Is it worth buying a used rapid freezer? Here are some tips to avoid making mistakes!

As the rapid freezer market is gaining attention, some people may be thinking, "rapid freezer and rapid freezing are expensive, so I'd like to look for a used product."
Used rapid freezer are sold by specialized retailers and online shopping sites. However, considering the limited number of models and other risks, it cannot be said with certainty that "used products are cheap and a good deal."

In addition, unlike genuine products that can be supported by the rapid freezer manufacturer, the selection and operation of used products is left to the buyer. Unless you have a very extensive knowledge of rapid freezer and freezing technology, it can be extremely difficult to operate a used product in an optimal way for your business type and products after purchasing it.

So, in this article, we will explain the features and risks of second-hand products to those who are considering purchasing a second-hand rapid freezer, and also introduce ways to utilize subsidies, as well as rentals and leasing, which can help you reduce costs.
Since you will need to buy a second rapid freezer.

Most used rapid freezer are blast chillers or shock freezers.

If you search for "rapid freezer," you will find rapid freezer at specialized second-hand dealers and online shopping sites. Prices vary depending on the condition of rapid freezer, but they are sometimes sold for around one-third of the retail price.
However, if you look closely at used rapid freezer, most of them are blast chillers, shock freezers, and freezer stockers. Strictly speaking, these used freezers cannot be called "rapid freezer."
First, we will explain the differences between blast chillers, shock freezers, and freezer stockers that are available as second-hand flash rapid freezer, and original rapid freezer and rapid freezing.

blast chiller

Blast chillers, known from products such as Hoshizaki, are often confused with rapid freezer, but a blast chiller is a cooling device that pre-cools food, not rapid freezer. By blowing cold air onto hot food to quickly cool it, it helps improve cooking efficiency and hygiene management.
Blast chillers are often used in conjunction with cooling machines or rapid freezer, and there are rapid freezer also have blast chiller functions, but care must be taken because a blast chiller alone will not provide the same benefits as rapid freezer or rapid freezing.

shock freezer

A shock freezer is a machine that quickly freezes room temperature food by blowing cold air at -40℃. It freezes food faster than a home freezer and prevents bacteria from growing and dripping.
However, strictly speaking, it cannot be called a quick freezer because it does not meet the definition of a rapid freezer rapid freezing, which is "a time of passing through the temperature range (-1°C to -5°C) at which the water in food rapid freezer in less than 30 minutes."

However, depending on the food, shock freezers can freeze at the same speed as rapid freezer, and produce food with quality close to that of rapid freezer. Representative shock freezers are made by Hoshizaki and Panasonic, and Panasonic sells them as "quick freezers."
Also, unlike most rapid freezer which are large, there are also small types available.

frozen stocker

A freezer is a device for freezing and storing food. They come in a variety of sizes, from small to large, and some even have an ultra-low temperature of -60℃. They can be set to temperatures lower than home freezers, but because they are intended for storing food, they do not have the same freezing technology as rapid freezer.

As such, the blast chillers, shock freezers, and freezer stockers that you find when searching for "used rapid freezer" are machines with different performance than original rapid freezer and rapid freezing, and second-hand rapid freezer such as the art lock freezers and liquid freezers that we handle are rarely found on the market.
The reason is that once they install rapid freezer, they realize that it will be so beneficial to their business that they will not be able to operate without it.

Through a special freezing process, rapid freezer achieve a much higher quality of freezing than household or commercial freezers.
There are various reasons for purchasing rapid freezer, but if you are aiming to make a profit from it in the long term, we recommend a high-quality rapid freezer that is not available second-hand.
Additionally, when introducing rapid freezer into your business, the most important thing is to select the most suitable model for freezing your company's products from the different types of rapid freezer that have different freezing methods.
We can provide total support for your business, not only by providing support for the introduction of rapid freezer, but also by providing pre- and post-installation recipe and product development and operational consulting. Please feel free to contact us at any time.

The risks of purchasing a second-hand rapid freezer

Most second rapid freezer sold are blast chillers and shock freezers, and it is extremely rare to find other types of rapid freezer. However, if there is an advantage to choosing a second-hand product, it is that the introduction cost is lower than purchasing an official product.
However, while second-hand products are cheap, they also come with risks. Here we will explain the risks involved in purchasing a second-hand rapid freezer.

No warranty or after-sales follow-up

Unlike genuine products that come with extensive support from the manufacturer, second-hand rapid freezer have varying warranty periods, and some second-hand products only allow returns or exchanges if they have initial defects. Maintaining rapid freezer is complicated, and when it does break down, it is not uncommon to incur large repair costs.
​The biggest risk when purchasing a second-hand rapid freezer rapid freezer the lack of after-sales support.

We will arrange delivery and installation ourselves.

Used rapid freezer are delivered by truck, so in most cases the purchaser must transport and install the product.
Installation work requires gas connection, refrigerant piping work, and, depending on rapid freezer, a dedicated electrical outlet may be required, so it must be outsourced to a specialist company.
If you are purchasing a genuine product, you can ask an affiliated company to help you, but if you are purchasing rapid freezer. (There are some second-hand stores that you can request support from.)

May leave a smell

In the case of second-hand rapid freezer that were used in the seafood processing industry, the smell of fish may remain.
To avoid any problems after the purchase, we recommend checking in advance how the seller uses rapid freezer.

How long does it take to recoup the investment in rapid freezer?

Is buying a second-hand rapid freezer a better deal than buying a new one?
If you are considering purchasing a used rapid freezer to reduce initial costs, we recommend that you also find out how long it would take to recoup your investment if you were to purchase a new one.
The lifespan of rapid freezer rapid freezing is approximately 10 years. We performed a simulation to see how long it would take to recover the initial costs of a new rapid freezer, assuming it is used for 10 years.

Example of using rapid freezer to achieve cost-effectiveness of 1,500 yen per day

So, what about used rapid freezer?
If you plan on using it for the same period of time and get the same cost-effectiveness, a second-hand item is a better deal.
However, purchasing a used rapid freezer comes with the following risks:

• ​Unexpected repair costs due to defects or malfunctions
• Not being able to choose the most suitable model leads to a decline in the quality and productivity of frozen products

These risks may mean that the product cannot be used for the expected period of time, or that it may not provide the same cost-effectiveness as a new product.

Introducing new equipment does not necessarily guarantee success for your business, but it can help avoid risks compared to using used products, as there is a well-established maintenance system and you can choose the most suitable model.
If you can use rapid freezer for 10 years or more in line with your long-term plan, you may be able to make a better deal than buying a used rapid freezer.

Important points to avoid failure when purchasing a used rapid freezer

Next, we have summarized three points to keep in mind to avoid failure when purchasing a used rapid freezer.

maintenance status

Used rapid freezer are appraised based on the presence or absence of scratches and their usage history, but it is dangerous to make a judgment based on these alone.
When purchasing second-hand products, we recommend checking carefully to see whether they have been maintained and whether they work without any problems when used as intended.

Warranty/support system

As we have already mentioned, there are risks associated with using second-hand rapid freezer, but there are quite a few second-hand products that only come with initial defect repairs.
Used rapid freezer with no (or short) warranty period can result in large repair costs if a problem occurs, so be sure to check the warranty system.

Utilization advice

Maximizing the performance of rapid freezer requires know-how.
If used incorrectly, rapid freezer may not function as intended and may even break down.
It would be best to get advice from the manufacturer or an expert, but this may be difficult when it comes to second-hand items.

We also provide advice on freezing methods. If you have any problems using rapid freezer, please contact us.

We have introduced some points to avoid failure when introducing used products, but it is actually quite difficult to find a used rapid freezer meets these requirements.
If the reason you are choosing a used item is the price, why not consider taking advantage of subsidies, renting, or leasing?

The next method, using subsidies, is a very useful way to reduce the cost of rapid freezer.

If you want to keep your initial costs down, it's better to use subsidies than to use second-hand equipment.

If your goal is to reduce costs, we recommend taking advantage of subsidies rather than choosing a used rapid freezer.
In Japan, there is a subsidy system called the "Manufacturing Subsidy" (subsidy amount is up to 10 million yen) that supports capital investment for small and medium-sized enterprises. If you can use this subsidy to purchase the optimal rapid freezer, you can avoid the risks of buying a second-hand product and achieve cost reduction.
However, the acceptance rate for manufacturing subsidies is around 30-50%. In order to be selected as a subsidy recipient, it is necessary to use techniques such as conveying the advantages and feasibility of a business that uses rapid freezer in the application form.

We also provide subsidy support services, with an adoption rate of over 80%. If you are interested, please contact us.

Rental and leasing options

Additionally, if you want to reduce initial costs and instead purchase a used unit, we recommend renting or leasing rapid freezer.
It is also possible to rent or lease rapid freezer and rapid freezing. In that case, you can keep initial costs down and, unlike second-hand equipment, you can use a maintained or brand new rapid freezer.
The main difference between rental and leasing is the contract period, with rentals being short-term contracts starting from less than a year, while leasing is mid- to long-term contracts of 5 to 10 years. However, rapid freezer rental services offer long-term rentals of 1 to 8 years, which is similar to leasing. Another feature of rentals is that they can be recorded as expenses.
Prices vary depending on the type and capacity of rapid freezer, but the average price is several tens of thousands of yen per month. Because the contract period is shorter, renting is more expensive than leasing, so leasing is recommended for those who plan to use it for a long period of time, while renting is recommended for those who want to use it for a short period of time or just try it out.

Our company provides a rental service for rapid freezer company provides a rental service for rapid freezer can also introduce you to affiliated leasing companies.If you are interested, please contact us.We can also introduce you to affiliated leasing companies.If you are interested, please contact us.

Conclusion

Most of the second-hand rapid freezer sold on the market are blast chillers, shock freezers, and prefabricated freezers, and genuine rapid freezer are rarely available as second-hand. Even if they are rarely available, second-hand products that do not come with a warranty or after-sales support are high risk and dangerous.
Although rapid freezer and rapid freezing are expensive, they are highly cost-effective and will pay for themselves once you get going, so there is a good chance you will get a better deal than buying a used one. Also, if your goal in buying a used rapid freezer is to reduce costs, we recommend taking advantage of subsidies, renting, or leasing.
There is a difference between a cheap but risky used rapid freezer and a new rapid freezer which is expensive but cost-effective.
Which is best depends on your perspective, but we recommend that you make long-term plans rather than basing your decision on price alone, and also consider options other than used goods such as subsidies, rentals, and leasing.

As a trading company specializing in rapid freezer, we provide full support for our customers' rapid freezing businesses from a neutral standpoint.
We do not handle used rapid freezer, but if cost is an issue and you are considering buying a used item, we can expand your options and possibilities by introducing you to subsidy programs and rental/leasing services. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us.