Commercial Bar Fridges

Both glass door bar fridges and solid door units will hold your drinks at temperature, however, one you can see through the door while the other is more like a conventional fridge. They're typically different internally in terms of what you're storing and how you store it, with glass door bar fridges being specifically designed for storing drinks like beer, soft drinks, or wine.

Bar fridges allow customers to choose their drinks, they can more easily see your selection, and they allow you to feature different products while ensuring they're cold and ready to drink. Whether you opt for an underbench glass door fridge for craft beers or simply to store soft drinks, they're an invaluable addition to your bar setup.

Undercounter models that maximise your space are an ideal option for smaller bars and kitchens. You can get bar fridges that are narrower, like our two-door models, or wider with three doors. To make it easy to access your stock without impeding the ability to walk past the fridge, you may want to consider a model with sliding doors rather than hinged doors.

Your fridge will need to be kept undercover and away from the elements, though some models are suitable for being kept in a beer garden kiosk. If you're unsure which are suitable, you can refer to the detailed product information or ask our team for guidance.

We only stock the top brands in the commercial kitchen equipment industry, meaning that no matter your budget or size preferences, you'll always be getting a great option. When it comes to popularity and our own recommendations, the likes of Polar, Thermaster and Bromic are always the top of the list for quality, energy efficiency and longevity.

The door configuration of your fridge won't have as much of an impact on cooling performance as the type of cooling utilised does. You can get fan-forced cooling, static cooling or a combination of the two. Fan forced offers the most reliable and consistent temperature, however it can result in using more power.

Static cooling can have spots that are cooler than others, depending on your stock's proximity to the refrigeration panel. Getting a glass door bar fridge that has both will deliver even chilling, while also helping to keep running costs down with energy-efficient refrigeration.

By incorporating a glass door bar fridge into your serving area, whether that's at a cafe till or at the bar in your pub or restaurant, access to drinks is easier and makes serving customers faster. The clear view makes it simple for staff to find what customers want, along with ensuring you can see when stock is getting low.

A back bar chiller is the same class of appliance, named for where it sits: directly behind the bar, under the counter, within reach of whoever is pouring. The term is used more in pubs and clubs, while cafes and restaurants tend to say bar fridge.

Functionally you are looking at the same specification decisions either way, though a back bar chiller is more often specified with sliding doors and a lower profile so it fits under a standard bar top.

Count the drinks you need cold at the start of service, not the drinks you sell in a day. A single door suits a small cafe or a service station in a larger venue. A double door bar fridge covers most suburban pubs and restaurants, holding enough chilled stock for a full service without a mid-shift restock.

Three and four door models are for high-volume bars, function venues and anywhere the fridge is also doing the merchandising. If you are between two sizes, the larger one is almost always the better call: running out of cold stock mid-service costs more than the extra power.

An energy efficient bar fridge combines a natural refrigerant such as R290, LED interior lighting, good door seals and, on glass door models, double glazing. Together those cut the compressor duty cycle, which is where the running cost sits.

The payback depends on your trading hours: the longer a unit runs each day, the sooner its lower power draw covers the higher price. For a fridge that only runs at weekends the case is weaker, and you may be better putting the money into capacity instead. If you want options compared against your own trading hours, get a quote and we will include the comparison.

Most under bench bar fridge models are built to sit below a standard bar top, but the clearance that catches people out is ventilation rather than height. The condenser needs airflow, and boxing a unit into tight joinery is the most common cause of premature failure.

Check the manufacturer's stated clearances on the product page before the cabinetry is built, and confirm whether the model is rated for built-in or free-standing use. The two are not interchangeable.

It can be, as long as it is sized for the space. A commercial display fridge with a glass door lets customers see the range and lets staff spot gaps before they become a problem, which is why most bar fridges are glass-fronted. For bigger displays on a shop floor, look at commercial glass door fridges or commercial drink fridges. For impulse sales at the counter, a countertop display fridge is the compact option.

An industrial bar fridge is worth it in high-volume venues such as pubs, clubs, stadiums and function centres, where the doors open constantly through service. Look for heavy-duty hinges and seals, fan-forced cooling that recovers quickly, and a unit rated for the heat behind a busy bar.

For stock that does not need to be on display, pair it with commercial upright fridges in the back of house, or browse the full commercial fridges range.