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Cocinas Industriales: Gas, Inducción o Eléctrica, Cómo Elegir la Adecuada

9 de September de 2026 by Beca Marketing 2

Cocina industrial de gas e inducción en cocina profesional de restaurante

Choosing the commercial kitchen for a hospitality business is one of the decisions that most
influences day-to-day operations. It affects work speed, energy consumption,
maintenance, and profitability. The most common question among those setting up or renovating
a kitchen is always the same: gas, electric, or induction? In this guide, we review the
differences between the three types, how many burners and what power each business needs, and what
factors to consider before buying.

What Is an Industrial Kitchen?

When we talk about commercial kitchens, we’re referring to the stoves used for cooking
in a professional setting, whether as standalone units or integrated into a modular cooking line
. They are designed to operate for many hours a day at a high intensity:
boiling, sautéing, reducing, browning, or simmering in containers of various sizes, repeatedly and without
losing performance during peak service times.

There are three main types based on their technology: gas, electric, and induction. All three are
commonly found in bars, restaurants, cafes, central kitchens, cafeterias, food
trucks, and food preparation areas, although each is better suited to a specific type of operation.

How Many Stoves Does Your Business Need?

There is no standard number of burners: it depends on the size of the establishment, the type of menu, and
the volume of diners. As a general guideline: a tapas bar typically uses 2 medium burners
; a café serving basic dishes uses 2 burners plus one large one; a restaurant with
a varied menu needs between 4 and 6 burners of different sizes; a medium-to-high-volume operation or one offering
a daily special usually requires 6 large burners; and a food truck with a limited menu can
get by with 1 or 2 compact burners.

How much heat does each burner need?

Power is measured in kilowatts (kW) and determines how quickly food heats up, but it also
affects energy consumption. A small burner, ranging from 1.5 to 3 kW, is sufficient for small saucepans, frying pans, or
20-cm pots. A medium burner, ranging from 3 to 5 kW, is suitable for casseroles and pots measuring 30–35 cm. A large burner, ranging from
5 to 8 kW, is designed for large-volume pots, paella pans, or industrial kettles. It’s a good idea
to have at least one large burner if the business prepares soups, stews, or pasta in
large quantities; in small kitchens, it’s preferable to prioritize medium-sized burners.

Gas, Electric, or Induction: The Real Differences

Gas stove. It offers an immediate heat response and direct visual control of the flame, and
is compatible with any type of cookware. It continues to operate during power outages,
making it particularly reliable for continuous operation. On the other hand, it requires more
maintenance and cleaning of burners and grates, as well as a certified technical installation. It is the
traditional choice for restaurants that use high heat and have consistent volume, such as steakhouses,
grills, or Mediterranean cuisine.

Electric stove. It is easier to install and operates more reliably, with less
residual heat in the work area than a gas stove. Its drawback is a slower
initial heating time, and it stops working during a power outage. It is commonly used in small
kitchens, hotels, cafes, and food trucks, where convenience and cleanliness are prioritized over
raw power.

Induction cooktop. It is the most energy-efficient option and the easiest to clean and
maintain, in addition to generating less heat in the kitchen. It requires compatible cookware
and its initial cost is usually higher. Current models reach power outputs of
up to 5,000 W and, in many cases, can operate without requiring a three-phase electrical installation,
making them a solid alternative when there is no access to gas or when precise temperature control
is a priority.

In practice, many kitchens combine gas and induction by station, assigning each
technology to the cooking technique that best suits it. This hybrid setup allows
to balance speed and efficiency when preparing extensive menus or dealing with variable service peaks.

Do you need a three-phase installation?

It depends on the type of stove and its total power rating. Many electric and induction stoves
operate on single-phase power (230 V) when their power rating does not exceed 5,000 W. However,
if the premises will have several high-power appliances—stove, oven,
and dishwasher—a three-phase line (400 V) will likely be required. Before making a decision, it’s a good idea to
consult with a licensed electrician and verify the contracted power capacity for the premises.

Tips for Making the Right Choice

Beyond the technology, it’s best to size the kitchen based on actual peak production rather than
average service levels: a line that performs well on average may fall short during
peak hours if the cooking capacity can’t keep up. It’s also important to consider the techniques that account for
the bulk of the work—grilling, frying, stewing, and batch cooking—as well as the flow of
movement in the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination and wasted time, and ventilation, which must
be sized according to the actual thermal load. If the business plans to grow, a modular kitchen
makes it easier to adapt the layout in phases without oversizing it from the start.

The most common mistakes when designing a commercial kitchen are calculating based on average capacity rather than
peak capacity, failing to plan the workflow, underestimating dishwashing needs, and choosing technology without
considering the available electrical or gas infrastructure.

Conclusion

No single technology is inherently better than another: the right kitchen depends on the actual volume
of work, the cooking techniques used on your menu, and the space available at your location. Gas
remains a solid choice for high-volume operations and high heat; electric
works well for small kitchens with simple setups; and induction is gaining ground where efficiency, cleanliness, and temperature control
are prioritized. At Pilsa, we help every HORECA business identify the
cooking line that best fits its actual operations.

Check out our selection of gas, electric, and induction commercial stoves, and find the right equipment for your business at
: www.pilsa.com/105-maquinaria.

Tipos de lavavajillas industriales: Cuál necesita tu negocio Horeca

4 de September de 2026 by Beca Marketing 2

Lavavajillas industrial de capota con cesta de platos en cocina profesional

Choosing an industrial dishwasher shapes the day-to-day operations of any professional kitchen: it
ensures that dishes are available on time for every service and that food safety regulations
are met. A poorly sized unit becomes a bottleneck; one
that’s chosen wisely will operate for years without any problems.

Why Choose an Industrial Dishwasher Over a Household One?

The difference isn’t just a matter of size. A household dishwasher has cycles lasting 60 to 90 minutes, and
the rinse temperature rarely exceeds 70 °C. An industrial dishwasher operates with cycles ranging from 90 to 120
seconds and guarantees a rinse cycle starting at 85 °C—the temperature at which the most common pathogens found in professional kitchens
are destroyed.

That difference is not a technical nuance: it is a legal requirement. Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004
on the hygiene of foodstuffs mandates effective cleaning and
disinfection procedures, which in practice requires that tableware reach those
rinse temperatures. Furthermore, speed changes the operational logic: with a 90–120-second cycle,
a glasswasher can process up to 1,500 pieces per hour—a pace that a household appliance
cannot come close to matching.

How It Works on the Inside

The system uses two tanks: the main tank, which keeps the wash water hot and in
recirculation, and the boiler, which maintains the clean rinse water at a higher temperature.
Since the water is already hot at startup, the cycle takes minutes rather than an hour. The process
in a nutshell: manual pre-wash to remove solid debris, pressure washing with detergent through the
wash arms, and a final rinse with clean water and rinse aid that washes away the detergent and
leaves the dishes ready to air dry.

Types of Industrial Dishwashers

35×35 and 40×40 basket-type glasswashers. These are the most compact models, designed for under-counter installation
requiring only a water supply and drain. Ideal for washing glassware in bars and cafes, with
starting prices around 1,300–1,500 € and processing capacities ranging from 900 to 1,500 pieces per hour. With
proper maintenance, they can have a service life of over 10 years.

Front-loading dishwasher. The standard choice for small and medium-sized restaurants: universal
baskets measuring 500×500 mm that accommodate plates up to 320 mm. Entry-level prices
are around €1,300, with mid-range models costing between €2,500 and €2,900 and throughput ranging from 30
baskets per hour. Water consumption per cycle ranges from 1.7 to 3 liters depending on the model, which
makes a significant difference for a 100-basket service.

Dome-type dishwashers. The basket is loaded horizontally, and a dome is lowered to
cover it, with cycles lasting 60–90 seconds. These are the standard machines in kitchens serving more than
100 covers, as well as in hotels and institutional settings. Entry-level prices range from around 3,100 to 3,900
€, with higher-capacity models costing over 4,400 €. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to
calculate one unit for every 60–80 place settings at maximum simultaneous service capacity.

Utensil rack. Designed for pots, GN containers, and baking sheets that do not fit in a
standard basket. This is the highest-cost category, ranging from just over €7,000 to more than
€12,000 for versions intended for large commercial kitchens, but it eliminates the need to wash large items
by hand, saving operators between 15 and 20 minutes per service.

Conveyor tunnel. For institutional settings and high-volume catering: the baskets move automatically
through the wash stations without stopping the line.

How to Calculate the Production You Need

The most common mistake is sizing equipment for average service, not for peak demand.
A simple method: count the number of place settings for your busiest service of the week, multiply that by the
number of pieces of tableware per guest (8–12 in a standard restaurant, 5–7 for a daily special), divide
the total by the number of minutes available before the next shift, and choose a team with at least
20% more output than that minimum, to account for breakdowns or incomplete orders.

For reference: a bar serving up to 60 customers typically requires 600–900 pieces per hour (glasswasher);
a small restaurant, 30–40 baskets per hour (front-loading); a medium-sized restaurant, 40–60 baskets per hour
(infeed hood); and a large restaurant or hotel, 60 or more baskets per hour (high-production hood).

Factors to Consider Before Buying

Rinse temperature: 85 °C or higher, as verified in the technical data sheet.
Water consumption: The efficient range is between 1.5 and 3 liters per cycle.
Water softener: In areas with hard water, it extends the equipment’s service life by 30% to
50%.
Electrical connection: Front-loading machines and glass washers are typically single-phase; high-
, hood-type machines may require three-phase power.
Dish space and height: Measure the available space; most racks can hold
items up to 280–320 mm.

Essential Maintenance

Most malfunctions have the same cause: dirty filters and clogged wash arms.
It is advisable to check the detergent and rinse aid at the start of the shift, clean the filters and sump
between shifts, ventilate and inspect the wash arms at the end of the day, degrease them
weekly, and perform an annual technical inspection of the pump and injector system.

Conclusion

No industrial dishwasher is inherently better than another: there is simply the right equipment for each business’s
service volume, space, and type of dishware. At Pilsa, we analyze the
actual service volume of each kitchen to recommend the equipment you truly need—
—without oversizing or undersizing it.

Discover our entire line of commercial kitchen equipment and find the right
industrial dishwasher for your business: www.pilsa.com/105-maquinaria.