From concept to menu curation to layout and design, these choices and purchases are critical to the restaurant-building journey. Whether designing and shopping for the front or back of the house, the equipment purchased will be a long-term investment. These choices impact the food quality, help determine staff workflow, and ultimately, the bottom line. Let’s look at some tips to make buying more accessible and less stressful.

More than Dollar Signs

While cost is always a concern, purchasing the cheapest kitchen equipment can have long-term financial consequences. Opting for the lowest-priced option can mean more breakdowns, which leads to unaccounted-for repair costs, staff frustration, and slower output. The combination of these things can affect a business’s ability to provide customer satisfaction and the likelihood of customer retention.

A great place to start is by sitting down with your team, talking through the goals for the business, and seeing what suits the operation. The kitchen floor plan will determine the space for prepping and preparing menu items. Opting for expensive, oversized commercial kitchen equipment can be costly and mess up the flow for their kitchen staff. This Oven Quiz can help determine the best cooking solution to recommend for your specific kitchen needs.

Purchasing Checklist

While it’s normal for you to be focused on your return on investment, there are many critical factors to consider besides the upfront costs:

Chef Knows Best
In many cases, the business owner may not do the daily menu planning and cooking; it’s best to get input from the head chef. Their expertise is invaluable in understanding the features essential to cooking the desired menu. Purchasing equipment with fancy specs that will not be utilized can be a waste of an otherwise limited budget.

Want to feel like you’re making the best choice for your operation? Schedule a culinary consultation with our first-class chefs. They can walk you through the specifics of our 100% ventless ovens, making you an integral part of the decision-making process.

Energy Efficiency
Choosing Energy Star-rated products offers many long-term benefits and cost savings. This Energy Savings Chart can help illustrate how much energy your operation will utilize during a typical business day, giving you the confidence that you’re making a sustainable and cost-effective choice.

Speed Cooking
Time is money. Understanding the spec differences between models like BTUs, RPM, and hourly output will assure your team that you have chosen the best equipment. Take the time to assess the speed of the equipment to ensure the unit you’re choosing the best equipment to meet your expectations. Use tools like our Pizza Calculator to determine if the equipment can keep up with your busy business.

Press 3 to Speak to a Representative
What’s more frustrating than equipment breaking down? Not being able to reach a human to assist with unexpected equipment failures. At Ovention, we understand the importance of reliable customer service. Our technical service team is available to assist customers from 7 a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, providing you with the support and peace of mind you need.

We’re happy to help you carefully choose your kitchen equipment and ensure that you have made the best long-term investment. All Ovention ovens are designed and manufactured in the USA. Backed by the industry-wide respected Hatco Corporation, all our ovens are dependable and built to withstand. Not sure if an Ovention oven is suitable for your needs? Reach out today to schedule a demo with one of our kitchen experts!