Is It OK to Buy Used Refrigeration Equipment?

The importance of refrigeration equipment to a restaurant can't be overstated. It's what keeps food from spoiling and customers from getting sick. There are many types of refrigerators and freezers available, and it's important to find the model that fits your needs. It's also important that equipment fits within your budget. That's where used refrigeration equipment might be tempting.

Used Refrigeration Equipment

As long as there have been restaurants, owners have looked to used kitchen equipment to save money. While it's easy to check the condition of a stove or a mixer, refrigeration equipment is another story. Even if the used equipment is functioning properly when you check it out, there's no easy way to tell how soon the compressors, evaporators and condensers will need to be replaced. These components could fail as soon as the equipment is delivered to your restaurant - or they could last for years.

In fact, the used refrigeration might look like it's never been used. But locked behind the shiny stainless steel exterior is the history of refrigerator or freezer. Such equipment is usually cleaned very thoroughly before it's put up for sale. You can't tell if the equipment has been poorly maintained. Nor can you tell if it went through a major overhaul a week before the item went on the market.

Problems with Used Refrigeration Equipment

There may be other problems, too. You might find it impossible to find spare parts if the manufacturer isn't making the equipment anymore. Imagine how you would feel if you spent thousands on a new refrigerator or freezer and it broke down a week after it was delivered? To add insult to injury, you then find out that the replacement part you need is no longer available!

You would lose the money you spent on the used equipment and the repairman, plus you'd have to spend more for a new unit. On top of that, you would have to replace all the food that was spoiled. If you buy new equipment, you will find spare parts easily. New equipment also is covered by warranty so you do not have to worry about the cost of repairs.

The most critical part of refrigeration equipment is the compressor, and it's the most difficult t examine. First, it's located deep within the bowels of the unit. Second, the compressor itself is tightly sealed. Finally, it shows no sign of wear-and-tear. In other words, you can't tell that it's about to fail until it actually fails.

Consider yourself lucky if you buy used refrigeration that works for 10 years. It's very difficult to find such reliable used equipment. In fact, such units more often break down much earlier and require significant maintenance. If the unit is repairable, you'll quickly erase any savings from buying used used refrigeration equipment.