What is a Steam Table?
Commercial Steam Tables allow buffets, cafeterias, hotels and more to safely provide customers with large amounts of warm foods for hours at a time. These units are designed with two or more compartments, which hold half or full-size pans. Steam tables can display multiple menu items at the same time; however, they are not designed to cook foods or bring them up to safe serving temperatures. Steam tables are designed to keep food warm by heating water to produce a steam that gently heats food pans to provide an even heat to keep food at desired temperatures. Today we are going to look at the pros and cons of choosing between an electric and a gas-powered steam table.
Gas Vs. Electric Steam Tables
When it comes to choosing between gas and electric steam tables, you will want to keep the location of the unit in mind. If you’re looking for a gas-powered steam table, you will want to make sure you have a location with a gas connection, otherwise you will have to resort to purchasing propane tanks to power your steam table, which can get pricey overtime. However, because of the simplistic design of gas-powered steam tables, they are less likely to malfunction.
Electric Steam Tables are constructed with precise temperature controls are a more energy efficient option, however they do take longer to heat up. A pro with using electric steam tables is that they are easier to install than gas steam tables. Typically, you only will have to plug in your electric powered steam table pan to an appropriate outlet to begin operation. However, do keep in mind that these units are designed for outlets of varying power levels, so you will want to make sure you select a steam table that your building can handle.
Now that you have a general idea of the differences between gas-powered and electric steam tables, you should be able to determine which model would work best for you. Cook’s has a wide selection of steam tables, pans and other kitchen equipment needed to run a successful commercial foodservice business. If you have any questions regarding the purchase of new foodservice equipment, feel free to reach out to our sales team. We are happy to assist you.
