Commercial Refrigerator Manuals & Owner Guides

Commercial refrigerator types

Reach-in

Upright one-, two- or three-section cabinets with solid or glass doors — the standard storage refrigerator or freezer in most kitchens.

Under-counter and worktop

Low cabinets that fit beneath a counter or provide a prep surface on top; usually front-breathing so they can be built in.

Glass-door merchandiser and bottle cooler

Display cabinets for packaged food and beverages in front-of-house or retail areas.

Pass-through and roll-in

Pass-throughs have doors on both sides; roll-ins accept loaded pan racks on wheels.

Chef base

Low refrigerated drawers that sit under countertop cooking equipment on the line.

Cold-holding temperatures

The FDA Food Code requires TCS foods to be held at 41 °F (5 °C) or below. Most operators set refrigerators to 35–38 °F for a safety margin and freezers to 0 °F (−18 °C) or colder. Every cabinet needs an accurate thermometer, and temperatures should be logged each shift.

Comparing energy use

Commercial refrigerators are rated in kWh per day under a DOE test procedure. Because a three-door reach-in naturally uses more than an under-counter unit, compare models within the same configuration, or divide daily kWh by volume to compare energy use per cubic foot.

Commercial Refrigerator FAQ