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2. appliances
3. dishwashers

Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
Commercial
Kitchen Equipment
Commercial kitchens can be one of the most energy intensive
spaces in a retail tenancy, consuming nearly three times
the energy of the average store. Long hours of operation,
specialised equipment and high consumer demand account
for much of their substantial gas consumption – which can be
viewed as excessive and wasteful.
Information in this factsheet:
• Types of commercial kitchen
equipment;
• Opportunities for gaining efficiency
with your equipment; and
• What to consider when choosing and
installing a new appliance.
Types of commercial kitchen equipment:
1. Oven: a chamber or enclosed compartment for heating, baking or
roasting food.
2. Fryer: an appliance that uses oil to deep fry food.
3. Cook top: an appliance that relies on direct heat for cooking.
4. Microwave: an appliance that cooks or heats food using microwave radiation to heat water and other polarized
molecules within the food.
5. Holding cabinets: enclosed, heated compartments with one or more solid or partial glass doors.
6. Steamers: appliances that transfer energy contained in steam to cook food by direct contact.
7. Exhaust fans: fans that move air out of an enclosed space.
8. Dishwashers: includes dishwashing machines, under-counter dishwashers, stationary rack, single tank door type
dishwasher, single tank conveyor dishwasher and multiple tank conveyor dishwasher.
9. Glass washers: under bench, pass through or rotary glass washers.
Understanding the impact of kitchen equipment on energy
efficiency is an important aspect of identifying opportunities
for improvement. In a typical retail fast food outlet, energy
consumption of kitchen equipment accounted for a significant
77% of all energy consumed in the store – see Figure 1.
Refrigeration, 9%
Lights, 5%
Choosing energy efficient equipment and then operating it in an
efficient and conscientious way will greatly improve the overall
consumption of energy and drastically reduce operational costs.
Heating/Cooling, 5%
Electronic
Equip, 4%
Before making any changes to your equipment and/or process,
it is always important to engage the services of a professional
equipment supplier or service team.
Energy efficient cooking
Do you practice energy efficient cooking in your outlet?
Yes
No
Maybe
Kitchen Equipment, 77%
Consider incorporating these practices into the daily routine in
your fast food outlet or café:
• Limiting opening the door of heating appliances;
• Turning the oven off several minutes before removing food;
• Preheating equipment for the time and setting recommended
by the manufacturer;
• Cooking in large batches and then turn off the equipment between loads where possible matching the pan size to the
stove element size;
• Defrosting frozen foods where possible in the refrigerator before cooking;
• Scheduling baking so that foods requiring the highest temperature are baked first, then those requiring the lower
temperature;
• Leaving room for good air circulation when packing ovens; and
• Turn off unused compartments in steamers.
Important to note:
for specialist advice in all things related to commercial kitchen equipment, refer to your local equipment supplier or
maintenance company.
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Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
CONTINUED
In energy efficiency, we use this RULE OF THUMB:
Easy Savings
correct
system
size
installed
properly
regularly
and well
maintained
operated
efficiently
easy savings
Table 1: Efficiency opportunities relevant for commercial kitchen equipment
CORRECT TYPE and SIZE
Opportunity
Purchase good
quality cookware
Facts
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Purchase good quality cookware.
The best pans have a slightly concave bottom
so when it heats up, the metal expands and the
Consider higher conductivity materials
bottom flattens out. An electric element can be
less efficient if the pan does not have good contact where suitable.
with the element.
High-conductivity materials usually result in more
evenly cooked food e.g. copper-bottom pans heat
up faster than regular pans and glass or ceramic
pans are usually better in ovens than metal.
Boiling water for pasta can use 50% more energy
on warped-bottom pan compared to a flat-bottom
pan.
Tight fitting lids will reduce heat losses.
Purchase energy
efficient cooking
equipment and
appliances
Replacing old equipment with more energy
efficient equipment can save you significant
amounts of energy.
Consider purchasing energy efficient
cooking equipment and appliances.
Assess appliances
for oversize or
under utilisation
Oversized appliances cost more to heat up.
Assess the proposed use of the
appliance and purchase the correct
size.
Appliances sitting idle are under utilised and are
wasting energy if they are on and not used.
Refer to equipment specification
sheets to assist with understanding
more about equipment efficiency.
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Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
Commercial
Kitchen
Equipment
CONTINUED
PROPER INSTALLATION
Opportunity
Group exhaust
fans over
similar types of
equipment
Facts
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Heavy-duty equipment requires higher exhaust rates Group fans together over
similar-duty equipment.
and larger overhangs compared with light duty
equipment.
If you group heavy and light duty equipment
together, then you will be providing more exhaust
capacity to the light duty equipment than is
required.
This will use more energy than is necessary.
Install variable
speed drives on
exhaust fans
Variable speed drives (VSD) on fan motors allows the VSD on exhaust fans can save
fan to adjust to demand.
you 30-50% on ventilation
energy costs.
Insulate cooking
equipment
Special application to holding cabinets, fryers,
ovens, coffee machines - where maintaining heat is
important.
Purchase insulated cooking
equipment.
When insulated, these appliances will then emit less
heat into the environment around them.
MAINTENANCE
Opportunity
Recalibrate
thermostats and
control systems
Facts
Over time thermostats and control systems will lose
accuracy and need recalibration.
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Introduce a program to check
the calibration of thermostats
and control systems into your
maintenance schedule.
Periodically check
temperature settings and
recalibrate as necessary.
Check the gas
usage rate of
burners
Are the burners using too much gas? If the burner
has a tall yellow flame, it probably is.
Gas model ovens with electric ignitions are more
energy efficient compared with ovens that require a
pilot light.
Adjust flames so it is bullet
shaped and mostly blue. If
the flame is wavy, uneven or
yellow it may be time to clean
the burner and adjust the air
shutter.
Pilot lights require a constant stream of gas to light
the main gas supply when the oven is in use. This
pilot light often uses more gas than is necessary.
Ensure exhaust fans
are free of grease
and residue
Blocked exhaust fans work less efficiently.
Keep exhaust fans free of
grease and residue.
Regularly and
Clean surfaces maintain better heat transfer.
routinely clean coils,
hotplates, grill and
Pans blackened from heavy use can absorb heat and
cookware
reduce burner efficiency.
Keep your cookware, coils,
hotplates, grills and griller
filters clean.
Regularly and
routinely repair
broken equipment
Fix:
Poorly maintained equipment can consume more
energy than necessary.
• Damaged seals
• Clogged burners
• Loose door hinges
• Broken panels
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Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
Commercial Kitchen
Equipment
CONTINUED
OPERATE EFFICIENTLY
Opportunity
Introduce
start-up and
shut-down
procedures
Facts
Leaving equipment on standby still uses
energy.
Holding cabinets, in particular, are often left on
overnight.
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Commence a start-up and shutdown
plan to make sure only the equipment
needed is used.
Switching off equipment at the power plug
when it is not in use will save energy.
Use automated Control systems include timers and
cooking
thermostats that help to automate the cooking
processes
process.
Consider installing controls on cooking
equipment, such as fryers used to
cook chips, where cooking times and
temperatures can be standardised and
therefore automated.
Use side
panels on
exhaust fans
in areas where
appropriate
Side panels can be used to lower exhaust rates
by reducing cross drafts and encouraging
the hood to draw air from the front where
the heat and fumes are coming from cooking
equipment.
Install side panels over cooking
equipment where required.
Use the
self-cleaning
function
on ovens
only when
necessary
Self-cleaning ovens have more insulation and
therefore use less energy.
Always use the self-cleaning oven
option after cooking to take advantage
of the heat already in the unit and use
only when necessary.
If the self-cleaning option is used excessively,
you will end up using more energy than you
will save from the extra insulation.
Efficiency Opportunities Checklist – Equipment specific
Equipment
Ovens
Facts
Fan forced ovens allow heated air to be
circulated evenly, making them more energy
efficient and able to cook more quickly.
Convection ovens use one-third less energy
than conventional ovens.
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Consider convection ovens when
replacing old ovens.
Consider using microwaves instead of
ovens to reheat.
Microwaves are often a good option for
reheating. Ovens combining microwaves
with other cooking technologies may cut
cooking time and improve the quality of food
compared to cooking in a standard microwave.
Microwaves can save 80% of the energy that
would be used with an electric oven.
Fryers
New energy efficient fryers can have fast
recovery time (electric fryers recover faster
than gas).
Insulation around the fry pot can diminish
stand-by losses by up to 25% (available in
high-end electric fryers with the savings worth
the higher initial cost).
Consider high-end electric fryers with
higher energy efficiency.
Investigate automatic filtration systems
for greater process efficiency.
Some new models have automatic filtration
systems that can use the same fryer oil for up
to 27 days.
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Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
Commercial Kitchen
Equipment
CONTINUED
Equipment
Cook top
Facts
Induction cooktops transfer heat to pans by
creating strong magnetic fields, which induces
a current in a magnetic pan.
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Consider induction or tungsten
halogen cook tops when replacing
equipment.
Tungsten halogen hotplates use the energy of
light from tungsten lamps to transfer heat to
the pot or pan.
Char grills &
griddles
Thermostatically controlled griddles (hot
plates) tend to use far less energy than char
grills.
Steam-heated and induction griddles are
smart energy options.
Consider griddle options when
replacing old char grills and griddles.
Use lids on griddles while cooking
(where possible) and while idle to
reduce heat losses.
Electric models are usually more efficient
because they have no flue losses.
A lid on your griddle could potentially improve
performance while cooking and reduce
energy use while idle by preventing heat from
escaping as quickly.
Holding
cabinets
Consider energy efficient models
Energy efficiency models have increased
insulation levels, magnetic door gaskets (better when replacing holding cabinets.
seal), auto-door closures, and dutch doors
(only opens in sections).
Steamers
High-efficiency commercial steamers have:
Improved insulation
Investigate the benefits of energy
efficient steamers when replacing old
steamer equipment.
More efficient steam delivery system through
forced convection and process control e.g.
steam generation based on monitoring of the
cooking process
Reduced energy consumption during idling
(steam cookers idle approximately three
quarters of the time so such control strategies
can save substantial amounts of energy)
Connectionless steamers have a builtin reservoir (water added manually) that
eliminates the need for a water supply and
drain lines. Although very efficient, they can
increase cook times. This is a good choice if
fast cooking times is not important.
Asian-style
kitchens
Water-cooled woks use a significant amount
of water - as the water is running constantly to
cool the area around the wok.
Consider the installation of water
efficient waterspouts or waterless wok
stoves.
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Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
Commercial Kitchen
Equipment
CONTINUED
Efficiency Opportunities Checklist – Commercial Dishwashers
Table 2: Efficiency opportunities relevant for commercial dishwashers
This checklist gives retailers an easy to use list of possible actions that highlight how to get the best efficiency out of
equipment.
Proper Installation
Opportunity
Facts
Install an auto
sensor for conveyor
dishwashers
Does your conveyor dishwasher continue to rinse
even when dishes are not passing through the
system?
Operating dishwashers without dishes passing
through can use significant amounts of water and
energy.
Actions you could take
Mark for
Action
Use an auto timer or
electronic sensor to prevent
rinse water running when
dishes are not passing
through the dishwasher.
Operate Efficiently
Opportunity
Facts
Actions you could take
Always run a
dishwasher fully
loaded
Dishwashers use the same amount of water and
energy, regardless of whether they are fully or
partially loaded.
Always run dishwashers fully
loaded.
Scrape dishes
before putting them
into the dishwasher
Scraping dishes before washing them will reduce
the amount of water used.
Scrape dishes before putting
them into the dishwasher.
Use economy cycles
on dishwashers
where possible
Economy cycles tend to use less water and are
shorter running times so they use less electricity.
Use economy cycles on your
dishwashers where possible.
Adhere to
manufacturers
recommended
settings
Water temperatures, flow rates and conveyor
speeds are often altered by operators and can
use more water and energy than required.
Adhere to the manufacturers
recommended settings.
Dry clean or air dry
dishes rather than
pre-rinsing
Features such as pre-rinsing, rinse-hold and heatdry can contribute to greater water and energy
consumption.
If possible, dry clean and air
dry rather than pre-rinsing,
rinse-hold and heat-dry
features.
Mark for
Action
Economy wash settings are particularly good for
lightly soiled loads such as glasses, cutlery and
crockery.
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Step 3 - Appliances - Identify improvement opportunities
FACT SHEET
Commercial Kitchen
Equipment
CONTINUED
Correct Size and Type
Opportunity
Facts
Actions you could take
Purchase an energy
and water efficient
dishwasher
Guidelines on energy and water efficient
dishwashers can be found at: www.energyrating.
gov.au and www.waterrating.gov.au
Consider purchasing
energy and water efficient
dishwashers or retrofitting
existing dishwashers to
improve their efficiency.
Dishwashers with
a built in heat
exchanger
This feature enables commercial dishwashers to
recycle the heat generated from the cleaning
process.
Choose a commercial
dishwasher with a built in heat
exchanger.
Dishwashers with
an instantaneous
booster heater
An instantaneous booster heater
can raise the water temperature of the final rinse
while reducing energy costs.
Consider installing an
instantaneous booster heater
for final rinse water.
Mark for
Action
Remember to turn it off at
night!
Use an
appropriately sized
dishwasher
Equipment that is too large will have a higher
operating cost.
Estimate your washing
demand and buy the
appropriate sized dishwasher.
MAINTENANCE
Opportunity
Regularly inspect
and maintain your
dishwasher
Facts
Actions you could take
Poor performance will waste water and energy,
therefore:
Mark for
Action
Inspect and maintain your
dishwasher regularly.
• Check for leaks
• Clean lime deposits from hot water tanks and
heater coils
• Clean pre-rinse spray valves
• Clean filters regularly
• Clean blocked water jets
• Replace missing or worn water jets
The top three actions we recommend to achieve energy efficiency in your commercial kitchen are to:
1. Cook in ‘efficient quantities’: fully loaded equipment uses energy more efficiently. However, you need to watch for
overloading as this increases cooking time and therefore uses more energy.
2. Switch it off when not in use: switching off equipment when it is no longer performing cooking tasks will help to
reduce gas consumption. Consider a start-up/shut-down procedure to make sure staff are only using the equipment
needed for the job.
3. Adopt a smart energy cooking technique that includes cooking at moderate temperatures: reducing the heat after
initial searing. Cooking at a moderate temperature may help to preserve food quality and save energy.
This checklist gives retailers an easy-to-use list of possible actions that highlight how to get the best efficiency out of
equipment.
This Activity received funding from the Department of Industry as part of the Energy Efficiency
Information Grants Program. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the
Commonwealth of Australia, and the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for any
information or advice contained herein.
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