Top 4 Reasons to Choose Used Restaurant Equipment

When opening a restaurant, it can be easy to spend your entire budget on just a few pieces of commercial kitchen equipment. Professional kitchens typically rely on multiple heavy-duty cooking appliances to keep up with the production levels that restaurants require.
Whether you’re opening a new restaurant or considering an equipment upgrade, buying used restaurant equipment can help you save a ton of money. Unlike your home stove and refrigerator, commercial kitchen equipment is built to withstand heavy traffic, constant use, and more harsh conditions. By purchasing used equipment, you can enjoy high-quality units at a significant discount.
At Burkett, you can get fantastic deals on equipment for every stage of food preparation, such as used refrigeration to keep your ingredients crisp and fresh, used food prep equipment to help your staff prepare ingredients quickly, used cooking equipment to give chefs the tools they need to create mouthwatering dishes, and used food warming equipment to maintain food temperatures at ready-to-serve levels for longer.
These are the top four reasons to choose used restaurant equipment:
Save Money

The biggest reason for choosing used restaurant equipment over new restaurant equipment is in the amount of money you can save.
As a new restauranteur, purchasing commercial kitchen equipment will be one of your biggest expenses. New equipment is shiny and provides excellent quality, however, used equipment can maximize your financial investment by allowing you to purchase more for less.
Buying used restaurant equipment can save you significant amounts of money, while still providing you with high-quality cooking capabilities. Properly and professionally reconditioned or repaired equipment can provide a quality of cooking comparable to brand new units.
When you save money on equipment, you can allocate more of your budget to other parts of your business. With the money you’ve saved, you can afford better supplies, ingredients, marketing, and décor.
Pay Less Depreciation
Just like buying a new car, as soon as you buy a piece of new equipment the depreciation begins. New equipment will depreciate much faster than used equipment. The value of used products continues to decline over time, but during a machine’s initial two years it undergoes the most depreciation.
When you purchase new equipment, you must pay the principal depreciating cost. Depending on the market, this principal may account for as much as half of the machine’s price. By purchasing used equipment, you can receive a newer piece of equipment without having to pay the initial sticker price because the primary depreciation loss has already occurred.
Similar Quality
The main deterrent to purchasing old equipment is the belief that it won’t be as high-quality as brand-new equipment. That, however, can be totally false. Restaurant equipment is designed to be strong and endure repeated use. Burkett started its business in 1977 servicing commercial kitchen equipment, so we understand how important quality assurance is.

Each piece of our used equipment undergoes a rigorous 10-step restoration process, including multiple rounds of testing, before being placed for sale. All used commercial kitchen equipment is deep cleaned, stripped and detailed to ensure the best quality product.
Our team of experienced technicians has over 100 combined years of experience in reconditioning, refurbishing, and repairing high-quality kitchen equipment. You can be confident that the items are in excellent condition and completely functional when they reach our sales floor.
Less Waste, More Eco-Friendly
In a world where going green is more popular than ever, buying used can make a positive impact on the environment. . By buying a used convection oven or back bar cooler, you can add life to an otherwise landfill bound item.
Brand new equipment can often offer the highest level of energy efficient production thanks to it’s never-been-used components. However, the price tag and rate of depreciation will quickly add up.
Conclusion
Buying used commercial restaurant equipment is a smart choice for any business owner looking to save money while still outfitting their kitchen with high-quality equipment. Not only is it more cost-effective, but it also allows for less depreciation and similar quality to that of new equipment. Additionally, purchasing used equipment is more eco-friendly as it reduces the need for new resources to be used in the production of new equipment.
Overall, buying used commercial kitchen equipment is a wise investment for any restaurant looking to operate efficiently and sustainably. With the right research and due diligence, businesses can find great deals on used equipment that will serve them well for years to come.