How to Choose a Commercial Fridge: Types, Sizes and What to Check
A commercial fridge runs 24 hours a day, every day, so it's worth getting the right one. Pick well and it keeps food safe, saves your staff steps and lasts for years. Pick badly and you'll be fighting for space, chasing temperatures in summer or paying for capacity you don't use. This guide walks through the main types and what to check before you buy.
The main types of commercial fridge
Upright storage
Best for: bulk ingredient storage in the kitchen
Tall, solid-door fridges that hold the most for the floor space they take.
Underbench and workbench
Best for: keeping ingredients within reach of the cook line
Fridge storage under a stainless steel bench top you can work on.
Prep fridges
Best for: salads, sandwiches and pizza making
Chilled pans on top for toppings and fillings, with storage underneath.
Drink and display
Best for: selling drinks and grab-and-go food
Glass doors show off your stock so customers can see and choose.
Bar fridges
Best for: bars, pubs and cafés
Low, back-bar coolers that keep bottles and cans cold right where you pour.
Upright storage fridges
If you need to store a lot of ingredients, an upright fridge gives you the most capacity for the floor space. Single door models suit smaller kitchens, while two, three and four door models suit busy restaurants and catering kitchens. For example, the FED-X XURC650SFV is a 650L single door stainless steel fridge, while the Thermaster SUC1500 is a 1500L three door fridge tropicalised for hot Australian conditions.
Shop upright storage fridges →
Underbench and workbench fridges
Underbench and workbench fridges put chilled storage right under your prep area, so cooks can grab ingredients without walking to the coolroom. The stainless steel top doubles as bench space. Two door models like the FED-X XUB6C13S2V (228L) suit smaller lines, while four door models like the FED-X XUB6C22S4V (449L) suit bigger kitchens.
Shop underbench and workbench fridges →
Prep fridges
Prep fridges hold gastronorm (GN) pans of toppings and fillings at a safe temperature on top, with refrigerated storage below. Salad and sandwich benches suit cafés and sandwich bars, while pizza prep benches like the TPB1200 give pizza makers chilled toppings and a work surface in one unit.
Drink and display fridges
Glass door fridges let customers see what's inside, which helps sell drinks and grab-and-go food. They come in single, double and multi-door sizes, from compact units up to large upright models like the Thermaster LG-730BP (730L, two glass doors).
Shop drink and display fridges →
Bar fridges
Bar fridges are low coolers designed to sit under or behind the bar. Hinged doors suit most bars, while sliding doors like those on the Thermaster SC316SD work well where there's no room for doors to swing open.
How to size your fridge
Check net capacity
Gross litres include space you can't use. Look for net or usable capacity where it's listed, and compare like with like.
Size for deliveries
Your fridge needs to hold your biggest delivery plus what's already inside, not your average stock.
Leave airflow space
An overpacked fridge can't circulate cold air. Allow room so it can hold temperature.
Before you buy
- Measure the space and the way in: check doorways, corridors and stairs, not just the spot where the fridge will sit.
- Ventilation: fridges need clearance around them to release heat. A fridge squeezed into a hot, enclosed space works harder and wears out faster.
- Hot kitchens: if your kitchen gets very hot in summer, look for models rated or tropicalised for high ambient temperatures.
- Temperature range: check the listed range suits what you're storing. Most commercial fridges hold food in the 2 to 8°C range.
- Power: check the plug and power rating on the product page. Most plug into a standard 240V outlet.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a domestic fridge in a commercial kitchen?
It's not recommended. Commercial fridges are built for constant door opening, heavy loads and hot kitchens, and they recover temperature much faster. A domestic fridge may struggle to keep food safe in a busy kitchen.
What does "tropicalised" mean?
A tropicalised fridge is designed to keep working properly in high ambient temperatures, which is useful for hot kitchens and warmer parts of Australia.
Glass door or solid door?
Glass doors help sell products to customers. Solid doors insulate better and suit back-of-house storage where nobody needs to see inside.
What's the difference between a bar fridge and a drink fridge?
Bar fridges are low units that fit under or behind a bar. Drink fridges are usually upright glass door units designed to display and sell drinks to customers.
Find the right fridge for your business
Browse our full range of commercial fridges, with delivery Australia-wide. Not sure which suits you? Email us at sales@supplymykitchen.com.au with what you need to store, your space and your venue type, and we'll help you choose.