There are two basic types of fridges. Those that are used in restaurants and those that are used in homes. There are obviously a lot of differences between the two simply because of the exact tasks they need to perform. But seeing as how their basic function is still to keep things cool, a lot of people think that every type of fridge is the same. Now, while this is definitely wrong, the question whether there are at least some that can be used in both situations, is a good one.
There are many different types of available commercial refrigeration units, and that’s mostly because in the culinary business you have a wide assortment of products and ingredients and a lot of them require different refrigeration methods. You also need to have enough space to be able to stock up and properly preserve a large quantity of these products so that they are ready whenever an order is placed. This means that most of the commercial refrigeration units used in restaurants are usually larger and have individual compartments for all of the items that they need to hold at different temperatures.
In contrast, most of the available residential refrigerators take up much less space, have fewer compartments and thus can hold fewer items. However, this isn’t a point against them, but rather means that they don’t need to be overly bulky or use as much power as their counterparts. Besides, the number of items that the commercial refrigerators are designed to hold is a result of the number of people they need to supply for, whereas a residential fridge only needs to be able to hold enough for an average family.
But, aside from the standard upright models, there are a few other different types of fridges that can be perfect for both environments. The mini-fridge is a good example of this. In one’s home this is the perfect beverage holder since it takes up very little space and power, and if you want to you can also get a glass door one just because it feels like you have your own little bar. But surprisingly, they are also widely used in restaurants as well, and are mostly placed under prep tables and allow more convenient access to frequently used ingredients. Actually they can also be used for much the same purpose in a home as an under counter fridge as well.
In conclusion, in any normal circumstance most commercial refrigeration units are too unnecessarily large and costly to run in any home, and most residential models are unable to meet the requirements of the average restaurant both in terms of temperature and available space. However, depending on the purpose, there are a few different kinds of fridges that might prove to have some surprising benefits for both commercial and residential use.
