Choosing a commercial fridge for a Sydney kitchen
Pickup or delivery. Sydney's the home market for collections from our Parramatta warehouse. Bring your ute or van, or have a courier do the run — get in touch with our team first to confirm stock and arrange a pickup time. If you're spending $3,000+ on a single unit and want to physically inspect it (door seals, condenser fins, internal finish) before the freight handles it, pickup makes that possible.
Capacity sizing. Most Sydney café and restaurant kitchens land on a 2-door upright (around 1,200L) as the main cold-store plus an undercounter or salad prep bench (250-400L) close to the pass. Larger operations — restaurants doing 150+ covers, dark kitchens in Alexandria or Mascot, the food halls in the CBD — usually need a 3-door upright (1,500-1,800L) or a pair of 2-doors. Sizing up at purchase is almost always cheaper than retrofitting a second unit 12 months later.
Refrigerant. R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant is now standard on quality commercial refrigeration and runs roughly 20% more efficient than the older R134a. Worth the small premium given NSW power prices.
Doors and placement. Solid doors for back-of-house storage and prep — better insulation, cheaper to run. Glass doors for display, drinks, grab-and-go. Don't put a glass-door unit on a hot kitchen line — the heat load destroys compressors. Every unit needs 50mm clearance at the back for the condenser to breathe.
NSW compliance. Sydney council inspectors and NSW Food Authority check that commercial refrigeration meets AS/NZS 60335.2.89 and that food storage stays at 0-5°C. Every unit complies and ships with a front-mounted digital temperature display.
Why CKA for Sydney kitchens
We've been supplying Sydney commercial kitchens since 2011 from the Parramatta warehouse. Trade pricing kicks in on multi-unit orders. Sydney metro warranty service is direct — our service techs (not a third-party network), which means faster callouts and direct accountability. Most metro warranty issues attended within 24-48 hours. SilverChef finance is available — approvals up to $65,000 in around 5 minutes. We can also bundle finance across a multi-unit fitout if you're opening a new venue.
Common questions
Can I pick up from your Parramatta warehouse?
Yes — contact our team to arrange pickup from the Parramatta warehouse. We'll confirm stock and book a collection time, and have a forklift available for larger units. Bring a ute or van with tie-down points.
How fast is Sydney metro delivery?
Sydney metro delivery is the fastest in the network thanks to the local Parramatta warehouse — most metro postcodes turn around in 1-2 working days. Some pockets (Northern Beaches, Sutherland Shire, Far Western Sydney) may be slightly longer. Contact us for confirmed ETAs on your address.
Do you deliver to regional NSW?
Yes — Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast 1-2 working days. Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands 2-4 days. Far regional NSW (Dubbo, Tamworth, etc.) 3-5 days via freight carrier.
What's the warranty?
Manufacturer cover varies by unit — typically 1-5 years on parts and labour. Full details on our warranty page. Sydney metro warranty service is handled directly by our service techs.
Is the equipment certified for NSW commercial use?
Every unit complies with AS/NZS 60335.2.89 (commercial refrigerated appliances) and AS/NZS 60335.1 (electrical safety). AU 3-pin plugs as standard.
Can I get trade pricing or finance?
Both. Multi-unit fitouts get 5-15% off list depending on scale. SilverChef finance is available — approvals up to $65,000 in around 5 minutes.
