Buy food warmers

Food warmers – choosing the right equipment for your restaurant!

Most food service establishments require some form of food warming equipment to keep the product at a safe temperature until it is served to the customer and if you operate a buffet where large quantities of food are always on hand, heating it properly becomes even more important. With so many options available on the market, it is important to know what is best for your business and what is the most sought after item – heat lamps.

Heat lamps are capable of temporarily keeping food warm, but are not recommended for long-term storage, as the concentrated heat source can dry out or continue to cook food. They are either permanently installed above the food or suspended from the frame of the countertop, and are usually portable. Hanging heat lamps are best suited for heating individual dishes, and strip lamps are designed for heating dishes in larger rooms. Some companies offer highly customizable lamps and allow you to mix and match bulb types, color hues and shapes, and installation options.

How to choose the right heat lamps for your kitchen?

Heat lamps for heating food can be divided into two main types - hanging lamps and strip lamps. Which one you choose will largely depend on where and how you plan to use it, but it is important to first understand what these devices are intended for.

Good for:

• Keeping food warm for short periods of time.
• Keeping items with a relatively small surface area warm, such as French fries, chicken, bread and vegetables.

Not suitable for:

• Long-term heating: They produce dry heat that can rob your food of its desired flavor and texture if left under them for too long.
• Really dense containers, such as a saucepan or a pot of mashed potatoes. The heat cannot penetrate deeply enough to maintain safe temperatures, so in these cases it is advisable to use analogs.

Depending on what you are cooking and where you are cooking, there are different heating and holding options that will work best for your needs. First, consider the type of food you will be cooking and what needs to be held.

Dry or moist heat? Heat lamps can be purchased in dry and moist heat variations. These different types of heat applications work best with specific menu items, so you should always consider your menu before selecting new equipment. For example, heat lamps that rely on moist heat use water to create steam for heating. This heating method helps prevent items from drying out and burning. Although you will use more energy with moist heat, you will find that it heats up faster than its dry heat counterparts.