How to Choose a Commercial Fridge for Your Kitchen or Bar
The right commercial fridge fits the job, the stock you store and the space where staff use it. Start by choosing kitchen storage, preparation refrigeration or drinks display. Then check usable storage, door access and installation requirements. Litres and door count alone cannot tell you whether a cabinet is right for your premises.
The quick answer
- Choose the format for the task. Ingredient storage, food preparation and bottled-drinks display have different layout requirements.
- Measure the complete installation. Include cabinet dimensions, specified ventilation clearance, door opening and the delivery route.
- Check what fits inside. Confirm shelf or tray layout, your actual containers, the intended temperature conditions and the electrical supply.
In this guide: Choose a format · Dimensions and doors · Usable storage · Operating conditions · Order checklist · Common questions
1. Choose the refrigeration format first
- Kitchen cabinet storage: compare upright fridges around the ingredients, shelves and containers you need to access.
- Storage beneath a work surface: explore counter fridges when preparation space and chilled storage need to share a position.
- Ingredient access during preparation: compare saladettes and refrigerated pizza tables for your sandwich or pizza workflow.
- Customer-facing drinks display: choose from bottle coolers, checking bottle sizes, visibility and door access. For a lower cabinet behind a bar, compare back bar fridges.
Match the model's intended use and storage conditions to your products. A glass door or a quoted temperature range alone does not establish suitability for every food-storage task.
2. Measure the cabinet, door opening and delivery route
Write down the available width, depth and height. Allow separately for the manufacturer's installation clearances and the aisle staff need to work in. The cabinet's dimensions are not the same as the installation opening it needs.
These KRD examples show why neither litres nor door count can establish fit. Dimensions below are the external sizes listed for each model, in width × depth × height order.
| Model | Door arrangement | W × D × H (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| GN580TN | Single stainless steel door | 730 × 740 × 2010 |
| GN1180TN | Double stainless steel doors | 1480 × 730 × 2010 |
| KD-800S | Double sliding glass doors | 800 × 580 × 1950 |
| KD-800 | Double hinged glass doors | 800 × 580 × 1950 |
The KD-800 and KD-800S share the same listed external size, but the door arrangements differ. Hinged doors need room to swing; sliding doors can help where an outward-opening door would obstruct service. Neither arrangement removes the need for ventilation clearance and working access.
Measure the route to the final position too: entrance doors, corridor turns, steps and changes of level. Establish whether the stated height includes feet or castors, and allow for packaging and handling when planning access.
3. Compare usable storage rather than litres alone
The GN580TN lists 580L and the GN1180TN lists 1180L, but a litre figure does not tell you how many of your containers will fit on a shelf. Compare internal dimensions, shelf sizes, spacing and the number of usable storage levels. Where gross and net capacities are given, compare like with like.
Measure the bottles, containers or trays you actually use, including lids and rims. For tray storage, confirm the exact dimensions, support arrangement and spacing. Do not assume that a GN-format container and a bakery tray are interchangeable, or that a model name establishes compatibility.
The GE800TN lists 737L and measures 990(W) × 740(D) × 2010(H)mm. Its external footprint differs from the other kitchen cabinet examples. Use the storage layout and your containers alongside capacity when making the shortlist.
4. Match temperature, ambient conditions and ventilation
The GN580TN and GN1180TN list an internal range of +2°C to +8°C. Match the exact fridge specification to the storage conditions your products need. The temperature inside the cabinet is separate from the permitted temperature of the room around it.
Match the manufacturer's ambient operating limits or climate class to the proposed position, particularly near cooking equipment or in a warm enclosed room. Follow its ventilation and clearance instructions. “Fan cooling” does not establish that a fridge is front-vented or suitable for a tight built-in opening.
Confirm electrical supply and connection requirements, plus access for cleaning and servicing. Use the product's manual where supplied. Ask for a required measurement or installation detail before committing to a layout if it is not listed.
Before you order: your shortlist checklist
- The storage, preparation or drinks-display task.
- External width, depth and height, plus specified installation clearance.
- Door-opening space and the complete delivery route.
- Your container or tray dimensions, usable shelves and support arrangement.
- Temperature requirements, ambient conditions, ventilation and electrical supply.
Explore commercial refrigeration. If you need a specific measurement confirmed, contact KRD with the model, available space and the containers or stock you plan to store.
Common questions
Can I use a bottle cooler for kitchen ingredients?
Choose a model whose intended use, storage conditions and internal layout suit the ingredients. A similar quoted temperature range does not make every drinks-display cabinet suitable for every food-storage task.
Will a fridge fit a gap the same size as the cabinet?
Check the installation instructions first. Cabinet dimensions exclude the separate space you may need for ventilation, doors, access and servicing.
Do sliding doors mean I need no space in front?
No. They avoid an outward door swing, but staff still need room to reach stock and the cabinet still needs its specified installation clearances.
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