How to know when your kitchen equipment needs to be replaced

Taking proper care of your restaurant or home kitchen equipment can make replacement seem like a distant problem. Repairs come and go, but your equipment usually remains there. Sometimes it can be hard to tell when you should repair the equipment, or get a whole new one. Here’s a list of some key considerations to take in if you’re having some problems with your equipment.

Safety

Safety should always be a #1 priority. If your equipment is putting people in danger, whether it’s because of leaks, burns, cracks, or anything for that matter, it may be wise to replace the item as a whole. This decreases the possibility of the safety issues recurring.

Cost

Getting your equipment repaired now and then is to be expected. Things break and repairs cost money. Although, if those repairs seem to happen over and over again and money is draining from your pockets because of one piece of equipment, that’s usually a sign that the lifetime of that product is almost up. If the product is old or discontinued, that would lead to a scarce selection of parts which raises the price of repairing it.

Efficiency

Sometimes your product is working fine, but in the background, it isn’t. Take a look at your electricity bill. If it’s consistently going up, that may be a sign that some equipment needs more and more power to do the job right. That’s never good. It makes sense to stay on top of that and consider investing in energy-saving/efficient equipment. You may end up saving a lot more than you’d think.

New Features Elsewhere

In the tech era, there is no shortage of innovative new technology that you may find beneficial to your business or home. There are products like the Omcan Maturmeat Dry Ager that offers climate control for aging meat products to make them more juicy, tender, and safe to eat without sacrificing areas typically sacrificed in dry aging. There’s the Rational Self Cooking Center which, as the name suggests, cooks entire meals itself with the push of a button. Or there’s the KitchenAid Classic Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, which is all the rave right now in standard kitchens since it offers such a wide variety of uses. If you find a product within your budget that features more helpful options and features than what you currently use, it may be worth it to invest in something new.

Don’t wait until your equipment dies, or worse. Make the decision to replace it when there is still time. The last thing anyone wants is to be stuck paying for repair costs on a product that is unsafe and/or unfit to perform to your standards. Know the signs. And if the signs become present, consider checking out s.t.o.p Restaurant Supply to find the perfect replacement for you.