This buying guide will help you make the right decision when it comes to purchasing a new range. JES Restaurant is committed to providing you with all the information you need to buy a new range.
Adding a restaurant range to your home kitchen seems appealing at first. They're more durable and powerful than residential-style ranges, and they're stripped of all those expensive and nonessential add-ons. But before you rush headlong into buying a commercial-grade range for your home, it's important that you consider their drawbacks and limitations.
Manufacturers of restaurant ranges do not honor their warranties when a range of theirs has been installed inside a residence. You should also note that these manufacturers consider bed-&-breakfasts and other businesses within residential areas to be residences.
Since restaurant ranges are both less insulated than residential ranges and produce higher amounts of heat, they require at least six inches of clearance space on all sides, left right front and back. A restaurant range cannot sit flush with your countertops, cabinets, or wall.
Key word: "might." Most home insurance agreements do allow for commercial ranges provided they are installed correctly. So check first. But whether it's covered or not, whatever you do, DO NOT LIE TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. Lying to an insurer constitutes what's called "Material Misrepresentation," which will void your agreement and allow an insurer to refuse ANY potential claim you make.
If you choose to buy a restaurant range, we recommend you hire a professional to install it for you. Most homes do not have the correct gas lines or electrical connections needed for restaurant ranges, and tricky modifications are often necessary.
Obviously a range with a higher BTU cooks hotter. But even when you aren't cooking, its standing pilot light will be burning. This will cost you on A/C and gas bills. You might even require an exhaust hood.
With the added cost of the exhaust hood, installation, and monthly utilities, a restaurant range ends up costing as much as an initially-expensive professional style home range. So unless you absolutely need top level temperatures, we recommend sticking to an appliance designed for a home kitchen, not for a kitchen that serves dozens of people every hour.
The following commercial range manufacturers also design professional style ranges intended for the home: American Range, Imperial, Summit, Vulcan, and Wolf.
JES Restaurant Equipment is committed to being your best source for restaurants and commercial kitchens with top quality products while providing the best service and support in the industry.
With over 50 years of combined experience in the restaurant supply and sales industry, we are vastly familiar with the many nuances of the business and we strive daily to make the shopping for and purchase of restaurant equipment a convenient and pleasant experience for our customers.
