How to Choose a Commercial Glass Door Freezer for Your Restaurant

As an entrepreneur venturing into the food industry, having a good commercial refrigerator is invaluable. It’s not only a requirement so you’re in compliance with the food, health, and safety standards to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, but also a necessity to keep your ingredients fresh. Finding the right refrigeration solution can help increase the quality of your food and ensure consistent safe food temperatures.

When it comes to choosing a refrigerated storage area for your meals, commercial glass door freezers are a common option. They’re a must buy item for restaurants and other meal-relevant businesses. Compared to a freezer in your home, those found in commercial setups are used frequently, with a lot of opening and shutting. With glass doors, it’s easier to spot the items you want before opening the door, which minimizes the amount of time that the door stays open. This is important to save on energy costs.

Types of Commercial Glass Door Freezers

Shopping for commercial refrigeration equipment is not an easy task because of the wide range of factors and options to consider. But when you narrow down your options to commercial glass door freezers, then your options become clearer. Glassdoor freezers are energy efficient and a great way to showcase your frozen food collection.

There are different kinds of glass door freezers depending on the area of utilization: residential or commercial. Commercial glass door freezers are typically extensive and large to hold large numbers of items. Just as important is having a powerful and efficient compressor and a cooling mechanism that can maintain an appropriately cool environment despite regularly opening the doors.

The type of door mechanism is also an important consideration when shopping for a commercial glass door freezer. Common types include:

1. Single glass door freezer

These freezers are typically used to store food items that require a fairly cool atmosphere, such as beverages. They feature a single glass door that allows customers to easily view the contents inside, and make their choice before reaching inside. They also provide a sense of cleanliness and protection of the items inside. Other items that can be stored in single glass door freezers include butters and sweets.

1. Double glass door freezer

These freezers are much larger than single glass door freezers. Their greater storage capacity means that they can hold a lot more items of the same kind, though they can also be used to store different products. More importantly, they’re vertically oriented so they can be placed in areas with limited space, unlike horizontal freezers. These freezers are ideal for use in high traffic situations because multiple consumers can access the products simultaneously.

1. Triple glass door freezers

These are larger than double or triple glass door freezers. They allow you to store multiple items under refrigeration.

Finding the Right Commercial Glass Door Freezer

It’s important to find the right freezer that can withstand extreme summer temperatures and provide your customers with cool and refreshing beverages while keeping your ingredients fresh for longer.

Here are some do’s and don’ts when purchasing a commercial glass door freezer:

Do:

• Research on various technological innovations for commercial glass door freezers to get the most from your investment. Energy Star listings and industry codes are important. Start your research online.
• Find the one that uses power intelligently for optimal energy efficiency and minimal power cost. Ideally, it should be possible to configure the cooling temperature to suit your storage needs.
• Identify and list your requirements for the freezer, in terms of the size and range of items you want to store; items that require cold storage versus freezing, the quantity of pre-cooked versus uncooked menu items, and quantity of foods served daily, weekly, or monthly.
• Plan how ingredients move between refrigeration and service or between refrigeration and the kitchen, as well as how they will be returned to the freezer.
• Determine the amount of space in your establishment to place your freezer, in a location where items are easy to spot and access
• Consider customer demand. In some cases, it is better to purchase a smaller unit and re-stock it more frequently, than have a large unit where items stay too long under refrigeration.
• Choose the fridge style — single/double/triple glass door — to ensure easy access of the items
• Evaluate the chilling potential, storage capacity, and door function of the freezer before purchasing
• Assess the power of the air compressor and determine whether you can provide optimal running conditions and proper maintenance for longevity
• Choose a reputable freezer brand and check the warranty and service history to minimize downtime in the event of any breakdown

Your freezer should keep its contents clean and protected from all kinds of harm. So you may need to purchase more than one type of freezer if the items have different cooling requirements or there’s a risk of contamination.

Don’t:

• Choose a freezer by estimating its capacity based only on its external dimensions. Only the internal dimensions can give you the true capacity of the freezer. Make proper calculations of the required storage capacity. Getting too little or too much space will be expensive, either by consuming more energy or suffering from regular stock-outs for items with long lead time.
• Choose all bells and whistles blindly. Many commercial glass door freezers come with the automatic defrost feature that helps to clean the frosting on the coils, which in turn increases its efficiency and durability. While defrosting is critical, it doesn’t have to be done automatically. You can defrost manually to reduce electricity cost and still keep your freezer running efficiently.
• Consider price over practicality. Generally, chest — horizontal — freezers are cheaper than upright freezers, but they may not be the most practical for you. Space is a premium in most restaurants, so upright freezers will give you the most storage capacity. Upright freezers are also more energy efficient when not fully packed, but chest freezers can be expensive to run when there is low stock of food. That said, chest freezers are better suited for storing bulky or large food items, whereas upright glass door freezers are ideal for storing items in smaller packets.

Buying a commercial glass door freezer is a big investment for your business. So take your time to do everything right the first time, consider all factors, and seek professional help if need be.

For more information about commercial glass door freezers, call Ancaster Foods at +1 855-888-9644 or contact us here.