3 Big Differences Between a Commercial Kitchen & a Residential Kitchen

A lot of homeowners do their fair share of cooking, some even like to throw big events and cook for large groups. When hosting events at home, they sometimes find that domestic cooking appliances struggle to deal with the demands they put on them. If you look at online forums, you will find plenty of homeowners asking about commercial kitchens and whether they can be fitted at home.

This article will discuss some of the differences between a commercial and domestic kitchen.

1. Appliances

If we want to look at the differences between a commercial kitchen and a domestic one, we must first consider the appliances. What is the difference between commercial and residential appliances? Most of the time the difference is minimal, you will find commercial stoves by Electrolux Professional in restaurants, university kitchens and other settings. If you walk into someone’s home, you will find the same stoves by Electrolux, but they will be for domestic use. The difference is that they vary in size and functionality. Commercial appliances are designed for heavier workloads, they can do a lot more than domestic appliances. Commercial appliances are designed for heavier workloads, they can do a lot more than domestic appliances. Commercial kitchens use heavy-duty appliances that are designed for a high volume of work. Same goes for the cookware they use. It needs to be able to withstand a high volume of work. To find some of the best cookware for induction cooktop, check out this list from HomeDesignX. There you’ll find cookware sets used by professionals in commercial kitchens that you can also buy for your own use.

If we take a look at refrigerators, you will be able to understand the difference between commercial and residential units.

Residential Refrigerator

• Less storage space
• Takes up less space in the kitchen
• Minimal insulation & risk of food contamination

Commercial Refrigerator

• Powerful compressors
• Large storage space
• Custom thermostats with a variety of settings

As you can see, there is a big difference between the functionality of both units.

2. Design Layout

When you think about the layout of an indoor or outdoor kitchen, you consider things such as space for guests, the weather, seating arrangements. None of these factors come into play when you set up a commercial kitchen. There will be lots of staff and employees wandering around a commercial kitchen, so it must be set out accordingly. The appliances must be fitted in such a way to make space for everyone who will be using them – access is important.

You also have to consider lighting. You may decide to install only a few lights in an outdoor residential kitchen to create an ambience, this is not a factor in a commercial setting. Commercial kitchens must meet safety standards to ensure workers are not put at risk. There is an excessive need for light in a commercial kitchen to ensure productivity and safety. That’s why lighting for restaurants is one of the focuses of business owners to ensure they will meet the standard needs of setting up a commercial kitchen.

3. Storage Areas

A kitchen which operates as part of a business is quite different to a home environment. They are serving food to customers, so they need to have big storage units to meet food safety standards. Commercial kitchens will have huge pantries, massive freezers, and other types of storage units and areas. Even though a kitchen is a place to prepare and cook food, a residential kitchen and commercial kitchen are different in many respects. Many homeowners think about installing commercial appliances at home and this can be done once they are fitted by a professional. But most of the time domestic appliances are sufficient.