Things to consider before purchasing a used blast chiller

There are various types of kitchen equipment for food products. Blast chillers have become a popular professional kitchen staple as they keep the quality of the food and improve food safety and hygiene.

While purchasing used equipment may reduce costs, there are some things you need to be careful about when purchasing used equipment.

It is important to consider the following three factors: used products have a higher risk of malfunction, the warranty period is short and after-sale maintenance is not available, and it is important to make sure that the product has been overhauled.

Blast chiller features

Blast chillers are rapid cooling machines for safely serving cooked foods. Optimally, restaurants would serve the cooked food immediately, but there are times when they cannot do so.

In such cases, rapid cooling is required. Rapid cooling prevents the generation and proliferation of bacteria, allowing a safe and more hygienic food service.

It is important to heat food well to prevent risks such as food poisoning, but there is a risk of contamination with bacteria while cooling the food after heating.

The temperature range between 10℃ and 60℃ is the temperature range in which bacterial growth increases, so it is necessary to cool this range quickly.

The longer the cooling time, the greater the risk of bacterial contamination. It is recommended that the core temperature of cooked food be cooled within 60 minutes to around 10°C, to make it difficult for bacteria to grow.

Natural cooling is not sanitary because it slowly passes through the temperature range which gives time for bacteria to grow

Cooling in the refrigerator is also not recommended. This is because the machine is designed for refrigerated storage, so it does not have the ability to cool hot food. This will raise the temperature inside the refrigerator and cause other foods to spoil.

Blast chillers can quickly cool freshly prepared food, preventing the growth of bacteria and improving food safety. It also locks in the freshness and flavor of food, making it possible to preserve the quality of freshly cooked food when reheated.

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Three things to keep in mind when purchasing second-hand products

There are many used blast chillers on the market. The advantage of second-hand products is that they are cheaper, so you can save on purchasing costs.

Depending on the condition of the machine, you can find it for about 1/2 to 1/3 of the price.

In addition, since second-hand products are managed in stock, they can be delivered quickly and can be delivered within 2 to 3 days after purchase, or as early as the next day. Another benefit is that you can purchase machines that are no longer manufactured.

However, there are disadvantages to second-hand products, and there are three things you need to be aware of when considering these products.

Used products have a higher risk of malfunction

The longer a machine has been used, the more there is a risk of it breaking down or malfunctioning. The longer a kitchen appliance is used, the more likely it will break down and require repair.

Repairs can be difficult to do on your own, and you will have to hire a professional, which can result in high repair costs. Additionally, if there is a problem, there may not be a spare part to repair it, making it a hassle to maintain that product.

Short warranty period and unavailable after-sales maintenance

New products have a warranty period of one year or longer, but used products may have a warranty period of three months or no warranty period at all.

For new machines, we provide after-sales maintenance and have a backup system in place, such as advice on how to use the machine.

Necessary overhaul

Used items are more or less deteriorated, so you need to make sure they have been properly cleaned and overhauled.
Also, even if they are properly maintained, there are often signs of use and wear, so it can be difficult to find machines in good condition.

It is necessary to make an educated judgment after carefully listening to the explanation of the machine, not just the machine state, but also its period of usage and whether there is a valid warranty.

If you decide to purchase a machine based solely on its price, you may run into several problems such as operational issues, or even a potential costs incurred for repairs in the long run.

Recommended blast chillers and flash freezers manufacturers

There are various types of blast chillers, each with different functions and performance. Here are some that are available in the market from different manufacturers.

Hoshizaki Electric's  blast chiller

This blast chiller comes equipped with two blast chill functions and a shock freeze function.

1. It cools with cold air at -1℃, making it ideal for cooling foods with low fat content and easily damaged cells. Soft Chill Function
2. It is ideal for foods that need to be cooled quickly with cold air at -20℃, and pass through a temperature range where bacteria can grow easily. Hard Chill Function
3. Freeze with cold air at -40℃ Shock Freeze Function

There are also three operation control functions: Core temperature control, which cools food until its core temperature reaches the set temperature, and then keeps it cold when the core temperature is reached.

​Timer control: Cools food until the set time and keeps it cold when the set time has passed. Temperature control: Cools food until the set temperature is reached and keeps it cold when the set temperature is reached.

In addition, the air speed can be adjusted to suit the food, so it can be safely used on delicate food that tends to lose its shape when exposed to cold air.

Irinox's blast chiller

Food is placed in the fan's suction port, and when the fan takes in cold air, heat is released from the food, allowing for efficient heat exchange. In addition to the cooling function, it has 8 other functions which can be used for a variety of purposes:

1. Rapid cooling function from 90℃ to 3℃.
2. Shock freeze function that cools food down to -18℃.
3. A function to keep the temperature between -35℃ and 85℃ according to the food and purpose.
4. A function to adjust internal temperature and defrost.
5. A function that reheats food that has been kept cold or warm to 75℃ and keeps it at the appropriate temperature.
6. Low-temperature cooking function that heats at a temperature close to 85℃.
7. A function to thaw and ferment dough from the frozen state.
8. A function to pasteurize food and supplies by setting the temperature inside the refrigerator to 80℃.

Fukushima Kogyo's blast chiller

The air suction circulation system allows for quick cooling and freezing.

There is a blast chill function that cools the core temperature to 3℃ with -2℃ cold air, and a shock freeze function that cools the core temperature to around -20℃ with -40℃ cold air.

There is also a function to record the temperature data on a USB drive, so you can further monitor your freezing process. It also has an internal drying mode and is designed to be easy to clean, which prevents the growth of bacteria and mold.

DayBreak's ARTLOCK Freezer

With blast chillers, the difference between core temperature and surface temperature can be very different, resulting in uneven cooling and freezing.

​Art lock freezers have excellent cooling capacity, allowing for faster cooling and maintaining better quality.

Equipped with a Micro-wind System and an AI-controlled freezing system, the ARTLOCK Freezer can prevent food quality deterioration (drying, oxidation, etc.), and can also freeze food evenly and efficiently since its airflow is designed to envelop the entirety of the food you put inside of the freezer.

You can freeze warm, freshly prepared foods as they are,  without worrying about uneven freezing or quality issues.

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Conclusion

When purchasing a blast chiller, you can save money by purchasing a used one, but you need to keep in mind that there are many disadvantages in doing that.

In addition, since the functions and performance differ depending on the equipment, we recommend that you choose the machine carefully and purchase the blast chiller or flash freezer that meets your business needs.