezer, or both. There are fridge freezer combo models available as well. So, if you find it short of space, consider combo models as an option.
Space and Placement
- Available Space: Measure the area where you plan to place the fridge or freezer. Ensure there’s enough room for ventilation and easy access. For upright fridges or freezers, room for ventilation is required at the top or bottom where compressor and condensing units are located.
- Configuration: Decide between single-door, double-door, or triple-door models based on your space and accessibility needs. There are upright refrigerators with top mounted or bottom mounted compressor which requires air-ventilation.
Energy Efficiency
- Energy Rating: Look for models with high energy efficiency ratings. They consume less power, reducing your energy bills. Bromic Refrigeration clearly states this information on their website.
- Eco-Friendly Options: Consider units with eco-friendly refrigerants and energy-saving features. When you look through product description, look for R290 or R600 that are commonly used environmental-friendly refrigerants used in commercial refrigeration.
Temperature Control
- Range and Consistency: Ensure the unit can maintain consistent temperatures suitable for your specific needs. Self-contained plug in model tends to show variable temperature movement. It means that display board will show highs and lows of temperature movement that is usually around set temperature (2 or 3 degrees) by 2 ~ 3 degrees. This is because compressor needs to cut in and out to be efficiently run.
- Adjustability: Look for models with adjustable temperature settings to accommodate different types of goods. Most of commercial upright fridge or freezer in the market, Australia, have this feature in place
Build Quality and Durability
- Materials: Choose units made from high-quality materials like stainless steel for durability and easy cleaning.
- Brand Reputation: Opt for reputable brands known for their reliability and longevity.
Features and Functionality
- Shelving and Storage Options: Adjustable and removable shelves offer flexibility in organizing your storage.
- Self-Closing Doors: Helps in maintaining temperature and saving energy.
- Interior Lighting: Good lighting makes it easier to find items quickly.
Ease of Maintenance
- Cleaning: Look for units with easy-to-clean interiors and exteriors.
- Filter: Cleaning of condenser filter may be required even for upright fridges or freezers. Check where it’s located and how to clean it. This information is usually in the instruction manual that comes with cabinet.
- Defrosting: Decide between manual and automatic defrost systems based on your preference.
Cost and Warranty
- Budget: Set a budget considering the initial cost, energy consumption, and potential maintenance costs. Prices for commercial upright fridge or freezer vary largely with brands that you choose. Talk to dealers on what you look for in your models.
- Warranty: Check the warranty period and what it covers. A longer warranty often indicates confidence in the product’s quality. Most of commercial refrigerators in Australia come with 2 years warranty part and labour. Some brands offer 3 years or even 5 years (True refrigeration), while others offer additional 2 years part warranty on top of the industry standard 2 years warranty (4 years).
Customer Support and Service
- Support: Ensure the manufacturer or supplier offers reliable customer support. You probably don’t know about this until you buy and use it. Talk to reputable dealers and get some information from them.
- Service Network: A widespread service network ensures quick repairs and maintenance when needed. Most of commercial refrigeration brands cover warranty nationwide. However, some brands don’t offer warranty in the remote region, while others offer part only warranty in those regions. Check this when you look for your fridge or freezer.
Compliance and Safety
- Standards: Ensure the unit complies with local safety and health regulations.
- Certifications: Look for certifications like NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) for food safety.
Recommended Products
2 Door or 4 Split Door
- Atosa 2 door upright fridge, upright freezer
- 2 different designs: slim and bulky
- dual temp option available
- Turbo Air 2 door upright fridge or freezer
- Turbo air offers 4 split door option and dual temp fridge freezer combo
1 Door or 2 Split door
- Hoshizaki single door upright fridge or freezer
- split door option available, variable temperature control(-7 to 10 for fridge, -25 to -10 for freezer)
- Skipio 1 door upright fridge or freezer
- single door, split door option available as well as dual temp model available
3 Door or 6 Split door
- Fresh Top Mount 3 door upright fridge
- Massive 1950 litre of cooling capacity, bulky design, reliable performance
- Turbo air 6 door upright fridge or freezer
- dual temp option available
- 3 solid door, 6 split door
- 3 years warranty
Glass Door Upright Fridge
- Fresh 2 glass door display fridge
- stainless steel construction in and out
- impeccable construction
- Freezer model available
- Turbo air 6 door upright fridge or freezer
- dual temp option available
- 3 solid door, 6 split door
- 3 years warranty
Glass Door Drink Fridge
- Bromic Single door drink cooler
- sleek design
- high energy ratings
- Cold Display Solutions’s 3 door supermarket fridge
- white colour
- bottom mounted compressor (you can use top area for storage)
Choosing the right commercial upright fridge or freezer is crucial for the efficiency and success of your business. By considering your storage needs, space, energy efficiency, and other essential factors, you can make an informed decision that will benefit your operations in the long run.
