Fitting out a venue is a long list of decisions, and the biggest one is where to buy. If you are searching for commercial kitchen equipment Melbourne operators trust, this guide gives you the full picture in one place. It covers every major equipment category, new versus refurbished, budgeting, and why a local showroom beats an online-only seller.

It is written for cafe owners, restaurateurs, caterers, pub operators and first-time business owners across Victoria. Read it from top to bottom before you shop, or jump to the category you need. Either way, you will finish with a clearer list and fewer surprises.

Commercial Kitchen Equipment Melbourne: Where to Start

Before you look at a single appliance, write down what your kitchen actually does. A cafe pushing out toasties and coffee has very different needs from a 120-seat restaurant or a catering business cooking for events. Start with your menu, your expected covers per hour, and the number of staff working at peak. Those three answers shape almost every purchase that follows.

Next, sketch the space. Mark the gas, power, water and drainage points, the ventilation hood position and the access routes for deliveries. Equipment that looks perfect in a catalogue can fail on a site where the gas outlet sits on the wrong wall or the doorway is too narrow. A scaled plan saves expensive mistakes.

Finally, think in zones rather than items. A well-run kitchen flows from receiving and cold storage, through prep and cooking, to the pass and then dishwashing. Our commercial kitchen setup checklist walks through that flow step by step, and it pairs well with this guide.

Cooking Equipment: Ranges, Fryers, Grills and More

Cooking equipment is the heart of the line and usually the largest single spend. Gas ranges, griddles, char grills, deep fryers, ovens, woks and stock pot burners all sit here, and the right mix depends on your menu. Browse the full cooking equipment range to see what is on offer, or look at wok and stock pot burners if your kitchen leans toward Asian or stock-based cooking.

Match capacity to volume. An undersized fryer slows service when the rush hits, while an oversized one wastes gas and floor space. Consider how many burners you actually use at once, whether you need a solid top or open burners, and how much oven space your baking or roasting calls for.

Gas appliances bring compliance duties. Energy Safe Victoria sets out the rules for gas installation and appliance safety, and the Energy Safe Victoria website is the place to confirm what applies to your fitout. Always use a licensed gas fitter, and check that your hood, clearances and gas supply suit the equipment you choose.

Refrigeration: Cold Storage, Displays and Ice

Cold equipment protects your stock, your margins and your licence to trade. Our commercial refrigeration range covers upright and underbench fridges, freezers, display cabinets, bar fridges and ice machines. Choose by use: storage units for the back of house, display units for the front, and ice machines where drinks or seafood demand it.

Front-of-house units earn their keep by selling. Look at food and deli displays for cabinets that show off cakes, sandwiches and salads, or upright display fridges for drinks. For bars and pubs, bar fridges keep stock cold where staff need it.

Sizing matters as much as type. Our guides on choosing the right commercial refrigeration and sizing a commercial fridge explain how to match capacity to your menu and delivery pattern. Energy use is a big running cost, so check ratings on the Australian Government energy rating website before you buy.

Dishwashing and Cleaning Equipment

Dishwashing is the zone buyers forget until opening week, and then it becomes a bottleneck. A cafe with a modest plate count may be fine with an undercounter glasswasher or dishwasher. A busy restaurant often needs a passthrough or conveyor machine, with a proper landing bench, scrap sink and racking either side.

Plan the workflow in a straight line: scrape, load, wash, unload, stack. Check water supply, drainage, power and the temperature of the final rinse, because a machine that does not sanitise properly is a food safety risk. Chemical dosing, water softening and regular descaling will also extend the life of any machine.

If you are weighing up models, our team can talk through size, cycle time and running costs against your plate count. You can also see the wider range through our commercial kitchen supplies page.

Food Prep Equipment

Prep equipment turns raw ingredients into mise en place, and it saves hours of labour every week. Typical items include planetary and spiral mixers, vegetable slicers, food processors, meat mincers, bandsaws and vacuum sealers. Butchers and delis have their own needs, and our butchery equipment range covers the specialist items.

Choose prep machines on throughput and cleanability. A mixer that handles your biggest batch without straining will outlast one that is always at its limit. Look for removable parts, smooth surfaces and guards that meet workplace safety rules. Training staff to use guards and lockouts properly is a legal duty as well as good practice.

For safe machinery guidance, WorkSafe Victoria explains employer duties around plant, manual handling and training. Reviewing it before you buy helps you pick equipment that is simple to use safely.

Stainless Steel Benching, Shelving and Storage

Benching ties the whole kitchen together. Every prep station, pass and dishwashing area needs a durable surface, and stainless steel is the standard because it is non-porous, easy to sanitise and tough. Choose a grade and thickness that suit the job, and add splashbacks, undershelves and sinks only where you will use them.

Do not forget shelving and trolleys. Dry store racks, wall shelves and mobile trolleys keep stock off the floor and speed up service. Adjustable shelving suits menus that change, while fixed units suit stable ranges. Measure carefully, because a bench that is a few centimetres too long can block a door or a hot line.

Custom benches are worth a look for odd corners and older buildings. Bring a plan and photos, and our team can help you decide what to customise and what to buy off the shelf. The wider selection is easy to browse through our online shop.

New vs Refurbished Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Both options have a place in a smart fitout. New equipment gives you the full warranty, the latest efficiency and the freedom to specify exactly what you need. Refurbished equipment gives you the same class of machine at a lower price, which can free up budget for the items that are worth buying new.

A common approach is to buy new for the heart of the kitchen, such as the main cooking line and key refrigeration, and refurbished for benching, shelving and secondary items. Stainless steel holds its value well, so it suits second hand buying better than electronics-heavy machines. Explore our refurbished kitchen equipment and second hand commercial kitchen equipment pages, and our new equipment range for the other side of the comparison.

Whichever way you go, inspect before you pay. Check for wear, test the controls, ask about service history and confirm warranty terms in writing. A reputable supplier will welcome the questions and let you see the item running.

Choosing Equipment by Venue Type

Different venues lean on different equipment, so it helps to start from your own business model. A coffee-led cafe puts money into refrigerated display, an undercounter fridge for milk, a toastie grill and a glasswasher. A restaurant leans harder on the cooking line, with ranges, fryers, salamanders and a decent pass. A takeaway shop cares about speed, so fryers, hot holding and fast cold storage matter most.

Caterers and pubs add a few more needs. Caterers need transportable hot and cold holding, bulk cooking and plenty of benching for assembly, while pubs often need bar refrigeration, ice, glass washing and a robust fryer and grill for the kitchen. Hotels and clubs may need all of the above at scale, with redundancy so a single breakdown does not stop service.

Start-ups should resist the urge to buy everything at once. Open with the equipment your core menu truly needs, learn how the kitchen runs, and add specialist machines once the trade justifies them. This keeps cash in the bank during the first months, which is when most new venues feel the squeeze.

Compliance, Safety and Council Requirements

Every commercial kitchen has to meet food safety, workplace safety and building rules, and equipment choices feed into all three. Surfaces must be cleanable, handwashing facilities must be accessible, cold storage must hold safe temperatures, and cooking areas need adequate ventilation. Your local council environmental health officer will inspect the premises, so it pays to ask about requirements before you finalise a layout.

National food rules are set out by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, and the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website explains obligations for businesses that handle food. Workplace safety adds duties around machinery guarding, manual handling, slips and burns, so staff training and clear procedures belong in your budget.

Good records protect you. Keep warranty papers, manuals, service histories and temperature logs in one place. When an inspector visits, or when a machine needs a warranty claim, you will be glad that the paperwork is ready.

Budgeting for a Commercial Kitchen Fitout

Equipment is only part of the bill. A realistic budget includes the machines, delivery, installation, gas and electrical work, plumbing, ventilation, flooring, small wares and a contingency. Many first-time operators set aside around ten to fifteen per cent for surprises, and they usually use it.

Rank your purchases by how much they affect sales and safety. Refrigeration and the main cooking line come first, because failure there stops trading. Secondary items such as extra shelving or a second prep machine can wait until the first weeks of trade show what you actually need.

Think about running costs as well. Energy, water, maintenance and repairs add up over the life of an appliance, and a slightly dearer efficient model can pay for itself. Ask for the full picture, not only the purchase price, when you compare quotes.

Prices on this page are guides only. For a quote that reflects your menu and site, ask our team to price a list for you, and we will keep the options clear and the numbers honest. Prices shown on the MRCE site are inclusive of GST.

Why Buy from a Local Dandenong Showroom

Online-only sellers can look cheap, but they leave you alone when something goes wrong. A local showroom lets you see the size, weight and build quality of an item before you commit. You can open the doors, check the controls and ask the person next to you a real question.

Delivery and installation are easier when the supplier knows your area. A team that works across Melbourne understands access, parking, loading docks and tight laneways, and it can plan around them. After-sales support matters too, because a fryer or fridge that fails on a Friday night needs a fast, local answer.

Our showroom sits at 15 Station Street, Dandenong, and we supply venues across the region and beyond. See our catering equipment and supplies in Dandenong, our commercial kitchen gear in Melbourne and our catering equipment for sale in Melbourne pages for more on what we carry.

If your venue is in the City of Greater Dandenong, the City of Greater Dandenong website has information on food business registration and local requirements. It is worth checking early, because council sign-off can affect your opening date.

Forty Years of Hospitality Expertise, Since 1984

Since 1984 we have supplied the hospitality industry with professional advice, reliable equipment and excellent customer service. We have a wealth of experience in all types of projects ranging from international hotels to large and small pubs through to suburban restaurants and takeaway outlets. All our staff are equipped with the knowledge, expertise and creativity to add value to your project.

Forty years means we have seen what works in kitchens of every size. You can read more about how we got here on our about page.

When you would like advice on the right equipment for your kitchen, get in touch with our team. It is free, there is no obligation, and there is no pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)