Because the majority of high-speed ovens are utilized in areas visible to customers, it’s important to keep up the appearance of this equipment. Along with keeping the exterior and interior clean, proper maintenance procedures should be followed, which will prevent service issues and minimize downtime.

Vidal Munoz Jr., service manager at Commercial Kitchen Parts & Service in San Antonio, Texas, provides insight into how to best care for high-speed ovens to maximize service life.

• Many issues with these units are preventable when ovens are cleaned properly, and most cleaning should be done on a daily basis.
• If high-speed ovens are in the wrong location, issues can occur. These units need to be positioned away from griddles, fryers and other equipment that emit grease.
• Also, the ovens should not be adjacent to excessive heat as these units are prone to overheating.
• Since the unit is so compact, all interior areas tend to get covered in a greasy coating. If the inside is not cleaned regularly, the microwaves will start arcing against the cavity. Even if there are no visible spills, wiping down all inside surfaces goes a long way.
• Because the microwaves are generally distributed from the bottom of the unit, internal spills should immediately be wiped up. Otherwise, spills will eventually bake on the bottom, cracking the components and contaminating the wave guides. This is a major and pricey repair.
• Some high-speed ovens have air filters that need regular cleaning. Also, cooling fan areas should be brushed and cleaned periodically as needed.
• Service life can vary with these ovens and is related to cycle times rather than years of operation. Although there are units with 100,000 cycles in play for many years, the same may not be true for equipment used in high-volume operations. On average, high-speed ovens tend to be in operation for about five years.
• High-speed ovens will show an error code if something is going wrong. Keep in mind, the equipment may still remain operational despite having multiple error codes. Rather than resetting, turning off or unplugging the unit, problems should be checked by a service agent immediately. If errors are addressed early, it is typically an easier fix than if there is a total equipment breakdown.
• If the cost of repair is more than 50 percent of the total price of a new unit, the high-speed oven should be replaced.