Which hot food cabinet and when?

Written by Tom Auman on November 19, 2019

WHICH HOT FOOD CABINET WHEN?

When selecting a cabinet for holding and or transporting food in a safe manner what cabinet should you select?

On the surface this sounds like an easily answered question. But let’s drill a little deeper.

Questions an operator should be asking themselves, which then begins to open the door to even more questions:

What type of product am I holding?
How long will it be held?
Do I need clear doors or solid doors?
A reach in or pass-thru unit?
Where will it be held?
What finish such as Aluminum or stainless should be specified. How much will be held?
What size plate or pan will be held?
Will it stay in one location or be transported?
Will it require moisture control or not?
What temperature needs to be maintained?

and all you wanted to do was order a hot food cabinet!!!

Here are some suggestions from the “HRI Foodservice Handbook” that may be helpful.

Unless there is a specific need always ask for universal tray slides to accommodate a variety of pan sized.
Insulated units will always outperform a non-insulated box. Non-insulated units will begin to show food degradation in a soon as after 1 hour of hold time.
Keep Energy star in mind when selecting a unit.
Purchase a box from a reputable manufacturer who is in the business of engineering and manufacturing hot food transport and holding cabinets. Look for a solid warranty.
Pay special attention to the type of product being held and for how long. This may be the most important factor to avoid product loss.
Purchase from a reputable dealer/distributor who has a knowledgeable staff that can provide answers to the many questions you may have.
Source the internet with manufacturers like Metro and Vulcan to assist. They have online videos and brochures to help you make the right choice. https://youtu.be/JIlAlds47KY

*For more information on Hot Food Cabinets or any of the HRI represented manufacturers visit us at https://hri-inc.com/blogs/blog/

Tags: #hotholdingcabinets, #metro, #vulcan

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