The most common question asked by people is, 'What is the difference between a Commercial Microwave Oven and a domestic household or consumer microwave oven?' Although both Commercial and Domestic microwave ovens heat food using the same principal, the design, construction, performance and requirements of the two machines is very different. Listed below are some of the major concerns involving the use of a domestic microwave in a commercial application?
Commercial microwave ovens are designed to provide professional catering outlets a reliable, high speed effective method of heating food to edible temperatures and capable of destroying any bacteria/micro-organisms (salmonella, etc) that cause food contamination. Commercial microwave ovens are designed to perform this function all day everyday. Domestic ovens on the contrary are designed to heat food in a household kitchen for a maximum of 12 MINUTES HEATING TIME PER DAY. Any extended use of a domestic microwave oven over 12 minutes per day places excessive stress on all major components hence causing the microwave to reduce its heating capability. This means that a domestic microwave oven used in commercial premises can contribute to food contamination. Unknown to the caterer food being heated is no longer heated to safe temperatures increasing the risk of food contamination i.e. (salmonella, etc.).
All commercial microwave ovens are constructed from high-grade stainless steel both internally and externally. Domestic microwave ovens are constructed using cheaper materials such as baked enamel, plastic or epoxy. These cheaper materials are not designed to be exposed to the demands of a commercial kitchen. Sanitizers, disinfectants and other commercial grade cleaners cause baked enamel, plastic and epoxy to disintegrate, flake or melt. This deterioration process exposes food to contamination from the oven cavity and possible poisoning. Commercial Microwave Ovens are constructed using high grade stainless steel resistant to deterioration. In most countries it is illegal to use a domestic microwave oven in a commercial kitchen due to the above health concerns.
Commercial microwave ovens are designed using high quality heavy grade commercial components. Domestic microwave ovens are constructed essentially of budget priced components where every dollar saved is vital in the attempt to outsell competitors in a mass market. The domestic microwave oven market is so competitive that prices are now so cheap that the microwave oven is a disposable item. In order for domestic ovens to be so cheap quality and reliability is forfeited. Caterers rely on being able provide consistent food upon demand, this means being able to rely on a fast efficient microwave oven. Down time of a microwave oven during busy periods becomes very costly and inconvenient. Imagine the cost and inconvenience of when a microwave goes down at 7pm midway during the week?
How many times during a busy lunch period have you lost customers because your competitor on the other side of the food court has a smaller waiting que to be served? In today's busy world people do not like waiting to be served. The faster a food outlet can supply food the more profitable they are. High power commercial microwave ovens enable food to be heated anywhere up to 5 times faster than a domestic microwave oven. This means customers waiting for 2 minutes for food to be heated in a domestic oven will only be waiting 30 - 45 seconds in a commercial oven. Essentially with a commercial microwave oven up to 3 times as many people can be served in the same time as using a domestic oven. Since most food outlets rely on busy short periods such as lunch periods and evening dinner periods for 70 - 90% of their total income it is crucial to be as efficient as possibly during these times. Remember, the longer your customers have to wait the more customers you are losing!
If your outlet serves 25 customers with average spend of $10 during a busy 1 hour lunch period, then being able to serve double the amount of customers using a commercial oven means an increase of up to $250 for that 1 hour period. Multiply this figure by the 5 days of the week gives an increase of $1250 for the week, and ultimately $65,000 in a year! You may at this stage be thinking that $65,000 is excessive and that other factors also contribute to increase of profitability, even so would you not take an increase even if it was $5,000 for the year!
The most common statement made when comparing the price of a commercial microwave oven with that of a domestic oven is, "For the price of a commercial oven I can purchase up to 6 domestic ovens". Think twice!
It is impossible to say how long a commercial microwave oven will last since conditions vary from one food outlet to the next. What we can say is that the under the same circumstances a commercial microwave oven will last approximately 5-10 times longer than a domestic oven.
Therefore purchasing a domestic oven every 12 months at $300 equates to $2100 in 7 years. Commercial microwave ovens cost up to $2500, however during the same 7 year period the commercial microwave oven has had the capacity to heat up to 5 times the quantity of product due to the greater speed of the machine. You work it out! Don't forget the lost income and inconvenience due to the high down time of a domestic machine awaiting parts for repair at your local TV repairer! Remember your commercial microwave oven is not just a method to heat food, it is an investment for your food outlet to make money, and time means money!