Before any of the two decisions of installing a commercial refrigerator in your home or a residential one for commercial purposes, you need to consider many important points. Let us understand the difference between the two versions of refrigeration to choose the best for our kitchen at home and for our business purposes.
THE WORKING
A thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump together form the machinery of the residential refrigerator. The heat pump transfers the inside heat from the refrigerator to the outside environment to keep the temperature inside below the ambient temperature of the room. The average temperature of a residential refrigerator is 3 to 5 degrees. The extremely low temperature keeps the food items fresh and safe for a longer duration of time. The freezer is usually a part of the residential refrigerator and keeps the optimum temperature below the freezing point of water. A freezer is used to store food items like ice creams, ice cubes, and non-vegetarian foodstuff.
The commercial refrigerator units obtain low-temperature processing of foodstuff. It creates and maintains the specific operating cooling mode inside. It is designed for specific purposes: to store a large volume of food, cooked and raw, both to meet the demands of customers. In maintaining the low temperature the commercial units also include humidity, speed for the cooling environment, pressure and gas composition.
SIZE
Residential refrigerators are made on the platform of design consideration, whereas in a commercial refrigerator, it is the size requirement that dominates its manufacturing. A commercial unit is made to incorporate a huge amount of food material to serve the peak hours rush of customers with ease. The size is too large to be accommodated perfectly in a home kitchen. More often, they are designed so they do not neatly fit in the kitchen of your sweet home. Along with the large space, they have H.A.C.C.P. rounded corners for easy cleaning.
The residential refrigerator unit is perfectly designed to beautify your kitchen. It is incorporated with a freezer unit enough for small family usage. Smaller in size as compared to a commercial unit, a residential refrigerator stores enough variety of food for a small family.
DESIGN
As we need to store a variety of food in our residential refrigerator it is designed with different storage space and adjusting shelves to accommodate every shape and size of a container.
A commercial refrigerator is designed in such a way as to accommodate a huge amount of raw food material and large trays of cooked food for storing the food. They have a powerful compressor for maximum performance. They regulate and maintain health code requirements and are generally made up of commercial-grade materials that stand out for heavy use in a busy commercial kitchen.
COOLING ABILITY
Both refrigerators work to maintain a cool temperature zone inside the refrigerator to keep the food fresh and safe. The cooling capacity of the commercial refrigerator is much higher as compared to the residential one. The standard codes for commercial refrigerators are to be followed in a restaurant, and thus, they have a powerful compressor to provide more cooling. Also, in a commercial setting, the door of the refrigerator is opened very frequently and needs more cooling. The residential unit is more energy efficient as it requires comparatively low cooling and emits less heat.
AESTHETICS
Have you ever observed the dull design of commercial refrigerators? All commercial refrigerators look almost alike without any difference in texture, colour or design. They are always made of stainless steel exterior for easy cleaning and are not bothered about the aesthetics. The residential refrigerator, on the other hand, comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. We can choose from a wide range of designs and options when it comes to choosing a residential refrigerator.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Although commercial refrigerators are installed with energy-saving features, still, they are still too costly to operate as compared to residential ones. In commercial refrigerators, a consistent temperature is maintained even if it requires more energy to deal with the safety of perishable food products. In contrast, residential units allow shutting down and drift in the temperature to save more energy.
MAINTENANCE
Although there is not a significant difference between the two refrigeration units, the difference is notable when it comes to the maintenance of your refrigerator. You cannot expect the same technician to solve the problems of both refrigeration units. A commercial refrigerator requires a special technician and needs servicing, repair and maintenance regularly at frequent intervals. You require a perfectly trained and qualified technician to solve your problem with commercial fridges; otherwise, it could result in a huge loss in terms of food costs.
Suppose in case you own a commercial unit at your home. In that case, firstly, it won't be easy to find a commercial technician for a single-unit repair, and even if you are successful in finding a technician, it will cost you far more than you expected.
It is wise to opt for a commercial refrigerator for your commercial setting and a residential unit for your kitchen at home. Compare the pros and cons of both the units according to your requirements and take your decision accordingly. In case of commercial requirements, a commercial refrigerator will best serve your purpose. In want of saving a smaller amount, do not end up creating huge losses. Take a wise and thoughtful decision and enjoy the art of serving food be it your home or a restaurant.
