Choosing the right charbroiler for your establishment is an important factor in your restaurant’s success. Before making your decision, consider a few points that will help to ensure you purchase the professional restaurant equipment that is right for you and your kitchen.
Your Menu
When choosing a charbroiler for your restaurant, the food variety on your menu is an important deciding factor. Food items that are best used with Vulcan’s VACB and VCCB series charbroilers are heavily marinated proteins, steak and burgers, while Vulcan’s VTEC series is ideal for lightly marinated proteins, lean chicken, fish or thinly-sliced steak due to its infrared energy. You will also want to be sure that your charbroiler has enough cooking space and multiple zones to accommodate the different temperature requirements based on your menu. Look for wide range gas valves like those on the Vulcan VACB series for precise temperature control.
Size Restrictions
The layout and available space is a critical aspect to consider when deciding to use a Vulcan charbroiler. You want to ensure that any size restrictions are addressed that could affect cooking equipment options.It may be beneficial to work with an experienced restaurant consultant to help ensure you plan an efficient layout and maximize every inch of your floor plan. Most charbroiler lines come in a variety of sizes to meet all cooking needs. The Vulcan VTEC series is available in sizes of 14 inches to 60 inches while the VCCB series comes in sizes ranging from 25 inches to 72 inches, providing size options for every commercial kitchen.
Quality
Your restaurant cooking equipment must stand up to the rigors of daily hard use. While there are many charbroiler brands available to choose from, you want to invest in one that uses quality components and is known for their reliability. Remember, if your charbroiler fails, the success of your business is at risk. Look for a brand like Vulcan that has a reputation for excellence, durability and quality. All of their charbroiler lines use heavy duty cast iron grates, burners and radiants so you can be sure that your charbroiler will have a long lifespan.
Ease of Cleaning
Look for intelligent designs that make cleanup fast and efficient. To make clean up an easier task, look for features such as:
- Heavy duty grates that won’t warp and can take wire brushing
- Removable burners and grates that you can clean easily
- Stainless steel finishes that withstand chips and wipe clean easily
Both the VACB and VCCB lines from Vulcan boast all these features and more, making them ideal choices for your professional kitchen equipment.
Budget
Budgets are a fact of life for most restaurants, and the investment you choose to make in purchasing a charbroiler is up to you. While we suggest making an upfront investment in durable, high performing cooking equipment, there are many economy models on the market that may fit your needs. With Vulcan charbroilers, even the economy series comes standard with cast iron grates, burners and radiants so you can be assured that you are making a quality investment!
Additional Flavor Profiles
Charbroilers are known for giving food a unique and unmatchable charbroiled flavor. For more options of flavor profiles using a charbroiler, be sure to add on a smoker base accessory. Brands like Vulcan offer counter top versions and a floor model to suit whichever style works best in your operation.
When it comes to commercial kitchen equipment, it pays to go with a name you know and trust. Vulcan has earned a place in the top tier of professional kitchen equipment manufacturers.
Stacey Turek is a Vulcan product expert, specializing in fryers, griddles and charbroStacey She entered the foodservice industry at a young age by way of her family’s Italian restaurant and has represented commercial cooking equipment manufacturers for the past 10 plus years.
About Vulcan Equipment
Vulcan, a division of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, is a leading manufacturer of cooking equipment in the U.S. with a broad line of products including ranges, convection and combination ovens,fryers, griddles, charbroilers, steamers, braising pans, kettles and heated holding cabinets. Vulcan sells both to the foodservice and food retail end-user segments, including chain and independent restaurants, hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, K-12 schools, colleges/universities, hotels, casinos, recreation, corrections, and grocery stores.Written by Stacey Turek, Vulcan Charbroiler Expert
