What to Measure Before Ordering Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Why measuring comes first

Many equipment problems found on delivery day could have been measured weeks earlier. A reach-in that will not clear the back door, a fryer ordered for propane in a natural gas kitchen, or a range built for a supply the building does not have can all be caught with a tape measure, a look at the electrical panel and a careful read of the spec sheet.

Every product has a manufacturer's spec sheet listing its dimensions, weight, electrical rating or gas input, required clearances and connection sizes. Download it before you order and check it against the measurements below. Where a listing and a spec sheet disagree, the manufacturer's sheet is the one your trades will work from, so ask before ordering.

The delivery route

Measure the path from where the truck stops to where the unit will stand, one opening at a time. Use the crated or packed dimensions where the manufacturer lists them, because a pallet and crate add width, depth and height, and plan for the unit to travel upright.

• Doorways: measure the clear width with the door fully open, from the face of the door to the opposite stop. The door's own thickness, the stops and the hardware all eat into the opening, and taking the door off its hinges gains space.
• Hallways and corners: a long unit that fits down a corridor may not make the turn. Measure the width of both corridors at the corner and check whether the unit's length can swing through.
• Stairs: measure the width, the headroom and the landing where the stair turns. A heavy unit on stairs needs a stair-climbing dolly or a crew, and some carriers will not take freight up stairs.
• Elevators: measure the door opening and the cab's width, depth and height, and check the weight capacity against the unit's shipping weight.
• Floors and thresholds: note steps, ramps and soft flooring that a loaded pallet jack cannot cross.
• If a unit will not fit, look for models that come apart: doors, handles and hinges can come off many refrigerators, and legs or casters can usually be removed to lower the height. Confirm with the spec sheet or the manufacturer before counting on it.

The final spot and its clearances

Measure the space where the unit will stand: width, depth, and height to the underside of anything above it, such as a shelf, a hood or a counter. Include the space doors and drawers need to open, the aisle a cook needs in front of the unit, and room to pull it out for cleaning.

• Refrigeration airflow: air-cooled condensers need space to breathe. Front-breathing units can sit tight to walls and under counters; rear- or side-breathing units need the clearance the spec sheet lists, and a unit starved of air runs hot, works harder and wears out sooner.
• Door swing: reach-in and undercounter doors hinge on one side. Check which way they open against walls, aisles and neighbouring equipment, and whether the hinges can be moved in the field or must be ordered for one side.
• Cooking equipment: gas and electric appliances list minimum clearances to combustible and non-combustible construction on the data plate and in the installation manual. Install to those figures and keep every appliance that needs the hood within its coverage.
• Height: undercounter units have to fit under the counter above with room for airflow where needed; tall units have to clear the hood, shelving and any sprinkler heads.

Electrical: voltage, phase, amperage and plug

Match four things to the circuit: voltage, phase, amperage and plug. Commercial kitchens commonly have 120-volt circuits for small equipment and 208 or 240 volts for larger equipment, in single-phase or three-phase. The spec sheet gives what the unit needs; your electrician can tell you what the panel supplies and whether a new circuit is needed.

Voltage has to match what the unit is rated for. 208 volts is common in commercial buildings with three-phase service and 240 volts in many smaller buildings, and they are not interchangeable for heating equipment: a 240-volt element on 208 volts produces roughly a quarter less heat, so a fryer, oven or booster heater recovers more slowly. Many models are sold in both voltages, so choose the right one when you order.

• Phase: three-phase equipment will not run on a single-phase supply. Some models can be set up for either, so check before ordering.
• Amperage: the circuit's breaker has to be rated for the unit's draw, and many manufacturers ask for a dedicated circuit for refrigeration.
• Plug: plug-in equipment ships with a specific plug named by its NEMA configuration, for example 5-15P or 5-20P for 120-volt equipment, and larger 208 or 240 volt plugs such as the 6-series or locking types. The receptacle has to match; an adapter is not a fix.
• Hardwired equipment: larger units have no plug and are connected directly by an electrician.

Gas: type, supply and connection

Gas equipment is built or set up for one gas, natural gas or propane, and the burner orifices and regulator differ between them. Order the correct type. Some models ship with a conversion kit and some can be ordered for either gas, but conversion generally has to be done by a licensed gas fitter, so it is easier to get it right on the order.

The supply matters as much as the type. Every gas appliance has an input rating in BTU per hour on its data plate. Add up the inputs of everything that runs at once, including anything you plan to add, and have a licensed gas fitter confirm that the meter and piping can deliver that total at the right pressure. Undersized piping can show up as weak flames when the whole line is on.

• Connection size and location: the spec sheet gives the gas inlet size and where it sits on the unit.
• Flexible connectors: equipment on casters commonly needs a commercial flexible gas connector with a quick disconnect and a restraining cable, sized for the appliance.
• Regulators: some appliances need an external pressure regulator, and the installation manual says so.
• Shut-off valves: a manual shut-off ahead of each appliance lets one unit be serviced without shutting down the line.

Water, drains and ventilation

Anything that uses water needs a supply line of the right size and pressure, often with a shut-off and backflow protection, and many units need filtered water. Ice machines, combi ovens, steamers, coffee equipment and dishwashers list water quality and filtration requirements in their manuals, and scale from untreated hard water is a common cause of service calls.

Drains need planning too. Many units drain by gravity, so the drain has to sit lower than the outlet. Ice machines, dishwashers and some refrigeration need a floor drain or floor sink nearby, and plumbing codes often require an indirect connection, such as an air gap. If the drain is higher than the outlet or far away, check whether a drain pump is available for that model.

Ventilation is one of the most expensive things to get wrong. Cooking equipment that produces grease-laden vapour generally has to sit under a commercial hood with fire suppression, and the hood, exhaust fan and make-up air are designed for the appliances beneath them. Adding a fryer or charbroiler to an existing line can mean changes to the hood and suppression system, so ask your ventilation contractor before ordering. Air-cooled refrigeration and ice machines also add heat to the room, which the ventilation or air conditioning has to remove.

Before you place the order

Put your measurements and the spec sheet side by side and confirm each line below before paying, because special-order and freight equipment cannot be sent back once it has been delivered in good condition.

Large equipment, configured machines and anything that cannot be bought online are priced by a person on a quote, with freight included, and quotes come back within one business day.

• The crated size fits every opening on the route, and delivery services such as a liftgate or inside delivery are arranged.
• The unit plus its clearances fits the final spot, with room for doors and drawers to open.
• Voltage, phase, amperage and plug match the circuit.
• The gas type matches the supply, and a gas fitter has confirmed its capacity.
• Water, filtration, drains and ventilation are in place or booked.

Common questions