Walk-In Cooler Refrigerators

A walk-in cooler makes it easy for you to store large quantities of food at safe holding temperatures and prevent them from spoiling as quickly. Made in a variety of sizes, these coolers can provide a small storage area for extra ingredients or several hundred cubic feet of space. Choose from a walk-in refrigerator made for indoor use, or try an outdoor cooler if you don't have enough space inside your business for more equipment.

Each walk-in refrigerator features full-body insulation in the walls and doors that maintains the cabinet's internal temperature. Many units also come with floors, which help contain cold air and moisture. This design prevents the floors outside the walk-in unit from becoming saturated with condensation, which can create mold or structural problems if not maintained. Most of our coolers are also NSF Listed, making them easy to clean and sanitize.

What temperature should a walk-in cooler be?

For safe commercial refrigeration, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that refrigerated products must be kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. The lower the temperature at which the food is maintained, the longer it will last. 38 degrees is widely regarded as the ideal temperature for refrigeration, including walk in coolers.
• 45 F and above — spoilage accelerates rapidly
• 41 F — FDA mandated maximum temperature for products in commercial refrigeration
• 38 F — The ideal cooler temperature
• 36 F — Lowest recommended temperature
• 35 F and below — risk of freezing sensitive items like milk and dairy products

How does a walk-in cooler work?

A commercial walk-in cooler is very similar in operation to a reach-in refrigerator. Warm air is moved from the cooler area to the space around the condenser. A thermostat maintains a temperature typically between 35 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. At a set point of 40 degrees, the cooling cycle is triggered and both the compressor and the condenser fan are turned on. Cold air is blown out of the evaporator and circulated throughout the cooler where it absorbs heat. This warmed air is then pulled back through the evaporator where it is cooled once again. When the temperature in the walk-in cooler returns to 35 degrees, the compressor and fan are turned off, while the evaporator fan continues to run. If the temperature falls below 35 degrees, a defrost cycle is triggered in order to avoid the system freezing up.

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