5 Tips To Help You Choose The Right Equipment For Your Restaurant

Introduction

Modern-day restaurants use different tools and automated equipment for food preparation. The equipment type and quality affect food quality and service. High-quality equipment from a trusted and experienced supplier like OTN Machinery Sdn Bhd saves time, labour, ingredients, and utility costs. Here are 5 essential tips to remember when choosing new restaurant equipment. 

1. Kitchen Design and Space

Before purchasing anything, consider your kitchen layout and space:
 

• Do you have a large, fully-stocked room or a compact space? 
• What are your cooking needs? (volume, type of food, etc.)
• What are your restaurant opening hours?
• Where are your gas, water, and sewage pipes located? 
• Where are the kitchen entrances and exits?
• Will your desired layout impede movement?

During peak period, the kitchen will be full of chefs and servers rushing back and forth with ingredients, tools, and orders. Leave wide walkways for smooth traffic flow and to prevent accidents.

Most small or medium-sized kitchen equipment, like kitchen table top chillers and table mixers, should fit in your kitchen. We recommend taking measurements before buying large equipment like counters, deep fryers, chillers, and floor-standing equipment.
 

2. Kitchen Equipment Quality

Restaurant kitchen equipment should be durable enough for commercial or industrial use. Restaurants usually have high order volumes and fast turnaround times, leading to heavy kitchen equipment usage. Equipment that wears and tears quickly affects food quality and customer service.

Cheaper equipment seems better, especially if you can’t distinguish its quality from a higher-end model. However, high-quality kitchen equipment saves more money in the long term because you won’t have to replace it frequently. Invest in durable, high-quality kitchen equipment to ensure your kitchen stays on top of things.

When choosing high-quality kitchen equipment, consider:

• Materials: Stainless steel is the standard material for commercial cookware and equipment.
• Certifications or Awards: Kitchen equipment should be safety-certified. Awards are reasonable but optional.
• Supplier Experience: Check customer testimonials and years of experience.

3. Safety Requirements

Your restaurant kitchen must follow several safety standards, including Malaysia’s food and electrical appliance safety regulations. Doing so protects your staff and customers. Check with your supplier to ensure their kitchen equipment is approved.

Food Safety

Food must be stored and chilled correctly to prevent bacterial growth. Chillers and freezers must provide consistent cooling through blower or piping systems. 

Follow these storage temperatures for chilled and frozen food as recommended by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia:

• Chilled food e.g. steamboat segamat soup mix and butter: below 4 degrees Celsius.
• Frozen food, e.g., raw meat and fish, below freezing temperature at 0 to -12 degrees Celsius.
• Ice cube maker: below freezing temperature at -15 to -18 degrees Celsius.

Separate raw food like poultry, meat and fish from chilled or frozen ready-to-eat food like ice cream, cendol segamat ingredients, and fruit. Store them in different chillers and freezers. Discover the top 5 types of chillers and freezers, including a table top cake display chiller and cake showcase chiller.

Electrical Appliance Safety

According to the Malaysian Energy Commission or Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST), all electrical kitchen appliance categories must have a CoA (Certificate of Approval) and labelling. Approved electrical appliances must have a SIRIM Certification Mark sticker before being sold publicly. Use this checklist to set up kitchen equipment safely.
 

4. Cleaning and Maintenance

High-quality kitchen equipment should be easy to clean and maintain. Most commercial-grade kitchen equipment is made of stainless steel that resists tarnishing, corrosion, and breaking. Some equipment has plastic parts for handles, knobs, and buttons. These materials are a breeze to clean - regularly wipe with detergent and water daily or between shifts to prevent grime buildup and maintain hygiene.

You may need to deep clean refrigerators, ovens and sinks every year.

Consider equipment with detachable parts for fast washing:

• Vegetable cutters and meat mincers with detachable blades.
• Mixers with detachable mixing receptacles.

Follow your manufacturer or supplier’s maintenance instructions to extend equipment lifespan and durability. Some suppliers offer convenient in-house repair and maintenance services, so you won’t have to find a third-party provider. 

Fix equipment malfunction early to prevent it from affecting daily operations. Some common issues:

• Overheated cooking equipment, e.g. stoves, fast-food deep fryers, mesin cucuk satay skewer machines.
• Fryer temperature issues, e.g. deep fryer is not hot enough to cook food thoroughly.
• Clogged sinks and drains. You may use store-bought drain cleaners for minor clogs, but larger clogs must be resolved by a plumber.
• Refrigeration problems, e.g. chiller or freezer temperatures are too low or high.

5. Cost and Energy Efficiency

Inspect kitchen appliances and equipment for energy and water-saving features and labels. Ensure the labels are official (i.e. stamped with the SIRIM certification sticker) and not fake. It is illegal to sell and use equipment that is not properly certified and labelled.

The Malaysian Energy Commission issues energy consumption labels indicating the appliance’s energy efficiency on a 1 to 5 stars scale. The label also compares the appliance’s energy efficiency with low (2-star rating) products on the market.

Malaysia’s National Water Services Commission (SPAN) also drafted a 2019 law mandating labelled water-efficient devices in bathrooms and kitchens. In 2022, SPAN proposed guidelines on voluntary water-efficient labels. For clarification, check with your equipment supplier.

Conclusion

This blog recommends 5 tips for choosing high-quality restaurant kitchen equipment. If you’re a startup venturing into the F&B industry, check out our must-have equipment list specially curated for small businesses. Or, consider the 10 must-have kitchen equipment for restaurant startups.