Don’t worry we’re here to help!
Here at Cater-Kwik we only offer the best brands to our customers, such as Buffalo, Samsung, Sharp, Panasonic. How do you know which one is best for your commercial catering business? Heavy duty microwaves are an essential part of any commercial kitchen.
When it comes to Commercial Microwaves – QUALITY IS KEY! As with any piece of critical commercial cooking equipment, breakdowns can have a massive impact. It’s worth investing in a machine that is robust, trustworthy, comes with a good warranty and unrivaled after-sales service of which you are assured to find at Cater-Kwik.
Firstly, how much power do you need and what are you going to be using it for:
Light duty (1000w-1400w/ 1 Magnetron) – Great for general re-heating, sweet prep etc.
Or
Heavy duty (1500w-1900w/ 2 Magnetron) – Heavy duty models are able to stand up to the rigors of a commercial kitchen. More power, more speed, larger capacity, more suited to heat from frozen and would generally be the preferred choice of chefs in busy commercial kitchens.
Magna- what? Don’t worry about the scientific jargon there we’ll explain a bit later in the blog.
So, what to look for in a good Commercial Microwave?
•Brand– Choose a well known, trusted brand, such as Buffalo, Samsung, Sharp, Panasonic.
•Power Output (W)– Too low can lead to delays in service and under cooking, Too high and you’ll be left with over cooking and wastage!
•Warranty– Like we said…when it’s the busiest time… that is usually when your beloved machine will decided to break… so make sure to get a good warranty.
Commercial/Domestic debate
If you work in the catering business, it may be obvious, but you NEED a commercial microwave- a domestic will just not keep up. Structurally, domestic machines aren’t as robust and a light duty microwaves warranty will not be valid in commercial applications. Where as commercial microwaves benefit from:
- Withstand the high demands of a busy catering environment
- Fast and efficient
- Do not produce a large amount of steam, heat or odour- so require little extraction/ ventilation- Great for limited space kitchens!
- Extremely Versatile-Can cook a wide variety of foods from scratch! Whether it be heating, poaching, steaming or braising.
The Scientific Bit
A microwave uses waves to heat food at a frequency of around 2500MHZ. When the waves are absorbed by water, fats and sugars, they are converted directly into heat.
Microwaves are not absorbed by most plastics, glass or ceramics but are reflected by metal… that’s why your mum told you NEVER LEAVE YOUR SPOON IN THE BOWL!!! Sparks will fly!
Unlike conventional ovens where heat is conducted from the outside of the food towards the centre. The waves ‘excite‘ the water and fat molecules evenly through the inside of the food.
And when it comes to the magnetron- it’s a whole different subject, and after all, we’re chefs not scientists so all you need to know is that microwaves use them. A light duty machine will have 1 magnetron where as a heavy duty will usually have 2….simple!
Accessories
We also offer great accessories, whether it be a microwave shelf, a spare plate, liner or cavity protection system, we’ve got you covered.
Cater-Kwik love to work closely with our customers, so if you’re still not sure, even after a read of this blog or our buyers guide, then just pick up the phone and one of our friendly team will be happy to help.