The Essential Guide to Purchasing Restaurant Equipment on a Budget

Restaurant equipment is the core of a restaurant. And, in this highly competitive restaurant industry, efficient and high-quality equipment define the success of restaurants. But, not many restaurant owners know the craft of purchasing restaurant equipment. The huge amount of price compared to the quality, fake, and refurbished products are the major roadblocks.

Don’t worry, we have a solution. If you are a new owner who wants to buy all the essential equipment or an old owner who wants to replace your current equipment, our guide will help you fix your issue. In this restaurant equipment buying guide, I will discuss every consideration about buying quality equipment on a budget.

Identify your specific equipment needs:

It is a very common problem for a new restaurant owner. Most of the new owner do not know their actual needs. So, they end up buying necessary and unnecessary equipment both. And, in the process, they eat all their budget.

In that case, the owner needs to identify their specific needs. If they are new to these they can check our tips below.

1. Try to understand your restaurant types and business. Try to point out if you need any special equipment for any special dish.
2. Observe your restaurant area and buy equipment that fits in your space.
3. Create a detailed list of items. Differentiate them by  
   • Must-have,
   • Nice-to-have, and
   • Optional
4. Depending on the budget take the needed ones from the list first and take think about additional ones.
5. Seek professional help from old successful owners.

Consider used or refurbished options:

We all know that the new restaurant items are very costly and most of the new owners cannot afford them. They should go for used and refurbished options. But, this is not a straightforward decision.

You need to understand that you can not buy all the refurbished or used equipment for your restaurant. For some items, used and new both work the same, or there are very slight differences. You can buy those. But for some, there will be a huge difference if you buy old ones. They might not suit your restaurant’s overall design and aesthetic. And sometimes, they can be very outdated. In both cases, you must own new equipment.

For your betterment, here we will provide some equipment list with new and used items.

Cooking Equipment

• Range (Gas or Electric) – Buy Used
• Oven (Convection, Deck, or Combination) – Buy Used
• Grill and Griddle – Buy Used
• Fryer – Buy New
• Microwave – Buy New
• Steamer – Buy New

Refrigeration and Food Preparation Equipment

• Reach-in Refrigerator – Buy New
• Undercounter Refrigerator/Freezer – Buy Used
• Prep Table with Refrigeration – Buy New
• Food Processor – Buy New
• Blender – Buy New (reliability and performance)
• Meat Grinder – Buy Used

Storage and Handling

• Shelving Units – Buy New (safety and durability)
• Storage Bins and Containers – Buy New (food safety)
• Speed Racks – Buy Used
• Ingredient Bins – Buy New (food safety)

Furniture, Tableware, and Serving

• Dining Tables – Buy  New
• Dining Chairs – Buy New
• High Chairs – Buy New (safety standards)
• Plates and Bowls – Buy New (hygiene and uniformity)
• Glassware – Buy New (hygiene and safety)
• Cutlery and Utensils – Buy New (hygiene and uniformity)
• Serving Trays and Platters – Buy New (hygiene)

Compare prices from different suppliers:

It is very important to compare the prices of restaurant items from different suppliers before buying them. The price can vary between suppliers depending on the shop places, authorization, and many more. But, you have to keep in mind that there are many fake that look like the original items in the market. So, always try to buy from the best restaurant equipment supply store or known one.

But, sometimes small suppliers give authentic products at cheap prices. Besides, there are online trusted e-commerce platforms available where you can compare prices and buy easily. It is suggested to go for deep research on price, and quality and seek help from learned ones if required.

Look for package deals or bundles:

Most of the restaurant equipment is needed in bulk amounts such as Plates, Bowls, and Platters, Forks, Knives, Spoons, Glasses, Mugs, Cups, Napkins, Cutting Boards, Dishwashing Detergents and Soaps, Trash Bags, and so on. For these types of items, you may need them in bulk amounts and therefore you can buy them at cheap prices from direct companies or dealers.

Besides this, items like chairs and tables come in a combo or package – like 4 chairs and 1 table in a package. You can find a direct supplier and direct company that can make your needed design at a cheap price. So, you can cut your costs there.

It may seem a daunting task to find the right restaurant equipment on a budget. But, with proper research and understanding, you can find high-quality equipment at affordable prices.

By researching trusted dealers, and online marketplaces, you find some options. Just give your time in finding and researching and you will get what you want.