Heavy equipment – pieces like ovens, reach-in refrigerators and flattops – is often the focus of operator cleaning and maintenance schedules. That just makes sense. The purchase price of ovens, reach-in refrigerators and flattops can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Operators should work to keep them up and running.
But light equipment, such as deli slicers, food processors, cheese melters and induction burners, needs proper cleaning and maintenance, too.
According to Scott Whetzel, cooking service manager for EMR’s DCMV location (covering Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia), ordering the right tool for the job is the first step in keeping light equipment working well.
“One of the common things we see is the equipment being used for larger quantities than what it's designed for,” Whetzel says. “For example, a bakery will use a mixer that can't handle the amount of dough it needs to make. This will lead to the shaft breaking or causing premature failure of bearings. It destroys seals because there's just so much quantity that they're trying to use in these smaller machines that they're not really designed to handle.”
Whetzel recommends operators size light equipment not just for their immediate needs, but for the future, too. Operators who expect to increase their throughput in the near future should purchase units that will be able to handle those increased volumes.
Similarly, before purchasing equipment, foodservice managers should make sure the unit matches their utilities. For light equipment, that typically means ensuring the electricity supply is compatible with the electrical needs of the unit. A mismatch can cause shorts, tripped breakers or even electrical fires.
Restaurants should also be conscious of the service implications of the light equipment brands they purchase, Whetzel says. For light equipment, especially for less expensive/less established brands, the cost of a repair can often be close to the cost of an entirely new unit. In the end, a cheaper unit may cost more than a piece that’s more expensive over its life cycle, Whetzel says. “[Service technicians] have to be conscious of that when making repairs and have that conversation with the customer,” he says. “‘Your parts are going to cost this amount. For $500 more, you can get a new unit with a warranty.’ You want to pose those options to the customer and see what direction they want to go.”
Of course, avoiding repairs in the first place is best. On this front, Whetzel stresses planned maintenance through a service agency along with regular maintenance and cleaning by kitchen staff.
This in-house maintenance, though, should follow guidelines in the owners’ manual. Not following proper procedures can actually damage units. As with heavy equipment, water is often the enemy.
“I've seen when they clean slicers at the end of the day by dumping buckets of water on the slicers. It gets down into that bearing housing on the shaft and causes the bearings to rust up. It washes the grease out. Then you have dry bearings. Eventually, it's going to start making loud noises, and then the bearings are going to lock up and destroy the motor,” says Whetzel.
Light equipment is less expensive than heavy equipment in almost every case. That doesn’t mean it can be ignored. A malfunctioning food processor or countertop mixer can wreak havoc on kitchen operations. By thinking through these purchases, then taking care of the units day in and day out, operators can save the time and hassle that even a small breakdown can cause.
