Choosing the Best Commercial Microwave for Professional Kitchens

Whether used for cooking, defrosting, or reheating, commercial microwaves are one of the most important professional kitchen appliances.

If you were to ask most professional chefs what is one of the most important appliances in their kitchen, chances are a lot will quickly say it’s the microwave.

Much like the microwaves we’ve all grown up with at home, these essential appliances handle a wide variety of food preparation tasks which help professional kitchens save time and money while reducing the workload on other appliances.

Caterlink has put together a quick guide to help you easily choose the right commercial microwave that fits all your needs.

3 Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Commercial Microwave

1. Oven Wattage & Cooking Times

Two of the most important factors to consider when shopping for a commercial microwave are the wattage and usage level. In short: the higher the wattage, the faster a microwave will cook.

For example, a dish that takes 30 seconds to cook in a 1000-watt microwave might only need 15 seconds in a higher-wattage model.

2. Light Duty Microwaves

With power of usually 1000-1200 watts, these are quite similar to the microwaves you use at home but far more durably built to handle heavy-duty usage in a busy professional kitchen.

3. Medium & Heavy Duty Microwaves

These workhorses, such as the Robatherm RM2117, are designed with exceptional power of up to 2100 watts which allows for much faster cooking times when your customers are ready to be served right away.

If you’re looking for high-speed, high-volume heating of dishes that require fast turnaround times, these are the right choice for you.

Pro Tip

Though an incredibly convenient kitchen appliance, cooking with a microwave requires an often underestimated level of finesse that requires the right mix of cooking time, food placement, rotation, stirring, and other factors that assure your dish comes out cooked just right. 

We recommend choosing a microwave that allows programmable settings so that once you lock in that recipe just right, you can do it again and again.

Which is the best Commercial Microwave for your kitchen?

We hope this guide to picking a Commercial Microwave will help you choose the right fit for your restaurant or business.

If you have questions about Microwaves in general or specific models and features, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Caterlink’s commercial kitchen experts who are happy to assist you.