Best in Class Reports

For 17 years, FE&S published the results of Best in Class surveys, naming the top brands as named by readers.

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2014 Best In Class Awards Overall

Foodservice operators, dealers and consultants cast their votes for the best of the best
among foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers

Every foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturer contributes to the industry's success in their own way. Only a few, however, have earned the right to claim that they are truly Best in Class by consistently providing value in the ways their customers deem most important. With that in mind, Foodservice Equipment and Supplies presents the data from its 2014 Best in Class Study.

During the past few months FE&S polled its subscribing foodservice operators, dealers and consultants, asking them to evaluate equipment and supplies manufacturers on seven critical characteristics that impact their purchasing decisions. These seven performance factors are:

  • Product quality
  • Product value
  • Product design and aesthetics
  • Service and support
  • Sales representation
  • Product inventory and availability
  • Product information availability

Those participating in the survey prioritized these factors in order of importance and then rated the individual factories they work with in a given product category on these attributes. The individual results were combined with those from other participants from the category to create a composite score and identify those manufacturers that the readers of FE&S feel are the Best in Class for each of these product categories.

The following pages highlight those factories that establish the benchmark for understanding and meeting the needs of the entire distribution channel.

Here we proudly present the winners from our 2014 study.

Best In Class Overall

HEAVY EQUIPMENT Category Winner
Blast Chillers Traulsen
Braising Pans/Tilting Skillets Cleveland
Charbroilers Vulcan
Chef Counters - Prefabricated Delfield
Combi Ovens Alto-Shaam
Convection Ovens Blodgett
Conveyor Ovens Lincoln
Cook and Hold Ovens Alto-Shaam
Custom Stainless Steel Fabrication Advance Tabco
Deck Ovens Blodgett
Dishwashers/Warewashers Hobart
Floor Mixers Globe Food Equipment Co.
Free Standing Floor Fryers Frymaster
Ice Makers Manitowoc Ice
Mobile Hot Food Holding Equipment Hatco
Ranges, Gas or Electric Vulcan
Refrigerated Prep Tables True Manufacturing
Steam Jacketed Kettles Cleveland
Steamers Cleveland
Upright Reach-In Refrigeration True Manufacturing
Ventilation Systems CaptiveAire
Walk-In Refrigeration Thermo-Kool
   
Light Equipment  
Beverage Blender Vitamix
Coffee Brewers Bunn-O-Matic
Conveyor Toasters Hatco
Countertop Batch Ovens Bakers Pride
Countertop Griddles Vulcan
Disposers Salvajor
Electric Food Processors Robot Coupe
Electric Slicers Hobart
Heat Lamps Hatco
High Speed Ovens TurboChef
Induction Cooktops Vollrath
Manual Food Choppers Vollrath
Microwave Ovens Amana
Parts and Accessories Franklin Machine Products (FMP)
Scales Edlund Company
Shelving Metro
Sinks, Prefabricated Advance Tabco
Underbar Fabrication Perlick
Underbar Refrigeration True Manufacturing
Worktables, Prefabricated Advance Tabco
   
Smallwares  
Cookware Vollrath
Cutlery Dexter-Russell
Food Storage Containers Cambro
Tabletop and Buffet Serving Accessories Vollrath
Thermometers/Sensors Cooper-Atkins