Collection: Drawer Fridges

Drawer fridges put refrigerated stock at the chef's hands without the swing-room of a hinged door. Drawer-front design keeps the cold-line fast in tight pass layouts. Hospitality Connect stocks two-, four- and six-drawer under-bench fridges from Skope, Polar, Bromic, FED and Saltas, in 1200mm to 1800mm widths.

Types and footprints

• Two-drawer (1200mm): One drawer per side; suits compact pass and bar back-up cooling.
• Four-drawer (1500–1800mm): Two-by-two drawer fronts; the standard for restaurant pass and pizza-make stations.
• Six-drawer (2100–2400mm): Three-by-two drawer fronts; busy pizza, sandwich and grill lines.
• Refrigerated dough drawers: Dedicated drawer for proved or retarded dough; common in pizza-prep applications.
• Combo drawer + door: One drawer column plus one hinged door — flexibility for mixed-load storage.

Sizing and pan compatibility

Drawer fridges are sized for GN 1/1 (530x325mm) pan inserts. A standard drawer holds 2x GN 1/1 at 65mm depth or 1x GN 1/1 at 150mm depth. Match drawer count to your peak service — pizza make needs 4–6 drawers for prepped toppings; sandwich pass runs comfortably on 4. Drawer-front design saves 600mm of swing space per door over hinged equivalent — significant in narrow service runs.

Energy and operating notes

• Power: Two-drawer 10A 240V; four-drawer typically 15A; six-drawer often 20A. Confirm circuit before delivery.
• Drawer slides: Stainless ball-bearing slides last longer than nylon-roller; specify on order for high-volume sites.
• Insulation: Drawer fridges run slightly warmer at the front lip than door fridges — keep most-perishable product behind the front pan.
• Defrost cycle: Auto-defrost runs overnight; verify the condensate drain heater works.
• Compressor placement: Right-side compressor is the AU standard; confirm before delivery.

Drawer fridges save 600mm of door swing per door — significant in narrow pass and pizza-make layouts. The trade-off: drawer slides need maintenance, and high-volume sites should specify stainless ball-bearing slides over nylon-roller. Confirm GN compatibility before order — most drawers fit GN 1/1 65mm or GN 1/1 150mm; mixed depths require adapter trays. Drawer fronts run slightly warmer at the front lip than door fridges; keep most-perishable product behind the front pan. Auto-defrost runs overnight; verify the condensate drain heater works before the first summer. A common upgrade path: drawer fridges replace door-fronted under-bench fridges progressively as venues see the speed and ergonomic benefit. Plan to budget the upgrade across 2–3 years so you don't blow the capex line in one fitout cycle.

Pair with

Round out the cold line with salad prep fridges, under-bench freezer and pizza prep refrigeration.

Why buy drawer fridges from Hospitality Connect

• Curated for Australian commercial kitchens: Every line is selected against the realities of AU service — voltage, room dimensions, council rules, ambient temperatures.
• Brand-direct relationships: We deal directly with manufacturers and importers, so you get current models and the right parts when you need them.
• Field-tested specs: Sizes, gauges and capacities listed on each product reflect what actually works in service, not glossy brochure numbers.
• Tech support that picks up: Pre and post-sale phone lines staffed by people who know commercial kitchens.
• Warranty handled here: We process the claim with the manufacturer; you keep cooking.

Drawer fridges care and longevity

• Inspect door gaskets fortnightly: A torn or compressed gasket forces the compressor to overrun and triples the energy bill.
• Clean condenser coils: Vacuum the front grille every two weeks. Greasy kitchens block coils within days and trip high-temp alarms.
• Don't block return-air paths: Stacked product against the back wall starves the evaporator and warms the load.
• Run a defrost cycle on schedule: Manual-defrost units need a planned cycle; auto-defrost still benefits from a quarterly deep service.
• Verify temperature with a calibrated probe: Onboard displays drift; check actual product core with a Hanna or Testo probe weekly.
• Plug into a dedicated circuit: Sharing a circuit with a dishwasher or induction hob causes nuisance trips and compressor wear.

Need help choosing? Talk to us

Our commercial chefs and fit-out specialists can match the right drawer fridges to your menu, footprint and operating budget. Send through your floor plan, service brief or trading hours, or call our Australia-based trade line for a same-day spec quote — we'll line up sizes, brands, voltage and gas requirements, lead times and freight rates before you commit. If you're fitting out a new venue or refurbishing an existing one, ask about multi-line trade pricing and consolidated delivery so the kit lands when the trades do, not weeks later.