Choosing Refrigeration for Your Site
Refrigeration is usually one of the first things you think about when you plan a kitchen or bar. You need room for raw ingredients, prepared dishes, and drinks. Some teams keep everything separate, and others use fewer units and turn stock over all the time, it’s simply down to how you like to run a shift.
Most buyers focus on three things: stable temperature, easy cleaning, and a size and shape that actually fits the room. Upright units work well when you have height but not much floor space, under‑counter units help when the room feels tight, and counter units make sense if you prep in front of guests or run a busy pass. You might also need display refrigeration in front of house, which looks are a priority for. Additionally Ice machines are standard as most hospitality sites need a large amount of ice to keep up with busy service.
Refrigeration Types
- Fridges →
Fridges handle most daily chilled storage. Uprights hold more stock, under‑counter and counter units suit tight kitchens and busy prep. Bottle dumps, wine chillers, saladettes and prep stations suit fast bar work and cold toppings.
- Freezers →
Freezers store bulk goods and anything you make ahead. Uprights suit larger kitchens and chest freezers suit long‑term volume storage. Counter and under‑counter units keep frozen items close to the line, while blast chillers help when you cool cooked food fast.
- Merchandisers →
Merchandisers sit front of house. Multideck’s display chilled goods for self‑service, and bottle coolers sit behind bars and keep drinks ready to grab, so use these when you need both clear display and quick access.
- Ice Equipment →
Ice machines, flakers, crushers and ice-water dispensers help keep bars running. Many sites need to run these units tend to run all day, so pick your machine based on how fast you serve drinks and how much space you have.
- Blast Chillers →
Fast-cooling units for both compliance and food safety, these are worth investing in if you prep in high volumes.
- Walk-in Refrigeration →
For sites with storage needs that don’t fit in a cabinet, its necessary to ask if you need custom sizing; we can quote off-spec orders, too.
Quick Product Links
You’re probably here for something specific. A few places to start:
Industry Insight
We work directly with the UK’s leading manufacturers in hospitality equipment, and are trusted by multiple establishments across the south east and beyond. We work with suppliers that meet industry standards like ISO 9001 for quality management, and CE marking for safety compliance. We also prioritise suppliers that offer strong after‑sales support, including maintenance packages and availability of parts. On top of that, our customers can request product samples or arrange showroom visits to check build quality and function before committing to bulk orders, to avoid them buying equipment that isn’t right for them.