7 Things to Check Before Buying a Commercial Undercounter Fridge in Ireland (2026)

If you're looking for a commercial undercounter fridge in Ireland, the first thing to know is that two units that look identical on a product page can behave very differently once they're in your kitchen. One looks bigger on paper than it is in practice. One copes with a hot line, the other struggles by lunchtime. One is on your doorstep in a couple of days, the other takes the best part of two weeks.

So before you click buy, here are the seven things worth checking. We've used real figures from the models in our undercounter fridge range throughout, so you can see how the numbers play out in practice. If you'd rather skip the reading and browse, the full commercial undercounter fridge collection is there with every spec on the page.

1. Measure the gap properly (and then measure it again)

Undercounter fridges are built to a fairly standard footprint, but "fairly standard" is where people get caught. Among the models we stock, widths sit at about 600mm, but heights and depths vary more than you'd think:

• The Atosa R-MBC24R is W605 x D635 x H815mm.
• The Unifrost R200SN is W600 x D595 x H850mm.
• The Koldbox KXR200 is 830mm high, 595mm wide and 640mm deep.
• The Combisteel 3 drawer undercounter is 600w x 605d x 810h mm.

That's a 40mm spread in height alone. Several of the Blizzard units, such as the Blizzard UCR140, are height adjustable from 819mm to 850mm, which gives you a bit of forgiving room if your worktop is a tight squeeze. Measure the opening at the front and the back, check for a skirting board or pipework hiding behind, and look at the spec sheet for the clearance the manufacturer wants around the unit for airflow. A fridge jammed into a gap with no breathing room works harder, runs hotter and wears out sooner.

Also think about the door. Most of these have a reversible door, so check which way it needs to open in your space before it arrives, not after. And if the doorway to your kitchen is narrow, measure that too. It sounds obvious, but it's the thing that surprises people most.

2. Look at net capacity, not just the headline litres

This is the big one. Manufacturers often quote gross capacity, which is the total volume of the cabinet including the awkward bits that you can't actually put food into. Net capacity is the usable space, and it can be a lot smaller.

A good example from our own range: the Blizzard UCR140 range is a "145L" fridge on the label, and its spec sheet lists 145 litres gross and 98 litres net. The Koldbox KXR200 is sold as a 200 litre model, but its spec lists 113 litres gross and 89 litres net. Neither of those is a problem in itself, you just need to know what you're comparing. A unit marketed as 150 litres, like the Unifrost R200SVN, can't be compared directly with a "145L" unit unless you know whether both figures are gross or net.

The practical test is simple. Think about what actually goes in: how many 1/1 GN trays, how many tubs, how many bottles, how many boxes of prep. Then check the internal dimensions and shelf count on the spec sheet. If the listing doesn't give you the internal size, that's worth asking about before you order. And if you know you'll run out of space within a year, it's often cheaper to go up to a two door counter than to buy a second small unit later. Our counter fridges and single door counter prep fridges collections are worth a look if you're torn.

3. Ventilated or static cooling?

Static cooling uses cold plates or coils inside the cabinet and relies on cold air settling naturally. Ventilated (fan assisted) cooling pushes air around the inside, so temperature is more even and recovers faster after the door's been opened.

If the fridge sits in a busy spot where the door's opening forty times an hour, ventilated is usually the better call. The Unifrost R200SVN is listed as fully ventilated with quick pulldown, and the Blizzard UCR140 range is fan assisted. The Combisteel 3 drawer unit is also ventilated. For a quieter spot, like a bar back store or a café where the fridge gets lighter use, a static or static with fan model can do the job perfectly well.

One thing to bear in mind: fan units can dry out uncovered food a little faster, so lids and cling film matter. It's a small trade off for the even temperature.

4. Check the temperature range against Irish food safety guidance

Here's one that's easy to miss. Not every fridge is designed to hold the same temperature band, and it's worth checking the range on the spec sheet against what you're storing. The FSAI's guidance for caterers is that the thermostat of fridges and chill cabinets should be set so that the food itself sits between 0°C and 5°C. In general, they note that a fridge set at 3°C or 4°C will keep food in that range.

Now look at the ranges the manufacturers list. The Atosa R-MBC24R runs from +2°C to +5°C. The Unifrost R200SVN runs from 0°C to +5°C. The Blizzard UCR140 range is listed at +2°C to +8°C, and the Koldbox KXR200 at +2°C to +10°C. Those wider ranges describe what the unit can be set to, not where you should run it, and a unit with a wider range isn't a worse fridge. But if you're storing high risk chilled food, it's well worth knowing how much headroom you have at the cold end and being sure the unit can comfortably hold the temperature you need in your kitchen.

Whichever you choose, put a probe thermometer inside and log the temperature. Your environmental health officer will be much happier looking at a written record than a promise. If you're also thinking about cooling cooked food quickly, our post on a blast chiller versus a standard fridge explains where an ordinary undercounter fridge stops being the right tool.

5. Solid door, glass door or drawers?

Three layouts, three different jobs.

• Solid door. The simplest and usually the most efficient. Good insulation, plenty of shelf flexibility, and the right choice for most kitchens and bars.
• Glass door. Handy if you want to see stock at a glance, like on a bar or in a café front of house. The Blizzard UCR140CR has a double glazed glass door on a stainless steel body. Worth knowing: its spec sheet lists climate class 3, where the solid door models in that range are class 4, so it's the one to check against your room temperature.
• Drawers. Brilliant for prep stations where staff are reaching for the same ingredients all day, because you only open the section you need and the rest stays cold. The Combisteel 3 drawer unit and the 2 drawer tabletop model work this way. The trade off is less flexibility for tall items.

Check security too. The Atosa, Unifrost, Blizzard and Koldbox models above all come with a lock fitted, which matters on a shared bar or in a unit where stock needs to be secured overnight. Not every model has one, so don't assume.

6. Think about your kitchen's heat, noise and running costs

A fridge in a hot kitchen works harder than the same fridge in a cool cellar. Check the maximum ambient temperature on the spec sheet. For example, the Combisteel 3 drawer unit lists a maximum ambient of 30°C, and the Combisteel single door tabletop 130 litre lists 32°C. If your undercounter fridge is going to sit right next to a fryer or a combi oven, those numbers matter, and so does leaving the airflow gap we mentioned earlier.

Noise is the other one that gets forgotten until it's installed. In an open plan café or a quiet bar, a compressor that's audible across the room gets old fast. The Combisteel 3 drawer lists 40 dB, the 130 litre tabletop lists 50 dB, and the Blizzard UCR140 range lists 53 dBA. Those aren't huge gaps on paper, but in a quiet room you'll notice them.

Then there's energy. The Unifrost R200SN lists an energy class of A at 1.2 kW per 24 hours, and the Combisteel 3 drawer lists 0.92 kW per 24 hours on its spec. A fridge runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so a small daily difference adds up over the life of the unit. It's not the only factor, but if two models are close on everything else, take the lower consumption one.

7. Warranty, delivery time and who looks after you after the sale

This is the bit that decides what happens when something goes wrong on a Saturday night. Before you order, find out exactly what the warranty covers, whether it's parts only or parts and labour, and how long it lasts. On the models we've mentioned, the Unifrost R200SVN carries a 2 year parts warranty and the Combisteel units carry 1 year parts and labour. Always check the warranty line on the specific product page you're buying from.

Delivery matters just as much, especially if you're opening soon or replacing a unit that's just died. The listed delivery times across our range are roughly:

• Atosa and Unifrost undercounter models: 1 to 2 working days.
• Blizzard UCR140 range: 3 to 5 working days.
• Combisteel units: 4 to 11 working days.

If your fridge has packed in during service and you need a replacement fast, that difference is the whole decision. The listed lead times are on each product page, and if you're up against a deadline, send us a message and we'll tell you what's available quickest. And if the problem is that your current fridge isn't holding temperature, have a look at our guide on what to check when a commercial fridge or freezer stops cooling before you replace anything.

What does a commercial undercounter fridge cost in Ireland?

As a rough guide, based on what's currently on our site, compact single door and drawer undercounter fridges generally sit at roughly €700 to €1,300 ex VAT, depending on brand, finish, glass door or solid door, and whether it's a fan assisted unit. Larger two door and multi drawer refrigerated counters start from around €1,000 and climb towards €2,000 ex VAT as capacity and drawer count go up. These are ranges to help you budget, not quotes, so check the live price on the product page. You'll find everything in the undercounter fridges collection, and if you want a stainless finish across the whole kitchen, the stainless steel fridges collection is also worth browsing.

One more tip. If you're fitting out a food truck or a small unit, our food truck equipment checklist covers how undercounter units fit into a compact refrigeration setup. And if you run a bar and also need storage for bottles, the back bar fridges buyers guide goes through that side of things.

Commercial undercounter fridge FAQs

How much space do I need to leave around an undercounter fridge?

It depends on the model, so check the manufacturer's spec sheet or manual for the exact clearance. As a general rule, leave room for air to move around the unit rather than pushing it tight into a closed gap, and keep it away from direct heat where you can.

What's the difference between gross and net capacity?

Gross capacity is the total volume of the cabinet. Net capacity is the space you can actually use for food. Net is the number that tells you how much will realistically go in, so compare on net wherever it's given.

Can I use a domestic fridge instead of a commercial one?

Domestic fridges aren't built for the door opening, ambient heat and constant running of a commercial kitchen. A commercial undercounter fridge is designed to recover temperature quickly and cope with the workload, so it's the safer choice for any business storing food.

Should I get a fridge or a freezer for under the counter?

It comes down to what you're storing. Some ranges, like the Blizzard UC range, come in a matching freezer version, and we have a dedicated undercounter freezers collection if you need both side by side.

What temperature should a commercial fridge be set at?

The FSAI says food should be held between 0°C and 5°C, and that a fridge thermostat set at 3°C or 4°C will generally keep it there. Check the food temperature with a probe, not just the display.

Ready to choose?

Pick the size first, then ventilation, then the layout that suits how your team actually works, and check the warranty and delivery time before you order. If you'd like a hand narrowing it down, tell us your gap size and what you're storing and we'll point you in the right direction. Browse the full commercial undercounter fridge range here, or have a look at our undercounter freezers if you need the frozen side covered too.