Types and footprints
Commercial refrigeration is the highest-impact category in any kitchen fitout — both in capital cost and in daily running cost. The HC range covers everything from undercounter chef-base drawers to multideck displays, sourced from Polar, FED-X, Thermaster, Turbo Air, and Bonnet Neve. Choose by what the unit needs to do — bulk product storage, prep-line access, grab-and-go merchandising, or chef-station integration. Each form factor solves a different operational problem, and getting the type wrong wastes both floor space and energy for the life of the unit.
- Counter and saladette fridges: under-bench units 240–400 L with prep tops or drawer access (Polar G-Series, FED-X XGNS, Thermaster GNS).
- Chef bases: 184–450 L drawer fridges that double as a chargrill stand (FED-X XCB-36 to XCB-72) — saves floor space on tight lines.
- Upright fridges: single, double, and triple solid- or glass-door (1200–2100 mm) for bulk product storage in walk-up areas.
- Multidecks: self-contained or remote condensing for grab-and-go displays (Polar CM287, Bonnet Neve Onwave) — visibility for impulse purchase.
- Sandwich/salad prep benches: with GN-pan top wells for hot-line service and made-to-order assembly.
Sizing
Allow 100 L of refrigerated storage per 25 covers for a standard café, more for ingredient-heavy menus and venues running multiple meal periods. Saladette benches replace bain-marie storage on the cold line. Chef bases free up floor space by combining cooking platform and storage. For drinks and dessert displays, multidecks deliver visibility but draw 2–3× the energy of a solid-door fridge — size carefully to avoid overspecifying display capacity that runs underused outside peak. Walk-in cool rooms become economic above ~600 L of bulk storage demand and free up underbench real estate for prep workflow.
Energy and operating notes
- Climate class: Class 4 minimum for Australian commercial kitchens; Class 5 for outdoor or mobile use in extreme summer.
- Energy ratings: look for inverter compressors and EC fans — running cost difference over 5 years often outpaces the price gap to a cheaper unit.
- Refrigerant: R290 (propane) is now standard on new models; lower GWP and more efficient than R404a.
- Defrost cycle: hot-gas defrost reduces downtime in high-humidity venues and prevents frost buildup on freezer-converted units.
- Service access: front-breathing units sit hard against walls; check clearance on every spec sheet before committing the floor plan.
Pair with
Round out the cold chain with ice machines, commercial food displays, merchandising refrigeration, and hot cupboards for hot holding. Add work benches with splashback adjacent to prep fridges for the full cold-line setup.
