I have a rule I like to invoke when evaluating a purchase: I can always tell when something has been designed by someone who was never going to use it. The rule applies to cars, software, appliances, and commercial foodservice equipment. You can usually determine if the rule applies shortly after making the purchase. Why? Because very few salespersons (actually no salespersons) are going to take the time to point out design flaws as part of their sales pitch. So how do you avoid running afoul of this rule? We gonna tell’ya.

Firstly, at the very least, equipment should worked as intended. You know. Fryers fry. Grills grill. Ranges range (?). Wait. Never mind. Fortunately, this is pretty easy to figure out and not a frequent problem. But do be aware of foodservice equipment that claims to do a multitude of things well. Chances are they do most things well. Rare they would do all things well.

Next you need to ask those questions which truly shed light on the usability or performance of the equipment. They’re not sexy but getting the right answers will make your life in the kitchen infinitely easier:

1. Reliability. Equipment down time is a killer. It disrupts workflow, production, ticket times, customer satisfaction etc. If a piece of equipment can’t stay up and running, it’s not helping. It’s hurting.
2. Ease of Operation. You should not require a degree in Engineering to figure out how to run a piece of equipment in your kitchen. The less settings and steps, the less likely something will go wrong.
3. Ease of Cleaning. A critical, but often overlooked, element of equipment performance. Cleaning equipment is a P.I.T.A. It’s not fun. Most everyone hates doing it. They’ll hate it even more if it requires complex and time-consuming procedures. Sometimes difficult to get accurate information because what are the chances a salesperson actually cleaned a really dirty piece of equipment.
4. Learning Curve. The easier it is to master something the more likely someone is able to repeatedly succeed at it. This is especially helpful if turnover is an issue. The quicker you can get a new person up to speed, the faster your kitchen returns to normal. If you have to attend an 8-hour seminar to learn how to operate it, back slowly out of the room and run.
5. Local Support. Another critical element. Despite the best laid plans, equipment can and will breakdown. The ability to get it up and running is mission critical. Having local support can cut down response times and availability.
6. Cost to repair. This can be a tough one to find answers for but if you can, it’s worth it. Case in point. I had a high-tech coffee brewer breakdown. The fix was easy: just swap in an $800 motherboard (almost ½ the cost of the unit). You know. Like for your computer. Only this one brewed coffee.

Even if you get positive responses to the above questions, how can you really be sure that you’re getting an unbiased answer? The best way to insure getting an unbiased evaluation of foodservice equipment is to visit www.ChefWorthy.pro. Built by foodservice professionals for foodservice professionals, www.ChefWorthy.pro is home to the best, most trusted ratings & reviews of foodservice equipment in the industry. Looking through reviews and comparing makes and models is free. We encourage you to join for free, become a member of our community and write your own reviews. When we publish it, we’ll send you an Amazon Gift Card as our way of saying “Thank You”.

Mathew Mandeltort
Co-Founder
ChefWorthy, LLC
www.ChefWorthy.Pro

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