What’s a Kitchen Tool vs. Equipment?

When studying commercial kitchens and working in a commercial kitchen it’s especially important to learn the difference between kitchen equipment and kitchen tools. Although both of these categories are almost the same but they have very specific and different uses in both commercial and domestic kitchens. For anyone who is doing a new restaurant in Dubai or in the process of refurbishing their kitchen, understanding the difference can help in making the right choices. With our state-of-the-art tools and equipment at The HORECA Store, we appreciate the need for kitchen chefs to have the right equipment to work effectively, and safely and produce quality meals.

Understanding Kitchen Equipment

So kitchen equipment can be described as big and complicated appliances that may not move from one kitchen to another easily, if at all. These items are usually fundamental to the kitchen because they are meant for specific and important uses in the preparation and cooking of food as well as preservation. Some general examples of kitchen equipment include; an oven toaster, refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, and food mixers.

When used in a commercial kitchen, the equipment may be more durable to cater to the many times it is used. For example, a restaurant use-type, equipment such as a commercial range allows for consistently baking, frying, or roasting large portions of foods at the same time, and commercial refrigeration provides adequate storage and cooling capabilities. The equipment used in kitchens in Dubai is usually acquired concerning the market challenges that are faced in the region where foremost considerations are efficiency and durability.

Types of Kitchen Equipment

Cooking Equipment: This category involves ovens and stoves, cooktops as well as grills. These are very important for any kitchen and the chefs can prepare all kinds of meals with ease and uniformity.

Refrigeration Equipment: Refrigerators and freezers for instance would be under this category. They are important for the storage of ingredients and keeping foods at the right temperature to check for bacteria.

Food Preparation Equipment: Items such as food processors, mixers, and slicers are essential in a kitchen since they make preparations easier.

Cleaning Equipment: Washing dishes and utensils is essential and in a commercial kitchen where food is prepared in large quantities the use of the two cannot be over-emphasized.

Understanding Kitchen Tools

On the other hand, kitchen tools are the smaller, easier-to-handle utensils that are used by chefs and cooks to accomplish several functions. These tools are more or less uniform and are used recurrently for cutting, stirring, and even leveling. While kitchen equipment is relatively expensive and clam once damaged, kitchen tools are relatively cheaper and easier to replace.

This category entails spoons to stir foods, knives to cut foods, spatulas and whisks, scoops, and measuring cups that are used in measuring ingredients among others. This equipment is vital for elaborate works such as the preparation of foods and can provide the necessary accuracy in the culinary world. To underline this concept, it is also necessary to note that the effectiveness of any commercial kitchen depends on the tools that are used in the kitchen as much as it depends on the equipment.

Types of Kitchen Tools

Cutting Tools: Among them, there are knives, peelers, and scissors usually used to cut materials. These are basic for preparing food where cutting, slicing, and dicing of ingredients and other food items is required.

Mixing Tools: These can stir ingredients by using whisks, spatulas, and wooden spoons. These tools are very important for mixing the ingredients to the correct texture.

Measuring Tools: Spoons, cups, and scales are used for the standard unit of measure since, for quality purposes, the right proportions of the ingredients are needed.

Cooking Tools: Spoons are used during the preparation of food to stir, move, and transfer foods by scooping, and all these spoons are associated with cooking and serving utensils.

Key Differences Between Kitchen Equipment and Tools

Kitchen equipment and tools are indispensable for any kitchen activity, but they have different features in terms of size, functionality, and price. Kitchen equipment is larger and more costly and it is specialized to perform numerous and significant roles within the kitchen. They are mostly not mobile and capital-intensive in the sense that they call for sizeable investment in terms of both capital and physical land space. Kitchen tools on the other hand are significantly smaller, cost less, and are used in various activities in the kitchen. These are usually moveable and could be replaced once they have worn out or have been destroyed.