Commercial reach-in refrigerators at home

[paulraphael]

We're shopping for a new fridge, and are dismayed by how many of them seem crappy, or expensive, or both. It's also a bit of a challenge to find one that's relatively shallow (doesn't jut out far beyond cabinets) and that will fit in our 31" wide slot.

 

This got me thinking about commercial reach-in fridges. We could get a separate freezer for not too much, and put it ... somewhere. The commercial fridges are so much better designed than the consumer nonsense that I want to round up everyone from LG to Sub Zero and stone them to death. I don't know why everyone isn't making a fridge that's rectangular on the inside, easy to clean, and with an unlimited number of adjustable shelf positions. For extra credit, it could be configured to hold sheet pans instead of shelves. 

 

My fear is that it would be loud. They advertise 1/4 horsepower to 3/4 horsepower compressors, and this makes me think of a portable generator or sump pump. Not something I want to cohabitate with.

 

Also, I wonder if the affordable brands (like Avantco) are reliable. Would the actual good ones cost as much as the high end consumer fridges?

 

Anyone with experience with these things? I'm assuming it will turn out to be a bad idea, but wanted to double check.

Edited September 9, 2016 by paulraphael (log)

[gfweb]

Having the same thoughts as you.

I like a bigger refrigerator and can have a separate freezer in the cellar.

The only fridge-only units I can find are a minimum of ~$2500 and they don't look to be flexible in their shelves.

[paulraphael]

I just did a quick look on webreastaurant store. They have many under $2000. I just don't know anything about the quality or the noise level.

[gfweb]

All the restaurant ones I've seen are big things with clearances not found in a home kitchen. 

[Lisa Shock]

I knew a caterer that had a series of units attached to a wall, 2 high, instead of a walk-in. Each one was big enough to hold full sheet pans, but, approximately half the size of a regular home fridge. (and oriented horizontally) They worked well, but, I have no idea what the brand was.

[dscheidt]

4 hours ago, gfweb said:

All the restaurant ones I've seen are big things with clearances not found in a home kitchen. 

There are plenty of commercial ones of smaller size, to tuck into whatever odd corner is available in kitchen.  They tend to be taller than residential ones, though, because clearance for overhead cabinets isn't a concern.  Non standard sizes are more expensive, though.

[JeanneCake]

I've had a two door True reach in (he 49 cubic foot one) in my basement for the last 13ish years.  I got it because it was an easy way for me to bring orders home and store them safely and appropriately so I could deliver them first thing in the morning to the gourmet shop less than a mile from my house that were selling my products (the kitchen I was renting was 30 mins away so that hour saved was precious  - yes, it's loud.  Yes, you can't re-arrange the shelving as easily.  If you need service, you have to call a commercial refrigeration company. 

 

I particularly loved the Arctic Air freezer I had before it died; it was bigger than any consumer model.   I wish I could get another one.

[pastrygirl]

"shallow" and "commercial refrigeration" don't go together for me.  They're not all at least 30" deep?

[paulraphael]

9 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

"shallow" and "commercial refrigeration" don't go together for me.  They're not all at least 30" deep?

 

Probably most of them, but the one I linked above is 25-1/2.