Outfitting a commercial kitchen is a six figure exercise where a few wrong purchases quietly bleed margin for a decade. Whether you are opening a first location or replacing a tired line, the same rules apply: buy certified, size to the menu, and spend where the equipment runs all day.
Certifications are not optional
Health departments expect NSF/ANSI certified food contact equipment, and fire marshals and insurers expect UL or ETL listed gas and electric appliances. Residential equipment in a commercial kitchen can void insurance and fail inspection. Every unit we list in the commercial range from makers like APW Wyott, Atosa, Vollrath and Turbo Air carries commercial certifications; verify the specific listing against your local code before ordering.
Size to the menu, not the room
The menu drives the line. Count your highest volume cooking processes at peak hour, then buy for that: a 60 seat brunch spot lives and dies on griddle and hood capacity, a pizza concept on deck or conveyor ovens, a bar program on ice. Equipment that exists because the catalog page looked useful becomes a $4,000 shelf.
Gas or electric
Gas ranges and charbroilers deliver instant response and lower operating cost where gas service exists, and cooks know them. Electric and induction win where ventilation is constrained, in ghost kitchens, and increasingly under local electrification codes for new construction. Check your hood requirements either way: the hood and fire suppression system frequently costs more than the cooking equipment under it.
Where to spend and where to save
- Spend: refrigeration (it runs 24/7; compressor quality is everything), the primary cooking battery (range, fryer, griddle), and the dish machine. Failure in any of these stops service.
- Save: stainless tables, shelving, sinks and smallwares. Certified is certified; a work table has no compressor to fail.
- Consider used with care: mechanical simple pieces (tables, sinks) are fine used. Compressor equipment and fryers carry the most hidden risk.
Warranty and service reality
Commercial warranties are typically 1 to 3 years parts and labor. What matters more is parts availability and a service network in your city. Established brands cost 15 to 30 percent more than import unknowns and repay it the first time a compressor dies on a Friday.
Delivery and installation planning
Commercial equipment ships freight. Measure door widths, note stairs, and book liftgate delivery unless you have a dock. Gas connections, ventilation and 208/240V three phase electrical belong to licensed trades, and inspectors will ask who did them.
FAQ
What does a full cookline cost?
A modest single-line kitchen (range, fryer, griddle, refrigeration, prep and dish) typically runs $25,000 to $75,000 in equipment. Hood and MEP work can double it.
Lease or buy?
Equipment financing preserves opening cash and is widely available; leasing makes sense for fast-turn concepts. High-use refrigeration and cooking equipment on a 5 year note usually beats leasing on total cost. Speak with your accountant; this is not financial advice.
Can you supply full build-outs?
Yes. We quote multi-unit packages across our 5,800+ item commercial range with consolidated freight.
Shop commercial equipment
Browse the full commercial kitchen equipment department. For project pricing on a full kitchen or multi-unit rollout, request a quote or call (866) 777-2590.
Shop this guide
In-stock picks that match the advice above.
- Vulcan STACK/G-CST Gas Convection Oven Stacking Kit with Casters 901STACKGCST — $519.00
- Vulcan 36C-6BN Endurance 6 Burner 36" Natural Gas Range with Convection Oven Bas — $7,500.00
- Vulcan VC5ED-11D1 Single Deck Full Size Electric Convection Oven with Legs - 208 — $6,684.00
- Vulcan VC5GDN Natural Gas Single Deck Full Size Convection Oven with Legs - 50,0 — $6,368.00
Not sure which fits? Call +1 866-777-2590 (Mon–Fri 9–6 PST), or browse more buying guides.