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Buying Guide: Commercial Soup Kettles
Summer has come and gone and now it’s time for my favorite season of all. Fall is my favorite food season for many reasons, but mostly because it’s the perfect time to start adding soup back into my weekly menus. Serving soup is an important part of any restaurant or café menu. It’s quick, easy to serve, and (in most cases) a health conscious option. If you serve soup in your business, chances are you use a soup kettle to keep it at the right temperature for the course of your business day. Soup kettles are excellent for serving soup, curry and chili at just the right temperature. Countertop commercial soup kettles are an essential tool in any commercial kitchen or catering business. If you’re in the market, keep reading below for some buying guide tips from Burkett Restaurant Equipment. Determine the correct kettle size: Soup kettles are great for smaller applications of soups, such as buffet style salad bars or catered events. The soup kettles are designed to fit a specific size of food insert, usually 7, 10 or 22 quart sizes. Calculating your soup sales is the best way to determine what size is appropriate for your establishment. Temperature Control: Commercial soup warmers include thermostatic temperature controls allowing you to adjust temperatures and ensure you’re heating and holding your food at a safe temperature for display areas. Soup kettles provide the heating power to maintain the appropriate safe food temperature, keeping out bacteria and other possible food contaminates. Keep in mind that kettles featuring only an on/off switch are recommended for short-term use rather than all day applications. Dry vs. Wet Warmers: Most new soup kettles today are available with both wet and dry operation, cutting out your need to decide between the two. However, there are some that are available in wet or dry only. Dry warmers, with encased heating elements, can be easier to operate, but might not offer the same type of heating as the boiled water (wet units). Finally, unlike the traditional kettles, commercial soup kettles typically require electricity and appropriately sized food inserts because the inside of the soup kettle itself is not an approved food contact surface. These inserts are usually included with the unit, but if it is not, any standard size round insert will suffice. Soup kettles are available in a wide variety of finishes, and designed to function in both the front and back of the house.
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Rice Cooker Benefits for Your Restaurant
A restaurant-grade rice cooker isn’t just a convenience; it’s an essential tool for maintaining consistency, reducing labor, and maximizing efficiency in high-capacity kitchens. Among the many rice cooker benefits, reliability and ease of use stand out. Here’s why every restaurant should invest in a commercial rice cooker for their operations. 3 Reasons Restaurants Need a Commercial Rice Cooker In the fast-paced world of foodservice, every second counts. Whether you’re running a busy restaurant, catering service, or hotel kitchen, efficiency is key. Enter the commercial rice cooker—a kitchen workhorse that streamlines rice preparation and enhances the quality of your dishes. 1. Consistency in Every Batch One of the key benefits of rice cookers is their ability to produce consistent results. In a restaurant setting, quality consistency is critical. Whether you’re cooking sushi-grade short-grain rice, fragrant jasmine rice, or hearty brown rice, a rice cooker will uniformly cook each batch. This kind of reliability helps maintain the quality of your dishes and keeps customers returning. 2. High-Capacity Cooking for High Demand Unlike home models, industrial rice cookers are designed to handle large quantities. They can cook up to 110 cups of rice at once, making them ideal for high-traffic restaurants, buffets, or catering operations. A high-volume capacity allows for cooking large batches of rice without sacrificing quality. This can give more time and stove space to other menu items. 3. Set It and Forget It Convenience Commercial kitchens are hectic environments where multitasking is a necessity. With a restaurant-grade rice cooker, you simply load the rice and water, press a button, and let the machine do the work. The automatic “keep warm” function holds rice at ready-to-serve temperatures without drying out or overcooking. Beyond Rice: Unlock the Potential The advantages extend beyond just perfectly cooked rice. This multi-use capability can help streamline your restaurant’s workflow and expand menu offerings. Steaming Capabilities Many industrial cookers come with steam trays, allowing you to steam vegetables, dumplings, or proteins like chicken or fish. You can craft healthy side dishes or handle a variety of culinary tasks with just one appliance. Cooking Grains for Diverse Menus Easily handle a variety of grains, such as quinoa, farro, and bulgur to provide flexibility in your menu. This is particularly beneficial for establishments that serve diverse dietary preferences, such as grain bowls or vegetarian dishes. Improved Efficiency, Reduced Labor For restaurants, efficiency is key. A commercial rice cooker can significantly reduce the labor involved in manually monitoring rice or other grains during cooking. By automating the process, it frees up kitchen staff to focus on other essential tasks, enhancing overall kitchen productivity. Durability Designed for Commercial Use Professional kitchens are busy environments and need equipment that can withstand daily use. Constructed from durable, high-quality materials, industrial rice cookers can endure the wear and tear of high-volume environments. Investing in a durable unit for your restaurant can remove the need for frequent equipment replacements. The Right Rice Cooker for Your Restaurant In the competitive world of foodservice, even small improvements in your kitchen setup can lead to positive results. Rice cookers are low-maintenance, high-impact additions that consistently produce perfect rice, improve overall kitchen efficiency, and reduce labor costs. Ready to elevate your kitchen’s performance? Explore the range of commercial rice cookers and find the perfect model for your restaurant today!
Top 10 Reasons to Buy True Refrigeration
There’s a reason True Manufacturing has been rated Best in Class and the leader in commercial refrigeration. Eric M. Krupa, who is the Service Manager at Burkett, can attest to the unmatched quality of True products. As the manager of the technicians responsible for reconditioning our selection of used products, Eric has seen the full gamut of brands, qualities and conditions. Regardless of age or use, True, he says, is the standard by which they are all measured. "I have been repairing or refurbishing refrigeration equipment for nearly 17 years and still have yet to see a company as complete and consistent in the refrigeration category as True. In a service technician's eyes, True Refrigeration remains the baseline for all other companies. With each import company that pops up in the industry, we commonly compare their structure, function, and longevity to that of True. True is a company that has stood the test of time, and continues to impress even the most critical of technicians. Whether you are buying new or used, True Refrigeration will meet your needs in a multitude of applications." If that's not enough to convince you of the quality of the leader in commercial refrigerators, here's 10 more reasons to stay true to True. 1. Hydrocarbon Refrigeration System True produces environmentally friendly hydrocarbon refrigeration systems by matching and balancing oversized compressors, evaporators, and condenser coils. These refrigeration systems include shorter run times, lower energy consumption, and the industry’s coldest holding temperatures. True’s evaporator coils have 20%-40% more surface area than the industry standard resulting in faster pull down of product temperatures and quicker recovery times. By utilizing large condensers with more standard passes, True units will ensure better food preservation in the hottest, most extreme foodservice environments. 2. Fan Motors True’s low velocity motor fans are completely sealed, oil-filled, and self-lubricating. They have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years! The motors are matched with larger fan blades giving True cabinets high volume low velocity airflow that produces a large volume of air passing across the evaporator at a slow rate. This allows for faster recovery and better uniform temperature throughout the refrigeration unit. 3. High-Density Insulation True continues its commitment to sustainability by pioneering the use of Ecomate, a foamed in place, CFC free polyurethane, high-density insulation. Ecomate provides unparalleled strength, rigidity, and an increase to an already industry-exceeding insulation factor, with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and zero global warming potential (GWP). 4. Outstanding Aftersale Support Along with their 3 year parts & labor warranty and 7 year compressor warranty, True’s exclusive unit warranty is the envy of the industry. At no additional cost, customers enjoy the option of having the entire condensing unit replaced. This consists of a new compressor, condenser, start components, and fan motor; all of which are pre-assembled and shipped from the factory. 5. Shelving True internally manufactures their own heavy-duty shelves, utilizing larger diameter steel for strength. The shelves are bonded with powdered PVC to prevent chipping and peeling. 6. Customer Service True employs their own internal customer service, parts customer service, and technical support to be there to help at any time throughout the life of your unit. True’s dedicated staff is a great source for educated sales, design and after sale support. 7. ENERGY STAR True is committed to eco-friendly manufacturing by meeting and surpassing the energy standards while not sacrificing performance. By using oversized, higher capacity, balanced refrigeration systems, true outperforms industry efficiency expectations. 8. Made in the USA True is committed to producing high quality products that are manufactured in the USA. True manufactures each cabinet using an industry leading combination of high quality metals and components designed to optimize cabinet performance. 9. 100% Run Testing In order to verify that all units re manufactured properly and to specification, True run tests every single model as a part of the final quality inspection before releasing the unit into finished goods inventory. 10. Availability By maintaining an extensive level of inventory in their Missouri based manufacturing facility, True can fill nearly 100% of standard items within 2-3 days of receiving and processing your purchase order.
Buying Guide: Your Equipment Checklist for Opening a Bakery
Aren't bakeries magical places? It’s like walking into a sugar coated heaven. I can’t bake to save my life, so I’m infinitely impressed by those who can. For those of you that are thinking about monopolizing on your talents and opening a bakery, consider this as your checklist for the must-have equipment. Commercial Ovens A high quality commercial oven offers baking consistency and reliability. New bakery owners should consider both product and volume when selecting the right industrial baking oven for your shop. Major bakers looking for power and volume should consider full-size rack ovens. An advantage of a commercial bakery oven is that you can place multiple full-size pan racks within the interior. Convection ovens are the most common and affordable options for bakeries. Using a fan, convection ovens circulate hot air throughout the oven interior allowing you to bake more evenly and efficiently. Convection ovens are available in both gas and electric options and a range of sizes. Commercial Mixers The style of mixer you need depends on what you plan to mix and make. Pizzerias or large-volume bakeries will need a floor model mixer, where higher horsepower and larger capacities will help keep large batches of dough under control. For smaller tasks, such as one or two batches of cupcakes or cookies, or occasional light to medium-duty mixing, a countertop mixer will be sufficient. Dough Presses and Dough Sheeters Dough presses and dough sheeters are an essential piece of equipment for bakeries, pizzerias, delis and cafes. Dough Pressers and Sheeters are designed to press large amounts of dough into flat, even sheets for easy preparation and baking. Their consistency and efficiency makes them ideal for pastry, pizza and bread dough. The main difference between the press and sheeter is that the press uses a heated head to flatten the dough, while a sheeter rolls the dough out flat. Both countertop and floor models are available to meet your establishment’s needs. Proofing & Holding Cabinet Ever been to a sub shop and observed loaves of bread waiting to be baked? Those loaves of bread are placed inside a kitchen essential called a proofing cabinet. If you plan to offer pastries, bread, or other treats that require your dough to rise, you need to purchase a dough proofing cabinet. Our selection of proofing boxes range from smaller, undercounter units to full-size units. We offer them in capacities of 7 to 40 pans to keep your dough at the right moisture and temperature levels. Most proofing cabinets have humidity controls allowing bakers to control the moisture aspect of the proofing process. CHECK OUT OUR 2022 updated BUYERS GUIDE: WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED TO START A BAKERY?
Burkett Introduces Perfect Fry Ventless Fryers!
At Burkett Restaurant Equipment, we are committed to bringing our customers the latest and most innovative restaurant equipment and supplies. Cue the addition of Floor model or countertop ventless fryers! Perfect Fry is a leading supplier to the foodservice industry with innovative and simple to operate countertop deep-frying solutions. As the recipient of the National Restaurant Association’s Kitchen Innovations award, PFA’s Rapidfry technology is the first odorless, ventless, and automated counter-top deep-frying system with robotic entry and delivery for your food products. So what makes Perfect Fry Fryers the best? Let us count the ways: #1 No Vents or Hoods RequiredLow cost installation! Perfect Fry is made for locations that do not allow for the installation of commercial fixed vents, air exchange, filters or fire suppression systems. With built-in filtration and state of the art fire suppression, Perfect Fry is ideal for open mall kiosks, temporary or seasonal locations, portable kitchens, catering, or any limited-space locations. #2 OdorlessPerfect Fry has designed their own air filtration system to remove grease particulates from the exhausted air. Made in the same factory as their fryers, the HEPA style filters last three months under normal use conditions. #3 Small FootprintPerfect Fry fryers install on your countertop. Their high-volume output means that foodservice businesses with limited space can now offer a variety of fried foods that have been missing from menus due to restricted space. The total space is less than a single conventional fryer or side-loading counter-top fryer. #4 Commercial Volume OutputFully automated fryers can fry up to 3 lbs. of food in each load. Wait it gets better. The Perfect fryer will cook 30 loads in an hour. At 3 lbs per load, with an automated load system the PFA can produce 90 POUNDS OF FRIES PER HOUR. #5 Easy Maintenance Perfect Fry fryers require a daily cleaning (wipe down, and general clean) and a weekly oil change. The self-contained oil drainage kit allows you to empty oil even when it is hot. All of the stainless steel components can be removed from the fryer chassis and washed in a dishwasher or sink. Finally, air filters should be changed every 3 months under similar usage; this can be done in under a minute. #6 SafetyFoodservice owner/operators put a priority on the safety of employees; with Perfect Fry’s fully automated PFA fryer operators won’t come in contact with hot oil. Ingredients are placed into the robotic loading tray. The cooking area of the fryer is enclosed and self-contained. Food then empties safely into the tray placed in the unloading area. All key functions of the machine are monitored electronically and indicated on our bright LCD display – the self-diagnostic ability of the Perfect Fry machines reduces guessing and downtime. #7 Preset CookingPerfect Fry allows you to customize up to 9 presets. Put an entire menu into your fryer’s program. When the preset cooking cycle is completed, the food will unload automatically. Food stays warm with an optional ceramic heat lamp. Ready to upgrade? We thought so. Click over to our website and check out our latest inventory of Perfect Fry Fryers.
When to Replace your Commercial Warewasher
Are you making repeated service calls for your commercial warewasher? Are you debating between another service call versus replacing the whole unit? Although these are cleaning machines, proper maintenance and cleaning are important to keep warewashers operating efficiently and effectively. Typically, a warewasher is replaced for one of three reasons: technical problems, inefficiency, or inadequacy for operational needs. Technical problems can mean the machine is out of warranty and past its prime. Older generation warewashers are expensive to keep running from a service point of view. Most high-quality commercial warewashers are expected to have a useful service life of 10 years on average. As your foodservice establishment continually grows or expands overtime, you may find that your warewasher isn’t capable of handling the growing demands efficiently. If your machine is requiring you to rewash items or extending operating times, it is probably time to consider replacing the unit. The good news is that today’s warewasher models consume significantly less water and energy than models of only five years ago. This reduces the time necessary to recoup the investment of a new machine significantly. So how can you tell when it’s time to replace your warewasher? Look for the following: When to Replace Increased service calls and high repair costs: When a unit requires an increasing number of service calls or multiple component replacements, it may be nearing the end of its service life. Signs of wear and tear: Tank leaks may signify that the welds are giving out. Also, problems can be caused by water leaking from the boosters. Loss of controls: If the warewasher's controls are not operating properly or pump pressure is lost, replacement is most likely appropriate. Inconsistent results: The results of the unit are a key indicator that the warewasher is not operating at 100 percent. Older models: Operators may want to replace older warewashers that are utilizing excessive amounts of energy and/or water with a more efficient unit. Once you have that new machine installed, it’s important to get the most out of your purchase. Remember these steps for extending the life of your new warewasher: Maintenance Musts Clean dish machines after every shift, since flushing out the water removes accumulated soil from the machine, improving washing performance. Regularly wash and clean scrap screens or filters. Depending on usage and water quality, wash and rinse arms should be cleaned weekly or as required.
Restaurant Education: Preparing Your Restaurant for High Voltage Appliances
With the exception of a clothes dryer or oven, most household appliances only require 120 electrical volts, whereas commercial restaurant equipment and appliances run at higher voltages (208 volts to 240 volts). If you’re opening a new foodservice establishment, or remodeling your existing restaurant, coffee shop, or bar, you will be buying equipment and acting as a middle man between your electrician and your equipment dealer. Read on to understand the basics you’ll need to understand to be comfortable talking directly to your electrician and ensuring your establishment is properly wired. Standard 120 Volt household appliances generally have the same standard plugs on the ends of their power cords, and those plugs can be plugged into any standard household outlet. This is not true of high voltage commercial appliances. There are different kinds of plugs and different kinds of outlets for high voltage appliances. Most people realize the plug on the end of your appliance’s power cord needs to fit the outlet. For this reason, many commercial appliances are shipped without a plug at the end of the power cord. The person doing the installation first looks at the outlet, and then provides a compatible plug which they put on the end of the power cord as part of the installation procedure. The main reason for having different plugs is to ensure that the appliance does not exceed the current limit of the wiring in the wall. For high voltage outlets, you will typically see 20 Ampere sockets, 30 Ampere sockets. Make sure that the circuit that your electrician installs will comfortably handle the current that your appliance will pull. Consider putting in a 30 Ampere circuit for a 20 Ampere appliance to ensure you’re not regularly tripping the circuit breaker. If you intend to plug more than one appliance into the same circuit, make sure you add up the currents from all of the appliances (this should be available on the equipment’s spec sheet). Ask your electrician to install a circuit that can handle the total current. Finally, look for plugs that lock into the socket. This will prevent the plug from being dislodged accidentally. Some zoning boards will require this as a "safety feature." They are concerned that if someone trips over the cord, the plug will get pulled out, and there could be a small spark that would cause any nearby volatile gasses to explode.
Buying Guide: What to Do before Buying a Ventilation Hood
Are you opening a new restaurant? Maybe you’re re-modeling an existing establishment? A ventilation hood is an essential piece of commercial restaurant equipment that is required in all restaurants, hotels and other foodservice establishments. Vent fans, located inside the hood, pull in smoke, grease, oil, steam and odor; essentially leaving only clean air inside your kitchen. Before you open your doors, your ventilation hood will need to be functioning and in good condition to meet various safety, food and health standards. In some cases, restaurant owners will need to adhere to both national and local codes and mandatory specifications for commercial kitchen equipment. One of the first things to consider when buying a commercial ventilation hood is your fire code. It is also important to determine the size and type of hood you’ll need. Most fire codes have specific requirements for commercial kitchens and concession stands. These will typically specify how much larger the ventilation hood should be than the cooking area it covers. Before you start shopping, check the fire and safety codes in your area to ensure you purchase the correct piece of equipment that is sized to meet all the necessary cooking and fire suppression requirements and specifications. Keep in mind, national fire code in the US requires a minimum of a six inch overhang on all sides of your hood. If your kitchen is designed so that your range, charbroiler and fryers are in the same area, one ventilation hood should be sufficient for the entire area. In addition, most kitchens will need a grease hood system to filter the grease vapors that are emitted while you’re cooking. Wall-type designs are common in commercial kitchens, and professional installers can do the job for you. Some would even offer to do regular maintenance and provide recommendations on how to properly maintain and use the equipment. For those pizzeria owners out there, pizza ovens do not produce grease vapors, so a heat hood is all you’ll need. The same goes for areas that have dishwashers or steamers. If you still have questions about which ventilation hood to purchase, call Burkett Restaurant Equipment at 419-720-8190. Whether you need a new ventilation hood or a custom ventilation hood, Burkett Restaurant Equipment will help you select the right piece of equipment for your foodservice establishment!
How to Know When It's Time to Replace Your Walk-In Cooler
Summertime is approaching quickly and your refrigerators and freezers will be working overtime. While walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers can have very long service lives, there are a few telltale signs that a unit needs replacing. With new and more energy efficient technologies continuously being developed, experts recommend that walk-ins be replaced after 15 years of service. If the panel skins are deteriorating or separating from the foam, the walk-in most likely needs to be retired. Frost accumulates when warm air is allowed to enter the walk-in. If your walk-in is a new installation and the frost is forming along seam lines, you may have an air leak at the seam. Interior panel seams that have condensation or frost build up typically signify that the seal is allowing air to leak through. This can compromise holding temperatures and leave you needing a new unit. If the frost is around the door you likely have a leaking door gasket or wiper gasket on the bottom of the door. To determine this, go inside the freezer, have someone turn off the lights. If you see light, you have a leak at the gaskets that will need to be repaired. Door seals and sweep gaskets can be replaced. However, sagging doors that allow outside air into the walk-in cooler or freezer can cause ice buildup on the evaporator coil, compromising efficiency and eventually requiring the purchase of a new unit Finally, if the frost is on the ceiling, particularly near the units evaporator coil, you may have a failed fan delay relay. The fan relay functions to delay the coil fans from restarting after a defrost cycle until the coil refreezes. If there is no delay the water on the fins of the coil will evaporate and turn to frost on the ceiling of the walk-in freezer. You’ll need a refrigeration tech to confirm the problem and replace the fan relay.
Buying Guide: The Difference between Radiant and Lava Rock Charbroilers
The primary function of a charbroiler is to cook a variety of foods, particularly meats, fish and seafood, at consistent temperatures. One of the primary benefits of commercial charbroilers is in food presentation. Broilers give food the appearance and flavor of having been cooked on an outdoor backyard barbecue. For the commercial kitchen they offer a high production level with a shorter recovery time. A basic restaurant charbroiler looks like a firebox with a steel or cast-iron top grate on which the food cooks. Some charbroilers transfer heat via metal radiants made of stainless steel alloy or cast iron, while others use lava rock. While shopping for a restaurant quality charbroiler, you may ask yourself – what is the difference between radiant and lava rock? The main difference is the way in which the heat is transferred to the food. On a radiant chargrill the burner is positioned under a cast metal radiant from which the heat is radiated towards the food being grilled. Sub-radiant heating offered with some broiler units reduces gas use and grease fires, while improving the evenness of top grid temperatures. The result is that grease is instead sent down into a trough or tray where it is held until emptied, while some of the drippings from the meat will actually “burn” and provide that chargrill aroma we are all so familiar with. Lava Rock Charbroilers use a bed of lava rock positioned above the burners to catch and radiate the heat towards the meat above. The porous lava rock catches and holds the drippings which when heated create that delicious aroma associated with grilling food. Products cooked over crushed lava rock can accumulate large amounts of carbon and grease. Manufacturers recommend replacing elements twice a year. Both types of charbroilers improve the flavor and presentation of your dishes. Ready to shop? Burkett Restaurant Equipment offers a wide selection of charbroilers from the leading manufacturers. Take a look at our burkett.com or call a sales representative today!
Buying Guide: Drawer Warmers
A few years ago, I worked as a server at a local Max & Erma’s during a summer home from college. The best part of that job? Working doubles on Saturdays. Yeah, I actually mean that. On Saturdays, I would get a short break to eat between shifts. I always – always – bought a breadstick with my meal. As a college kid not concerned with carb intake, those warm, buttery breadsticks were heaven. I know now that those breadsticks kept their perfect consistency because of the built-in drawer warmer in the kitchen. Below, I’ve taken a deeper dive into those drawer warmers with a brief overview and things to think about if you’re in the market. Drawer warmers are located in the back of house and are used in a variety of restaurants and fast-food chains. Drawer warmers hold cooked foods, such as breadsticks, rolls, and baked potatoes, at the correct moisture level and holding temperature until they’re ready to be served. There are two primary types of drawer warmers: free-standing units and built-in units. Countertop Drawer Warmers Free standing warmers are the most popular due to their versatile application and their ability to be incorporated into almost any existing kitchen design. Free standing drawer warmers can be located on countertops, lower table shelves or on the floor next to the food prep line. Free standing drawer warmers are available in one drawer, two drawer, three drawer, and four drawer configurations. Additionally, optional casters are available instead of legs if you’d like your unit to be mobile. Built in drawer warmers are custom applications and are favored by restaurant design consultants because they are conveniently installed within stainless steel enclosed bases or custom workspaces. Built in drawer warmers are available in one drawer, two drawer, and three drawer configurations. Also, they often have digital controls versus manual controls like free-standing units. Standard features on both units include individual temperature controls, moisture controls, and a dual temperature gauge. Temperature controls the range from 100 degrees to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Drawer warmers have stainless steel fronts, sides, and drawer facings, while each drawer features a telescoping track and a full size (12” x 20”) stainless steel pan insert. Drawer warmers are available in 120-volt, 208-volt, 230-volt and 240-volt options. When shopping, make sure you verify the voltage capacity within your workspace, as well as the voltage on the unit with the manufacturer.
How to Clean and Maintain your Commercial Ice Cream Machine
Regular cleaning and sanitizing of your commercial ice cream machine helps ensure food safety. Just a few drops of ice cream mix can create a haven for bacterial growth. Before you start, research local health codes for cleaning ice cream machines. Most will require a daily or twice weekly disassemble and clean. After that, follow these four simple steps for cleaning and maintaining your machine. ✔ Completely empty the ice cream machine - Start by emptying any unused mix from the freezing chamber. Wipe out any impacted ice cream that has hardened out of reach of the scraping blades. Ensure that there is a clear pathway for water to pass through the machine completely. Flush it a few times until the water comes out clear. ✔ Take the ice cream machine apart - Get out your owner’s manual and locate all of the parts that are suggested for removal when cleaning. Completely disassemble the ice cream maker, removing any detachable parts that come in contact with the ice cream. Commercial machines have dispensing handles and tips that come in contact with fingers and ice cream regularly. These tips and handles should also be disassembled and removed during every cleaning session. ✔ Soak + Scrub Parts - Pour a mixture of hot soapy water into the freezing chamber of your machine. Many ice cream makers now come with a wash cycle setting; run this if your ice cream maker includes this feature. If it does not, a kitchen scrub brush with a handle is recommended to clean all of the inner moving parts. Once finished, drain your machine of all soapy water and flush it again with clean hot water to remove all traces of soap. Next, place all of the parts into a tub of more hot soapy water. Add a tablespoon or so of bleach to kill any remaining bacteria and allow the parts to soak for 30 minutes, or until the water has cooled. Rinse all parts in clean water and allow them to dry on clean towels. ✔ Reassemble - Finally, wipe down your ice cream machine and parts with a clean, dry towel and reassemble according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Additional best practices for ice cream machine maintenance include keeping the condenser coil clean. If the coil has a buildup of grease and dirt, you’ll need to use a degreaser and then wash the coil off. When you wash the coils of your commercial ice cream machine, be sure to cover the condenser fan motor and any other electrical components that might get sprayed. Note if the coil has a build-up of dry dust and lint. The best way to clean that is to wash it thoroughly with water. Also, open the side and back panels of your ice cream maker and inspect the inside for debris. Finally, check the drive belts and make sure they're in good condition and adjusted to the correct tension, and make sure the drive pulleys are aligned correctly. You might want to keep spare tune up parts like o-rings, seals, gaskets, food-safe lubricant, sleeves, bushings, and beater blades. These things will wear out and will need to be changed every three to six months.
Buying Guide: 5 Tips for Buying Food Processors
Food Processors: A Must-Have for Every Commercial Kitchen Considered a “must-have” piece of restaurant equipment, food processors revolutionized kitchens when they first appeared in the 1960s. They were originally introduced by Robot Coupe (Ro-Bo-Koo), which remains one of the top food processor manufacturers today—available through Burkett Restaurant Equipment. Commercial food processors have drastically reduced labor-intensive prep tasks while saving time in the kitchen. Chopping, mincing, grinding, puréeing, slicing, and shredding all become faster and easier—whether in professional or home kitchens. How Does a Food Processor Work? A food processor is made up of a mixing bowl, lid, and a range of blades and disks. Safety features are built in, ensuring the machine only runs once the bowl and lid are securely locked in place. Most models include two main blade types: Stainless steel blades: S-shaped, designed for chopping, shredding, grating, and mincing vegetables, meats, and more. Plastic blades: Ideal for mixing bread and pizza dough without overworking the ingredients. What Should You Look for in a Food Processor? Powerful motor: Ensures quick, consistent processing. A heavy chassis also keeps the unit from “walking” during heavy-duty tasks. Large bowl capacity: At least 2.5–3 quarts. Note: liquid ingredients reduce effective capacity by about half. Wide feed tube: Accommodates larger food pieces, reducing prep time. Simple controls: Multiple speed options plus a Pulse setting, perfect for bread and pizza dough. Bonus attachments: Features like citrus presses for juicing or egg whips for baking add versatility. Shop Food Processors at Burkett Ready to upgrade your prep station? Explore our wide selection of continuous feed food processors and standard food processors today.
