Appliances

Commercial appliances are built for continuous use, with heavier motors, stronger housings and parts that can be replaced, and they carry sanitation certification such as NSF or ETL Sanitation so they can be used in inspected food businesses. In Canada, all electrical equipment must also be certified by an accredited body, shown by marks such as CSA, cUL or cETL. Household appliances usually lack sanitation certification and their warranties are often void in commercial use.

The Specialty Coffee Association recommends brewing water at 90 to 96 °C (195 to 205 °F) and about 55 g of ground coffee per litre of water, roughly 2 tablespoons per 6 oz cup. Commercial brewers such as Bunn hold water at brewing temperature so a pot is ready in about 3 to 4 minutes. Brewed coffee holds best on a warmer for about 20 to 30 minutes; for longer holding, use a thermal server.

For smoothies, frozen cocktails and crushed ice, choose a commercial blender with a motor of at least 2 to 3 peak horsepower, such as Blendtec, Vitamix or Waring models. A sound enclosure, like the Hamilton Beach Quiet Shield, is worth it at front counters. For milkshakes, a spindle drink mixer is better than a blender, because it mixes without breaking down the ice cream; triple-spindle mixers make three drinks at once.

Many countertop commercial appliances run on a standard 120 V, 15 A outlet, but high-wattage units such as large food warmers, conveyor toasters and some brewers need a 20 A circuit or 208 to 240 V. Check the voltage, amperage and plug type on each listing before ordering, and avoid running several high-wattage appliances on the same circuit. A licensed electrician should install any new dedicated circuit.

Wash brew baskets, decanters and spray heads daily, because coffee oils turn rancid and make coffee bitter. Descale the brewer every 3 to 6 months, or more often in hard-water areas, to remove the mineral scale that slows heating and clogs spray heads. Installing a water filter cartridge on the brewer reduces scale and chlorine taste and is often required to keep the manufacturer warranty valid.

Shipping is calculated live at checkout from real carrier rates. Free shipping on orders over $199. Orders are processed in 2 to 3 business days (cut-off 10:00 AM MST, Monday to Friday) and Canadian transit takes 2 to 6 business days. We also ship to the United States, with duties and taxes shown at checkout. See the Shipping page for full details.