Commercial Gas Ranges: A Buying Guide
Commercial gas ranges anchor the cook line in most restaurant kitchens, combining open burners, ovens, and sometimes griddle or broiler sections into one unit. Picking the right configuration for your menu and volume affects everything from cook times to daily workflow. This guide covers the key factors to weigh before buying a commercial gas range.
Burner Count and Configuration
Ranges typically come with four, six, eight, or ten open burners, often paired with a standard or convection oven base. Match burner count to your simultaneous order volume — a small café may only need four burners, while a full-service restaurant kitchen often needs six or more.
Oven Base Options
A standard oven base works for baking and holding, while a convection oven base circulates heat for faster, more even cooking. Some ranges also offer a griddle or broiler plate section in place of one or more burners, letting you consolidate cooking methods into a single footprint.
- Standard oven: even, gentle heat for baking and roasting
- Convection oven: faster cook times, more even browning
- Combination units: burners plus griddle or broiler in one range
BTU Output and Efficiency
Higher BTU burners heat pans faster and recover more quickly after adding cold ingredients, which matters most for high-volume sauté work. Balance high-output burners for primary cooking stations with lower-output simmer burners for sauces and delicate items.
Common Gas Range Configurations
| Configuration | Best For |
|---|---|
| 4-Burner + Oven | Small kitchens, cafés |
| 6-Burner + Oven | Standard restaurant kitchens |
| 8-10 Burner + Oven | High-volume, full-service kitchens |
| Burner + Griddle Combo | Menus needing both sauté and griddle items |