Choosing the right commercial freezer for a Melbourne kitchen
Upright vs chest. Upright freezers are the default for most kitchens — easier to organise stock, faster access, less back strain than digging through a chest. Chest freezers hold more per dollar and per square meter, and lose less cold air when opened, so they're cheaper to run on bulk frozen storage. Most café/restaurant kitchens want an upright; commissaries and camp kitchens often use both.
Capacity. A standard 2-door upright commercial freezer holds around 1,200L — enough for a busy café or a small restaurant carrying a week of frozen stock. Bigger operations (restaurants doing 100+ covers, dark kitchens, aged-care kitchens) usually need 1,800L+ (a 3-door upright) or pair an upright with a chest freezer for bulk product.
Refrigerant and energy. R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant is now standard on quality commercial freezers and runs roughly 20-25% more efficient than older R404a. Given Melbourne's electricity prices, the small premium pays back inside a year. Look for an EER (energy efficiency rating) on the spec sheet — anything above 1.5 W/W is solid for a commercial upright freezer.
Display freezers. If you're running ice cream, frozen meals or any frontline retail, glass-door display freezers are a different beast — they're working against constant heat ingress from open glass, so they cost more to run per litre of storage. Worth it for the display value; not worth it for back-of-house storage.
Food safety. Victoria's food safety regulations require frozen storage at or below -18°C with proper temperature monitoring. Every freezer below ships with a built-in digital temp display; some also include high/low temp alarms and HACCP-compatible data logging.
Why CKA for Melbourne freezer supply
Same Parramatta warehouse, same VIC service network as our Commercial Refrigeration in Melbourne range. Most fitout orders combine fridges and freezers on a single delivery to save on freight. Trade pricing across the combined order. Finance available on the package, not just individual units.
Common questions
Do you deliver freezers to Melbourne and regional VIC?
Yes — Melbourne metro 2-4 working days, regional VIC 3-6 working days. Freezers ship in their upright orientation; if you order a chest freezer, allow extra clearance for off-loading.
Should I order a fridge and freezer together?
Cheaper that way — single freight, single delivery window, and trade pricing applies to the combined order if you're hitting multi-unit thresholds. Most kitchen fitouts pair one upright fridge and one upright freezer at minimum.
What's the warranty on commercial freezers?
Manufacturer cover varies by unit — typically 1-5 years on parts and labour. Check the spec sheet or our warranty page for the specific terms on each model.
Can I get a commercial freezer for sale at trade pricing?
Yes — trade pricing applies on most multi-unit orders. Send your equipment list (or the freezer model you're after with quantity) and we'll come back with a quote.
What temperature does a commercial freezer hold?
Commercial freezers run at -18°C to -22°C as a working range. Some go lower (-25°C) for ice cream or specialty frozen product. Check the spec sheet for the operational temperature range.
Is energy consumption documented?
Yes — every unit has a published kWh/24h figure on the spec sheet. Multiply by your kWh rate to estimate annual running cost.
