Restaurants and cafés
An upright chiller and a freezer at the back of the line, a prep counter on the cold station. The cabinet that gets opened most should sit nearest the cooks and furthest from the heat.
Commercial refrigeration · Chillers and freezers
Commercial Chiller and Freezer Supplier in Dubai
A commercial chiller holds food at about +2 to +8 °C and a commercial freezer holds it at about -18 °C or lower. FIAMMA supplies SUS304 upright freezers, meat chillers, prep counters and pastry display chillers in Dubai. This guide explains how to pick the type, size and placement for UAE kitchen heat.
Ask three suppliers for a commercial freezer and you can get three different answers on temperature, refrigerant and what the unit is rated for. A lot of the confusion comes from a handful of words that mean different things in a home, in a plant room and in a kitchen. This page sorts them out, so you can compare quotations on facts instead of a photo and a price.
FIAMMA supplies SUS304 upright freezers, upright meat chillers, pizza and salad prep counters and pastry display chillers from Al Qusais, Dubai. Below you will find the temperature classes, which type fits which job, our range side by side, and what to ask before you pay. If you already know what you need, send it through the contact page. For a shorter explainer on the two terms, read our chiller vs freezer guide.
Chiller or freezer? What the words mean in a commercial kitchen
In a UAE kitchen, chiller means a refrigerated cabinet or counter that keeps food cold but not frozen. It does the job of a fridge, with a commercial compressor, a stainless steel body and doors built for hundreds of openings a day. It is not the water chiller used for building air conditioning or district cooling, and it is not a chiller van. A freezer keeps food frozen solid, and a commercial one is built to keep doing that in a hot room.
The temperatures below are typical working ranges. Your menu, your food safety plan and the authority's food code decide what you actually have to hold.
| Class | Typical holding range | What it holds | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiller (storage or prep) | about +2 to +8 °C | Dairy, produce, sauces, prepared food, prep ingredients | Many kitchens set it toward the cold end, around +2 to +5 °C, so food never drifts to the warm end of the range. |
| Meat and fish chiller | about -2 to +4 °C | Fresh meat, poultry, fish | Colder than a general chiller. Even air flow matters, so one shelf does not freeze while another runs warm. |
| Display chiller | about +2 to +8 °C | Cakes, pastries, desserts, packed food on show | Glass and lighting add heat load. See our page on display chillers. |
| Freezer | about -18 °C or lower (often -18 to -22 °C) | Frozen stock, frozen proteins, fries, ice cream bases | Works hardest, uses the most electricity and suffers most from heat around it. |
Upright, under-counter, prep counter or display: which type fits?
The type decides how much you can store, how far a cook has to walk and how much floor you give up. Most kitchens end up with a mix of two or three.
| Type | Best for | Strength | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upright (reach-in) chiller or freezer | Bulk storage near the line or in a back store | The most litres per square metre of floor, with full-height shelving | Every door opening dumps cold air. It needs headroom and clearance at the back. |
| Under-counter chiller or freezer | Small kitchens, bars and stations that need ingredients at hand | Doubles as a work surface and keeps stock within reach | Small volume. The compressor sits low and picks up floor dust and heat. |
| Prep counter (pizza or salad) | Pizza, salad and sandwich stations | Ingredients in GN pans at working height with a cold cabinet below | The pan well and lid decide how well the top stays cold in a warm room. |
| Display chiller | Cakes, pastries, desserts, grab-and-go | Sells the product while holding a steady temperature behind glass | Glass, lighting and sunlight add heat. See display chillers in Dubai. |
| Walk-in cold room | High-volume stores and central kitchens | The largest capacity | A built structure rather than a cabinet, and outside the scope of this page. |
FIAMMA's chiller and freezer range at a glance
These are the refrigeration units FIAMMA supplies today, with specifications exactly as listed on each product page. Where a page does not state a value, the table says so instead of guessing.
| Model | Type and size | Temperature | Refrigerant and electrical | Other points listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Upright Freezer | Single door, 700 L, 740 × 830 × 2010 mm | -18 to -22 °C | Refrigerant not stated on the page. 220 V / 50 Hz / 780 W. Embraco heavy-duty compressor. | SUS304 inside and out, forced-air cooling, automatic defrost, 70 mm polyurethane insulation, Tropical Class T, up to 43 °C ambient. |
| Upright Meat Chiller | Double door, 1,400 L, 1480 × 830 × 2010 mm | -2 to +4 °C | Refrigerant and wattage not stated on the page. 220 V / 50 Hz. | SUS304, forced-air ventilation, automatic electric defrost, digital thermostat, internal lighting. |
| Pizza and Salad Prep Table | 9 × GN 1/3 pans, 1800 × 800 × 1050 mm | +2 to +8 °C | Listed as R134a / R290. 220 V / 50 Hz. | SUS304, retractable insulated hood, PE cutting board, nine SUS304 GN pans supplied with the 1.8 m model. |
| Pastry Display Chiller | 1200 × 750 × 1200 mm, curved double-glazed front | +2 to +8 °C | R290. 220 V / 50 Hz / 650 W. | SUS304 and double glass, defogging, warm LED on every level, fan cooling, automatic defrost. |
What does R290 mean, and what is a climate class?
R290 is propane used as a refrigerant. It is a natural gas with a very low global warming potential, and it moves heat efficiently, which is why many newer commercial cabinets use it. Because propane is flammable, an R290 cabinet carries a small, strictly limited charge and should be installed and serviced by a technician who knows the gas. Older cabinets often use R134a or R404A. Those are not unsafe, they simply have a higher global warming potential. On FIAMMA's range the pastry display chiller is listed with R290 and the prep table as R134a / R290, so ask which applies to your unit.
Climate class is the standard way to say how hot and humid a room a cabinet was tested in. The classes you will see quoted most often are:
- Class 4: about 30 °C and 55 % relative humidity.
- Class 5: about 40 °C and 40 % relative humidity.
- Class 7: about 35 °C and 75 % relative humidity.
How to size a commercial chiller or freezer
Work from what you store, not from the size of the room. As an indicative starting point, plan for two to three days of stock in a busy kitchen with frequent deliveries, and more if deliveries are weekly. Then remember that a cabinet's rated volume is gross. Usable shelf space is noticeably smaller, and a cabinet packed solid blocks the air flow it depends on.
- Count pans and cartons, not litres. A GN 1/1 pan is the usual unit of storage. List the pans and cartons your menu uses in a day, then check how many shelf positions the cabinet really gives you.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat apart. Raw meat and fish belong in their own chiller, or on the lowest shelves. A dedicated meat chiller removes the conflict.
- Leave room for peaks. Events, Ramadan and delivery surges push stock up. A cabinet that is full on an ordinary Tuesday has no margin.
- Do not put chiller work into a freezer. A freezer costs more to run, so use it only for what has to be frozen.
- Match the scale to the kitchen. Many small operations start with one upright chiller, one upright freezer and one prep counter. A cloud kitchen with a narrow menu can often work with under-counter units. A hotel or central kitchen usually needs a cold room as well.
Where to put it: ventilation, heat and running cost in a Dubai kitchen
A chiller or freezer is a heat pump. It moves heat out of the cabinet and releases it into the room, so a cabinet in a hot, cramped corner works harder to get the same result. These points make the biggest difference.
- Keep it away from heat. Not beside a fryer, range or oven, and not under the heat plume from a hood. Your kitchen hood design decides where that heat goes.
- Leave breathing room. Manufacturers commonly ask for roughly 100 to 200 mm clear at the sides and back, with open space above. Check the manual for your model.
- Keep the condenser clean. Dust and grease choke the condenser coil. Cleaning it every one to three months is common practice in a working kitchen. A blocked coil is one of the most frequent reasons a freezer cannot hold temperature.
- Watch the door. Door openings, worn gaskets and doors left ajar drive consumption more than almost anything else.
- Load cold, not hot. Hot food raises the load and can warm the food beside it.
- Level it and power it properly. Use the adjustable feet, a suitable 220 V socket (check the rated watts on the product page) and, where the model needs one, a condensate route.
What to compare when you have two quotations
Two cabinets with the same litres and the same photo can behave very differently after a year in a hot kitchen. Ask for these in writing:
- Temperature range and ambient. The stated range, and the ambient it holds that range in, given in °C and not as the phrase 'suitable for hot climates'.
- Climate class or tested ambient, with the humidity figure.
- Refrigerant, and who services it in the UAE.
- Compressor brand and type, and whether spare parts are held locally.
- Insulation and build. Thickness, material, and whether inside and outside are SUS304 or a thinner finish. Our guide to stainless steel kitchen equipment explains what to look for.
- Defrost method (hot gas or electric) and where the water goes.
- Doors and gaskets. Self-closing, replaceable gaskets, locks.
- Rated power and daily energy use.
- Warranty, installation, service and lead time, stated in the quotation and not left to a phone call. Our kitchen equipment cost guide lists what a complete quotation should contain.
Freezer manufacturers or supplier? How to buy a commercial freezer in Dubai
People search for 'freezers manufacturers' because they want to know who stands behind the cabinet. FIAMMA is a supplier of this refrigeration range, not the maker of the cabinets, and we would rather say so plainly. Our own custom work is stainless steel fabrication made to your drawing. In practice, ask any seller, us included, who builds the unit, where spare parts and service come from and what the written specification says. If you need a cabinet to a special size, say so at the start so we can tell you honestly whether it is something we can arrange. Our manufacturer vs supplier vs turnkey guide explains how the three models differ.
A typical enquiry runs like this:
- Send what you store and where it will sit. Menu type, pan counts, the space available (a photo or dimensions) and the ambient around it.
- Tell us the temperatures you need. For example +2 to +5 °C chilled or -18 °C frozen, and any raw meat or display requirement.
- We match it to the range and confirm in writing the refrigerant, ambient rating and power for the exact unit.
- You receive a quotation with the specification, delivery and installation terms and the lead time.
- Check the site before delivery. Clearances, power point and floor level.
- Handover. Set the temperature, agree the daily temperature check and the condenser cleaning routine.
Where it is used
Cloud and dark kitchens
Narrow menus and tight floor plans suit under-counter and prep-counter units that keep ingredients at the station.
Hotels and banquet kitchens
Separate cabinets for raw meat, dairy and prepared food, with a cold room for bulk. Upright units serve the individual sections.
Butchery and meat prep
A ventilated meat chiller holding about -2 to +4 °C keeps fresh cuts cold without freezing them.
Pizzerias and sandwich shops
A GN-pan prep counter keeps toppings at working height and cold, with the cutting board where the cook assembles.
Bakeries and patisseries
A glass display chiller for the shop floor and a back-of-house chiller or freezer for stock. See display chillers.
Benefits
Specifications stated plainly
Each model's listed temperature, size, refrigerant and power are published, and where a value is not listed we say so and tell you to ask.
An honest climate answer
The upright freezer page states Tropical Class T and up to 43 °C ambient. For other models you get the ambient rating in writing before you buy.
SUS304 stainless steel
The range is listed in SUS304, so cabinets match your work tables, shelves and counters.
Storage, prep and display in one range
Upright storage, a meat chiller, a prep counter and a pastry showcase from one supplier, so one conversation covers the cold side of the kitchen.
Matched to your kitchen's stainless fabrication
Counters, infill tables and shelves made to your drawing can be planned around the cabinets from the start.
Related products
Equipment from the FIAMMA range that goes with this page.
Commercial Upright Freezer
Single-door commercial upright freezer with forced-air ventilated cooling. Built with thick cyclopenthane insulation, self-closing magnetic door gaskets, digital control panel, and adjustable heavy-duty shelves. Designed to operate efficiently in hot kitchen environments up to 43°C ambient temperature.
Cooling and Display EquipmentView details →
Commercial Upright Meat Chiller
Ventilated reach-in storage chiller specifically engineered for storing fresh meat and dairy products. Features a digital thermostat, auto evaporation tray, internal lighting, and high-performance compressor unit providing rapid cooling recovery when doors are opened.
Cooling and Display EquipmentView details →
Pizza & Salad Prep Chiller
Combination preparation table and under-counter chiller cabinet. Top section accommodates GN 1/3 cooling ingredient pans under a retractable insulated hood cover. Heavy-duty food-grade polyethylene cutting board runs along the front, providing an optimal workspace for assembling pizzas, salads, and sandwiches.
Cooling and Display EquipmentView details →
Luxury Pastry Display Chiller
Premium glass-enclosed pastry showcase chiller designed for bakeries, coffee shops, and hotels. Features double-glazed curved front glass with defogging heaters, brilliant LED lighting under each glass shelf, automatic defrosting, and a high-efficiency digital thermostat. Dynamic fan cooling ensures stable temperature profiles.
Cooling and Display EquipmentView details →
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a chiller and a freezer?
A chiller keeps food cold, typically at about +2 to +8 °C, without freezing it. A freezer keeps food frozen, typically at about -18 °C or lower. A freezer works harder, uses more electricity and needs more care in a hot room.
Is a chiller the same as a fridge?
In daily speech, often yes. In a commercial kitchen a chiller is a stainless steel cabinet or counter with a commercial compressor, built for constant door opening and a hot room. A household fridge is not designed for that duty. It is also unrelated to the water chillers used in building air conditioning.
What temperature should a commercial chiller hold?
A general chiller typically works in the range of about +2 to +8 °C, and many kitchens set it toward +2 to +5 °C. Food codes commonly require chilled food at 5 °C or below, so confirm the figure with your food safety plan and the Dubai Municipality Food Code.
What temperature should a commercial freezer hold?
About -18 °C or lower is the usual working figure. FIAMMA's upright freezer is listed at -18 to -22 °C.
Which chiller or freezer works in 43 °C UAE kitchen heat?
Look for a stated climate class or tested ambient in °C, not a general claim. FIAMMA's upright freezer page states Tropical Class T and operation in ambient up to 43 °C. For other models, ask for the ambient rating in writing and keep the cabinet away from the cooking line.
Is R290 refrigerant safe?
R290 is propane. It is flammable, so cabinets using it carry a small, limited charge and should be installed and serviced by a trained technician. It has a very low global warming potential and is widely used in newer commercial cabinets. Ask which refrigerant your unit uses.
Upright, under-counter or prep counter: which suits a small kitchen?
If floor space is tight and the menu is narrow, under-counter units and a prep counter keep ingredients at the station. If you hold bulk stock, an upright gives far more storage per square metre. Many small kitchens use one of each.
How much space does a chiller or freezer need around it?
Manufacturers commonly ask for roughly 100 to 200 mm clear at the sides and back, with open space above for the heat to leave. Check the manual for your model and keep the unit away from fryers, ovens and direct sun.
Are you a freezer manufacturer?
No. FIAMMA supplies this refrigeration range and makes custom stainless steel fabrication to your drawing. If you need to know who builds a specific cabinet, ask us and we will tell you in the quotation.
What do I need to send to get a quotation?
What you store and how much, the temperatures you need, the space available and the ambient around it. A photo or a sketch with dimensions is enough. Send it through the contact page or on WhatsApp, and we supply across the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.
Related guides and solutions
Need a chiller or freezer for your kitchen?
Tell us what you store, the temperatures you need and where the unit will sit. We will match it to the range and confirm the specification in writing.
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