A Guide to Buying Commercial Kitchen Equipment

When purchasing commercial kitchen equipment, your ultimate task is to buy or lease high-quality equipment without spending a fortune. While this can be difficult,buying restaurant equipment doesn’t have to be a challenge. There are some things that you can do to help save money, such as buying used compared to new. Read on for a quick guide to buying commercial kitchen equipment.

Determine What You Need

The first step is to determine what exactly you need, which your restaurant manager should be able to assist with. Evaluate whether there’s any equipment that might make your job or their job easier. You’ll also need to determine the equipment you need to serve certain menu items once you’ve covered your back-of-house needs.

Decide Between New and Used Equipment

You have the option to purchase used commercial kitchen equipment instead of new equipment to help allay costs and reduce your start-up operating capital. Although purchasing used commercial equipment is a great way to mitigate financial stress, you must always carefully examine used equipment. Do some seller research and make sure they’re reputable before you make a final purchase decision.

Consider Leasing Equipment

Much like a vehicle, you only use leased machinery for a negotiated period of time. This arrangement has both its advantages and disadvantages. Many equipment firms will have a lease program for equipment, with lease-to-own being the most common type of lease program. Each company provides different terms and conditions for their leases. Before signing on the dotted line, make sure you read the fine print and understand the full scope of the contract.

Choose Between Buying Online or In-Store

Online shopping can bring many advantages, including being able to readily compare various brands, find new styles, and compare prices of vendors. However, the drawback is that you’re not able to see or check the equipment. Due to the size and weight of the item, shipping can also be costly, although some online suppliers cover shipping costs themselves.

Buying equipment from a physical store gives you the opportunity to see the equipment and see how it will fit into your kitchen. You’ve got the added advantage of talking to a salesperson who can demonstrate to you the choices that fit your requirements. Make sure you ask about the warranty of the equipment and do some research on how long the supplier has been operating.

Look Into Financing

The financing of commercial kitchen equipment is essentially a loan that helps you to fund the equipment you need. Conventional loans involve counter party sources, like a mortgage, that perhaps the bank can reclaim. However, the equipment itself is used as collateral for the loan within the financing of restaurant facilities. In order to qualify, most lenders will require your restaurant to have its doors open for a minimum amount of time. This is usually a set number of years.

One of the first steps in making your restaurant dreams a reality is starting with the right equipment. While finding equipment can quite daunting, don’t stress! Within no time at all, if you follow these steps, you’ll be running your restaurant like a well-oiled machine.