You may not run a restaurant but still may need commercial-capacity heating in your home kitchen. And if you do run a restaurant you are going to want to pay attention to the following list as we count down the best commercial microwaves available today!
These appliances are incredibly handy when you have a lot of food that needs to get cooked or re-heated in a hurry. They are perfect for the busy home chef or for use in commercial kitchens. Let’s get into the list!
Panasonic Countertop Commercial Microwave Oven
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
This Panasonic commercial microwave operates at 1000 watts so while it may be a bit under-powered compare to other commercial microwaves, it can still heat up food really quickly. This is even quicker than most commercial microwaves because of the innovative bottom energy feed system.
Energy essentially has to travel less distance to heat your food in this microwave so cooking time is very fast. There are also 10 preset express cooking buttons that range from 10 seconds to 3:30 minutes.
The Panasonic Countertop Commercial Microwave Oven also has a 99:99 minute max cooking time capacity so it can certainly handle commercial defrosting and cooking. There is also a self-diagnostic mode so it can identify problems on it’s own.
There is 0.8 cubic feet of interior space so it can fit large plates and bowls but the cabinet itself still manages to be pretty compact overall. This would be a great fit in both commercial and home kitchens.
The cabinet exterior is made form stainless steel so it’s durable enough to stand up to the rigors of hectic commercial kitchens and lively home kitchens. The control buttons even feature Braille writing!
Sharp R-21LCFS Medium-Duty Commercial Microwave Oven
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
If you prefer a commercial grade microwave with dial controls as opposed to button/key controls, the Sharp R-21LCFS Medium-Duty Commercial Microwave Oven would be a good choice for you. This microwave has a very simple operation interface with the timer dial and a chart that tells you what time you should set the dial to for a wide variety of foods.
Keep in mind that the max time this microwave can be set to is 6 minutes. The minimum time is 10 seconds. The interior space of this commercial microwave is one cubic foot so it is large enough to fit big platters.
If you want to cancel the heating, all you have to do is pull the door open. The exterior of the cabinet is made from stainless steel so it’s very easy to spot clean with a towel, warm water and some mild soap.
GE JVM3162RJSS 30″ 120 Volts 1.6 cu. ft. Capacity Over the Range Microwave
Editors’ Choice: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars
If you are in need of an overhead, commercial microwave oven, this may be the appliance for you. This GE microwave was designed to fit into over the range spaces and connect directly to range good ventilation.
The unit comes with convertible venting so it should be fairly simple to install but you still may need the help of a professional if you don’t have the right tools. In any case, the cabinet is 30 inches wide so it’s a fairly large microwave oven.
In fact, you get 1.6 cubic feet of interior cooking space so this would be a great microwave for demanding home kitchen needs or for commercial applications. There are preset power modes for popular foods like popcorn and pizza and you have the option of turning on the vent fan and surface light right from the microwave’s control panel.
There are manual timer settings and a convenient “add 30 seconds” button when your food needs a little more time.
Commercial Chef CHM990W 900 Watt Counter Top Microwave
Editors’ Choice: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars
The last microwave on our list clocks in at 900 watts so it is a bit underpowered for true commercial usage but would be great in any busy kitchen. There are plenty of convenient power settings too like speed defrost setting and defrost by weight setting.
Of course, you can manually set the timer with the full 900 watt capacity with the simple keypad. There are also preset power settings for foods like popcorn, frozen food, pizza and potatoes. There is 0.9 cubic feet of interior space so it’s a medium-capacity microwave.
We should also mention that this is one of the most affordable microwave ovens on our list at just around $120. The Commercial Chef CHM990W 900 Watt Counter Top Microwave also features a child safety lock for extra security around the house.
Commercial Microwave Buying Guide
Now people opt for commercial microwaves for home use very often. Then there are people who truly need a powerful microwave for their actual commercial kitchen. In either case, you will want to look for the following features if you want the best commercial microwave for your needs:
Auto Defrost
An auto defrost mode comes in very handy in a busy commercial kitchen when you have a ton of other things to do. Manual defrost modes also come in handy but if time is of the essence in your commercial kitchen, you will at the very least want the option of auto defrost.
Large Capacity
Anything over 1.5 cubic feet of interior space should be enough for most commercial kitchens. This will allow you to fit large platters and whole foods.
Wattage
The wattage you will need will depend on the application. For a commercial kitchen, we would recommend a microwave with at least 1000 watts of power. For home use, anywhere from 600 to 900 watts should work just fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are commercial microwaves better?
A: Commercial microwaves are designed to be used more frequently so typically, better, more durable parts are used to make them.
Q: What is the difference between commercial microwaves and regular microwaves?
A: Commercial microwaves use a stirring system to transfer energy while regular microwaves rely on turntables.
Q: Can you put metal in a commercial microwave?
A: Most people know that they can’t put metal into their microwaves at home. The same is certainly true of commercial microwaves. Never put metal in any kind of microwave.
Some Parting Words
Commercial microwaves are great for when you have a lot of people to feed or you are short on time. They are durable, last a long time and can usually take any punishment you can dish out in the kitchen – no pun intended.
That is of course, only if you get the best commercial microwave for your needs and everyone’s need are different. So take some more time to review our product list and our buying guide so you can get the best commercial microwave possible.
