There is a vast range of commercial fridge and freezer solutions on the market, and counter models are rapidly growing in popularity. These styles of fridge share many of the benefits of more traditional standing models but provide additional space- saving advantages.
As well as providing more efficient space for counter work, these types of commercial fridge freezers also offer excellent potential for energy-efficiency. With the kitchen typically being the most energy-hungry room in the home, this makes good financial and environmental sense.
Picking the Right Size
The first step to saving on those utility bills is to pick the right size of unit for your kitchen. Counter fridges are available in different sizes, ranging from a single-door to a four-door unit. Some come without integrated worktops, which is convenient for locating them under existing food-preparation surfaces or for using as ultra-slim appliances where available space is minimal.
These single-door units tend to range from 141 litres in capacity to as much as 670 litres. You’ll find a good range of these types of commercial fridge freezers from all the biggest brands at Fridge Freezer Direct. Some models are also designed for 2/1 GN fittings, which provide an elevated capacity of up to 864l.
Considering Energy Savings
It is vital to consider food safety above everything else. If your fridge is unable to store your food at a safe temperature, then the energy savings are entirely negated.
Beyond performance, having a bank of drawers tends to save energy compared to a single full door, because each drawer opening individually exposes a smaller area of the interior to the surrounding air.
Intelligent control systems are a great feature to look out for. These smart gadgets automatically monitor the fridge’s performance and usage and work to cut down energy consumption during quiet times – typically overnight. Systems may use intelligent defrosting, heater and fan pulsing and independent condenser and evaporator processes to slash running costs by as much as fifteen per cent.
A removable pod fridge is also a great eco-friendly system that allows for an efficient kitchen. If it breaks down, the engineer is able to simply pull out the pod, swap it with a new one and remove the faulty unit for further service without causing any kitchen disruption.
Look out too for self-closing door features. It’s very easy for a fridge door to be left open in a busy kitchen, and even small gaps rapidly decrease energy-efficiency. High-performance grade insulation is also a great feature to improve thermal efficiencies and allow the unit to retain a more consistent temperature. This reduces stress on the fridge’s operation and allows it to work more efficiently – and cheaply – whilst also maximising its useful working life.
Finally, ask about refrigerators that operate with hydrocarbons – these are ‘green’ and energy-saving in nature. To comply with health and safety guidelines, check that the charge is under the threshold of 150gm.
