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Great Tips on Buying Equipment for your Business

Contents

Combi Ovens

What is a combi oven?

Combi ovens combine steam cooking, convection cooking and a combination of the two, hence the name.

Benefits

There are many benefits for the hospitality operator in owning a combi-steam oven:

Improved results

Your food is more flavoursome and there is no cross contamination of flavours

Savings

There are two main areas of savings

Food costs

  1. Combi-steamer ovens provide a better cooking environment which dramatically reduces food shrinkage during the cooking process. If you are currently cooking in a static or convection oven, your shrinkage on roast beef would be about 30 percent. This means that if you start with 3 kgs of meat your finished product weighs only 2 kgs.
  2. Now if you are paying $10.00 per kilo for meat the real cost is $15.00 per kilo after cooking.
  3. Combi-steamer ovens can reduce this shrinkage to as little as 5 to 10 percent depending on how you use the oven. Your savings potential here, on an annual basis, is enormous.
  4. Wages
  5. Combi-steamer ovens allow you to prepare weekend food during week, at less costly wage rates. On the weekend you simply require someone to use the regeneration facility to re-heat the food. Potential savings are again enormous.

Better Product

When used correctly, your meats will be more tender, your vegetables more flavoursome and your results generally better.

Standardised performance

If you buy the more expensive programmable combi's one of the great benefits is that you can have standardised results for every meal produced in your kitchen, from executive chef to apprentice or weekend cook.

Re-generation capability

Prepare your weekend meals during the latter part of the working week and use the regeneration facility to reheat these meals, saving your business money on wages without sacrificing food quality.

Occupational Health and Safety Issues

Lifting and carrying large heavy pots of boiling water is a thing of the past with combi's. You can now produce the same food with better results in combi's.

How to size the correct combi oven for your establishment

Just scroll down until you find the appropriate number of covers for your establishment, then across the line to see your choices. Sydney Commercial Kitchens sells all of these models at competitive pricing, Australia wide.

There are 2 types of combi-steam ovens available:

1. Boiler based combi ovens

A steam generator injects the steam directly into the oven chamber. They are available in either gas or electric, though electric is by far the most popular. This style combi is the more expensive of the two.

2. Direct water injection combi steamers

Steam is manufactured by injecting water directly onto the element. The steam is generated in the oven chamber itself.

Generally there are 2 styles of combi ovens in both boiler and direct injection, manual controls and touch screen fully automatic.

Also available on convotherm combi ovens as an option is the cleaning system. This must be ordered with the combi and cannot be retro fitted.


Combi OvensCombi OvensCombi OvensCombi OvensCombi OvensCombi Ovens

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Dishwashers

How to size the correct dishwasher for your establishment

Just scroll down until you find the appropriate number of covers for your establishment, then across the line to see your choices. Sydney Commercial Kitchens sells all of these models at competitive pricing, Australia wide.

Under bench dishwasher characteristics

Things to look for

When buying or replacing an undercounter dishwasher there are several factors to consider.

Washtech XU

Washtech GLV

Washtech UD

Washtech UL

Fagor EVO CO-502 BDD

Eswood Smartwash SW500

Eswood UC-25

Eswood UC-25NDP

Hobart ECOMAX 502

Hobart PROFI FX

Hobart PREMAX FP

Comenda RF321

Comenda LF322

Comenda F4EHRRCD

Pass through dishwashers

Things to look for

When buying or replacing a pass through dishwasher there are several factors to consider.

Washtech M1

Washtech XP

Washtech M2

Washtech M2C

Washtech AL

Comenda Red Line RC411

Comenda Blue Line LC700TH

Comenda Platinum Line C800EHRDPRCD

Fagor EVO CO-112BDD

Fagor EVO AD-125

Fagor EVO AD-125HRS

Eswood Smartwash SW900

Eswood ES25

Eswood ES25

Eswood ES32

Eswood ES50

Hobart ECOMAX 602

Hobart PROFI AM900

Hobart PROFI AMX


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Glasswashers

Glass washers, like dishwashers come in all shapes and sizes. When purchasing a new glass washer you would be advised to compare:

Following is a comparison chart of Washtech, Hobart and Eswood, Comenda & Fagor Glass Washers. Sydney Commercial Kitchens sells and recommends all of these excellent products at highly competitive prices, Australia wide.

Washtech XG Economy

Washtech GM

Washtech GL

Washtech UL

Comenda Red Line RB215

Comenda Blue Line LB275

Comenda Platinum Line BC3ERCD

Eswood Smartwash SW400

Eswood B42G

Hobart ECOMAX 402

Hobart PROFI GC

Fagor E-VO CO402 Cold BDD

Benefits of Recirculating Glass Washers

These days the best choice for glasswashers is a recirculating style. While the non-recirculating style machines are still currently available it is my opinion that they have a limited shelf life.

Operational Cost Savings

Potentially there are significant savings annually by using a recirculating style glass washer over the antiquated non recirculating style.

Glass washer cost savings comparison guide

Savings are based on 320 Days per Year Machine in Use

Annual Cost Difference savings $1,646.32

This calculation is for comparison purposes only.

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Ice Makers

Air Cooled

All the ice makers advertised on this website are sold standard as air cooled. You should ensure that the room or area where the ice maker is positioned is well ventilated to the side and rear of the machine. Minimum clearance of 100 mm from the back wall and both sides is required. Water cooled ice machines are also available in most models, please specify when ordering.

Production Capacity

Production capacities specified on the website are based on standard water tempersture of between 10C and 21C ambient temperature.

Production capacities are also based on maximum ambient air temperatures of less than 38 C. For areas with a higher ambient temperature production capacity is reduced.

How to Pick the Right Ice Macine for your Business

1. Restaurants & Cafe's

Number of Covers - Cafe's - Restaurants

30 - ICE 1 - ICE 1

50 - ICE 1- ICE 2

75 - ICE 2 - ICE 3

100 - ICE 3 - ACM105

125 - ACM105 - ACS125

150 - ACS125 - ACS175

200+ - ACS175 - ACS225

300+ - ACS225 - MVH300

2. Hotels & Clubs

Number of Patrons / Busiest Period - Hotels - Clubs

Less than 200 - ACS175 - ACS175

200 - ACS225 - ACS225

300 - MVH300 - MVH300

500 - MVH450 - MVH450

800 - MVH600 - MVH600

1300+ - MVH1000 - MVH1000

3. Nursing Homes & Hospitals

Number of Beds - Nursing Homes - Hospitals

20 - ICE 2 - ICE 2

50 - ICE 3 - ICE 3

90 - ACM105 - ACM105

120 - ACS125 - ACS125

180 - ACS175 - ACS175

200+ - ACS225 - ACS225

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Installation Instructions

Coolroom_Installation_Instructions

Deli_Open_Display_Installation_Checklist

Jordao_Real_Glass_Assembly

Prestige_Deli_Installation_Instructions

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Microwave Ovens

One of the most common questions asked by microwave users is what is the difference between commercial & domestic microwave ovens. Here are the key differences that make commercial microwave ovens the best, safest and most cost effective solution for your kitchen.

No Glass Turntables

Commercial ovens do not feature glass turntables that are fiddly and reduce usable cavity space. As all food must rotate in order to heat evenly, larger dishes are often too large to rotate. This glass plate is usually lost or smashed on a regular basis. Commercial ovens feature a flat ceramic base that is easily cleaned and does not limit dish size.

Reliability

Domestic microwave ovens are designed for limited usage. Most domestic microwave ovens are designed for household usage that usually does not exceed about 10 minutes of running time per day. Compare this to a commercial application that may require constant usage for hours each day. Therefore commercial microwave ovens are designed using heavy-duty components that enable a far greater workload over a longer period of time.

Speed

Commercial Microwave Ovens are available in far greater power outputs than domestic microwave ovens. A Bonn CM-1900T has a power output of 1900watts compared to approximately 700 – 900 watts for most domestic ovens. This means busy food outlets can cut heating times by up to 60%. Remember, in fast food customers do not wait! The loss of single impatient customer per day is the cost of the oven after 6-12 months.

Cost

Commercial microwave ovens have a higher initial purchase price compared to domestic microwave ovens. This extra cost is however quickly recouped as domestic ovens in a commercial kitchen will require regular repairs and replacement, along with the inconvenience and disruption this causes. Remember a good quality commercial microwave oven that is well maintained will last 5-10 years. In the same situation a domestic oven may only last 6 months.

Convenience

Commercial microwave ovens feature fully programmable control panels. This means that menu heating times and settings can be programmed into the oven control panel. Heating product is then as simple as pushing a single button. This ensures a fast reliable way to heat product, especially in busy periods. It also ensures a consistent result every time. Domestic ovens require power level and time to be entered along with the start button, time consuming and easy to make mistakes.

Food Safety

All commercial microwave ovens are constructed of stainless steel cavity and cabinet assemblies. Stainless steel offers the best sanitation qualities in a commercial grade kitchen. Stainless steel resists breaking down and is easily cleaned. The same applies to commercial microwave ovens. Most domestic microwave ovens are not of stainless steel construction.

User Safety - Microwave Radiation

Heavy-duty commercial microwave ovens are constructed using far more robust materials and also incorporate greater safety features such as glass lined inner doors, strengthened doors, heavy grade door hinges and improved door safety switch designs. All of this means that as a user in a harsh kitchen environment you have greater protection against microwave radiation compared to a domestic microwave used in the same environment. In a busy kitchen all equipment is exposed to a harsh environment, the microwave included. Using a heavy-duty commercial microwave oven is the best way to protect against possible microwave radiation exposure.

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Blast Chillers / Blast Freezers

The advantages of blast chilling

GREATER PROFITS

TIME SAVINGS UP TO 30%

Thanks to the longer shelf life of blast chilled food, it is possible to plan production better and prepare larger quantities of dishes and semi-processed foods in advance, without having to repeat the process every day. All this while always keeping the quality of the served foods high.

SAVINGS ON PURCHASES

Thanks to the long shelf life of shock frozen foods, keeping their original qualities unchanged, it is possible to purchase seasonal ingredients when they are less expensive and of better quality.

WASTE REDUCTION

Blast chilling/freezing increases shelf life of foods, leaving all the time to use the foods prepared in advance and the raw materials, with high reduction of waste.

LESS WEIGHT LOSS

After cooking, food releases moisture by evaporation. Blast chilling immediately after cooking stops evaporation, thereby reducing the loss of water and therefore weight. If the product is sold by weight, revenue can be increased by up to 7%.

WIDER MENU

The longer shelf life of blast chilled foods and semi-finished items makes possible to increase the number of courses offered, without complicating production organization.

QUALITY IMPROVMENT

REDUCTION IN BACTERIAL GROWTH

Bacterial proliferation is very high when food is at a temperature of between +65°C and +10°C. Around +37°C the number of bacteria doubles every 20 minutes. Blast chillers makes possible to “cross” the range of hazardous temperatures quickly, taking the core of the food to +3°C in less than 90 min. This reduces the quantity of bacteria in food after cooking to a minimum, improving their quality, organoleptic properties and safety.

COMPLIANCE WITH HACCP STANDARDS

The blast chiller considerably improves food safety, ensuring full compliance with HACCP standards.

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