Commercial Toasters – What the Pros Use!

Whether your preference in commercial toasters is pop-up or conveyor, you will need to look at the items you will be toasting most of the time. Pop-ups typically come in either standard size slots that toast on both sides or wide slots that toast on one side for bagels and English muffins. It is also possible to find four slot toasters that have two slots of each size with the standard slots toasting two sides and the wide slots toasting one side.

Most conveyor style toasters, toast on two sides but you can find ones that give you the option of one-sided toasting. Conveyor toasters can be top load, vertical or horizontal. With a continuous feed process and a warming tray on many models, conveyor toasters may provide a little more flexibility in a busy kitchen.

Most commercial pop-up toasters are going to be in the 250 to 400 pieces per hour range. This will vary depending on one-sided or two-sided toasting. Another variable is the input voltage. If you are using 208/240, it can up your production from 20% to 25%.

This is not to say that you can’t up the ante if your business needs require more production. Standard top load conveyor toasters have a similar capacity to pop-up toasters. Vertical toasters have the capability to produce up to 1,000 pieces per hour.

If your specialty is high volume toasted sandwiches, you may want to think about a high speed (variable speed) conveyor system (right out of the Tim the Tool Man Handbook!). These units are also used for pizzas, bagels and a myriad of appetizers. While their production can be big, they also require special electrical and ventilation needs.

As you might expect, production levels, along with the whistles and bells, can vary dramatically depending on the budget. A basic low production commercial pop-up toaster can cost as little as under $100, or, as with anything else in life, you can pay as much as you want. As a general rule, conveyor toasters will be more than pop-toasters and quality is always worth paying a little more. The key is to know your production needs, calculate your return on investment and always think quality. Whistles and bells may be nice, but they typically don’t add to the bottom line.

Buying a commercial toaster may seem like a small item in the grand scheme of things, but when it is your livelihood, you need to do your homework. Make sure you have room to grow without breaking the bank and that the commercial toaster you choose will do the job for years to come.