Commercial Microwaves

Commercial Microwaves: Heavyweight Champs in High-Use Cooking

Ah, the microwave. Since its first incarnation over 70 years ago, the quick cooker has found a well-earned spot on the counter in homes all across the world. Whether you're zapping a frozen burrito, last night's leftovers or today's "baked" potato, these kitchen appliances are some of the most heavily used devices in the home. But some instances call for a more convenient and powerful cooker like these commercial microwaves. Commercial microwaves are designed for heavy use everyday—instead of heating up one frozen meal, these things can tackle 25, 50, or even 100 uses a day. And while at-home versions are made with convenience in mind, commercial microwaves are built to handle a high quantity of food and cook it at high speeds.

Why Do I Need One?

Well, you might not. If you're looking for a cooker to heat up your meals at home, you want a regular domestic one. However, these appliances are a must-have for any business owner, convenience store, or restaurant. Add one of these to your business' lunchroom to ensure that employees can spend more time enjoying their lunch and less time waiting for their meal to heat up. If you run a convenience store, keep one of these near the coffee maker, too—that way, customers can heat up their frozen finds immediately before they get back on the road. If you're an entrepreneurial expert staking a claim in the restaurant industry, you can't waste time selecting power levels and presets on a consumer model. Instead, equip your kitchen with one (or more) high-powered commercial microwaves. That way, you can toss in prepped ingredients or food prepared earlier that day, heat it up quickly, then finish it off with a garnish and sides. Even food trucks use these cookers to get through the lunch rush.

How Are They Different?

Take a peek inside, and you'll notice one thing immediately: most commercial microwaves have no spinning turntables, unlike the version found in your kitchen. That's because many of the foods restaurateurs need to heat up could be too large to spin around inside the device, and a line of hungry customers means that chefs have little time to mess with ensuring things fit before they heat. Instead, the high-quality cooking power ensures that food is heated all the way through, no spinning required. Earlier we mentioned that these appliances are designed for heavy use, and they are—light-duty models can be used about 50 times a day and run at around 1,000 watts. Meanwhile, heavy duty versions can be used three times more at 150 uses per day and for hours at a time. They also run at higher wattages between 2,000-3,000 watts. That's a lot more power and sturdiness than your average domestic version, which puts out anywhere between 600-1,200 watts and shouldn't really be used for more than 10 minutes a day. Keep in mind that a higher power level means that foods take less time to cook, so a heavy duty version might be right for restaurant chefs and food truck owners. We specialize in light- and even medium-duty models, but can help you find a heavy-duty one that fits your needs if you're searching for one. Give our experts a call at 800-860-3577 if you don't see a device that fits your needs here. Hoping to learn more about these classic countertop appliances? Check out our Microwave Buying Guide. And if you find that a classic domestic model is more your speed, head into the store to see some of our most popular models in-person.