Collection: Salad Prep Fridges

Salad prep fridges combine refrigerated under-storage with a chilled GN-pan top section, putting prepped salad, sandwich and pizza components within reach of the chef. Hospitality Connect stocks 1500–2400mm prep fridges from Skope, Bromic, Polar, FED and Saltas, in 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-pan top configurations.

Types and footprints

• 6-pan / 1500mm prep fridge: Two-door under, six 1/3 GN top pans — small cafe and sandwich shop standard.
• 8-pan / 1800mm: Two- or three-door under, eight 1/3 GN — the most common prep size for restaurant and bistro lines.
• 10–12-pan / 2100–2400mm: Three-door under, large pan capacity — busy restaurant and pizza-make lines.
• Pizza prep fridges: Wider tops for full topping range; usually drawers under to free bench length — see pizza prep refrigeration.
• Drawer-style salad prep: Drawer-and-prep combos for high-throughput restaurants where doors slow service.

Sizing for your venue

Match the prep fridge to your busiest service — a 6-pan for low-100 covers, 8-pan for 100–200, 10–12-pan beyond. Don't undersize the under-storage — chefs hate running back to the walk-in mid-service for backup. Confirm pan format on order: 1/3 GN (most common for salads) and 1/6 GN (for relishes and herbs) often share the same top with adapter bars.

Energy and operating notes

• Top-section temperature: GN-pan tops run 2–8°C; under-section runs 1–4°C. Lid down between bursts of service to maintain temp.
• Lid clearance: Hinged glass lids stay up cleanly; flat polycarbonate lids slide off and need a place to land.
• Compressor placement: Right- or left-side compressor matters for kitchen layout — confirm before delivery.
• Standoff at the back: Most prep fridges need 100mm rear clearance for ventilation and condensate drain access.
• Fan-forced top section: Top pans hold temperature better when ambient kitchen temp is below 30°C — extraction and air movement matter.

Three operational details that separate a working salad prep fridge from one that drops temperature mid-service: keep the lid down between bursts; restock toppings from the underfridge cool, not from room-temperature backup; and don't run the kitchen above 30°C ambient. Top-section temperature stability depends on chef discipline as much as compressor capacity — a chef who leaves the lid open through service will see 10–12°C in the top pans by 2pm. Schedule a daily lid-clean and a weekly compressor and fan-filter clean to keep performance through the season.

Pair with

Add drawer fridge, under-bench freezer and anti-jam pans stainless steel gastornorm pan inserts to round out a complete cold line.

Why buy salad prep 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.

Salad prep 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 salad prep 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.