Microwave ovens have been making life in the kitchen easier since 1947.  The invention of commercial microwave ovens takes this efficiency to the next level.  They operate as high-volume heaters, and they are designed to withstand long hours and extended use in a restaurant kitchen (unlike home microwave ovens).  Both home microwaves and commercial microwave ovens use electromagnetic energy to make the water molecules in food vibrate, thereby warming them.  Foods high in water, like fruits and vegetables, will cook more quickly, as will those high in sugars and fats, like bacon.  A conventional oven, on the other hand, uses heat to cook foods, rather than the electromagnetic waves that commercial microwave ovens use.

So when are commercial microwave ovens best for cooking, and when should you use a conventional oven instead?  Read on for answers and ideas from ShortOrder.

Commercial Microwave Ovens

Commercial microwave ovens are great for quick work in the kitchen when a long cooking time in the oven won’t do.  A commercial microwave oven has a much higher wattage than home microwave ovens, and must meet NSF sanitation standards.  They are often more energy-efficient than other cooking methods, as well.

Conventional Ovens

Conventional ovens have the advantage of being able to bake, roast, and broil, the drawback being that cook time may be significantly lengthened, contrasting the quick convenience of commercial microwave ovens.  Note also that there are two kinds of ovens: gas and electric.  A gas oven often produces a moist heat but very little ambient heat in the kitchen, while an electric oven produces a dry heat, which is more optimal for roasting.

How to Choose

If you are still unsure of which type of commercial appliance would be right for your kitchen, or you have chosen but don’t know which brand to pick, read the reviews ShortOrder customers have written about the products we carry.  Reviews of Panasonic microwaves, Amana microwaves, Bakers Pride Ovens, and more can all be found on ShortOrder.com.

Within the hustle and bustle of food service — whether it is restaurants, delis or banquet catering — meals need to move out as fast as customers move in. In those fast-paced environments, you need commercial restaurant equipment that gets the job done quickly and effectively, and commercial microwaves provide a fantastic solution. The microwave isn’t just for use in the home to heat frozen dinners. Commercial grade ovens such as the Panasonic Microwave Oven NE-2157 will help ease the burden on many of those time-consuming cooking tasks such as steaming and defrosting food or heating lukewarm meals.

When it comes to commercial restaurant equipment, the microwave can be a secret weapon. Running a first-rate kitchen takes substantial resourcefulness and meticulous attention to the cooking process.  Whether it’s the need for hot water quickly, heating up a bowl of soup or safely defrosting a frozen food item, microwaves can simplify cooking tasks that would be less productive with conventional means such as heating on a stove. However, domestic-type microwaves, while less expensive, are not ideal for commercial application, in part because they do not meet National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) standards. Commercial grade microwave ovens not only meet NSF standards, they are also highly durable with enough wattage to cook food evenly and safely.

Speaking of powerful, the Panasonic Microwave Oven NE-2157 features “2100 Watts of cooking power,” meaning fast turnaround and an ability to cook or reheat bulk food items. And with programmable memory pads, often times you will have the ability to press one button for microwave cooking and move on to the next food preparation task. When cooking is complete, the “Grab & Go” door handle will make it easy to literally grab and go.

At Short Order, we gave the Panasonic Microwave Oven NE-2157 a 5-Star rating, making this beauty perfect for commercial application.

We also carry many other outstanding commercial microwave ovens from Panasonic and Amana with such great quality they won’t leave you steaming; unless, of course, you actually do need to need to steam your food.

Commercial microwaves are incredibly useful in the restaurant kitchen.  Though many fly under the radar in the restaurant kitchen of popular imaginations (you know, below the ubiquitous ice machines, griddles, and ranges), they’re every bit as important those more renowned pieces of equipment.  True restaurateurs, those who have been around the block and know that running a top-notch kitchen takes efficiency as well as attention to detail, prize commercial microwaves for their speed, versatility, and unique ability to make everything run more smoothly.

A good commercial microwave, such as Panasonic microwaves or Amana microwaves, will make a restaurant operate more smoothly in a number of ways.  Complex preparations don’t need to be as precisely orchestrated for everything to come out nice and toasty, since you can heat elements of it up just before serving.  Large quantities of water can also be heated with ease, and frozen foods can be thawed.   A commercial microwave will make everything a little bit simpler, which is a great thing to have in the hectic work environment that is a restaurant kitchen.

Panasonic Microwaves

We’ve got a great selection of these highly rated heating implements in our stock.  One is sure to fit your kitchen’s unique requirements.  They range from the efficient, compact Panasonic Microwave Oven NE-1258 to the heavy-duty, versatile Panasonic Commercial Steamer NE-3280, which handles both microwaving and steaming needs.  No matter which one you ultimately choose to go with, however, know that you’re getting a quality product that will get the job done every time.

We’re big fans of commercial microwaves, sure, but we also understand that there are a host of other pieces of restaurant equipment you might need for your kitchen more.  If that’s the case, or if you’d simply like to peruse, feel free to check our our large selection of restaurant equipment.

Panasonic microwaves are a fixture in kitchens both commercial and home-oriented all across this fine land, which may come as a surprise to some restaurant equipment neophytes who associate the name Panasonic with TVs, telephones, phones, and faxes.  Though the electronics manufacturer is rightly lauded and renowned for their more famous home fixtures, their commercial microwave ovens are no less impressive.  Indeed, we favor them in particular among their line of products.  (Of course, being purveyors of restaurant equipment, we might be a little biased.  But certainly not much!)

Many Panasonic microwaves are excellent, but two that stand out include the Panasonic Commercial Microwave Oven NE-3280 and the Panasonic Commercial Microwave Oven NE-2157R, both of which were named Best in Class by Food Service Equipment Supplies Magazine, a venerable industry publication.

Though Panasonic makes a mean microwave (and we’re not afraid to say it), there are a host of other microwaves that can suit your commercial microwaving needs, including Amana microwaves.

Of course, there comes a time when you, as a restaurateur, don’t need to heat up large quantities of an item in rapid, expert fashion.  Sometimes you need a machine to churn out massive quantities of half-dice ice cubes to chill drinks in a similarly rapid, expert fashion.  Or sometimes you don’t need the equipment to be rapid, and would instead just really love a place to store prepped sandwich items in a stable way so that you can assemble sandwiches in a rapid, expert fashion using fresh, delicious ingredients.  Fear not!  Short Order is here to help with all your restaurant equipment needs, large and small, from Vulcan cheese melters to

And no matter what product, drawn from our extensive stock, you finally choose settle on, you can rest assured knowing that it’s covered by our excellent Low Price Guarantee.  That’s hard to beat!

Microwaves are every bit as indispensable to restaurant kitchens as they are to our own homes.  Indeed, they might even be more so, since, in the high-pressure environment of a commercial kitchen, such a premium is placed on time.  In addition to the commercial microwave’s ability to warm large quantities of food in a rapid manner, they also provide an excellent way to cook low-fat meals, and are also more energy-efficient than many other methods of cooking.

We here at Short Order stock models by two well-known appliance manufacturers, Amana and Panasonic.  Both of these companies make, among other things, excellent microwaves for the home.  But though the make names might be familiar to many home consumers, their capabilities certainly reach beyond what casual microwave operators are used to.  Simply put, these bad boys can cook.  (What’s more, they’re designed and built with NSF sanitation standards in mind, something that really matters to commercial kitchens.)

Without further ado, here’s one microwave from each manufacturer.  As always, these, along with all the other restaurant equipment we offer here at Short Order, are backed by our Low Price Guarantee.

Panasonic Microwave Oven NE-3280

The Panasonic Microwave Oven NE-3280 is a microwaving behemoth, capable of heating virtually anything your kitchen requires in a rapid and even fashion.  It has been voted “Best in Class” by the prestigious Food Service Equipment Supplies Magazine, and has also been given a five-star rating by our editors here.  Ten preset programs are available for quick and uniform results every time.  And its 3200 watts of power means it can cook a lot.

Amana Microwave Oven ALD10T

The Amana Microwave Oven ALD10T is an NSF-approved, Food Service Equipment Supplies Magazine Best-in-Class model perfect for smaller restaurant kitchens.  Though it’s considerably lower-powered than the NE-3280, it’s also significantly more affordable.  And why pull out a jackhammer when all you need is an awl?