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Best Commercial Refrigerator Reviews

Last updated on Jan 20, 2025

Commercial refrigerators play a vital role in food safety, keeping ingredients and prepared dishes at safe temperatures while offering convenient storage space. They are available in various sizes, styles, and configurations, each catering to different foodservice concepts. To select the best commercial refrigerator for your establishment, consider your culinary requirements, kitchen layout, and expected output. To assist you in making an informed decision, we have curated a list of the best commercial reach-in refrigerators based on various criteria. Each refrigerator on our list is selected to meet the diverse needs of commercial kitchens, ranging from compact spaces to high-volume operations.


Shop All Reach-In Refrigerators

Check Out Our Top Choices for the Best Reach-In Refrigerators

  1. Best Commercial Refrigerator Overall: True T-49-HC

  2. Best Glass Door Refrigerator: Hoshizaki PT2A-FG-FG

  3. Best Large Capacity Refrigerator: True TS-72-HC

  4. Best Narrow Body Refrigerator: Continental Refrigerator 1RSE-N

  5. Best Budget Refrigerator: True T-12-HC


Note: All prices are current to time of publication. See product page for updated pricing.

Best Commercial Refrigerator Overall

Best Commercial Refrigerator Overall: True T-49-HC

The True T-49-HC offers exceptional temperature control, making it ideal for preserving a wide range of perishable items. Its energy-efficient LEDs promote easy product retrieval at all times and generate less heat than fluorescent bulbs, keeping internal temperatures low and ensuring optimal storage conditions. The longevity of LED lights also means you'll save money on replacement costs over time. For easy maintenance and organization, the unit has six heavy-duty PVC-coated wire shelves that are adjustable in 1/2" increments. The bottom-mounted compressor enhances the unit's efficiency and serviceability, while the solid doors are self-closing and feature magnetic door gaskets that provide a tight seal.

Shop True T-49-HC | $4,802.00

Read customer reviews for the True T-49-HC.

Pros
  • Stainless steel doors, anodized aluminum sides, and GalFan coated steel back
  • Self-closing, positive seal doors with locks and magnetic gaskets for proper closure
  • Includes 6 heavy-duty adjustable PVC-coated shelves
  • Convenient exterior temperature display
Cons
  • Can be noisy
  • Prone to side damage

Best Glass Door Refrigerator

Best Glass Door Refrigerator: Hoshizaki PT2A-FG-FG

The Hoshizaki PT2A-FG-FG streamlines kitchen operations with a pass-through design that makes it accessible from both sides, making it perfect for placement between work areas in the kitchen. It has six adjustable, epoxy-coated shelves for ultimate storage flexibility and boasts a sleek appearance to enhance your kitchen aesthetic. Each door features an exclusive stepped design to protect the recessed door gasket from damage, ensuring a tight seal to keep your products fresh. Additionally, the unit is equipped with a solid-state digital controller with temperature alarms and an LED display, allowing you to monitor the refrigerator's performance with ease.

Shop Hoshizaki PT2A-FG-FG | $14,031.00

Runner Up: True STG2R-2G-HC

Pros
  • Pass-through design for efficiency
  • Stainless steel interior and exterior front, sides, and top; full glass doors
  • Dynamic airflow keeps each shelf at the right temperature for safe storage
  • Includes an expansion valve for faster recovery times and more efficient operation
Cons
  • Glass doors could break
  • Higher cost than comparable models

Best Large Capacity Refrigerator

Best Large Capacity Refrigerator: True TS-72-HC

The True TS-72-HC comes equipped with nine heavy-duty PVC-coated wire shelves that are adjustable in 1/2" increments so you can organize ingredients efficiently. Thanks to its exterior temperature display, you can monitor internal temperatures without opening the door. The stainless steel interior liner is sleek and resistant to spills, while the stainless steel floor with covered corners is easy to wipe clean. Additionally, the cabinet features foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation, providing added structural strength and reducing energy loss.

Shop True TS-72-HC | $7,350.00

Read customer reviews for the True TS-72-HC.

Runner Up: Beverage-Air RB72HC-1S

Pros
  • Stainless steel construction with GalFan coated steel back
  • Self-closing, positive seal doors with locks and magnetic gaskets for proper closure
  • Includes 9 heavy-duty adjustable PVC-coated shelves
  • Convenient exterior temperature display
Cons
  • Large footprint, not ideal for smaller kitchens
  • Can be noisy

Best Narrow Body Refrigerator

Best Narrow Body Refrigerator: Continental Refrigerator 1RSE-N

The Continental Refrigerator 1RSE-N is designed to accommodate pans of raw ingredients or prepared foods that are ready to go into the oven, making it a versatile storage solution for kitchen operations with limited space. Its door has a self-closing mechanism, ensuring it closes properly even when your hands are full. Furthermore, the field-reversible door provides the flexibility to modify the unit according to the specific layout and needs of your space. Inside the unit, five heavy-duty epoxy-coated steel shelves are included which can easily be arranged for convenient access to ingredients.

Shop Continental Refrigerator 1RSE-N | $4,719.00

Runner Up: True T-11G-HC~TSL01

Pros
  • Stainless steel front with aluminum end panels and interior
  • Narrow width fits in tight spaces
  • Maintains safe food temperatures in ambient temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit
  • LED interior lighting produces less heat than other lighting systems
Cons
  • Only ideal for small spaces
  • Higher cost than comparable models

Best Budget Refrigerator

Best Budget Refrigerator: True T-12-HC

The True T-12-HC provides reliable performance in busy foodservice environments while keeping your budget in mind. It features three heavy-duty coated shelves as well as a 1/6 hp bottom-mounted compressor. The solid door is self-closing and comes with a magnetic door gasket, and the unit features anodized aluminum ends, as well as a back and top, ensuring durability and longevity. Leg levelers come standard with the unit, allowing you to adjust the height of the refrigerator for optimal positioning in your kitchen, and an integrated base rail adds a polished, professional look.

Shop True T-12-HC | $2,837.00

Runner Up: Main Street Equipment BMR-49-R

Pros
  • Stainless steel door and front, anodized aluminum ends and top, and GalFan coated steel back
  • Bottom-mounted compressor design
  • Full-body, foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation
  • Includes 3 heavy-duty adjustable PVC-coated shelves
Cons
  • Only ideal for smaller kitchens
  • Can be noisy

How to Choose Commercial Refrigerators

The commercial reach-in refrigerator you choose needs to fit the space available to you and provide ample storage space. The best refrigerators are designed to hold up in a fast-paced workplace, providing dependable, consistent results that keep your kitchen running. As you make your selections, consider the size of the refrigerators you look at, their capacity, and any features they might have.

1. Size

The size of the refrigerator must align with your kitchen layout to ensure optimal functionality and efficiency. Choosing a refrigerator that is too large will diminish the available space for other appliances and work areas, creating a cramped and inefficient kitchen layout. On the other hand, opting for a refrigerator that is too small will severely limit your storage capacity.

To determine the appropriate size for your commercial refrigerator, consider how many refrigerator sections you will need for organizational purposes. Assess the cubic feet of storage space the unit offers to ensure it meets your specific storage requirements without wasting valuable space. Additionally, take into account other spatial details such as the location of the hinges and the number of doors the refrigerator has.

2. Capacity

The refrigerator you select should have enough room to accommodate all of your ingredients and provide additional storage space for efficiency in your kitchen operations. To determine the appropriate capacity for your needs, think about the types of dishes you will be preparing and the ingredients required for your recipes. Consider the quantity of food you will need to store and how many people you plan to serve. You should also consider the amount of food you will need to store in bulk to ensure the refrigerator can handle your storage requirements effectively.

3. Features

Consider the functionality that will best suit your operations when selecting a commercial refrigerator. Common reach-in refrigerator features include:

  • Extra-wide refrigerators: For establishments with high storage needs, extra-wide refrigerators provide ample space to store a large quantity of food items.
  • LED lighting: LED lighting is a popular feature in commercial refrigerators as it offers bright and energy-efficient illumination inside the unit.
  • Narrow-body refrigerators: These refrigerators have a slim design that allows them to fit into tight spaces without compromising storage capacity.
  • Pass-through refrigerators: Pass-through refrigerators are designed with doors on both the front and back, allowing for easy access from either side. They are convenient in busy kitchens where multiple staff members may need to access the refrigerator simultaneously.
  • Roll-in refrigerators: These are particularly beneficial for establishments that deal with large quantities of food that need to be moved in and out quickly.
  • Smart refrigerators: Some commercial refrigerators are equipped with smart technology that enables remote monitoring and control of the unit, maintaining optimal temperature levels, alerting you of any issues, and ensuring the safety of your food products.
  • Wi-Fi-enabled refrigerators: Wi-Fi-enabled refrigerators allow for connectivity to smart devices, enabling you to monitor and adjust settings from anywhere with an internet connection. This feature provides convenience and peace of mind, especially for busy kitchen operations.

Back to Top

When it comes to outfitting a commercial kitchen, the refrigerator stands out as one of the most crucial pieces of equipment. No matter what kind of restaurant you own, they are essential for keeping ingredients fresh and upholding food safety standards. By familiarizing yourself with the best commercial refrigerators on the market, you can make an informed decision and set your business up for success.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.

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