Commercial refrigerators don't just keep your food cold — they protect your customers, brand, and energy bill. With so many options available, determining the best refrigerators for your business is often challenging. For instance, the fridge you use in the kitchen should be different from your display fridge.
Learn the most common types of commercial refrigerators to choose your best options.
5 Types of Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers
Check out the five types of commercial fridges, from reach-in kitchen freezers to display coolers for cakes.
1. Solid Door Reach-in Refrigerators
Commercial reach-in refrigerators are ideal for food storage in the back room or kitchen. These models feature solid stainless steel doors that should insulate and protect their contents.
One of the most basic solid-door options is the 27" commercial reach-in refrigerator. With over 18 cubic feet of storage space, this fridge keeps various food and drinks at the right temperature, using an Embraco air-cooling compressor. It also features a smart door that automatically closes the fridge if left ajar to reduce food spoilage.
Wilprep 27" commercial reach-in refrigerator
Wilprep also offers larger versions of this solid-door fridge, including the 54" commercial refrigerator with two doors and the 81" refrigerator with three doors. These appliances let you maximize your cold food storage with up to 15 adjustable shelves that hold 88 pounds each. Most of these models also have matching reach-in freezers, allowing for a polished and uniform look in your kitchen.
2. Swinging Door Merchandiser Refrigerator
Unlike solid-door refrigerators, which generally stay out of sight, merchandiser refrigerators are made to be out with the customers. These types of commercial refrigeration use double-layer tempered glass with a specialized coating to insulate the fridge and reflect heat away from products. This lets customers view items — such as drinks, snacks, and salads — while keeping them as cold as possible.
Most standard merchandiser coolers use swinging doors, such as the 22.8" commercial merchandiser refrigerator. This model gives you nearly 13 cubic feet of storage space across four adjustable shelves. It also uses a customizable lightbox to help your products stand out while still fitting in with your aesthetic. With a thin yet tall build, this display commercial fridge won't take up much space but should still catch customers' attention.
Like reach-in fridges, merchandisers are also available in two-door commercial refrigerator options. The 52.4" two-door merchandiser refrigerator uses a design style similar to the 22.8" model but with a massive 40 cubic feet of space. Combined with the same lightbox, this merchandiser is the perfect display fridge for cakes and other large products.
Comparatively, the 54.1" two-door merchandiser refrigerator gives you over two more cubic feet of storage. Though it lacks the sleek black design of the previous two options, this merchandiser model is still well-insulated and great for energy efficiency. Similar to the reach-in refrigerators, it uses smart doors that automatically close when left ajar.
Finally, Wilprep's largest merchandiser is the 78.1" commercial three-door refrigerator. It includes 12 easy-to-adjust shelves with over 72 cubic feet of space for countess storage options — all behind thick tempered glass. With so much internal space, this display fridge uses a fast-cooling system with a noise level as low as 60 dB. This way, it can keep your products dependably cold without being too distracting.
3. Sliding Door Merchandiser Refrigerator
Swinging doors are the most common options for commercial refrigerators but aren't always the most convenient. Depending on your setup, commercial swinging doors can limit your store orientation, block walkways, and become a hassle. On the other hand, sliding-door refrigerators don't take up any room beyond the appliance itself.
The 52.4" sliding-door merchandise refrigerator uses many of the same features as the swinging-door models, including adjustable shelves and lights. It gives you up to 40 cubic feet of space with a temperature range of 32° to 50° Fahrenheit. Its most significant differences are its easy-to-use doors and its shelving options. Though they're specifically designed for drinks, you can use these sliding-door display fridges for yogurt, fruit cups, and various other options as well.
52.4" sliding-door merchandise refrigerator
4. Open-Air Merchandiser Refrigerators
Open-air merchandiser fridges don't feature doors but instead let customers reach right in to grab what they want. They protect food and drinks using an "air curtain" that partially retains cold air inside the fridge. This makes the products more convenient and may lead to more sales. In addition, these display commercial fridges simply feel good to stand by on summer days.
Unfortunately, most open-air refrigerators use more energy than standard models because they cannot fully trap the cold. Additionally, they may cause sensitive products such as dairy and fruit to spoil sooner due to their increased exposure to the air and sun. Nevertheless, open-air merchandisers are still great display options for many businesses.
Wilprep Kitchen's smallest open-air fridge is the 27" vertical merchandiser refrigerator. With nearly seven cubic feet of space, this display fridge can maintain temperatures from 30° to 46° Fahrenheit. Plus, it uses double-layered tempered glass on its sides to give products at least a little insulation.
27" vertical merchandiser refrigerator
Meanwhile, the 39" vertical open-air merchandiser refrigerator has over 13 cubic feet of space. It adopts a taller, wider stainless steel build with attractive LED lights and an intuitive control panel for various display options.
5. Countertop Display Refrigerators
Countertop refrigerators let you display products for customers without giving them access. These display fridge countertops are often used in bakeries, delis, ice cream shops, and larger businesses. They're typically the best kind of display fridge for cakes, meals, unsliced meat, and larger products that require more complicated transactions.
The 28" countertop display refrigerator is Wilprep's smallest option. It features a curved display case with enhanced thermal resistance glass that keeps products cool and fresh. Plus, it uses fog-resistant ventilation and frost-free cooling fans to keep products visible and appetizing. Wilprep also offers larger options with similar cooling features, including the 35" countertop refrigerator and the 48" curved glass display case.
35" countertop refrigerator
Invest in Commercial Refrigerators With Wilprep Kitchen
Running a business is a massive responsibility, especially if your job involves food safety. Dependable commercial refrigerators will keep your products healthy and safe for customers without driving up your energy bill. Explore Wilprep's commercial refrigerators to upgrade your appliances today.
